The Appointment of the Seven

61 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was increasing, protests were made by the Greek Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were not taken care of in the distribution of food every day. 2 And the Apostles sent for all the disciples and said, It is not right for us to give up preaching the word of God in order to make distribution of food. 3 Take then from among you seven men of good name, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, to whom we may give control of this business. 4 Then we will give all our time to prayer and the teaching of the word. 5 And this saying was pleasing to all of them: and they made selection of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas of Antioch, who had become a Jew: 6 These they took to the Apostles, who, after prayer, put their hands on them.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 6:1-6

Commentary on Acts 6:1-7

(Read Acts 6:1-7)

Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had been noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares, and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, and hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church, ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church. They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who were least likely.