Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 6:1

"Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." — Acts 6:1 (ASV)

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).