Chapter 6

Acts 6:1. In these days, when the disciples were multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. Not in those very same days, but in some that came after them; for it is the custom of Scripture to speak in this way. By “Hellenists,” I think, he means those who spoke Greek. “In the daily distribution”—so the ministry to the widows was a daily affair. By “ministry” he means the work of almsgiving. The overlooking of the widows came not from any malice, but from the negligence of the many. And so, once concern for them had been brought into the open, their grief too came to an end.

Acts 6:2–7. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said: It is not fitting that we should forsake the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need; but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And the proposal pleased the whole assembly; 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. These they set before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them. And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem; and a great company of the priests became obedient to the faith. The apostles do not choose the men themselves, but entrust the choice to the multitude, who were also to benefit from their oversight; and so the multitude both chooses and presents them. “It is not fitting that we should forsake the word of God and serve tables”—for the necessary things are to be preferred to those that are not necessary. “Men of good repute, full of the Spirit.” He calls them not simply spiritual, but full of the Spirit and of wisdom; for to bear the complaints of the widows required the greatest wisdom. “And when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.” See how sparing of words he is: he does not say how they were ordained, but only that they were ordained with prayer. For this is what ordination is: the hand is laid upon the man, but it is God who accomplishes the whole. And what ordination did these seven receive? That of deacons? For the present, at least, they were ordained to this very thing—to minister to the believers in their need. “And the number of the disciples was multiplied greatly in Jerusalem.” He did not say this idly, but to show how great is the power of almsgiving and of this arrangement.

Acts 6:8–15. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose certain of those from the synagogue called that of the Freedmen, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated men to say: We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him to the council. And they set up false witnesses who said: This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us. And all who sat in the council, gazing at him, saw his face as it were the face of an angel. See how even among the seven there was one preeminent. For although the ordination was common to all, yet this man drew to himself a greater grace. And see how before this he did not work wonders, but only when he had become known—as one chosen and ordained—that it might be shown that grace alone does not suffice, but ordination too is needed; so that an increase of the Spirit took place, since even at the election, before the ordination, he is attested as full of the Spirit—but the gifts of the Spirit are diverse. “Then there arose certain of those from the synagogue.” By “arose” he means their exasperation and their anger. And the synagogues were of various kinds. “Disputing with Stephen.” They disputed for this reason, that they might force him to say something; and he perhaps spoke rather plainly and declared the abolition of the law—or rather he did not say it openly but hinted at it, since had he spoken plainly, these men would not have needed false witnesses. But notice that he does not take it upon himself to teach, but is forced to it by those who disputed with him. “Then they secretly instigated men to say.” The disputants do not bear witness themselves—for they would at once have been convicted of slandering Stephen out of envy—but they hire others, so that the matter might not seem to be a malicious attack; for they did not fear God in the murder they were committing, but looked to the opinion of men. “And they set up false witnesses who said.” Everywhere false witness. For they did not wish to kill him outright, but by a verdict, so that they might also injure the reputation, as they supposed, of those they were putting to death. They did not say, “he speaks,” but “he does not cease speaking.” “For we have heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene”—“the Nazarene” he says by way of reproach—“will destroy this place.” This they said of Christ as well: “You who destroy this temple” (Matt. 27:40). For great was their reverence concerning the temple. And the accusation was twofold: that he would change the customs, and that he would bring in others in their place. “And all who were in the council, gazing at him, saw his face as it were the face of an angel.” God made him gracious to look upon. For since he was about to say something, in order that he might at once strike them with his appearance, God glorified his face. For there are faces full of spiritual grace, lovely to those who long for them, but awe-inspiring to their enemies.