The Choosing Of The Seven Men
THE CHOOSING OF THE SEVEN MEN
ACTS 6:1-7
Two of the men chosen for this mundane task became effective evangelists. By laying hands on them, the apostles set them apart for the job.
Today’s verses sketch the background to an important innovation in the early church. Within the Jerusalem community where (a) a pooling of material resources was practiced (2:44f.; 4:34f.) and (b) the influx of new converts was a notable feature (5:14; 6:7), dissension arose over precisely these two developments, as 6:1 makes plain. The church, moreover, was divided on a cultural and linguistic basis, one side holding fast to its Palestinian tradition and speaking Aramaic, the other side being more open to the influences of Greek culture and using that language. Hence the two terms, “Hebrews” and “Hellenists.” In later years this difference of emphasis hardened into clear opposition. The Hebrew Christians were fearful that a denial of the Law would lead to a relaxed morality; the more liberal Hellenistic Jewish believers saw the opportunities for missionary expansion, and under Stephen and Paul caught the vision of a worldwide Christian church, reaching out to all nations.
6:2. The duties of the seven men are given as “serving tables.” This is usually taken to mean some financial work in connection with the common fund. But it may be that they were to have responsibility for the agape-meal (see note on 2:46) or love-feast, which also meant the task of sharing out the food to the poor (6:1). Of the seven in verse 5, two are more renowned for their preaching ministry. Which two? Notice the exemplary spiritual qualification needed.
The matter of the allotment of funds to needy widows was immediately attended to by the apostles. They gave the Hellenists a share in the administration, for, to judge from their names (6:5), all seven men belonged to that wing of the fellowship. They were commissioned with the full blessing of the Twelve (6:6).
Notes 6:5: all have Greek-sounding names; one of them was not a born Jew, namely Nicolaus, a proselyte = a convert to Judaism. 6:6: the people chose and appointed the men, often called “deacons” (in view of the description in 1 Timothy 3:8-13); the apostles confirmed the choice by a solemn rite of ordination, after the Jewish pattern of “setting apart.”