Acts 6
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
As in any organization that is growing, there are unforeseen issues that crop up that need attention. One case in this growing church body is that of serving all the people equally. This situation leads to a great administrative change that helps the church in a wonderful way.
As the church grows, there are people joining both inside the holy land and outside of it. Hellenistic Jews are Jews that come from Greece or somewhere outside the Promised Land and who also speak Greek. Hebraic Jews are those born in the Holy Land. A problem arises: the widows in the Hellenistic Jewish population aren’t being served equally.
To this point, all problems are being referred to the apostles. But as this problem arises, there is a new approach. Should they be administering to each of the concerns of the congregation or focusing on the ministry of bringing more people to Christ?
So they set up an administration of seven men, filled with the spirit, to be responsible for the day-to-day concerns of the congregation. The number seven is important because that is the biblical number for perfection.
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Based on a concern of the lowliest of the group, there is a blessing over the entire group. The seven men selected (all Greek names) are mostly non-noteworthy except for Stephen and Philip. Their contribution to the church is important though because it allowed for the message to spread and more came to faith including priests.
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
The power of the apostles is not relegated only to the apostles but to the believers regardless of their standing in the church community. Stephen is one of those people. He performs signs and wonders and butts heads with a synagogue of the Freedmen, which was a sect of Hellenistic Jews who were once slaves. Stephen is powerful and the sect cannot dispute Stephen’s teachings, so they attempt to discredit him. They not only stir up the people but the Jewish religious front. This is what the Sanhedrin is waiting for: a reason to teach the apostles, and the people who adore them, a lesson.
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
As in any organization that is growing, there are unforeseen issues that crop up that need attention. One case in this growing church body is that of serving all the people equally. This situation leads to a great administrative change that helps the church in a wonderful way.
As the church grows, there are people joining both inside the holy land and outside of it. Hellenistic Jews are Jews that come from Greece or somewhere outside the Promised Land and who also speak Greek. Hebraic Jews are those born in the Holy Land. A problem arises: the widows in the Hellenistic Jewish population aren’t being served equally.
To this point, all problems are being referred to the apostles. But as this problem arises, there is a new approach. Should they be administering to each of the concerns of the congregation or focusing on the ministry of bringing more people to Christ?
So they set up an administration of seven men, filled with the spirit, to be responsible for the day-to-day concerns of the congregation. The number seven is important because that is the biblical number for perfection.
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Based on a concern of the lowliest of the group, there is a blessing over the entire group. The seven men selected (all Greek names) are mostly non-noteworthy except for Stephen and Philip. Their contribution to the church is important though because it allowed for the message to spread and more came to faith including priests.
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
The power of the apostles is not relegated only to the apostles but to the believers regardless of their standing in the church community. Stephen is one of those people. He performs signs and wonders and butts heads with a synagogue of the Freedmen, which was a sect of Hellenistic Jews who were once slaves. Stephen is powerful and the sect cannot dispute Stephen’s teachings, so they attempt to discredit him. They not only stir up the people but the Jewish religious front. This is what the Sanhedrin is waiting for: a reason to teach the apostles, and the people who adore them, a lesson.