Acts 6

Printables

• Ac 6:1-7
• Ac 6:8

Acts 6:1-7

Invocation of the Holy Spirit (See page on Lectio Divina)

Text

6: “1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

The words of the Word (lectio)

1, “the disciples were increasing in number”

• The word “disciple” (mathetés) is a typical word of the gospels but notably absent in the Old Testament, where “follower” is widely used (the Hebrew counterpart of disciple, talmid, is almost absent, and the Greek version occurs only three times in Jeremiah with variant readings. Its presence in the gospels might be due to some Hellenistic influence–the Greek philosophers, Pythagora, the Stoics, and Epicurus had “disciples” but neither Socrates nor Plato would allow his followers to be called “disciples”. Fitzmyer is of the opinion that “follower” is the original term borrowed from the OT and “the gradual adoption of Greek mathetés reveals the reinterpretation of that relationship as “discipleship,” as the Gospels were being composed in the Greco-Roman world.”

“The Hellenists complained against the Hebrews…”

• Who are the Hellenists? “Hellenist” is a proper noun developed from the verb “to hellenize”,  but there is no agreement to its meaning. Some interpret it as “those who live like Greeks” and then it would mean the Gentile members of the Jerusalem Christian church (Cadbury); to others it means what it means in Plato and St. John Chrysostom, not those who live like Greeks, but those who speak like Greeks. So the Hellenists would be the Jews who spoke Greek as opposed to those who spoke Aramaic or Hebrew. Moule and Fitzmyer think that Hellenists in Acts “denotes Jews (and Jewish Christians) ‘who spoke only Greek’ and Hebrews, ‘Jews who, while able to speak Greek, knew a Semitic language also.” First centuries ossuaries in Jerusalem bear inscriptions in Greek revealing that Greek was widely used in Jerusalem during this period. According to this, Hellenist would be Jews who prayed and read in Greek, while Hebrews would prefer to pray and read in Hebrew or Aramaic even if they did know Greek.
• What is relevant is that there were two groups, different culturally or linguistically, and that one of them felt it was unfairly treated.
• The Hellenist are probably Jewish Christians who spoke only Greek, while the Hebrews would be Jews who while able to speak Greek, knew a Semitic language also.

“… because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution”

• Who were the widows? Widows were often practically condemned to a life of poverty after the death of their husbands in a male dominated society where men were the common bread winners. This became one of the main topics of the message of the law and the prophets (Dt 14:29; 24:17; 26:12; Is 1:23; 10:2; Jr 7:6; 22:3; Mal 3:5).
• That widows were cared for by the community and not by their children or relatives exemplifies even further that living with “one mind and one heart” implied the sharing of material goods.
• Apparently the distribution mentioned in 4:35 was not fairly carried out giving rise to tension between the two groups in the church of Jerusalem.
• It is worth noticing that this distribution appeared to be carried out every day.

2, “the twelve called together the community”

• “The “Twelve” is now a technical term of those who had authority to summon the church and counsel action. It is difficult to find a reason for this other than the fact that they were elected and appointed by Jesus himself.
• This is the last time this term appears in the Acts.

“neglect the word of God to serve at table”

• The “table” (trapezon) is not only the place from where a meal is taken, but also the place where money is changed (Plato; Mk 11:15), and has also a financial meaning, bank (Lk 19:23). Thus “to serve at table” could mean here “to administer the financial tables”.

3, “pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom”

• The criteria to choose the Seven is different from the criteria to reconstitute the Twelve (1:21-22)
• “The Seven” it is substantiviced in 21:8
• Why seven? Seven is a prime and odd number often used for decisions about crucial matters in the OT and it developed into a customary number in Jewish society (Joh 6:4; Jer 52:25; Esth 1:14)
• In this case there is no casting of lots as in the case of Matthias (1:26) but by selection.

4, “whom we shall appoint to this task…”

• Some interpreters have suggested that the appointment of the Seven was addressed to the needs of the proselytes, whereas the Twelve would care for those of the Jews. But this is pure speculation.
• The disciples elect the Seven, the Twelve commission them.

“whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word”

• Prayer can be understood as either the cultic practice at the Temple or proper Christian liturgy that the apostles would lead.
• the word “service” or ministry (diakonia) is used to mean ”the ministry” of the word (6:4), the ministry of the Twelve (1:17, 25), and now it is employed for that of the Seven.
• “the ministry of the word” refers to the proclamation of the Christian message, for which the Apostles have been commissioned by Jesus himself (Lk 24:47-48; Ac 1:8)

5, “Stephen”

• in a way this section is a kind of introduction to the figure of Stephen, who will be the protomartyr of the church and thus tells us that he already occupied a prominent place in the community of Jerusalem. Stephen is a key figure in the church and appears just before the most prominent character of Acts, St. Paul, comes into the picture.

Philip

• Philip is called “the evangelist, one of the Seven” in 21:8, from where we know he had four unmarried daughters, who were able to prophesy. He baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch (8:5-40).

Nicolaus

• Some have suggested a link with the Nicolaitans of Rv 2:6, 15; but there is nothing that suggests that identification (ignotium per ignotius).

“a convert to Judaism” (a proselyte)

• Proselytes were non-Jews who converted to Judaism and submitted to circumcision.

6, “the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them”

• Laying on of hands occurs in the OT to express solidarity between persons in some blessing, spiritual gift or office or rank. Thus Moses lays hands on Joshua to commission him as his successor (Nm 27:18-23). In the NT the laying on of hands accompanies baptism and is a means to communicate the Holy Spirit so that those installed may receive God’s help for their work.

7, “the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem”

• Originally 120 (1:15b), they grew into 3000 converts at Pentecost and later on to 5000 (4:4). Now the precise number is not mentioned.

The Word in the words (meditatio)

• The early church is not an ideal community. It is made up of real men and women and does have shortcomings. The believers fail to live up to the standard they are supposed to live up to when they purposely or carelessly overlook some members of the church.
• Discrimination creeps into the church and those who pay for it are as usual the weakest links, in this case, the widows. Why is it that we tend to place those who are simply different as either inferior or superior, or more or less worthy? Differences are only differences, not ranks.
• To face and fix this problem, the Twelve see a conflict between neglecting the word or neglecting the widows. None of the alternatives seems fit so this calls for restructuring the community. What matters is to preserve in harmony the unity of heart and mind which is threatened by the disunity at the table. We should understand that structures, even if this at times seem to choke the spontaneity of the church, all have a realistic and practical purpose that, precisely, serves the community.
• It is interesting to note that the church does not look upon “serving tables” as a menial task. If that had been the case, they could just have appointed a few people who could do the job, or even take turns. However, the apostles themselves, and only them, impose their hands onthe Seven for this ministry to prove that this is not just a “necessary chore” that must be fulfilled. Rather, it is a ministry that requires special divine gifts and a corresponding “order” given by the apostles themselves.
• The word “deacon” comes from the Greek word “diakonia” (service). Another word for that today is ministry. However, deacons are not the only “ministers” nor is that the only kind of service that is performed in the church.
• This primordial structure in the early church develops in history in the much more elaborated structure of the church today. What developed from the Twelve chosen by Jesus is the bishops, what develops from the Seven, chosen by the Twelve, is the deacons, as it is known from the times of Ignatius of Antioch and Irenaeus, which eventually would be included as part of the Sacrament of Orders.

Acts 6:8-15

6: “8 Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen,10 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.11 Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin.13 They presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops saying things against (this) holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”15 All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

The words of the Word (lectio)

8, “was working great wonders and signs among the people”

• The signs that accompanied the apostles now accompany Stephen.

9, “the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen”

• This is a group of Jews from Italy who had settled in Jerusalem and had their own synagogue.
• “Freedman” (libertus) was an emancipated slave or his or her descendant.

Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia”

• These are regions known to have Diaspora Jews

10, “… they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke”

• Two readings from different manuscripts: “wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke…” and “with wisdom and the Holy Spirit with which he spoke with all boldness so that they were refuted by him…”

11, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God”

• Blaspheming God or cursing his name was punishable by death (stoning) in Lev 24:11-16.
• Blasphemy against Moses might have been a violation of Ex 22:27b: “You shall not curse a ruler of your people”. But we cannot be more certain about this.

12, “They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin.”

• For the first time, “the people”, so far sympathetic, are involved in the opposition to the first believers.

13, “They presented false witnesses…”

• It is important to know that the accusations against Stephen are not actually against the Jewish belief since they needed false witnesses to testify against him.

“against (this) holy place and the law”

• “This holy place” is obviously the Temple of Jerusalem, as becomes evident in Stephen’s speech.
• One can see the parallel between the accusations against Jesus and the accusations against Stephen, who, like Jesus, will be executed.

14, “For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us…”

• In the gospels (Mk 14:57 and Mt 26:60) but not in the gospel of Luke, Jesus is accused of saying that he would destroy the Temple.
• “The customs that Moses handed down” might refer to the law (Torah) but it may also refer to the Pharisaic rabbinic tradition identified as the oral law. These customs are therefore an unwritten law, some of which were critized by Jesus (Mk 7:1-13) for not coming from Moses.

15, “his face was like the face of an angel.”

• With this it is implied that Stephen’s face reflected God’s glory.

The Word in the words (meditatio)

• A curious note is that two of the Seven, Stephen and Philip, are never shown waiting on tables, but rather engaging in the ministry of the word. First we need to remember that the ministries were not meant to exclude each other as if they were specialized jobs. Second we need to be aware that the reason for the creation of the assignment of the new ministry to new people does not mean that the ministries could overlap as long as both the ministry of the word and the service of the “tables” was fulfilled.
• Three charges are brought against Stephen: blasphemy, speaking against a sacred place and the law and that he maintained that Jesus would destroy the temple and change Mosaic customs. It is interesting to notice how the martyrdom of Stephen mirrors that of Jesus. To condemn innocent people cannot be done unless unfair laws or false accusations are appealed to. Being the victim of lies and injustices is just part of being Christian.
• There is an in crescendo in the stories of persecution. The first ended with a warning (4:17), the second in a flogging (5:40) and the third in Stephen’s death. At then end, we must realized that this world is not rule by the rules of the kingdom but by other rules, which are necessarily opposed to it. “He who does not gather with me scatters.”
• This is the last episode of the “spreading of the word” in Jerusalem. As a consequence of this stoning, the believers see themselves forced to preach the gospel even further. Even persecutions are seen as blessings in disguise that push the church outside its own boundaries to keep spreading the gospel till the ends of the earth.
• Stephen is an example of solid faith (full of the Holy Spirit, endowed with grace and power), ready to face any difficulty to proclaim his faith. The young church can look now at another model among her members. Martyrdom is going to be for the church the ultimate test of her authenticity. Today, where the church is not so aggressively persecuted, how are we showing our commitment? How are we martyrs (witnesses) today?

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