3 look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity,
and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: -- and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
we -- we have known that we have passed out of the death to the life, because we love the brethren; he who is not loving the brother doth remain in the death. Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining, in this we have known the love, because he for us his life did lay down, and we ought for the brethren the lives to lay down;
and it behoveth him also to have a good testimony from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil. Ministrants -- in like manner grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre, having the secret of the faith in a pure conscience, and let these also first be proved, then let them minister, being unblameable. Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. Ministrants -- let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses, for those who did minister well a good step to themselves do acquire, and much boldness in faith that `is' in Christ Jesus. These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee soon, and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth `thee' to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,
and not only so, but who was also appointed by vote by the assemblies, our fellow-traveller, with this favour that is ministered by us, unto the glory of the same Lord, and your willing mind; avoiding this, lest any one may blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us, providing right things, not only before the Lord, but also before men;
and Pharaoh saith unto his servants, `Do we find like this, a man in whom the spirit of God `is'?' and Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, `After God's causing thee to know all this, there is none intelligent and wise as thou;
Rested on him hath the Spirit of Jehovah, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and fear of Jehovah. To refresh him in the fear of Jehovah, And by the sight of his eyes he judgeth not, Nor by the hearing of his ears decideth. And he hath judged in righteousness the poor, And decided in uprightness for the humble of earth, And hath smitten earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips he putteth the wicked to death. And righteousness hath been the girdle of his loins, And faithfulness -- the girdle of his reins.
I said: Days do speak, And multitude of years teach wisdom. Surely a spirit is in man, And the breath of the Mighty One Doth cause them to understand.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Take to thee Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom `is' the Spirit, and thou hast laid thine hand upon him, and hast caused him to stand before Eleazar the priest, and before all the company, and hast charged him before their eyes,
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou hast known that they are elders of the people, and its authorities; and thou hast taken them unto the tent of meeting, and they have stationed themselves there with thee, and I have come down and spoken with thee there, and have kept back of the Spirit which `is' upon thee, and have put on them, and they have borne with thee some of the burden of the people, and thou dost not bear `it' thyself alone. `And unto the people thou dost say, Sanctify yourselves for to-morrow, and ye have eaten flesh (for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who doth give us flesh? for we `had' good in Egypt) -- and Jehovah hath given to you flesh, and ye have eaten. Ye do not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days; -- unto a month of days, till that it come out from your nostrils, and it hath become to you an abomination; because that ye have loathed Jehovah, who `is' in your midst, and weep before Him, saying, Why is this? -- we have come out of Egypt!' And Moses saith, `Six hundred thousand footmen `are' the people in whose midst I `am'; and Thou, Thou hast said, Flesh I give to them, and they have eaten, a month of days! Is flock and herd slaughtered for them, that one hath found for them? -- are all the fishes of the sea gathered for them -- that one hath found for them?' And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Is the hand of Jehovah become short? now thou dost see whether My word meeteth thee or not.' And Moses goeth out, and speaketh unto the people the words of Jehovah, and gathereth seventy men of the elders of the people, and causeth them to stand round about the tent, and Jehovah cometh down in the cloud, and speaketh unto him, and keepeth back of the Spirit which `is' on him, and putteth on the seventy men of the elders; and it cometh to pass at the resting of the Spirit on them, that they prophesy, and do not cease.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 6
Commentary on Acts 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter we have,
Act 6:1-7
Having seen the church's struggles with her enemies, and triumphed with her in her victories, we now come to take a view of the administration of her affairs at home; and here we have,
Act 6:8-15
Stephen, no doubt was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his office as distributor of the church's charity, and laid out himself to put that affair in a good method, which he did to universal satisfaction; and though it appears here that he was a man of uncommon gifts, and fitted for a higher station, yet, being called to that office, he did not think it below him to do the duty of it. And, being faithful in a little, he was entrusted with more; and, though we do not find him propagating the gospel by preaching and baptizing, yet we find him here called out to very honourable services, and owned in them.