ACC ~ Acts 7 v56

HIS ENDURANCE WAS STRENGTHENED. BEDE: Since Christ the Lord was the perfect son of both God and man, why is it that the blessed martyr preferred to call him the “Son of man” rather than the Son of God? It would seem that he could have offered him greater glory if he had chosen to call him the Son of God rather than the Son of man—unless by this testimony the infidelity of the Jews could be confounded, for they remembered that they had crucified a man and that they had not chosen to believe that he was God. Therefore, to strengthen the blessed martyr’s endurance the doors of the heavenly kingdom are opened and, so that the innocent man being stoned may not stumble to the ground, the crucified God-man appears crowned in heaven. Hence, because to stand is proper to one who does battle or to one who gives help, he fittingly saw standing at God’s right hand the one whom he had as [his] helper among the men who were persecuting him. And it does not seem inconsistent that Mark describes him as sitting at God’s right hand, which is the posture of judging, for “now he judges all things” invisibly, and “at the end he will come” as the visible “judge of all.” COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 7.56.

CHRIST WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM HIM. ARATOR: Having the light of his heart he sees the opened heavens, so that what Christ does may not be hidden. [Christ] rises before the martyr. [Stephen] then sees him standing, though our faith is prone rather to honor him as seated. The very Flesh joined to the Thunderer does honor to itself in Stephen. The General in his foreknowledge arms those whom he summons to gifts. Lest anyone here should fight uncertainly, the body is revealed in the citadel of God as a reward to its witness. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.

HE FOLLOWED THE PERFECT MARTYR. IRENAEUS: These words [Stephen] said, and he was stoned. In this way he fulfilled the perfect doctrine, copying in every respect the Leader of martyrdom and praying for those who were slaying him, in these words, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Thus were they perfected who knew one and the same God, who from beginning to end was present with humankind in the various dispensations, as the prophet Hosea declares: “I have filled up visions and used similitudes by the hands of the prophets.” AGAINST HERESIES 3.12.13.

HE SAW WITH THE EYES OF FAITH. AUGUSTINE: He now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. We ought to give careful consideration to this fact with the eyes of faith to prevent the impression that he is immovably fixed in any spot so as not be permitted to stand or to walk. For, the fact that St. Stephen said that he saw him standing does not mean that St. Stephen’s vision was distorted or that his statement is at variance with the words of the creed. Far be such a thought, far be such a statement from us! The Lord’s dwelling in lofty and ineffable blessedness has merely been expressed in this way to indicate that he dwells there. SERMON 214.8.

JESUS STOOD AS HIS HELPER. AMBROSE: Jesus stood as a helpmate; he stood as if anxious to help Stephen, his athlete, in the struggle. He stood as though ready to crown his martyr. Let him then stand for you that you may not fear him sitting, for he sits when he judges. … He sits to judge, he stands to give judgment, and he judges the imperfect but gives judgment among the gods. LETTER 59 (63).

Acts