Commentary - Acts 6:1-7

Bird's-eye view

In this brief but foundational passage, Luke records the first major internal crisis of the fledgling Christian church. The problem is not persecution from without, but grumbling from within, born from the pressures of explosive growth. A practical need, the daily care of widows, exposes a cultural fault line between Greek-speaking (Hellenist) and Aramaic-speaking (Hebrew) believers. The apostles' response is a masterstroke of spiritual wisdom. Instead of getting bogged down in administration, they reaffirm their primary calling to the ministry of the Word and prayer. They then delegate the practical ministry to qualified, Spirit-filled men chosen by the congregation. This establishes the principle of the diaconate, creates a wise division of labor, resolves the conflict, and, as a direct result, unleashes a new wave of gospel growth. This is a paradigm for how a healthy church handles problems: with spiritual priorities, delegated authority, and a focus on the central mission.

This is not a story about creating a committee to manage the church potluck. It is about the fundamental structure of Christ's body. The church has two basic ministries that flow from the character of God Himself: the ministry of the Word (truth) and the ministry of mercy (goodness). The apostles establish that the ministry of truth must hold the primacy of place, for without it, the ministry of mercy becomes untethered sentimentality. But with the Word at the center, the practical care for the needy flourishes as a direct outworking of that truth. The result of this wise ordering is that the Word of God increases, and the church conquers even the strongholds of the old covenant establishment.

Outline

Context In Acts

This passage marks a significant transition in the book of Acts. The first five chapters have detailed the birth of the church in Jerusalem after Pentecost. We have seen the initial proclamation of the gospel, the formation of a tight-knit community, the first miracles, and the first waves of persecution from the Sanhedrin. The church has been defined by its apostolic doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. But up to this point, the leadership has been concentrated entirely in the hands of the twelve apostles. Acts 6 shows the church maturing organizationally, not for the sake of bureaucracy, but as a necessary response to the Holy Spirit's blessing of numerical growth. This event directly sets the stage for what follows. The selection of Stephen, one of the seven, leads immediately to his powerful ministry, his arrest, and his martyrdom in chapter 7, which in turn triggers the great persecution that scatters the church from Jerusalem and launches the global mission in chapter 8, led by another of the seven, Philip.

Key Issues

Orderly Advancement

The kingdom of God is not a chaotic rabble. It is an army, a body, a building, a family. All these biblical metaphors assume structure, order, and different roles for different members. What we see in Acts 6 is the Holy Spirit guiding the church into a new level of maturity by establishing a formal division of labor. This is not the imposition of a sterile corporate flowchart. Rather, it is the organic development of the body as it grows. A family with one child can manage things informally, but a family with twelve children needs a bit more structure. The church at Jerusalem was growing by the thousands, and the informal methods of the earliest days were beginning to strain at the seams. God's solution was not to halt the growth, but to build a stronger vessel to contain the blessing. This passage teaches us that spiritual problems often require structural solutions, and that good church order is not the enemy of gospel dynamism, but is in fact essential for it.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 Now in those days, while the disciples were multiplying in number, there was grumbling from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

The problem arises from a blessing. The disciples were multiplying, which is exactly what they were supposed to be doing. But success brings its own set of challenges. The specific issue was a grumbling, a word that ought to send a shiver down the spine of any Bible reader, echoing Israel's faithless grumbling in the wilderness. The division was along cultural lines. The Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews, likely from the diaspora, who had returned to Jerusalem. The Hebrews were Aramaic-speaking, local Palestinian Jews. Though united in Christ, their cultural differences created friction. The flashpoint was the daily serving of food, a ministry of mercy to the widows, who were among the most vulnerable in that society. The Hellenistic widows were being "overlooked." We are not told if this was intentional prejudice or simply an administrative oversight caused by the rapid growth. In either case, it was a real injustice that threatened the unity of the church.

2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

The apostles act decisively. They call a congregational meeting, demonstrating that this is a matter for the whole church. Their diagnosis of the problem is crucial. They do not say that serving tables is unimportant. They say it is not right for them to do it at the expense of their primary calling. The phrase "not pleasing to God" means it is not fitting, not proper to their office. They had been commissioned by Christ Himself to be witnesses, to preach and teach His Word. To get sidetracked into food distribution logistics, however important, would be to abandon their post. The ministry of the Word is the central, foundational ministry of the church. If the preaching of the gospel falters, all the social programs in the world cannot save a church.

3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this need.

Here is the solution, and it beautifully balances apostolic authority with congregational participation. The apostles define the office, set the number needed, and list the qualifications. But the congregation does the actual selecting. The qualifications are profoundly spiritual, not merely administrative. First, a good reputation. These men must be respected and trustworthy. Character is paramount. Second, full of the Spirit. This is not a task for a competent unbeliever or a carnal Christian. Mercy ministry requires spiritual vitality, discernment, and grace. Third, full of wisdom. They need practical, sanctified common sense to manage resources and deal with people fairly. The apostles will then formally appoint, or "put in charge," those whom the congregation selects.

4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.

This is the other side of the coin from verse 2. Having delegated the ministry of tables, the apostles state positively what they will be doing. They will give themselves continually to two things: prayer and the service of the word. Note the order. Prayer fuels the ministry of the Word. A prayerless pulpit is a powerless pulpit. This is the non-negotiable task of the eldership in the church. They are to be men of the Book and men of their knees. This apostolic priority sets the pattern for all subsequent church leadership.

5 And this word pleased the whole congregation, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

The apostles' proposal was not a power grab; it was a wise and humble solution, and the people recognized it as such. It pleased the whole congregation, healing the division. The subsequent choice is remarkable. Every single one of the seven men chosen has a Greek name. The Hellenists complained that their widows were being neglected, so the congregation, in a brilliant display of gospel unity, chose seven Hellenists to fix the problem. This is how a Spirit-filled church operates. They did not form a committee to study the problem; they appointed godly men from the aggrieved party and empowered them to solve it. The list is headed by Stephen, who is given the additional description of being "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit," foreshadowing his prominent role in the next part of the narrative.

6 And these they stood before the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

The congregation presents their chosen candidates to the apostles. The process is concluded with two solemn acts. First, prayer. The church commends these men to God, seeking His blessing and empowerment for their task. Second, the apostles laid their hands on them. This is a formal act of ordination. It is not a sacrament that imparts some magical grace, but rather a public sign of approval, commissioning, and the setting apart of these men for their specific office. It identifies them as the church's authorized agents for this ministry.

7 And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Luke closes the scene by showing the direct result of the church's obedience. When internal problems are handled biblically and the church is rightly ordered, the gospel explodes. There is a three-fold result. First, the word of God kept on spreading. With the apostles freed up to focus on their primary task, the ministry of the Word flourished. Second, the disciples continued to multiply greatly. Church health leads to church growth. Third, and most shockingly, a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. These were the members of the religious establishment, the guardians of the old covenant system, many of whom had been complicit in Jesus' crucifixion. Their conversion is a powerful testimony to the conquering power of the gospel. When the church gets its house in order, nothing can stop the advance of the Word.

Application

This short narrative is intensely practical for the church today. First, we learn that growth is a blessing from God, but it always brings problems. We should not be surprised when our churches face logistical, cultural, or interpersonal strains as God adds to our number. We should anticipate them and be ready to address them with biblical wisdom.

Second, we must be ruthless in protecting the priority of the ministry of the Word and prayer. It is perpetually tempting for pastors and elders to become so consumed with the "serving of tables," the administrative demands of the church, that they neglect the very thing that gives life to the body. A church can survive a poorly managed budget for a time; it cannot survive a prayerless, Bible-less pulpit.

Third, this passage provides the blueprint for the diaconate. Deacons are not a junior board of elders; they are Spirit-filled, wise men and women formally set apart to lead the church's ministry of mercy and service, thereby freeing the elders to focus on Word and sacrament. We must insist on the biblical qualifications for all church officers. We need men of character, full of the Spirit and wisdom, not just men with business acumen or a winsome personality.

Finally, we see how to handle conflict. The problem was met not with defensiveness or counter-accusation, but with humility, wisdom, and trust. The result was greater unity and a more potent gospel witness. When our churches are rightly ordered according to the pattern of Scripture, we can expect the same result: the Word of God will spread, and disciples will be multiplied, even in the most unlikely of places.