Ethnicity of the Seven Deacons in Acts 6
The appointment of the seven deacons in Acts 6 is a pivotal event in the early Christian church, addressing a dispute between Hebrew and Hellenistic Jews. The passage states: "Now in those days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution" [2].
The terms "Hellenists" and "Hebrews" refer to Jews who spoke Greek and Aramaic or Hebrew, respectively. The Hellenists were likely diaspora Jews who had returned to Jerusalem and adopted Greek as their primary language, while the Hebrews were native Palestinian Jews [2, 3]. The complaint suggests a cultural and linguistic divide within the early church.
The apostles, recognizing the seriousness of the issue, called a meeting of the believers to address the problem. They proposed selecting men "full of the Spirit and of wisdom" to oversee the daily distribution, allowing the apostles to focus on "prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:2-4) [6]. The community chose seven men: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, all of whom have Greek names [1].
The ethnicity of these seven deacons has been a subject of interpretation. The fact that they all have Greek names suggests that they were from the Hellenistic Jewish community [6]. Some sources infer that they were likely Hellenistic Jews, as they were chosen to address a complaint raised by Hellenists [1, 3].
The appointment of the seven deacons not only resolved the immediate issue but also marked a significant development in the organization of the early church. The deacons were tasked with a specific ministry, allowing the apostles to focus on their core responsibilities [6]. The passage highlights the importance of addressing cultural and linguistic divisions within the church, ensuring that all members are treated fairly and with respect.
The subsequent narrative in Acts focuses on Stephen, one of the seven deacons, who becomes a prominent figure in the early church. Stephen's ministry and eventual martyrdom are seen as a testament to his faith and the power of the Spirit working through him [7].
The selection of the seven deacons demonstrates the early church's commitment to unity and fairness. By choosing men from the Hellenistic community to oversee the daily distribution, the apostles addressed the immediate complaint and promoted a sense of inclusivity within the church. This event has been interpreted as a significant step in the development of the church's organizational structure and its ability to address internal conflicts [3, 4, 5].
The historical context of the early church, with its cultural and linguistic divisions, is crucial for understanding the significance of Acts 6. The passage highlights the challenges faced by the early Christian community as it grew and diversified. The appointment of the seven deacons serves as a model for addressing similar challenges in other contexts, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and inclusivity.
The tradition has interpreted the role of deacons in various ways, with some seeing them as precursors to a formal office within the church [5]. The passage has also been used to support the importance of addressing social and economic inequalities within the church.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Timon — one of the seven, commonly called "deacons." (Acts 6:1-6) He was probably a Hellenist. (A.D. 34.)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Deacon — Anglicized form of the Greek word diaconos, meaning a "runner," "messenger," "servant." For a long period a feeling of mutual jealousy had existed between the "Hebrews," or Jews proper, who spoke the sacred language of palestine, and the "Hellenists," or Jews of the Grecian speech, who had adopted the Grecian language, and read the Septuagint version of the Bible instead of the Hebrew. This jealousy early appeared in the Christian community. It was alleged by the Hellenists that their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution of alms. This spirit must”
- Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 6 (introduction): FIRST ELECTION OF DEACONS. (Act 6:1-7) the Grecians--the Greek-speaking Jews, mostly born in the provinces. the Hebrews--those Jews born in Palestine who used their native tongue, and were wont to look down on the "Grecians" as an inferior class. were neglected--"overlooked" by those whom the apostles employed, and who were probably of the Hebrew class, as being the most numerous. The complaint was in all likelihood well founded, though we cannot suspect the distributors of intentional partiality. "It was really just an emulation of love”
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 6 (introduction): The Hellenistic Jews complain against the Hebrews, that their widows were neglected in the daily ministration, Act 6:1. To remedy the evil complained of, the apostles appoint seven deacons to superintend the temporal affairs of the Church, Act 6:2-6. The progress of the word of God in Jerusalem, Act 6:7. Stephen, one of the deacons, becomes very eminent, and confounds various Jews of the synagogues of the Libertines, etc., Act 6:8-10. They suborn false witnesses against him, to get him put to death, Act 6:11-14. He appears before the council with an angeli”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 6:3: Wherefore brethren look ye out among you,.... Or "choose out among you", as the Syriac version adds, and as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it; which shows that this sort of officers, deacons, must be members of the church, and of the same church to which they are ordained deacons; and that they must be chosen to that office by the whole community, or by the common suffrages and votes of the people. So the (b) Jews "did not appoint (which may be rendered) "an overseer of the poor", in a congregation, without consulting the congregation;'' which officer seems ”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 6:2: 6:2-6 Wisely, the apostles called a meeting of all the believers to address the dispute. They recognized the seriousness of the problem, as well as their own priority of teaching the word of God. The solution was to select wise and Spirit-filled men to oversee the food distribution. The community accepted the apostles’ solution and chose good leaders from the ranks of the Greek-speaking believers (all of their names are Greek). These seven devoted themselves to this special ministry, allowing the apostles to spend their time in prayer and teaching the word. • These s”
- Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 6:8: And Stephen, full of faith and power,.... The historian proceeds to give a narrative of Stephen particularly, the first of the seven deacons; of his faith and miracles, of his elocution and wisdom, of his courage and intrepidity, of his constancy, and of his suffering martyrdom. He is said to be full of faith, as before, Act 6:5 the Alexandrian copy, and four of Beza's copies read, "full of grace"; and so do the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions; the Ethiopic version reads, "full of the grace of God": he had an uncommon share of it; it was exceeding abundant in him; he h”