Acts 6:3, commentary and pictures

When Grecian widows were being neglected in the distribution of help, the twelve gathered the believers and told them to choose seven men from among themselves to oversee serving tables and caring for the needy. Those chosen were to be men of honest report and good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, with wisdom, sound judgment, and discretion to manage funds and preserve peace. The plan entrusted temporal business to qualified officers so the apostles could give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word without leaving the word of God. The congregation selected the men, and after earnest prayer for guidance they were appointed and set apart with prayer and the laying on of hands under the sanction of the church and the Holy Spirit. This remains the Bible plan for today, that devoted, Spirit-filled men of ability should carry business responsibilities and counsel so that ministers are kept free to devote their best powers to preaching Christ and attending to spiritual needs.

Historical Setting and Outcome

The need arose when Grecian widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of assistance and were receiving less help than the Hebrew widows. The Holy Spirit provided a way to free the apostles from dividing goods to the poor and like burdens so they could keep preaching Christ and not leave the word of God. They were to give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word rather than be drawn from that work.

The twelve gathered the whole body of disciples and told them to look out and pick seven men from among themselves to be set over the work of serving tables and distributing assistance. Those men were to be of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom the apostles might appoint over this business. The believers selected the men and the apostles appointed and set them apart for service with prayer and the laying on of hands.

The seven were chosen to supervise the disbursement of funds appropriated to widows, orphans, and the worthy poor and to attend to the business pertaining to the cause. Stephen was chosen first because, though a Jew by birth and religion, he spoke the Greek language and was conversant with Greek customs and manners, making him the most proper person to stand at the head of that work. This selection met the minds of all, satisfied the congregation, and quieted the dissatisfaction and murmuring. The arrangement was blessed by God, and by entrusting work to others instead of the apostles carrying every responsibility alone, the church's continued growth, order, numbers, and strength were protected.

Required Character and Wisdom

Those set over this business must be looked out from among the believers themselves, and they must be men of honest report, good reputation, and trusted character. The congregation was to choose such men and the apostles to appoint them to oversee care for the needy and the distribution of assistance, a provision that met the complaint that Grecian widows were receiving less help than Hebrew widows and freed the apostles for prayer and preaching. Their trustworthiness was not mere outward standing but fitness to have responsibility entrusted to them and to share the apostles' burdens.

They must be full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, marked by fullness of the Spirit's wisdom. The seven chosen to oversee the practical work and to manage funds for widows, orphans, and the worthy poor were reputable men full of faith and of the Spirit's wisdom, with Stephen standing first among them. Those entrusted with God's work are to go out humbly and devotedly, relying on God's grace to aid them in proclaiming the gospel.

They must have wisdom with sound judgment and discretion to handle difficult cases, manage funds and financial interests prudently, and preserve peace. Their prudent management and godly example were appointed to unite the church's work, especially in caring for the poor. Appointment to this special service did not prevent them from teaching the faith, for they were qualified to instruct others in the truth and did so earnestly and successfully.

They must serve faithfully and unselfishly, without covetousness or schemes for personal gain, as men fit for sacred responsibilities who respect the ministry of the Word. Those entrusted with care for the poor and distribution of funds must be fit to serve God's people and to handle sacred things. They must be self-controlled, humble, and faithful to their work, giving evidence through God's grace of a changed and converted life and standing together firmly for what is right. Such qualifications belong not only to the early helpers but to members of a board and to deacons now, whose firm stand for right helps unite the whole church.

People ruled by impulsiveness or evil tendencies must not be given such responsibility. Those who act impulsively, neglect work already entrusted to them, or disregard the counsel of experienced leaders are not safe to entrust with important work. Only safe, proven persons of wisdom and converted life can be entrusted with important work and help unite the church.

Separating Ministry and Business

The practical care of widows, fatherless children, the poor and others in need was entrusted to qualified people chosen from among the believers, so that the apostles would not have to leave the word of God to serve tables but could give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word, preaching Christ and teaching the truth. The seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, were appointed over this business to see that needs were fairly met while the apostles remained free for their special work.

Temporal matters properly belong to designated officers of ability who are qualified for their positions, to be adjusted by them, while those with general oversight of the spiritual interests of the church and those called to minister in word and doctrine must be relieved as far as possible from temporal cares and perplexities. This is the order and system required in the church now as in the days of the apostles, separating temporal business from ministry in word and doctrine, with capable, spiritually qualified people handling practical responsibilities so those called to lead in spiritual matters can give their time to prayer, Scripture, and teaching.

Freedom from competing duties is necessary because entering into lesser details of business and dealing with the various temperaments met in church work dims clear spiritual discernment. Those called to minister need time for meditation, prayer, and study of the Scriptures, and he who holds forth the Word of life must take time to study the Word and examine self, closely search his own heart and give himself to the Lord in order to grasp the hidden things of God. The apostles’ work of saving souls required such undivided devotion to Scripture and prayer, rather than becoming divided by self-interest or the care of domestic affairs.

Only matters so difficult as to baffle the officers’ wisdom should be carried into the council of those who have oversight of the entire church. Temporal concerns belong with the designated officers, while especially difficult matters beyond their wisdom may be brought to the leaders overseeing the whole church. Their service in this way allows those responsible for preaching and spiritual leadership to devote themselves to prayer, meditation, study, and teaching.

Each worker should fulfill the duties entrusted to them rather than taking on responsibilities assigned to others. The verse presents a Bible plan for assigning responsibilities: choose wise, God-devoted people who understand heaven’s principles and have learned to walk with God to oversee business affairs, while others attend to spiritual work. A leader’s office is a reason to delegate such matters to qualified people, not to take personal charge of everything on the assumption that office makes one the only one able to handle them.

Conducting the various departments in this orderly way unites the church’s work, and the prudent management and godly example of those appointed over the special work, especially the needs of the poor and the church’s financial interests, helped unite it. The prosperity of the cause depends very largely on conducting its various departments in this way. Appointment over this special business did not prevent the seven from teaching the faith, for they were qualified to instruct others in the truth and did so earnestly and successfully.

Choosing and Ordaining Workers

The choosing was to be done by the gathered believers themselves, selecting from among their own number, not settled by the judgment of one person alone. The burden was to be shared by seven men working closely together, rather than left to rest upon a single person, so that no one man's judgment would control the others. The selection was to be brought before God with earnest prayer for guidance, and after choosing men they regarded as suitable they were not to rely on their own wisdom but to seek the Lord's indication by the Holy Spirit. Those chosen were then to be presented before the Lord for His acceptance and set apart with the sanction of the church and of the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands.

Appointment to important duties calls for caution and must not be rushed or hasty, for character and fitness must become known through careful consideration unless those choosing already know the candidates well. This care was required even though those making the choice were faithful and spiritually gifted, who still chose with prayer and reliance on God and would not hurry anyone into sacred responsibilities. The church is to choose those who have shown they can lead well in their own homes and preserve order, and such orderly appointment guards against false teachers and preserves peace, unity, and the work. God has laid upon chosen ministers the duty, in union with the church and with manifest tokens of the Holy Spirit, of deciding who is fit for the holy work of being His mouthpiece and laboring for souls and who is unfit to go.

Ability to pray with power and to speak to the point is no evidence of calling, for even the apostles, though possessing power over unclean spirits and to heal the sick, dared not set anyone apart on their own wisdom but waited for unmistakable manifestation of the Spirit. The decision cannot be left to the imperfect judgment of one or a few individuals here and there, since that brings confusion and distraction everywhere and draws away from the church. God will not entrust the burden for His flock to unqualified individuals without unmistakable evidence that He has called them, for He knows the heart and knows whom to select. Those He calls are men of deep experience, tried and proved, of sound judgment, who will dare to reprove sin in the spirit of meekness and who understand how to feed the flock.

Application to Church Today

The verse gives the Bible plan for keeping gospel ministers free to devote their time and talents to Christian work by having the church appoint qualified people to oversee its business matters rather than fastening those burdens on a minister. Those appointed to this special work are to be trustworthy people of honest reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, devoted men and women of faith and prayer chosen to manage business affairs and give counsel. This arrangement keeps ministers from being tied to local administrative oversight and to financial details, so that those carrying spiritual leadership can attend to spiritual needs, preach, and serve people in many places.

Preachers and evangelists are set apart for preaching the gospel, while men of ability properly manage the finances and business details of the cause. A minister gifted with power to preach is not to be kept constantly at work in business matters or allow too many burdens to be placed upon him, and ministers are not to be heavily burdened with the business details of evangelical work in large cities. He who holds forth the Word of life must take time to study the Word and examine self, closely search his own heart and give himself to the Lord in order to grasp the hidden things of God, and ministers and teachers are accountable to fill their office to the best of their ability and bring their very best powers into their work. Their mission is sacred and there is a woe upon them if they fail to perform the work they acknowledge God placed in their hands, so they are not to take up duties that conflict with the work God has given them. Those in charge of conferences should find business men to look after the financial details of city work, and where such men cannot be found facilities should be provided for training men to bear these burdens, while ministers remain ready to serve where their work can reach many people, especially at camp meetings.

The same qualifications apply to sharing the president's work in the General Conference, where leadership should be entrusted to at least seven godly men rather than left under the control of one man, so that authority is shared among people who will not be corrupted or misled. Sharing the burdens in this way allows each person to serve according to his work and prevents one person's judgment from controlling the others. These qualifications of good reputation, fullness of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, self-control, humility, and faithfulness to work apply to members of a board as well as to deacons and elders now, and people ruled by impulsiveness or evil tendencies should not be given such responsibility. After selecting men considered suitable, the Lord's indication by the Holy Spirit is to be sought rather than relying on human judgment alone, and people should not be hurried into sacred responsibilities. The pattern of seven trustworthy, Spirit-filled, wise men applies to work in the great cities, where at least seven alert, humble, meek, prayerful men, aware of their spiritual peril and earnestly seeking sanctified wisdom from God, should share its large responsibilities to investigate needs and make determined efforts to advance the work.

The church should support capable workers so they can give themselves to the work of the Word rather than being diverted to serving tables. Capable workers should not be kept occupied in restaurant and food service when people need instruction in the Bible and the way of life, and young men and women should be prepared for missionary and evangelistic work, including opening Scripture to others. Widows and the fatherless were to receive support through special donations, while the tithe was consecrated to God and used for the support of the ministry, and the selecting of people for positions was brought before God with earnest prayer for guidance. Those so chosen as full of faith and the Holy Spirit are to go out humbly and devotedly to proclaim the gospel, relying on God's grace to aid them.