The Book of Acts Chapter 6

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The Book of Acts Chapter 6

Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.6.NIV

Leaders of the Early Church

The Choosing of the Seven

1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. (The cultural makeup of the church has complicated the management of relief ministries; better organization is needed.)

2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. (Conflict between Word/Prayer Ministry and Managing other issues. (1, Refer to Martha and Maria.)

3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. (Choice for leaders was given to the general congregation. Refer to 1,2 Timothy & Titus for the qualification of leaders.) We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (To share the duties for organized and effective ministries. Moses also installed sub-leaders for the same reason. Ex. 18:13-27)

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. (People chose seven leaders accordingly. We don't know the details of those leaders, but we might think that the proper cause of the congregation was expressed.

6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. (People chose them and the apostles laid hands on them. We call them Deacon. Their first task is to carry out a fair relief mission and etc.)

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (As a result of choosing leaders, effective ministry has been achieved.)

Stephen Seized

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. (Stephen was one of them, and was a good man of God.)

9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)- Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia- who began to argue with Stephen. (Stephen's wide range of ministry caused opposition of Jews in those mentioned areas.)

10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. (But the Jews could not beat him by logic, for his apologetics were biblically solid.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” (So they devised a plot against Stephen as they did to Jesus; the sin of blasphemy.)

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.

14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” (They brought Stephen to Sanhedrin accusing him for blasphemy against the holiness of the temple and the authority of the Moses' Law.)

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (But Stephen was angelically confident in front of the hostility of the Sanhedrin who killed Jesus.)

(1)Martha and Mary (Lk. 10:38-42)

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,”the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed- or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Jesus preferred good listener- Mary, over Martha's food service.)

(*)The Kingdom of God is (Rom. 14:17)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking (do not get stuck with eating and drinking), but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,