The Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 6

The Church was growing throughout Jerusalem with new believers being added daily.  According to "A Chronology of Biblical Christianity," the Apostle Philip traveled to Scythia in southern Russia in 29 A.D. and there he witnessed the Gospel for 20 years.  In 30 A.D. James, the son of Zebedee traveled to Spain where he established churches, but later returned to Jerusalem.  The Apostle John stayed in Jerusalem to care for Mary, the mother of Jesus, just as Jesus had asked of him while dying on the cross.

The Church at Antioch Established

Fear had set in for many Christians throughout Jerusalem, which caused several believers to move as far away as Antioch.  Obeying the command of Jesus to “go into all the world to preach the Gospel, the Apostle Peter left Jerusalem in 33 A.D. to go to Antioch to establish a church there.  As such, the Church began to grow in Antioch as well.  There Peter remained for seven years until Ignatius became head over the Church at Antioch in 40 A.D.   Peter, however, did travel often in various places, as is shown in Acts, chapters 8, 9 and 10. 

Contention Within the Church

Acts 6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

Within the 1^st Century church in Jerusalem, there were primarily Hebrews (Hebraists) and Hellenists. 

Hebrews: Aramaic speaking Jews (many coming from the area of Galilee)
Hellenists: Greek speaking Jews (many from lands outside of Israel)

Aramaic had become the common language of the Jewish people throughout Israel since the Diaspora (exile) almost 600 years earlier.  Jews outside of Israel, however, were generally Hellenists, meaning they spoke Greek and lived in a Greek culture, which was very different than the Aramaic speaking Hebraic Jews of Israel. 

Most of the Hellenists came out of the exile from various parts of the known Roman world and mainly spoke Greek, with many having Greek descendancy.  This language and cultural differences carried itself into the Church in many areas, and now it was displaying itself where the Hellenists felt their widows were being neglected in the distribution of food and other necessities.

Satan's attack on the Church began by causing a division between the two groups of people due to language and cultural differences and grew from there.   Since the Church was in Jerusalem with primarily Hebraic Jews, the Hellenist Jews already feeling the division, strongly let it be known that their widows were being neglected in the distribution of the poor or needy.  As such, this could have been just the fuel that Satan wanted to cause a church split.  The twelve apostles knew this situation could be a big problem within the Church, and made the decision that something needed to be done to correct the situation.

The Commissioning of Seven Deacons

2  Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4  but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The apostles, who were all Hebraic Galilleans, met with several of the leaders within that early church to appoint seven spiritually mature men who were well respected by everyone for the position of deacon - deacon meaning servant to be responsible for the distributing to those in need. These men had to be spirit-filled and spirit-led so they could fill that void in the church in a way that would meet the daily needs of the people.  The apostles knew their involvement in the daily needs of the church was not only unwise, because the apostles could only do so much without the work of the ministry being hindered.  The apostles knew their place was to keep their focus on the ministry of prayer, staying spirit-filled and spirit-led in the ministry of preaching the Gospel to the people as God directed them.  

5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6  whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Everyone in the Christian community in Jerusalem was pleased with this decision.  The leaders then chose seven men who were all Greek Hellenists to break the racial barrier that had been developing.  That way the racial issue was settled – at least temporarily.  Hands were laid upon these seven men by the apostles with prayers of commission.  Peace and order was restored within the Church.  As such, the Gospel could then go forth 

7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

With peace and order back into the Church, the Word of God could go forth without interruption.  The Word was spreading throughout Jerusalem to where even several priests became believers in Christ. 

Stephen Accused of Blaspheme

It is now 36 A.D. and we will see within the next two chapters the church's 1st martyr. 

8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9  Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 

Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the leaders of the Church.  He was an outspoken man full of faith, spirit-filled and operated with the power of God, and did great wonders and signs among the people for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then one day, he was accosted by several Freedmen (freed Jewish slaves from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia - who had out of the Diaspora). 

10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12  And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13  They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14  for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15  And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

The Jewish Freedmen could not find fault with Stephen, so they secretly induced certain Jewish men to say that Stephen was speaking lying blasphemous works against Moses and God.  As such, Stephen was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin Council.  In addition, false witnesses were brought in to twist what Stephen had said against the temple and the law, claiming Jesus of Nazareth planned on destroying the temple and alter the customs of which Moses had delivered to the people.  When the Council looked over at Stephen, they saw that his face looked like that of an angel - in other words it was not filled with fear or terror because he knew he was in God's hands.

And so ends chapter 6.

Click here for Acts - Chapter 7

God bless!

Pastor Joyce Erickson
Believersbibleschool.com