Acts 6:3

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. WHEREFORE, BRETHREN, LOOK YE OUT - ye, the multitude: the election was to be strictly popular. AMONG YOU - of your own number. SEVEN MAN OF HONEST REPORT - literally, 'men testified to;' that is, bearing a good reputation (so Acts 10:22; and more explicitly 1 Timothy 3:7). FULL OF THE [HOLY] SPIRIT - or 'full of the Spirit,' according to another reading; not full of miraculous gifts (which, for the duties required, would have been no qualification) but men spiritually gifted; although on two of the men chosen on this occasion miraculous p...

3._Therefore, brethren, look out. _Now we see to what end deacons were made. The word itself is indeed general, yet is it properly taken for those which are stewards for the poor. Whereby it appeareth how licentiously the Papists do mock God and men, who assign unto their deacons no other office but this, to have the charge of (331) the paten and chalice. Surely we need no disputation to prove that they agree in no point with the apostles. But if the readers be desirous to see any more concerning this point, they may repair unto our Institution, chapter 8. As touching this present place, the Church is permitted to choose. For it is tyrannous if any one man appoint or make ministers at his pleasure. (332) Therefore, this is the (most) lawful way, that those be chosen by common voices (333) who are to take upon them...

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 6:3. _WHEREFORE - LOOK YE OUT AMONG YOU SEVEN MEN_] Choose persons in whom ye can all confide, who will distribute the provisions impartially, and in due time; and let these persons be the objects of the choice both of the Hebrews and Hellenists, that all cause of murmuring and discontent may be done away. Though seven was a _sacred_ number among the Jews, yet there does not appear to be any mystery intended here. Probably the _seven_ men were to take each his _day_ of service; and then there would be a superintendent for these widows, c., for _each day of the week_. _OF HONEST REPORT_] μαρτυρουμενους Persons to whose character there is authentic _testimony_, well known and accredited. _FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST_] Saved into the spirit of the Gospel dispensation and made partakers of that Holy Ghost by whi

LOOK YE OUT - Select, or choose. As this was a matter pertaining to their own pecuniary 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 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. 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, that there may be justice done, and no further cause of complaint. SEVEN MEN - Seven was a sacred nu

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

WHEREFORE BRETHREN LOOK YE OUT AMONG YOU,.... Or "choose out among you", as the Syriac version adds, and as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it; which shows that this sort of officers, deacons, must be members of the church, and of the same church to which they are ordained deacons; and that they must be chosen to that office by the whole community, or by the common suffrages and votes of the people. So the b Jews "did not appoint פרנס, (which may be rendered) "an overseer of the poor", in a congregation, without consulting the congregation;'' which officer seems pretty much to answer to a deacon. SEVEN MEN, OF HONEST REPORT; why the number seven is fixed upon, perhaps no other solid reason is to be given, but that that number was judged sufficient for the care of the poor in that church, and at that time; nor is it obligatory on other churches to have just so many, neither mor...

ACTS 6:3 Codex Bezae and codex Vaticanus have each altered the opening words of the verse in accord with the predilections of its scribe. The former (supported by ith and copG67) prefaces the suggestion made by the apostles with an introductory interrogative phrase, ti, ou=n evstin( avdelfoi,; which lends a colloquial touch to the narrative (compare also the Western readings mentioned at Acts 2:37 and Acts 5:8). The phrase seems to have come to the present passage from Acts 21:22. The unique readi...

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