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Selected Verse: Acts 6:11 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 6:11	King James	Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
blasphemous words against Moses--doubtless referring to the impending disappearance of the whole Mosaic system. and against God--This must refer to the supreme dignity and authority which he claimed for Christ, as the head of that new economy which was so speedily to supersede the old (compare Act 7:56, Act 7:59-60).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

blasphemous words against Moses--doubtless referring to the impending disappearance of the whole Mosaic system.

and against God--This must refer to the supreme dignity and authority which he claimed for Christ, as the head of that new economy which was so speedily to supersede the old (compare Act 7:56, Act 7:59-60).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Then they suborned men - To suborn in law means to procure a person to take such a false oath as constitutes perjury (Webster). It has substantially this sense here. It means that they induced them to declare what was false, or to bring a false accusation against him. This was done, not by declaring a palpable and open falsehood, but by "perverting" his doctrines, and by stating their own "inferences" as what he had actually maintained - the common way in which people oppose doctrines from which they differ. The Syriac reads this place, "Then they sent certain men, and instructed them that they should say, etc." This was repeating an artifice which they had before practiced so successfully in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. See Mat 26:60-61. We have heard ... - When they alleged that they had heard this is not said. Probably, however, they referred to some of his discourses with the people when he performed miracles and wonders among them, Act 6:8. Blasphemous words - See the notes on Mat 9:3. Moses was regarded with profound reverence. His laws they held to be unchangeable. Any intimation, therefore, that there was a greater Lawgiver than he, or that his institutions were mere shadows and types, and were no longer binding, would be regarded as blasphemy, even though it should be spoken with the highest professed respect for Moses. That the Mosaic institutions were to be changed, and give place to another and a better dispensation, all the Christian teachers would affirm; but this was not said with a design to blaspheme or revile Moses. "In the view of the Jews," to say that was to speak blasphemy; and hence, instead of reporting what he actually "did" say, they accused him of "saying" what "they" regarded as blasphemy. If reports are made of what people say, their very "words" should be reported; and we should not report our inferences or impressions as what they said. And against God - God was justly regarded by the Jews as the giver of theft law and the author of their institutions. But the Jews, either willfully or involuntarily, not knowing that they were a shadow of good things to come, and were therefore to pass away, regarded all intimations of such a change as blasphemy against God. God had a right to change or abolish those ceremonial observances, and it was "not" blasphemy in Stephen to declare it.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Then they suborned men - To suborn in law means to procure a person to take such a false oath as constitutes perjury (Webster). It has substantially this sense here. It means that they induced them to declare what was false, or to bring a false accusation against him. This was done, not by declaring a palpable and open falsehood, but by "perverting" his doctrines, and by stating their own "inferences" as what he had actually maintained - the common way in which people oppose doctrines from which they differ. The Syriac reads this place, "Then they sent certain men, and instructed them that they should say, etc." This was repeating an artifice which they had before practiced so successfully in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. See Mat 26:60-61.

We have heard ... - When they alleged that they had heard this is not said. Probably, however, they referred to some of his discourses with the people when he performed miracles and wonders among them, Act 6:8.

Blasphemous words - See the notes on Mat 9:3. Moses was regarded with profound reverence. His laws they held to be unchangeable. Any intimation, therefore, that there was a greater Lawgiver than he, or that his institutions were mere shadows and types, and were no longer binding, would be regarded as blasphemy, even though it should be spoken with the highest professed respect for Moses. That the Mosaic institutions were to be changed, and give place to another and a better dispensation, all the Christian teachers would affirm; but this was not said with a design to blaspheme or revile Moses. "In the view of the Jews," to say that was to speak blasphemy; and hence, instead of reporting what he actually "did" say, they accused him of "saying" what "they" regarded as blasphemy. If reports are made of what people say, their very "words" should be reported; and we should not report our inferences or impressions as what they said.

And against God - God was justly regarded by the Jews as the giver of theft law and the author of their institutions. But the Jews, either willfully or involuntarily, not knowing that they were a shadow of good things to come, and were therefore to pass away, regarded all intimations of such a change as blasphemy against God. God had a right to change or abolish those ceremonial observances, and it was "not" blasphemy in Stephen to declare it.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Suborned (ὑπέβαλον) Only here in New Testament. The verb originally means to put under, as carpets under one's feet; hence, to put one person in place of another; to substitute, as another's child for one's own; to employ a secret agent in one's place, and to instigate or secretly instruct him.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Suborned (ὑπέβαλον)

Only here in New Testament. The verb originally means to put under, as carpets under one's feet; hence, to put one person in place of another; to substitute, as another's child for one's own; to employ a secret agent in one's place, and to instigate or secretly instruct him.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Then they suborned men - Ὑπεβαλον. They made underhand work; got associated to themselves profligate persons, who for money would swear any thing. Blasphemous words against Moses, and against God - This was the most deadly charge they could bring against him. We have already seen, Mat 9:4, that blasphemy, when against God, signifies speaking impiously of his nature, attributes, or works; and, when against men, it signifies speaking injuriously of their character, blasting their reputation, etc. These false witnesses came to prove that he had blasphemed Moses by representing him as an impostor, or the like; and God, by either denying his being, his providence, the justice of his government, etc.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Then they suborned men - Ὑπεβαλον. They made underhand work; got associated to themselves profligate persons, who for money would swear any thing.

Blasphemous words against Moses, and against God - This was the most deadly charge they could bring against him. We have already seen, Mat 9:4, that blasphemy, when against God, signifies speaking impiously of his nature, attributes, or works; and, when against men, it signifies speaking injuriously of their character, blasting their reputation, etc. These false witnesses came to prove that he had blasphemed Moses by representing him as an impostor, or the like; and God, by either denying his being, his providence, the justice of his government, etc.

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