SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/31/2017 10:31
AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 The Requirement
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 6:3
Message of the verses: “3
“Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full
of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.”
In this section we are
reading about the requirements of the men that would be chosen for this task of
leadership. I wrote in our last SD that
I would quote from John MacArthur’s commentary on his view of who this passage
is speaking about.
“The question arises
as to whether these seven can be properly viewed as the first official
deacons. They performed some functions
of the later deacons, and forms of the Greek word dikonos (deacon) are used to describe their ministry (vv.
1-2). Yet to view them in terms of a
formal office is anachronistic (out of date).
Of the seven, only Stephen and Philip appear elsewhere in Scripture, but
they are never called deacons. Indeed, Stephen’s later ministry was clearly
that of an evangelist, as was Philip’s (Acts 21:8). While Acts later refers to elders (14:23;
20:17), there is no mention of deacons.
That is strange, if the office of deacon began in Acts 6. Further, all seven had Greek names, implying
that they may have been Hellenistic. It
seems unlikely, however, that a permanent order of deacons for the Jerusalem
church would include no native Palestinian Jews.
There are important
principles in this passage for the continuing life of the church. Here we see that the congregation is to
nominate certain spiritually qualified men to serve, with the final appointment
resting with those already in position as teachers and spiritual leaders. Still, it seems best to see the selection of
these seven as the Jerusalem church’s response to a temporary crisis. It should be noted that the Greek word group
from which our English word ‘deacon’ derives denotes service in general. Diakonos,
diakoneo, and diakonia are used throughout the New Testament in a
general, nonspecific way (cf. Luke 4:39; 10:40; 17:8; 22:27; John 2:5, 9; 12:2;
Rom. 12:3-4; 15:25; 2 Cor. 8:3-4). Thus
their use in Acts 6 does not imply that the seven held the office of a
deacon. Significantly, when the church
at Antioch later sent famine relief to the Jerusalem church, no mention is made
of deacons (Acts. 11:29-30). Instead,
the relief was sent to the elders.
Stephen and Philip certainly did not continue long in this role, since
both became evangelists. And persecution
would shortly scatter the Jerusalem congregation (Acts. 8:1), ending the
ministry of the other five. God raised
them for a brief period of ministry, to handle a crisis. The continuing unity of the church shows the
effectiveness of their ministry. “
As I mentioned in our
last SD it has to do with the quality and godliness of people who are in
leadership of the local church that is important, more important than what they
are called. I also mentioned that the Lord has been using our church for 180
years and so I have to believe there is something about it that causes Him to
continue to use it to this day.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:
“Double tongues” (1Timothy 3:8).
Today’s Bible question:
“According to Matthew 24, what two classes of persons will show great
signs and wonders in their deceptive work?”
Answer in our next SD.
10/31/2017 10:54 AM
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