Bible Study Acts 6: 1-15

 

Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Acts 6: 1-15

Text:

Selection of the Seven

6 Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying in number, there was grumbling from the [a]Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the [b]congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this need. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.” 5 And this word pleased the whole [c]congregation, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a [d]proselyte from Antioch. 6 And these they stood before the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great [e]many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and [f]signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and [g]Asia, rose up and were arguing with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 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 up to him, dragged him away, and brought him to the Sanhedrin. 13 And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the Law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying in number, there was grumbling from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.”

The Old Testament required care of the poor and needy. However, we see the age-old problem of discrimination had been raised by the widows of Greek-speaking Jews. They believed that the native-born Jews were getting more food than them.  

Verse 2: “So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, ‘It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.’”

Notice that “twelve” as opposed to the previous eleven. The Apostles did not believe that they should reduce their time studying the Word of God. They wanted to spend their time in prayer and in their study. To “serve tables” could mean the receiving and paying of money like the tables of the money-changers in the temple. This was foreign to the business which the Apostles were called to.

Verse 3: “Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this need.”

Notice it is the multitude not the Apostles that selects the seven to do this work. We see the requirements for service: a good reputation, obedience to the Holy Spirit and wisdom in action. 

Verse 4: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”

This verse summarizes the highest duties of those in ministry: prayer and study of the Word.

Verse 5: “And this word pleased the whole congregation, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.”

All men chosen have Greek names. This may have been on purpose to satisfy the concerns of the Greek speaking Jews that they would not be treated unfairly. Only the first and last man named received any special attributes. Stephen was “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” and Nicolas was a proselyte which means he was a Gentile convert to Judaism. 

Verse 6: “And these they stood before the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.”

Understand the procedure of the early church. First, the multitude of the believers selected the mean and then the Apostles prayed and then laid their hands on them and ordained, i.e., being set apart, them for service.

Verse 7: “And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”

Periodically, Luke updates his readers on the growth of the number of believers in Jerusalem. As the Word of God spreads, so do the gospel effects. That fact that many priests were believing might explain why the opposition was so severe toward Stephen.

Verse 8: “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.”

“Signs” means miracles. Here, we see a non-Apostle performing miracles. The point to understand is that Stephen did miracles like the Apostles who had ordained him.

Verse 9: “But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and were arguing with Stephen.”

The Synagogue of the Freedmen was composed of Jews freed from slavery, who in this case were from Cyrene in North Africa. Cilicia was a Roman province in the southeast part of Asia Minor, that included Paul’s hometown of Tarsus. Asia was a province that is in modern day Turkey. “Arguing with Stephen” suggests a formal debate. They no doubt focused on such issues as the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Old Testament prophecies that point to Him as the Messiah.

Verse 10: “But they were unable to oppose the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.”

The world cannot stand before the Wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit when He is operating in the life of a surrendered disciple of Christ. It doesn’t guarantee results, but it does guarantee that the gospel message will go forth. 

Verse 11: “Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’”

Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin, and false witnesses are brought in. The false witnesses tell a half-truth which makes it a lie. While the Lord Jesus Christ did say that they would destroy this temple and He would raise it up again, He was speaking of the temple of His body. At the trial, the witnesses misrepresented what Christ intended. 

Verse 12: “And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they came up to him, dragged him away, and brought him to the Sanhedrin.”

There was a definite plan to stop the spread of the gospel. The people were stirred up. By doing so, by rage or riot the people might restrict them. If that failed, or if the people did not do so, by stirring up the elders and scribes, they might be successful by exercising authority over them. Either way, the Sanhedrin wanted them silenced. 

Verse 13: “And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases speaking words against this holy place and the Law;”

Stephen did not speak against the temple or the Law, but only preached that God was not confined to an earthly temple since heaven was His home and throne. Stephen supported the Law of Moses and its teaching, especially Messianic prophecies. 

Verse 14: “for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”

This is another lie because the Lord Jesus Christ was referring to His own body in John 2: 19. The witnesses either misunderstood or intentionally lied about Christ’s teachings. From the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ to this trial of Stephen, we see that the religious leadership was lost and corrupt and not afraid to bribe witnesses to get their desired results.

Verse 15: “And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face like the face of an angel.”

Stephen had  a look of pure, calm, fearless composure, reflecting the presence of God. He had confidence in his salvation. He knew what Christ had done for him and he was prepared to do anything for Him. He was already a dead man. He had died to Christ when he was born again.