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Acts Class Schedule

4/6/2014 Acts 5:1-16 Ananias & Sapphira, Apostles miracles

4/13/2014 Acts 5:17-41 Apostles in jail, preaching & beating

4/20/2014 Acts 6:1-15 Deacons appointed & Stephen before Council

4/27/2014 Acts 7:1-60 Stephen preaches to the Council part 1

5/4/2014 Acts 7:1-60 Stephen preaches to the Council part 2

5/11/2014 Acts 3 to 7 Topics TBD

5/18/2014 Acts 8:1-24 Saul Persecutes the Church & Philip Witness 1

5/25/2014 Acts 8:25-40 Saul Persecutes the Church & Philip Witness 2

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Acts 6:1-15

Deacons are appointed – Acts 6:1- 6

Summary of God’s work in Jerusalem – Acts 6:7

Stephen is brought before the Council* – Acts 6:8-15

* the Council = Sanhedrin

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1  Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2  So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 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. 4  "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5  The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6  And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:1-6

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• Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number – or “in these days”

• What does “disciples” imply in this verse ?

• Complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews

Who are the Hellenistic Jews ?

• because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food

overlooked - to overlook, to neglect – “on going action in past time” lit: having been overlooked

care for widows - see 1 Tim 5:3, James 1:27, 1 John 3:17

Acts 6:1

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2  So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

summoned congregation of the disciples

it is not desirable - it is not fitting

that we should neglect the word of God

neglect – to forsake, in the sense of abandoning, see 2 Peter 2:15

in order to serve tables - to be occupied with the distribution of food, see Acts 4:34-35

Acts 6:2

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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.

men of good reputation – lit: being well spoken of see Acts 10:22,16:2 & 22:12

full of the Spirit - controlled by the Spirit see Gal 5:16

(full) of wisdom - implies wisdom in spiritual things see Eph 1:8, James 3:17

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4  "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

• we (apostles) will devote ourselves

• to prayer – Acts 1:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer

- Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves --- to prayer

• to the ministry of the word – Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching

- Acts 4:2 --- they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead

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5 And the word pleased the entire multitude. And they selected out from their number Stephen, a man full of faith and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenes, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,  6 whom they stood before the apostles, and they, having prayed, laid their hands upon them.

note: they selected “Stephen” among the seven (Philip will show up in more detail in Chp 8)

a man (Stephen) full of faith and controlled by the Holy Spirit

note: most of the names of the seven are Hellenistic

having prayed, laid their hands upon them (blessing them)

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7  The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

• word of God kept on spreading– spreading (grew)

• number of the disciples increased in Jerusalem

• many of the priests believed– many (Lit: a crowd or multitude)– maybe like Zacharias (father of John the Baptist)

Acts 6:7

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The next major section of Acts: 6:8 to 9:31

Three significant events in the life of the church

• The martyrdom of Stephen - Acts 6:8- 8:3

• The ministry of Philip - Acts 8:4-40

• The conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Paul) – Acts 9:1-31

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8  And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9  But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10  But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11  Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." 12  And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. 13  They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14  for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us." 15

 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

Acts 6:8 -15

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8  And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Stephen was one of the 7 men appointed in verse 4

full of grace and power (v:8) - Luke 4:22, Acts 4:33

•full of faith and the Holy Spirit (v 6:4)

•full of wisdom and good reputation (v 6:3)

performing great wonders and signs

signs - a sign, mark – lit: attesting miracle; accompanied by

the word “wonders” (something strange) see Acts 2:22, 43; 5:12

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9  But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10  But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

men from --- the Synagogue of the Freedmen

•The Freedmen were Roman prisoners (or the descendants of such prisoners) who had later been granted their freedom.*

Synagogue - lit: a bringing together; a gathering, congregation - in the NT a gathering place for Jews

rose up and argued (dispute with someone) with Stephen

But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit

cope - to stand against, resist, contradict – see Luke 21:15

* Constable

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11  Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." 12  And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.

they secretly induced men to say

lit: to introduce underhandedly or put forward by collusion

•We have heard him (Stephen) speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God

• Christ was also falsely called a blasphemer - see Matt 26:59-65

And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes• stirred up – agitate, to cause a commotion or confusion

dragged him away and brought him before the Council

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13  They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14

 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us."

They (Council) put forward false witnesses who said

•this man (Steven) incessantly speaks against this holy place (the Temple)

•this man (Steven) incessantly speaks against the Law (of Moses)

• for we have heard him say that this Nazarene Jesus, will destroy this place (the Temple)

• alter the customs which Moses handed down to us

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15  And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel. 7:1 The high priest said, "Are these things so?"

And all those sitting in the Council, having gazed intently upon him, saw his face as if it were an angel's face. Then the chief priest said, these things, are they factual, as has been stated? (WuestNT)

having gazed intently - to look fixedly, gaze intently see Luke 4:20, Acts 1:10, Acts 3:4

high priest – probably Caiaphas

Note this is the 3rd time before the Council (Sanhedrin)see Acts 4:15 and Acts 5:27