ACTS 113                  Chapter 6

 

     The Jewish kingdom church was growing rapidly, and included many of the priests. (Vs 1,7) It was still in Jerusalem (vs 7; Luke 24:47), and was composed of Jews only. (Acts 11:19)

     The Grecians in verse 1 were Jews and proselytes from Greece, just as Nicolas was a proselyte from Antioch (vs 5) and as the Jews in the synagogue in verse 9 were from Africa, Europe and Asia. Remember that the Jews have been scattered among the nations ever since the time of Nebuchadnezzar. (Dan 9:7)

     (A synagogue is a Jewish religious meeting place. A proselyte is a person who changes religion, in this case, a Gentile who became a Jew. Ex 12:48,49)

 

     The 12 apostles delegated authority and work. So did Moses (Ex 18:13-26) and Paul. (Titus 1:4,5; I Tim 1:3) Here in Acts, the 12 apostles even let the group choose to whom they delegated the authority.

     Leaders are not to be controlling, or to be power seeking dictators like those in Matthew 23. Instead they should lead others to serve God by doing so themselves.(I Tim 4:12; II Tim 3:10,11) Paul writes, "Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand." (II Cor 1:24)

 

     Laying hands on people to commission them for a job was nothing new in Israel. See Numbers 27:22,23.

 

     Stephen was one of the 7 who were chosen by the church to have authority. When the religious Jews "were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake" (vs 10), they took him to court and accused him of saying that Jesus would destroy the temple and the law of Moses. According to Deut 13:1-5, even though Stephen was doing miracles, that was punishable by death. Actually, Jesus had said just the opposite about the law. See Mat 5:17-19.  It was not until Paul that the law was temporarily abolished. (Eph 2:15)

     Let’s get a time-frame for when this event with Stephen happened. In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus spoke a parable. "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

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?

And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

     The vineyard is Israel, the fig tree represents the people in the religious system of Israel. (Is 5:7) The owner of the vineyard is God the Father, and the Dresser is Jesus. Jesus had been working in Israel for 3 years, and still there was no fruit of faith in the nation. But Jesus asks for one more year to work with Israel before cutting them off, or in other words, before bringing His wrath on them. (Is 13:9)

     In chapter 7 we’ll see Stephen’s defense, which is really God’s indictment against Israel. And then Israel’s religious-political system declares war on God. This ends the one more year that Jesus asked for Israel. So this event with Stephen happened about one year after the crucifixion.