But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
Stephen, no doubt was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his office as distributor of the church's charity, and laid out himself to put that affair in a good method, which he did to universal satisfaction; and though it appears here that he was a man of uncommon gifts, and fitted for a higher station, yet, being called to that office, he did not...
Commenting on Acts 6:8-15
And they were not able to resist the wisdom,.... In Beza's most ancient copy, and in another manuscript it is added, "which was in him"; that divine wisdom, which the Spirit of wisdom gave him; they were not a match for him with respect to the knowledge of divine things; they could not answer the wise arguments he made use of, fetched out of the...
Verse 10. To resist. That is, they were not able to answer his arguments. The wisdom. This properly refers to his knowledge of the Scriptures; his skill in what the Jews esteemed to be wisdom--acquaintance with their sacred writings, opinions, etc. And the spirit. This has been commonly understood of the Holy Spirit, by which, he was aided; but it rather means the energy, power, or ardour of Stephen.