Acts 6:2

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. THEN THE TWELVE CALLED, [ proskalesamenoi (G4341)] - or 'convened' THE MULTITUDE, [ to (G3588) pleethos (G4128)] - the general body OF THE DISCIPLES UNTO THEM, AND SAID, IT IS NOT REASON, [ ouk (G3756) areston (G701) estin (G2076)] - It is not agreeable or 'satisfactory.' A feeling of dislike is implied-`We must...

2._The twelve having the multitude called unto them _It is a point [proof] of patience and meekness that the apostles are no more moved. (314) It is a point of prudence and godly carefulness, in that they prevent the evil which began to arise, (315) without deferring the remedy. For after that every dissension and division hath gathered strength, it is a wound hard to be cured. By this assembly it appeareth that the Church was governed by order and reason, so that the apostles had the chiefest authority, and that they did impart their counsels and purposes unto the people. (316) Again, we must note that the faithful, or Christians, are in this place called disciples, in whom that of Isaiah must be fulfilled, “That they were all taught of God.” And again, that of Jeremiah, “They shall all know God, from the least to the greatest.” I

1-7 Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had been noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares, and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, and hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church, ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church. They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who were least likely....

Verse Acts 6:2. _IT IS NOT REASON_] ουκ αρεστον εστι, _it is not pleasing,_ _proper_, or _fitting, that we should leave the word of God_, that we should give up ourselves, or confide to others, the doctrine of salvation which God has commanded _us_ to preach unto the people. _AND SERVE TABLES._] Become providers of daily bread for your widows and poor: others can do this, to whom our important office is not intrusted....

THEN THE TWELVE - That is, 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, but that the business was laid before a large number; or perhaps “the multitude” here means those merely who were more particularly interested in the matter, and who had been engaged in the complaint. IT IS NOT REASON - The original words used here properly denote “it is not pleasing or agreeable”; but the meaning evidently is, it is not “suitable” or “proper.” It would be a departure from the design of their appointment, which was to preach the gospel, and not to attend to the pecuniary affairs of the church. LEAVE THE WORD OF GOD - That we s

EXPOSITION ACTS 6:1 _Now in these _for _and in those, _A.V. (it is not ἐκείναις_, _answering to מהֵהָ מימַיָבַּ, but ταύταις); _multiplying _for _multiplied, _A.V._; Grecian Jews _for _Grecians, _A.V._ _THE GRECIAN JEWS; _the Hellenists, _for this is the appellation of them in the Greek; it means properly those who spoke Greek or otherwise followed Greek usages, applied to foreigners, here of course to Jews. Of a similar form and meaning is the word "to Judaize," translated "to live as do the Jews" (A.V., Galatians 2:14), and the forms "to Demosthenize," "to Platonize," "to Atticize," etc. The Hellenists were those Jews of the dispersion who lived in countries where Greek was spoken, and who th

THEN THE TWELVE,.... The twelve apostles, as the Syriac version reads; for their number was now complete, Matthias being chosen in the room of Judas: these being informed of the murmur there was between the two sorts of believers, the Hebrew and thc Hellenistic Jews, CALLED THE MULTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLES UNTO THEM; either the hundred and twenty, the original members of the church, which first formed it, and on whom the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost; or rather the whole body of the church: for what the apostles had to say concerned them all; and they all had an equal right to chose their officers, that should minister unto them; and when they were convened together, they addressed them after this manner: AND SAID, IT IS NOT REASON; or "it is not pleasing", neither to God, nor to us; so the Arabic version reads, "this does not please us"; nor could it be pleasing to the ch...

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The Murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews (Acts 6:1)._ 2. Stephen; His Ministry and Arrest (Acts 6:8). Another failure is brought before us. The enemy acts again. From without and from within Satan pressed upon that which was of God. While the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit acted in Grace and power, the enemy came in to disturb. It is still so. Whenever there is a door opened there are also many adversaries (1 Corinthians 16:9). The flesh manifested itself in murmuring. The assembly took care of the poor; widows being specially helpless, were the objects of daily ministrations. The Jews themselves in connection with the synagogue had special funds for them. They must h

CHOICE OF THE SEVEN. A division shows itself in the Church. The Hellenists (_mg.),_ the members who spoke Greek, having been brought up in Greek-speaking countries, murmur against the Hebrews, those who spoke Aramaic. This happens in these days (_cf. Acts 1:15_); we are not told the month or the year, only there is a transition in the narrative. The Church is growing; the existence of different elements in it is felt. A daily dole, probably financial, takes place (Acts 4:35) under supervision of the Hebrew element; the widows of the Hellenist section find cause to complain. The Twelve call a general meeting and propose a cure of the mischief which they cannot personally rectify. Prayer and preaching and teaching is their task (Acts 5:42

In those days, when the number of the disciples was growing, there arose a complaint of the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, in which they alleged that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The Twelve sent for the main body of the disciples and said, "It is not fitting that we should abandon the word of God to serve tables. So, brethren, look about for seven attested men from your number, men full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this business. As for us, we will give our undivided attention to prayer and to the service of the word." This seemed a good idea to the body of the disciples. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochoros and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenos and Nicolaos, who was a Gentile from Antioch who had embraced the Jewish faith. They brought these...