Acts 6

• Acts 6:1 – This issue could have caused division, so it was important to resolve it. The devil is always looking for ways to divide us (Luke 4:13). Satan never stops! Note that food is not mentioned here. This distribution could be money or some other type of help. Also note that it was to help needy members of the congregation – it was not a community outreach project.
• Acts 6:3 – Seven men were appointed to take care of the task. They are not specifically called deacons. The congregation selected the men and the apostles appointed them. The men’s names seem to be Hellenistic, which would seem to be a wise choice given that the Hellenistic widows were the ones being neglected.
• Acts 6:5 – The phrase “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” seems to indicate that the men were full of the word of God – not necessarily that they already had spiritual gifts.
• Acts 6:6 – This is the first recorded instance of the apostles laying hands on people. Acts 6:8 shows that Stephen could work miracles after this.
• Acts 6:7 – Priests being converted and becoming Christians was a huge change. This no doubt caused even more fear in the remaining Jewish leadership as their numbers diminished.
• Acts 6:11 – This is the same thing Jezebel died to Naboth (I Kings 21:1-14) and the chief leaders did to Jesus (Mark 14:56-59).
• Acts 6:15 – An angel is often thought of as one who reveals the word of God, which is exactly what Stephen was doing.

Acts 7

• Acts 7:1 – The accusations were clearly false, brought up by false witnesses (Acts 6:11-14).
• Acts 7:2-7 – Abraham was obedient to God before circumcision was ever initiated as an act of obedience.