Acts 6: Neglected Widows Cared for by the Church
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
"'And'- Better 'But,' as a contrast is now introduced with the prosperous condition of the Church indicated at the close of the last chapter.
When the number of disciples was multiplied (πληθυνόντων)
Lit., 'when the disciples were multiplying;' the present participle indicating something in progress." (Vincent Word Studies)
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27; See also Deuteronomy 14:29 and Jeremiah 7:6)
"As the Church grew it began to encounter the problems of an institution. No nation has ever had a greater sense of responsibility for the less fortunate brethren than the Jews.
In the synagogue there was a routine custom. Two collectors went round the market and the private houses every Friday morning and made a collection for the needy partly in money and partly in goods. Later in the day this was distributed. Those who were temporarily in need received enough to enable them to carry on; and those who were permanently unable to support themselves received enough for fourteen meals, that is, enough for two meals a day for the ensuing week. The fund from which this distribution was made was called the Kuppah or Basket. In addition to this a house-to-house collection was made daily for those in pressing need. This was called the Tamhui, or Tray.
It is clear that the Christian Church had taken over this custom. But amidst the Jews themselves there was a cleavage..." (William Barclay's Daily Study Bible)
Complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenist- "In the Jerusalem church there were two types of Jews, those brought up in Palestine who spoke Aramaic and those brought up in other places (such as Jews of the Dispersion) who spoke only Greek. The Greek-speaking Jews were known as Hellenists. Throughout Palestine there was tension between the two groups, and this tension carried over into the church. The Hellenists complained that, when widows were given their daily share from the common pool, the Hellenist widows were being neglected (6:1).
To ensure that the daily distribution of food was handled fairly and in the right spirit, the apostles invited the church to choose seven suitable men, whom the apostles then appointed to look after the work. It appears from their Greek names that those chosen were Hellenists (2-6). With the appointment of these men, the apostles took the first steps towards the organization of the the church." (Bridgeway Bible Commentary)
"Seven qualified men were selected to assist in caring for the widows. These were 'seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.' When the seven men were selected the apostles prayed for them and laid their hands on them. The apostles wanted the widows cared for properly. The neglect had not been intentional. A mistake had occurred and the apostles wanted it rectified." (Charles Box's Commentaries on Selected Books of the Bible)
"And the word of God grew - The hinderances being removed." (Wesley's Explanatory Notes)
Acts 6: Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people... "This is the first instance of any, not an Apostle, working signs and wonders. The power was perhaps conferred by the laying on of the Apostles’ hands; though, that having been for a special purpose merely, and the working miracles being a fulfilment of the promise, Mark 16:17-18, to all believers, I should rather refer the power to the eminence of Stephen’s faith." (Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary)
"The opportunity for working miracles was, without doubt, furnished by his office, which brought him into contact with the poor, the sick, and the suffering. We are here enabled to obtain a view of his official labors, which were so abundantly blessed. We cannot entertain a doubt that he and his colleagues attended to the immediate duties of their office with the utmost assiduity and fidelity, and afforded aid and relief to widows, orphans, and all others who were in distress. But he may have very frequently encountered cases, in which the temporal gifts distributed by him in the name of the church, proved to be totally inadequate. On such occasions this Prayer of Manasseh, who was full of faith and the Spirit ( Acts 6:5), did not offer mere temporal aid, but exercised his spiritual gifts of prayer and of faith, and brought with him spiritual aid, encouragement and consolation." (Lange's Commentary)
Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia),... "libertines - So they were styled, whose fathers were once slaves, and afterward made free. This was the ease of many Jews who had been taken captive by the Romans." (Wesley Notes)
"Many different synagogues existed in Jerusalem at this time (cf. Acts 24:12). The Talmud said there were 390 of them before the Romans destroyed the city. [Note: See Fiensy, p234.]... Like local churches today, they tended to attract people with similar backgrounds and preferences. Many families that had experienced liberation from some kind of slavery or servitude evidently populated the Synagogue of the Freedmen. ...'The Freedmen were Roman prisoners (or the descendants of such prisoners) who had later been granted their freedom. We know that a considerable number of Jews were taken prisoner by the Roman general Pompey and later released in Rome, and it is possible that these are meant here.' [Note: Marshall, The Acts . . ., p129. See also Barrett, pp323-24.]
These people had their roots in North Africa (Cyrene and Alexandria) and Asia Minor (Cilicia and Asia). Thus these were Hellenistic Jews, the group from which Stephen himself probably came. Since Saul of Tarsus was from Cilicia, perhaps he attended this synagogue, though he was not a freed man…”. (Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable)
These libertines— “freedmen of Jewish extraction” (Tyndale)— were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which Stephen spoke. “So the proverb was realized: he that is worsted in logic grows angry: but the anger here was madness.” (Sutcliffe) Stephen spoke against the customs of the Jews. It was only because they let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. (Mark 7:8) And the mission of the Messiah of Israel was to return them to the roots- to that to that old time religion. And yes, Stephen also spoke that which Jesus had also prophesied – that the temple would be destroyed.
“And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and said unto them, ‘You see all of these things, do you not? Truly I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down’” (Matthew 24:1-2).
Yet, Stephen is accused of blasphemy. The charge is "blasphemy against Moses and against God." Yet this was only what was foretold. The fulness of the Gentiles was upon them, and the Deliverer had and was now fulfilling Isaiah 59:20-21 as He was turning “away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” See Romans 11:16-24. "Stephen saw that Christianity and Judaism could not go hand in hand. With Jesus' death and resurrection, Judaism was finished. The Jewish religious system, along with its laws, ceremonies, priests and temple, had fulfilled its purpose and was now replaced by something new. When the Jews heard Stephen preaching these things in one of the Hellenists' synagogues in Jerusalem, they reported him to the Sanhedrin for preaching against Judaism (9-15). The Sadducees were pleased at last to have an accusation against the Christians that was certain to win popular support. They knew that the people would not tolerate this threat to their national religion (see v12)."
(Bridgeway Bible Commentary)
And then they looked upon him, and behold his face was like the face of an angel... "God inspired him with inward glory and holiness, which emanated in his aspect to convince all of his purity; for he had no one to confront the perjured race, and prove the innocence and sanctity of his life." (Sutcliffe) "We find a similar reference to the face of Moses as it shone because he had been in the presence of God on Mount Sinai. Exodus 34:29-30, ... Paul makes a reference to this event in his second epistle to the Corinthians as he compares the glory of the new covenant with the old; for there was no single event that magnified the glory of the old covenant like the time when Moses' face shown. However, every servant of Christ Jesus has received a more glorious calling. This is clearly illustrated in the glory that shown on the face of Stephen. 2 Corinthians 3:7-8, 'But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?'"
(Gary H. Everett's Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures)
"There were colleges at Jerusalem, as now at our Universities, whither foreigners came for learning sake. These withstood Stephen; like as in the beginning of the Reformation, Eckius, Roffensis, More, Cajaton, Faber, Cochlaeus, Catharinus, Pighius, all these wrote against Luther (besides the two kings of England and Hungary), summo conatu, acerrimo desiderio, non vulgari doctrina, as one saith, {a} In like sort Rochester, Rastal, More, set at once against John Frith, martyr; whereof the one by the help of the doctors, the other by wresting the Scriptures, and the third by the help of natural philosophy, had conspired against him. But he, as another Hercules, fighting with all three at once, did so overthrow and confound them, that he converted Rastal to his part." (John Trapp Commentary)