Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 6

CHAPTER 6

In those days, and so forth. The first part of this chapter contains an account of the appointment of deacons. It might be asked, perhaps, why the apostles did not appoint these officers at the first organization of the church? To this question, we may reply that it was better to delay the appointment until an occasion should arise when it would appear clearly necessary and proper.

When the church was small, its alms could be distributed by the apostles themselves without difficulty. But when it had greatly increased, and when its charities were multiplied and the distribution might lead to disagreements, it was necessary that this matter be entrusted to the hands of laymen. This was also necessary so that the ministry could be freed from all embarrassment and all suspicions of dishonesty and unfairness regarding financial matters.

It has never been found wise for the temporal affairs of the church to be entrusted to any significant degree to the clergy; they should be freed from such sources of difficulty and embarrassment.

Was multiplied. This happened through the addition of the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, and of those who were subsequently added (Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14).

A murmuring. This means a complaint—as if there had been partiality in the distribution.

Of the Grecians. There has been much difference of opinion regarding these persons: whether they were Jews who had lived among the Gentiles and spoke the Greek language, or whether they were proselytes from the Gentiles. The former is probably the correct opinion.

The word used here is not the one usually employed to designate the inhabitants of Greece; rather, it properly denotes those who imitate the customs and habits of the Greeks and use the Greek language. In the time when the gospel was first preached, there were two classes of Jews: those who remained in Palestine, used the Hebrew language, and were appropriately called Hebrews; and those who were scattered among the Gentiles, spoke the Greek language, and used the Greek translation of the Old Testament (called the Septuagint) in their synagogues.

These latter Jews were called Hellenists, or, as in our translation, Grecians. (See Barnes on John 7:36).

These were undoubtedly the persons mentioned here—not those who were proselytes from Gentiles, but those who were not natives of Judea but had come up to Jerusalem to attend the great Jewish festivals.

(See Acts 2:5, 9-11).

Dissensions would very likely arise between these two classes of people. The Jews of Palestine would pride themselves greatly on the fact that they lived in the land of the patriarchs and the land of promise, that they used the language their fathers spoke and in which the oracles of God were given, and that they were constantly near the temple and regularly engaged in its solemnities.

On the other hand, the Jews from other parts of the world would be suspicious, jealous, and envious of their fellow Jews in Palestine, and would likely charge them with partiality or with taking advantage in their dealings with them. These sources of conflict would not be eliminated by their conversion to Christianity, and one such instance arose on this occasion.

Because their widows were neglected, and so forth. The property that had been contributed, or put into a common stock, was understood to be intended for the equal benefit of all the poor, and particularly, it would seem, for the poor widows.

The distribution before this time seems to have been made by the apostles themselves—or possibly, as Mosheim conjectures (Comm. de rebus Christianorum ante Constantinum Magnum, p. 139, 118), the apostles entrusted the distribution of these funds to the Hebrews. Consequently, the Grecians are represented as murmuring against the Hebrews, not against the apostles.

In the daily ministration. This refers to the daily distribution made for their needs. .

The property was undoubtedly contributed with the understanding that it should be equally and justly distributed to all classes of Christians who were in need. It is clear from the Epistles that widows were objects of special attention in the early church, and that the first Christians regarded it as an indispensable obligation to provide for their needs (1 Timothy 5:3, 9-10, 16; James 1:27).

Then the twelve. This refers to the apostles. Matthias had been added to them after the apostasy of Judas, which had completed the original number.

The multitude of the disciples. It is not necessary to suppose that all the disciples were convened, which amounted to many thousands. Instead, the business was likely presented to a large number. Or perhaps the multitude here refers only to those who were more particularly interested in the matter and who had been involved in the complaint.

It is not reason. The original words used here properly mean it is not pleasing or agreeable. However, the meaning is evidently that it is not fit or proper. It would be a departure from the purpose of their appointment, which was to preach the gospel and not to attend to the financial affairs of the church.

Leave the word of God. This means that we would neglect or abandon the preaching of the gospel as much as would be necessary, if we personally attended to the distribution of the alms of the church. The gospel is here called the word of God because it is His message; it is what He has spoken, or what He has commanded to be proclaimed to people.

Serve tables. This expression properly means to take care of or provide for the table, or for the daily needs of a family. It is an expression that appropriately applies to a steward or a servant. The word tables, however, is sometimes used with reference to money, as being the place where money was kept for the purpose of exchange, etc., Matthew 21:12; Matthew 25:27. In this context, therefore, the expression means to attend to the financial transactions of the church and to make the proper distribution for the needs of the poor.

Look you out. Select, or choose. As this was a matter pertaining to their own financial affairs, it was proper that they should be permitted to choose such men as they could confide in. By this means the apostles would be free from all suspicions. It could not be pretended that they were partial, nor could it ever be charged on them that they wished to embezzle a part of the funds by managing them themselves, or by entrusting them to men of their own selection.

It follows from this, also, that the right of selecting deacons resides in the church, and does not pertain to the ministry. And it is evidently proper that men who are to be entrusted with the alms of the church should be selected by the church itself.

Among you. That is, from among the Grecians and Hebrews, so that there may be justice done, and no further cause of complaint.

Seven men. Seven was a sacred number among the Hebrews, but there does not appear to have been any mystery in choosing this number. It was a convenient number, sufficiently numerous to ensure the faithful performance of the duty, and not so numerous as to produce confusion and embarrassment. It does not follow, however, that the same number is now to be chosen as deacons in a church, for the precise number is not commanded.

Of honest report. Of fair reputation; regarded as men of integrity. Greek, testified of, or borne witness to, that is, whose characters were well known and fair.

Full of the Holy Ghost. This evidently does not mean endowed with miraculous gifts, or the power of speaking foreign languages, for such gifts were not necessary to the discharge of their office. Instead, it means men who were eminently under the influence of the Holy Spirit, or who were of distinguished piety. This was all that was necessary in the case, and this is all that the words fairly imply in this place.

And wisdom. Prudence, or skill, to make a wise and equitable distribution. The qualifications of deacons are still further stated and illustrated in 1 Timothy 3:8–10. In this place it is seen that they must be men of eminent piety and fair character, and that they must possess prudence, or wisdom, to manage the affairs connected with their office. These qualifications are indispensable to a faithful discharge of the duty entrusted to the officers of the church.

Whom we may appoint. Whom we may constitute, or set over this business. The way in which this was done was by prayer and the imposition of hands (Acts 6:6). Though they were selected by the church, yet the power of ordaining them, or setting them apart, was retained by the apostles. Thus the rights of both were preserved—the right of the church to designate those who should serve them in the office of deacon, and the right of the apostles to organize and establish the church with its appropriate officers; on the one hand, a due regard to the liberty and privileges of the Christian community, and on the other, the security of proper respect for the office, as being of apostolic appointment and authority.

Over this business. That is, over the distribution of the alms of the church—not to preach, or to govern the church, but solely to take care of the sacred funds of charity, and distribute them to supply the needs of the poor. The office is distinguished from that of preaching the gospel.

To that the apostles were to attend. The deacons were expressly set apart to a different work, and to that work they should be confined. In this account of their original appointment, there is not the slightest intimation that they were to preach; on the contrary, the opposite is implied in the whole transaction.

Nor is there here the slightest intimation that they were regarded as an order of clergy, or as in any way connected with the clerical office. In the ancient synagogues of the Jews there were three men to whom was entrusted the care of the poor. They were called by the Hebrews Parnasin or Pastors (Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, Matthew 4:23). From these officers the apostles probably took the idea of appointing deacons in the Christian church, and doubtless intended that their duties should be the same.

But we will give ourselves continually. The original expression here used denotes intense and persevering application to a thing, or unwearied effort in it. (See Barnes on Acts 1:14.)

It means that the apostles meant to make this their constant and main object, undistracted by the cares of life, and even by attention to the temporal wants of the church.

To prayer. Whether this means private or public prayer cannot be certainly determined. The passage, however, would rather incline us to suppose that the latter was meant, as it is immediately connected with preaching. If so, then the phrase denotes that they would give themselves to the duties of their office, one part of which was public prayer, and another preaching. Still it is to be believed that the apostles felt the need of secret prayer, and practised it, as preparatory to their public preaching.

And to the ministry of the word. To preaching the gospel; or communicating the message of eternal life to the world. The word ministry—diakonia—properly denotes the employment of a servant, and is given to the preachers of the gospel because they are employed in this service as the servants of God, and of the church. We have here a view of what the apostles thought to be the proper work of the ministry. They were set apart to this work. It was their main, their only employment. To this their lives were to be devoted, and both by their example and their writings they have shown that it was on this principle they acted. (Compare 1 Timothy 4:15–16; 2 Timothy 4:2.)

It follows, also, that if their time and talents were to be wholly devoted to this work, it was reasonable that they should receive competent support from the churches, and this reasonable claim is often urged by the apostles. (See 1 Corinthians 9:7–14; Galatians 6:6.)

And the saying. The word—the counsel, or command.

And they chose Stephen, and so on. A man who soon showed (Acts 7) that he was in every way qualified for his office, and also fitted to defend the cause of the Lord Jesus. This man had the distinguished honor of being the first Christian martyr (Acts 7).

And Nicolas. From this man, some of the Fathers (Irenaeus, lib. i. 27; Epiphanius, 1; Haeres. 5) say that the sect of the Nicolaitanes, mentioned with so much disapproval (Revelation 2:6, 15), originated. But the evidence for this is not clear.

A proselyte. A proselyte is one who is converted from one religion to another. See Barnes on Matthew 23:15.

The word does not mean here that he was a convert to Christianity—which was true—but that he had been converted at Antioch from paganism to the Jewish religion. Since this is the only proselyte mentioned among the seven deacons, it is evident that the others were native-born Jews, though some of them might have been born outside Palestine and belonged to the group called Grecians, or Hellenists.

Of Antioch. This city, often mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 11:19, 20, 26; Acts 15:22, 35; Galatians 2:11, and so on), was situated in Syria on the river Orontes and was formerly called Riblath. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament but is frequently mentioned in the Apocrypha.

It was built by Seleucus Nicanor in A.D. 301 and was named Antioch in honor of his father Antiochus. It became the seat of empire for the Syrian kings of the Macedonian line and afterward for the Roman governors of the eastern provinces. In this place, the disciples of Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

Josephus says it was the third largest city in the Roman provinces, inferior only to Seleucia and Alexandria. Indeed, it was for a long time the most powerful city of the East. The city was almost square, had many gates, was adorned with fine fountains, and possessed great fertility of soil and commercial wealth.

It was subject to earthquakes and was often almost destroyed by them. In A.D. 588, over sixty thousand people perished in it in this manner. In A.D. 970, an army of one hundred thousand Saracens besieged and captured it. In 1268, it was taken by the Sultan of Egypt, who demolished it and placed it under Turkish dominion.

It is now called Antakia. Until the year 1822, it occupied a remote corner of its ancient walled enclosure, its splendid buildings reduced to hovels, and its population living in Turkish debasement. It now contains about ten thousand inhabitants.—Robinson's Calmet.

This city should be distinguished from Antioch in Pisidia, also mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 13:14).

{*} "saying" – "Words".

{a} full of faith (Acts 11:24).

{+} "Holy Ghost" – "Holy Spirit".

{b} "Philip" (Acts 8:5, 26; Acts 21:6).

{c} "Nicolas" (Revelation 2:6, 15).