(Verse 52) - Which of the prophets  - The interrogative form here is a strong mode of saying that they had persecuted “all” the prophets. It was “the characteristic of the nation” to persecute the messengers of God. This is not to be taken as literally and universally true; but it was a general truth; it was the national characteristic. (See Matt. 21:33-40; 23:29-35).

And they have slain them  - That is, they have slain the prophets, whose main message was that the Messiah was to come. It was a great aggravation of their offence that they put to death the messengers which foretold the greatest blessing that the nation could receive.

The Just One - The Messiah. (See the notes on Acts 3:14).

Of whom ye  - You thus show that you resemble those who rejected and put to death the prophets. You have even gone beyond them in guilt, because you have put the Messiah himself to death.

The betrayers - They are called “betrayers” here because they employed Judas to betray him - agreeable to the maxim in law, “He who does anything by another is held to have done it himself.”  There might also be an oblique reference to their stewardship of the truth of the OT Law here.  They had that great trust, and they betrayed it time and again, and ultimately in the betrayal of the very One Who gave that Law to them into the hands of men to be killed unjustly.

(Verse 53) - Who have received the law - The Law of Moses, given on Mount Sinai.  This would tend to support the above assertion that there is an oblique reference to their larger stewardship of the truth of God here.  It is a serious matter to know and hold the truth and yet to refuse to submit to it and persist in the disobedience that it speaks against.  This kind of knowing rebellion is most serious and brings the strongest condemnation and, at last, the strongest punishment.

By the disposition of angels - There has been much diversity of opinion in regard to this phrase. The word translated “disposition” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It properly means the “constituting” or “arranging” of an army; disposing it into ranks and proper divisions. Hence, it has been supposed to mean that the Law was given “amidst” the various ranks of angels, being present to witness its promulgation. Others suppose that the angels were employed as agents or instruments to communicate the Law. All that the expression fairly implies is the former; that the Law was given amidst the attending ranks of angels, as if they were summoned to witness the pomp and ceremony of giving “law” to an entire people, and through them to an entire world. It should be added, moreover, that the Jews applied the word “angels” to any messengers of God; to fire, and tempest, and wind, etc. And all that Stephen means here may be to express the common Jewish opinion that God was attended on this occasion by the heavenly hosts, and by the symbols of his presence, fire, and smoke, and tempest. (Compare Ps. 104:4; 68:17). Other places declare that the Law was spoken by AN angel, one eminent above all attending angels, the special messenger of God. (See the notes on Acts 7:38). It is plain that Stephen spoke only the common sentiment of the Jews. Thus, Herod is introduced by Josephus (a secular Jewish historian) as saying, “We have learned in God the most excellent of our doctrines, and the most holy part of our Law by angels,” etc. In the eyes of the Jews, it justly gave increased majesty and solemnity to the Law, that it had been given in so grand and imposing circumstances. It greatly aggravated their guilt that, notwithstanding this, they had not kept it.