SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:2
Y llevaron a enterrar a Esteban varones píos, e hicieron gran llanto sobre l.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 8:2
Verse 2. Devout men carried Stephen to his burial] The Greek word, sunekomisan, signifies not only to carry, or rather to gather up, but also to do every thing necessary for the interment of the dead. Among the Jews, and indeed among most nations of the earth, it was esteemed a work of piety, charity, and mercy, to bury the dead. The Jews did not bury those who were condemned by the Sanhedrin in the burying place of the fathers, as they would not bury the guilty with the innocent; and they had a separate place for those who were stoned, and for those that were burnt. According to the Tract Sanh. fol. 45, 46, the stone wherewith any one was stoned, the post on which he was hanged, the sword by which he was beheaded, and the cord by which he was strangled, were buried in the same place with the bodies of the executed persons. As these persons died under the curse of the law, the instruments by which they were put to death were considered as unclean and accursed, and therefore buried with their bodies. Among the ancients, whatever was grateful or useful to a person in life was ordinarily buried with him; thus the sword, spear, shield, &c., of the soldier were put in the same grave; the faithful dog of the hunter, &c., &c. And on this principle the wife of a Brahman burns with the body of her deceased husband.
Made great lamentation over him.] This was never done over any condemned by the Sanhedrin-they only bemoaned such privately; this great lamentation over Stephen, if the same custom then prevailed as afterwards, is a proof that Stephen was not condemned by the Sanhedrin; he probably fell a sacrifice to the fury of the bigoted incensed mob, the Sanhedrin not interfering to prevent the illegal execution.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial , etc.] These men were not Jewish proselytes, but members of the Christian church; who were eminent for their religion and piety, and who had courage enough, amidst this persecution, to show a respect to the dead body of this holy martyr; which they took from under the stones, washed it, and wound it up in linen clothes, and put it into a coffin, or on a bier: they did everything preparatory to the funeral, which, is chiefly designed by the word here used, rather than the carrying of him out to his grave; though this also they did, and buried him: and to bear a corpse and follow it to the grave, and bury it, were with the Jews reckoned among acts of kindness, mercy, and piety, and which would not fail of a reward; they have a saying f383 , that he that mourns, they shall mourn for him; and he that buries, they shalt bury him and he that lifts up (his voice in weeping lamentation), they shall lift up for him; he that accompanies (a dead corpse), they shall accompany him; he that carries, they shall carry him; as these devout men did, who would not suffer Stephen to be buried in the common burying place of malefactors, but interred him elsewhere, in a more decent manner: but whether they had leave from the sanhedrim so to do, or whether they did this of themselves, is not certain; if the latter, which seems most likely, it is an instance of great boldness and resolution, and especially at this time; for they did not bury one that was stoned in the sepulchres of his fathers, but there were two burying places appointed by the sanhedrim, one for those that are stoned and burnt, and another for those that are slain with the sword and strangled f384 .
So that, they acted contrary to the Jewish canon, as they also did in what follows: and made great lamentation over him ; though they did not sorrow as those without hope, yet they did not put on a stoical apathy; but as men sensible of the loss the church of Christ had sustained, by the death of a person so eminent for his gifts and grace, they mourned over him in a becoming manner: in this they went contrary to the Jewish rule, which forbids lamentation for those that died as malefactors, and runs thus f385 they do not mourn, but they grieve; for grief is only in the heart; their reason for this was, as the commentators say f386 , because they thought that their disgrace was an atonement for their sin: but these devout men knew that Stephen needed no such atonement, and that his sins were atoned for another way: otherwise the Jews looked upon mourning for the dead to be to the honour of him; hence they say f387 , that mourning is the glory of the dead whoever is backward to the mourning of a wise man shall not prolong his days; and whoever is sluggish in mourning for a good man, ought to be buried alive; and whoever causes tears to descend for a good man, lo, his reward is reserved for him with the holy blessed God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Though persecution must not drive us from our work, yet it may send u to work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven, he carries the knowledge of the gospel, and makes known the preciousnes of Christ in every place. Where a simple desire of doing goo influences the heart, it will be found impossible to shut a man ou from all opportunities of usefulness.
Greek Textus Receptus
συνεκομισαν 4792 5656 V-AAI-3P δε 1161 CONJ τον 3588 T-ASM στεφανον 4736 N-ASM ανδρες 435 N-NPM ευλαβεις 2126 A-NPM και 2532 CONJ εποιησαντο 4160 5668 V-AMI-3P κοπετον 2870 N-ASM μεγαν 3173 A-ASM επ 1909 PREP αυτω 846 P-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Devout. See on Luke ii. 25.Carried to his burial (sunekomisan). Only here in New Testament. Lit., to carry together; hence, either to assist in burying or, better, to bring the dead to the company (sun) of the other dead. The word is used of bringing in harvest.
Stephen (Stefanon). Meaning crown. He was the first who received the martyr's crown.
Lamentation (kopeton). Lit., beating (of the breast). Only here in New Testament.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:2 {Devout} (eulabeis). Only four times in the N.T. (#Lu 2:25; Ac 2:5; 8:2; 22:12). Possibly some non-Christian Jews helped. The burial took place before the Christians were chiefly scattered. {Buried} (sunekomisan). Aorist active indicative of sunkomizw, old verb to bring together, to collect, to join with others in carrying, to bury (the whole funeral arrangements). Only here in the N.T. {Lamentation} (kopeton). Late word from koptomai, to beat the breast, in LXX, Plutarch, etc., only here in the N.T.
