www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk
The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 5:17-42 Chosen to Serve 6.1. Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. As the church began to grow so did the problems begin and in this instance it was because some were being cared for while others were neglected. I do not thing this was deliberately done but because of the tremendous quick growth in the number of believers they were not able to cope and tended to look after the local Jewish speaking members. The complaint came from the Greek speaking Jews, that is those Jews who were born outside of Israel whose first language was Greek their widows were missing out on the distribution being made by the apostles (Acts 4: 35). 6.2. So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. The problem was not pushed to one side but was immediately addressed by the apostles. They called a meeting of all believers to discuss the problem and to bring it out into the open air. There was in fact two problems the one mentioned in verse one and here we see that the work of the apostles to proclaim the word of God was being hindered because they were too busy seeing to the physical needs. Moses was faced with the same problem until the Lord directed him through his father-in-law Jethro (Exod: 18: 13 - 23). 6.3. But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. The answer to this was for them to choose from among themselves well proven believers to look after the practical side of the ministry (1 Tim. 3: 6 - 7). They had to have a good character and reputation be filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom that He, the Holy Spirit, gives (James 1: 5). Although the body of believers were to choose these men it was the apostles that would appoint or approve of them.