‘Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian (Hellenistic) Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.' That the administration of the funds and charitable giving now being made available to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said, “It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.” ' The Apostles immediately responded to the complaint which they recognised may well be justified in the circumstances. They pointed out that it was the... [ Continue Reading ]
“Look you out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” So they put forward the practical solution that seven suitably qualified people be selected from among their number to act as administrators, taking... [ Continue Reading ]
“But we will continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the word.” The administrative problems being sorted out, they hoped satisfactorily, the Apostles themselves would then concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the word. The new appointees would be administrative ‘ministers' (deac... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the saying pleased the whole multitude, 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, whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.' The seven having been appointed this description now seals off the section. A satisfactory solution appeared to have been reached and... [ Continue Reading ]
STEPHEN DISPUTES WITH HELLENIST JEWS AND IS FALSELY ACCUSED (6:8-15). ‘And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.' Compare here Acts 4:33 where the Apostles were said to speak with great grace and power. Stephen possessed similar divine assistance to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PREACHING AND MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN (6:8-7:60). It is one of the exciting things about serving God that we never know what He is going to do next. In Acts 6:1 the Apostles had rid themselves of the administrative burden of ‘serving tables' and dealing with the administration of food to needy Hel... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But there arose certain of those who were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.' So Stephen boldly went into the Hellenistic Jewish synagogues in Jerusalem and proclaimed Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.' Stephen was clearly a capable debater and on top of that was also enabled in wisdom by the Holy Spirit. Thus as his opponents discussed with him they found that their arguments were being defeated. They became aware... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then they suborned men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.” ' But those who took their defeat hard and were not willing to yield did what many do who lose an argument, they stirred up trouble for Stephen. They were genuinely angry and their policy... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came on him, and seized him, and brought him into the council,' They were in fact so effective in what they said that ‘the people' (a vague term meaning part of the general population) became stirred up. There appears to have bee... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And set up false witnesses, who said, “This man does not cease from speaking words against this holy place, and the law, for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” ‘Set up false witnesses' may simply ind... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.' But when Stephen came before them they were astonished, for when they gazed at his face it looked like the face of an angel. This probably means that he was so filled with the sense of th... [ Continue Reading ]