Acts Chapter 6

As Acts Chapter Six opens, quite a bit of time has gone by since "those days" of Acts chapter one and the Day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter Two. During that period of time, Peter has emerged as the spokesman for the 12 apostles. He has preached a murder charge against Israel. He has accused them of murdering thier Messiah. But, there is amnesty in his message if they do certain things. That was their question in Acts chapter two, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter's response was "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

This is the same baptism as John the Baptist had preached. The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Peter had told them to "repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out." And he clearly says WHEN that blotting out would happen: At the second coming of Christ.

The entire context of all of the book of Acts up to this point is Israel's last days, and not the first days of the church, the body of Christ. But sufficient time has now gone by and it is approaching the end of a period of time called "the acceptable year of the Lord." That phrase comes from two passages. One in Luke chapter four, where Jesus, in the synagogue of the Jews in Nazareth, is quoting from the prophecy in Isaiah.

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And the second passage is from the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9

Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Luke 13:7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

Luke 13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

Luke 13:9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

The fig tree, in scripture, always represents Israel. The one who came seeking fruit is the Lord himself. John 1:11 says that he "came unto his own and his own received him not." The three years would be a reference to his ministry in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John among the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." Paul says in Romans 15:8 that Jesus Christ was "a minister of the circumcison for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers." The fathers would be the fathers of the nation of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Peter refers to Abraham twice in his sermon in Acts chapter three. In the next chapter, chapter seven, Stephen will refer to him five times.

Now in Acts 6:9 we see certain of the synagogue of the Libertines, and also Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. They are not believers. It appears that a year has now passed and this is the annual gathering of Jews for the feast day.

We have seen 3000 and then 5000 added to the church which was at Jerusalem. We also saw that the Lord added others to the church daily. We saw multitudes of people being healed from the cities round about Jerusalem. But opposition always came from the leaders of the people. They commanded the apostles not to preach or teach in the name of Jesus. They have already been put in prison and beaten.

But in Acts chapter six, the number of disciples have multiplied.

Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

The twelve includes eleven of the original apostles from Matthew chapter ten, minus Judas. Matthias has been added to the number. Paul is not among them and never was a part of their ministry and message. Paul's message was by direct revelation of Jesus Christ and it is not about the restoring of the kingdom to Israel, as this message is here.

But there is a dispute among the Hebrews and the Grecians. Some believe that the Grecians are the same as Greeks in the King James Bible. In other words that they are Gentiles.

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

So seven men are chosen:

Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

All of the names there are Greek names, that is, they are of Greek rather than Hebrew origin. But notice only one of them is a proselyte. In other words, a Greek who has converted to the Jews religion, became circumcised, and  calls himself a Jew and is recognized as one.

So it appears that the multitude chose all Grecians to "serve tables" but only one of them is actually a Greek. That is Nicolas, the proselyte from Antioch.

Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Those priests would be priests who served in the Temple. There were 24 courses of them. The father of John the Baptist was of the course of Abia. So by this you can see that the law of Moses and temple worship is still very much a part of the Jews worship at this period of time. Even in Acts 21 James told Paul "you see...how many thousands of Jews there are that believe and they are all zealous of the Law."

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

So now the focus is centered on Stephen and it continues right on up to the end of chapter seven. Notice he is full of faith and power. That power is Holy Ghost power, because back in verse five he is "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost."

Acts 6:9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

They were not able to resist because of this:

Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

So, as always was the case, when you don't like the message attack the messenger.

Acts 6:11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

Acts 6:12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

So the unbelievers went right to the top. The council is the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court. We have already seen some of the people who are involved in that.

Acts 4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

And Peter used the opportunity to preach a murder charge against those very leaders. In the next chapter we will see Stephen do the same thing.

Acts 6:13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

Acts 6:14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

They accused Stephen of saying those things. There was a similar accusation against Jesus:

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

Matthew 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

Matthew 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

But their witness was false. Here is what the Lord actually said:

John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

John 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Now what was actually said about "this place," which is the temple is in Matthew 24:

Matthew 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as far as the customs which Moses delivered, notice in Hebrews:

Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

So the priesthood is changed. Jesus Christ is now Israel's High Priest. He has an entire nation who is a royal priesthood. That nation is called the "little flock" in Luke 12:32 and it is the very people to whom the Lord said that the Kingdom would be given to in Matthew 21:43.

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

The majority of Israel is stumbling at the word. They stumbled first when they rejected their Messiah and said "Away with this man. Crucify him. We have no king but Caesar." But from the cross the Lord had prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." That prayer was answered with this period of time here in the  book of Acts called the "acceptable year of the Lord."

Stephen has now been brought before the council, the very leadership of the nation of Israel. In the next chapter we are about to see the fall of Israel and great changes begin to take place.

Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.