Acts 6:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For this reason this work, like the preaching, had such success, since in very many things they succeeded through prayers. Thus spiritual gifts were also imparted to them. They were sent to other places, and the word of teaching was entrusted to them.

But the writer does not speak of this and does not exalt them, teaching that one should not abandon the work entrusted to him. So also those chosen by Moses were taught not to do everything by themselves (Ex 18:26).

Therefore Paul also says, "only that we should remember the poor" (Gal 2:10). Understand how they chose the deacons. They fasted and continued in prayer (Acts 2:42). So it ought to be even now.

The writer did not merely call these men spiritual, but full of the Spirit and wisdom. He shows that great love of wisdom was needed to endure the complaints of widows.

What profit is there if someone does not steal, yet wastes everything? Or if he is insolent and irritable? In this respect Philip was worthy of wonder.

Of him the writer says, "entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven deacons, we stayed with him" (Acts 21:8). Do you see how nothing among them was done according to merely human custom?

Among us in Russia, the right to choose people for the administration of any public matter expands more and more each year among all classes of society. Let us guard this right with gratitude.

Let us strive to justify, in elections, the trust placed in us by our people. In elections, let us value and take into account not family connections, wealth, nobility, or intellectual development alone.

Above all, let us value a good conscience, honesty, sound and developed judgment, diligence, willingness to serve, and accessibility. Even now there should be no place for hypocrisy or self-interest in elections to public service.

Yet unfortunately one has to read and hear of failed elections, of the abuse of trust and funds by those elected, and of offenses and injustices against those who elected them. Is this honesty?

Is this gratitude and respect for the trust that was given? An unsuccessfully chosen person serves as a heavenly punishment for the community that chose him, because of inattention to the common work, and as a sorrowful lesson for the future.

But even when elections are made by a community, the authority governing the people or the community itself has always preserved, and still preserves, its right to agree or not agree to the confirmation of those elected.

So it was also in the election of the seven deacons. Although the community chose them, the Christian community entrusted their final confirmation to the Apostles.

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).

He was also full of the Holy Spirit, that is, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Through this grace he "did great signs and wonders among the people" (Acts 6:8).

He taught the word of God with such wisdom and power that no one could "resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke" (Acts 6:10).

The proselyte Nicholas had previously been a Greek, then entered the Jewish faith, for which reason he was called a proselyte. Afterward, believing in Christ, he was chosen among the others as a deacon.

After his ordination and appointment over that service, he became the founder of the heresy called after his name, the Nicolaitan heresy. These seven men were presented by those who chose them before the Apostles.

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."

Among the seven men, Saint Luke distinguishes Stephen by calling him a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Without doubt, this was because his works and struggles testified to the constancy and strength of his faith, and to the abundance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit present in him.

To show Stephen's high dignity, the Apostle later unfolds his valiant apostolic struggle, which crowned him with martyrdom and gained for him the name Protomartyr (Acts 6:8, 15; 7:1-60).

On the basis of the Greek names of the seven chosen men, a plausible conjecture is made that they belonged to the Hellenists. Of one of them, Nicholas of Antioch, it is stated directly that he was not only a Hellenist, but even a convert from the Gentiles.

That is, he had formerly belonged to Judaism as a proselyte. If some of those chosen belonged to the Hellenists, then their being drawn into the administration of the common treasury was probably done to remove grounds for objections from those who murmured.

For now there was no definite name for the office of these chosen men. According to the Greek text, they were simply called "the seven" (Acts 21:8).

Thus, already at the very beginning of the Church, hierarchical ranks began to take shape. They were gradually to form the Christian hierarchy with its three divinely established degrees of priesthood.

Until then all three degrees had been concentrated in the persons of the Apostles, who were bishops, presbyters, and deacons. The needs of church and communal life became more complex with the increase of believers and required the separation of these degrees.

First of all, in accordance with the existing need, the diaconal office was separated and entrusted to the seven chosen men who had been called forth.

Prochorus was first a companion of the Apostle Peter, then companion and scribe of John the Theologian. He was bishop of Nicomedia in Bithynia and died as a martyr in Antioch.

Nicanor was killed by the Jews on the day of the slaying of Archdeacon Stephen. Tradition calls Timon bishop of Bostra in Arabia. He died as a martyr.

Parmenas died before the eyes of the Apostles and was buried by them. Nicholas was a proselyte from Antioch who, as is evident, lived in Jerusalem.

The choosing of a proselyte among the seven deacons shows the wisdom of those who chose. Without doubt, he belonged to the Hellenists whose widows were being neglected, which stirred up the murmuring.

Yet it seems that he did not remain at the height of his ministry, and his name is not inscribed among the saints.

When the whole Church acts, her head acts with her, and together with her God also acts, living in the Church by the Holy Spirit. This is why the Apostles' choice was so successful and unanimous.

Those chosen proved to be lofty, worthy, and renowned fellow ministers of the holy Apostles. They later became glorious through many struggles of preaching and ministry to the word, and sealed this by a martyr's death for the name of Christ.

The writer of Acts especially notes the fullness of faith and the grace of the Holy Spirit in Stephen the Protomartyr. He then mentions Nicholas as a convert from the Gentiles, thereby showing that the murmuring of the Hellenists had its echo here.

Philip is discussed later, in chapter 8. Prochorus was first a fellow worker of the Apostle Peter, and afterward helped John the Theologian in copying the Gospel. He was bishop in Nicomedia and died as a martyr in Antioch.

Nicanor was killed together with Stephen. Timon died as a martyr while bishop of Bostra in Arabia. Parmenas died in Jerusalem.

All these deacons are called archdeacons and apostles. Their memory is blessed on July 28.

There is a supposition that Nicholas did not remain at the height of his ministry in the sacred number of the first deacons, and that his name is not inscribed among the saints.

P. Giltebrandt, compiler of the Reference and Explanatory Dictionary to the New Testament, maintains that the deacon Nicholas is unjustly considered the founder of the Nicolaitan heresy.