Acts 6:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Otherwise they will fall away from both. But those capable of more must not neglect what is better. Prayer is varied. It is one thing to pray to God with an undistracted mind. It is another to stand at prayer with the body while being distracted in thought. Likewise, it is one thing to choose a time and pray after finishing worldly conversations and occupations. It is another, as far as possible, to prefer and set prayer before all worldly cares. This accords with the word of the same apostle: "The Lord is near." "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication... let your requests be made known to God" (Phil 4:5-6). Therefore one who desires, according to Scripture, to reach "a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13), must not prefer various services to prayer. He must not take them on without necessity and at random. Yet when they arise through some necessity and by God's providential ordering, he must not evade them or reject them under the pretext of prayer. Rather, he must know the distinction between prayer and other occupations, and serve God's providential ordering without disputing. Whoever thinks otherwise does not believe that, according to Scripture, one commandment may be higher and more principal than another. Nor does he wish, according to the prophet's word, to be "directed toward all the commandments" (Ps 118:128) that meet him by God's providential ordering. Necessary tasks that come to us providentially are unavoidable. Yet untimely occupations must be rejected, with prayer preferred to them. Especially must we reject those that draw us into great expenses and the gathering of superfluous possessions. For insofar as one limits them in the Lord and cuts off their excess matter, so far does he restrain the mind from distractions. And insofar as he restrains the mind, so far does he give place to pure prayer and show sincere faith in Christ. If someone, because of little faith or some other weakness, cannot do this, let him at least know the truth. Let him stretch forward according to his strength, accusing himself of infancy. For it is better to be held accountable for deficiency in works than for delusion and conceit. Let the Lord's parable of the publican and the Pharisee assure you of this. Therefore let us also strive, through hope and prayer, to put every worldly care far from ourselves. If we cannot accomplish this perfectly, let us offer God confession of our deficiencies. But let us by no means abandon diligence in prayer. It is better to incur reproach for a partial omission than for complete abandonment. In everything we have said concerning prayer and unavoidable service, we need much enlightenment from God for discernment. We must know when, and what occupation, we ought to prefer to prayer. For everyone, while practicing the occupation he loves, thinks that he is performing the service due from him. He does not know that all our works must be directed toward pleasing God, and not toward pleasing ourselves. It is still harder to discern that these necessary and unavoidable commandments are not always the same in their fulfillment. One of them must be preferred to another at its proper time. Each service is performed not always, but in its own time. The service of prayer, however, is ordained to be unceasing. Therefore we must prefer it to occupations in which no necessity presses. All the apostles, teaching this distinction to the people who wished to draw them into service, said: "It is not pleasing that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, choose from among yourselves seven men of good report... whom we may appoint over this service. But we will continue in prayer and the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole people" (Acts 6:2-5).

For this great work Jesus Christ had chosen them alone out of this world. Note here how one virtue is more excellent than another. The service of tables is also a virtue, since it is a work of love and mercy.

But preaching the faith is a higher virtue, since without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). It is as much higher as the soul is higher than the body. The word of God nourishes the soul, while table bread nourishes the body.

For this reason the twelve Apostles declined the service of tables before the whole multitude of the disciples. For this reason, after assuring them that such a work was not fitting for them, they then said to them: <...>

Therefore choose from among yourselves seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint them to this service, but we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word." Thus the apostles lay aside the cares concerning the bodily life of Christians and propose that the community choose from among itself seven men for this work. The qualities by which, according to the apostles' definition, they were to be distinguished are noteworthy. They had to be men of good report, known for their honesty, zeal for the common good, and prudence. For this reason all had confidence in them. They also had to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. At the root of the murmuring, for whose removal this new institution was being arranged in the Church, there undoubtedly lay some degree of suspicion. The administrators of the common property were suspected of partial concern for their own and neglect of strangers. Therefore, to pacify the community completely and remove every possibility of such suspicions, the apostles command them to choose men who enjoy the full confidence and special respect of all Christians. This respect would be both for their qualities of soul and because of the abundance of the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the same purpose, the apostles do not themselves appoint such men, but entrust their election to the community itself. Finally, on the basis of the Greek names of the seven men chosen (v. 5), a conjecture is made that is not without probability: those chosen belonged to the Hellenists. Of one of them, Nicholas of Antioch, it is directly said that he was not only a Hellenist, but even "a convert from the Gentiles," that is, one who had previously belonged to Judaism as a proselyte. Even if only some of those chosen belonged to the Hellenists, their being drawn into the administration of the common treasury was done, one may think, for the same purpose. It deprived those who murmured of grounds for objection. Still, these chosen men should not be regarded as simple treasurers of the community. That they had other, higher duties is already indicated by the fact that, according to the apostles' definition, they had to be not only men of good report. This alone would have been quite sufficient for the office of treasurer. They also had to be full of the Holy Spirit and the gift of wisdom. Their lofty appointment is also indicated by the fact that they were installed in their new office through apostolic laying on of hands. Through this action the apostles brought down the grace of the Holy Spirit upon those ordained (Acts 8:14-17). And indeed, we read further about two of them, Stephen (vv. 8-9) and Philip (8:5 and following, 26 and following), that they took part with the apostles in spreading the Gospel. Consequently, the chosen men in general were helpers of the apostles. They not only administered the common property and not only preached the word of God. They also had the right to baptize (Acts 8:38). They lacked only the right of ordination, which belonged to the apostles alone (Acts 8:5-17). The office of these chosen men did not yet have a definite name. They were called simply "the Seven."

"It is not good," or improper, the Apostles say, "that we should leave the ministry of Gospel preaching and devote much time to serving tables," that is, to satisfying those who lacked the necessities of life.

This apostolic example shows how lesser virtues must sometimes be left for higher ones. Time, strength, or means must be used to attain higher virtues, and higher duties must be preferred to lower ones.

According to their apostolic calling, the Apostles were chiefly called to preach the Gospel. Therefore they prefer the fulfillment of this duty to the other duty, the care of the poor. As the soul is more excellent than the body, so care for the soul is more excellent than care for the body.

"Leaving the word of God" means leaving the preaching of the word of God, which properly constitutes their chief duty. "To serve tables" means to care for the provision of food for the poor and widows.

They, the Apostles, have a more important work: to satisfy the believers with spiritual food and to draw unbelievers to faith by Gospel preaching. They can entrust the bodily feeding of the poor to others without any harm to the work.

They must appoint special chosen persons for themselves and entrust this duty to them as an entirely distinct, independent office, separate from other offices.

Thus they could devote themselves without distraction to feeding some at the common table, the agape meal, and others with the ordinary food of the poor. They would also procure other necessities and distribute them to the needy for the satisfaction of their daily needs.

"The necessary must be preferred to what is not necessary," writes blessed Theophylact. "The apostolic example shows that lesser virtues must sometimes be left for higher ones. Time, strength, or means must be used to attain higher virtues, or higher duties must be preferred to lower ones.

As the soul is more excellent than the body, so care for the soul is more excellent than care for the body. According to their apostolic calling, the Apostles were chiefly called to preach the Gospel. Therefore they preferred fulfilling this duty to the other duty, the care of the poor."