The writings of Luke: a study for homegroups
Part 11: The Magnificent Seven? (Acts 6:1-7) published 14/4/2001

Read the passage. Christianity from the outset has been rightly concerned with practical things and not just theological position. However, in these foundational days for the church, with rapid growth in numbers, the apostles had their hands full defending the faith against error and overseeing the spiritual development of new converts. Here, the first group of Christians appointed to a position were given practical responsibilities.

The church had to quickly adjust to the cultural background of the day. There was no welfare state; indeed, there wasn't a need for one by the standards of those days because the Jews were very responsible about looking after those in need. There were collections door to door and in the marketplace weekly and from this fund (the basket) both temporary needs for the day and weekly rations where appropriate were distributed. Additionally special, pressing needs in the community were met by daily door-to-door collections, using the tray, as it was called. However, both of these funds were distributed at the synagogue and the Christian community had now to organise its own care of those in need and its own funding of special projects. This would need a group of trustworthy members to administer.

Q1 Ever since these early days the Christian church has been associated with relief of suffering and poverty. Are we all sensitive enough also to individual needs in our own fellowship and to support implications for the full-time staff of the church?

The church had its origin at Pentecost when Jews had come to Jerusalem from many countries. Even before the inclusion of non-Jews into the church there were two classes of Jew to be found: the indigenous Palestinian Hebrew-speaking Jew familiar with the Jewish tradition and culture and used to being part of this care exercise, but also the foreign Jew, speaking one of any number of languages miraculously spoken at their conversion (Acts 2:8-11). For these Jews, any common language would be Greek rather than Hebrew, and might also be unfamiliar with the customs of the Hebrew Jews. It is known that there was at first a problem of elitism among the native Jews and this led to accusations that the Greek Jews were being discriminated against (Acts 6:1).

Q2 Discrimination is not a new problem in the world: it's always been there. Do we see it as part of our calling to stand out against it? Where? Hasn't the church actually been guilty of discrimination itself?

It is against this background that seven were chosen to take responsibility for the practical affairs of church life. These have in some churches today been called deacons (from the Greek diakonos which means servant or official, in turn derived from the verb dioko meaning to hasten or run to a do a thing). This is not a secondary, somehow less important type of responsibility but one which requires a filling of the Holy Spirit and a gift of wisdom. Jesus added that it meant putting others first (Mark 9:35; 10:43-45). These people must have respect, honesty, self-control, and must in their own lives come through a period of testing to show their mettle (1 Tim 3:8-10). The wording in Timothy should not be taken to imply that it is a role only open to men (Rom 16:1)!

Q3 Do members of the group recognise that whatever the task, work for God can only be effective if participants know the filling of the Holy Spirit?

Q4 Have members ever stopped to consider that testing circumstances might have come our way in order that we can be entrusted with responsibility … even that others in the church may trust our judgment and allow us to be effective?

Some of these seven evidently got on quietly with their tasks and were never heard of again, while for others there would be additional responsibilities: Stephen came to be regarded as a leader in his own right (Acts 6:8-11) and Philip as an evangelist (Acts 8:5, 26-29, 34-35). There was something special about these seven - something special which God had done in their lives (Acts 6:3).

Q5 Stephen's responsibilities seemed to grow in step with his own personal spiritual growth. Compare what was required of him at the start (Acts 6:3) with the qualities that he went on to demonstrate as he became the first martyr (Acts 6:8,10,15; 7:55-56,60).

Q6 Philip was to be at the centre of church life for the long term (Acts 21:8-9). He was to see four of his own children come to faith and to ministry in the local church at Caesarea. Can we also get a long term perspective of what God is doing - understanding that it is important that young and new Christians have opportunity to identify, develop and use the gifts which they have been given, for to their hands may be entrusted the future church.