Atos 7
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Atos 7:51
Therefore when he sent the Holy Spirit, he manifested him visibly in two ways, as a dove and as fire; as a dove upon the baptized Lord, as fire upon the assembled disciples.… Here we saw a dove upon the Lord; there parted tongues upon the assembled disciples; in the one, simplicity is shown, in the other, fervor. For there are those who are said to be simple, and they are indolent; they are called simple, but they are lazy. Not such a one was Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit. He was simple, because he harmed no one; he was fervent, because he reproached the impious. For he did not keep silence before the Jews; his are those fiery words, "Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you have always resisted the Holy Spirit." Great vehemence! He rages, but as a dove without bile. For, in order that you may know that he raged without bile, they who were ravens, when they heard these words, immediately ran for stones [to use] against the dove. Stephen began to be stoned; and he, who but a little before was raging and boiling spirit, as if he had attacked his enemies, and as if he had assailed them with violence by those fiery and blazing words as you have heard, "Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears," so that he who heard these words might think that Stephen, if he were allowed, wished them immediately annihilated—when the rocks were coming on him from their hands, on his knees he said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." He adhered to the unity of the dove. For earlier his master, on whom the dove descended, had done that; hanging on the cross, he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." — TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.3.1-4
Atos 7:56
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
Atos 7:60
And in the Acts of the Apostles, blessed Stephen prays for those by whom he is being stoned, because they had not as yet believed in Christ and were not contending against that universal grace. — SERMON ON THE MOUNT 1.22.73
Atos 7:60
He showed his love for his murderers, in that he died for them.… That is the perfection of love. Love is perfect in him whom it makes ready to die for his brothers; but it is never perfect as soon as it is born. It is born that it may be perfected. Born, it is nourished: nourished, it is strengthened: strengthened, it is made perfect. And when it has reached perfection, how does it speak? "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. My desire was to be set free and to be with Christ; for that is by far the best. But to abide in the flesh is needful for your sake." He was willing to live for their sakes, for whom he was ready to die. — HOMILIES ON 1 JOHN 5.4