Faith without religion.
The Rise of Deacons: Acts Chapter 6
helenistic Jews, deacons, Stephen
In a recent discussion on Acts Chapter 6, the conversation delved into the early Christian community’s challenges and organizational developments. As the number of disciples grew, tensions arose between Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews over the distribution of food to widows. This issue highlighted the cultural and religious complexities within the early church, as Hellenistic Jews, influenced by Greek culture, were seen as different from their Hebraic counterparts.
To address the distribution problem, the apostles decided to appoint seven individuals to manage these affairs, allowing them to focus on prayer and ministry. This decision marked the beginning of the role of deacons, derived from the Greek word “diaconus,” meaning servant. Interestingly, the original deacons were all male, reflecting the male-dominated culture of the time, although the New Testament does mention female deaconesses elsewhere.
Stephen, one of the appointed deacons, was noted for his faith and the wonders he performed, which led to opposition from certain Jewish groups. Accusations of blasphemy against Moses and God were brought against him, reflecting the tension between adherence to Jewish law and the emerging Christian faith centered on Jesus.
The discussion also touched on the broader implications of these early church dynamics, such as the evolving understanding of Jewish identity in light of faith in Christ. The conversation concluded with a reflection on Stephen’s angelic appearance before the Sanhedrin, setting the stage for the events in the following chapter. This narrative illustrates the early church’s struggles and the foundational roles that emerged to support its growth and mission.
Podcast Transcript:
all right Acts chapter
6 here we
go all right um the disciples were
increasing in their numbers it says and
helenistic Jews complained against
hebraic Jews because their widows were
being overlooked in the daily
distribution of food already having a
problem with the common living aren’t we
yes the Greek Jews are like hey they’re
getting more than our W their widows are
getting more than ours yeah so I had
like clarifying questions yeah yeah
Greek Jews helenistic Jews are Greek
Jews
and why okay there I actually have
several
the why were there helenistic
Jews like what is a helist why did that
exist even I’m going to make up some
dates here but
maybe 400 years before Jesus was born
Alexander the Great who was the great uh
emperor of Greece conquered a bunch of
countries and those countries contained
Jewish people and Jews were removed from
their kind of former ground in culture
to that of the the Greeks that’s called
the heniz of people when a people take
over the ways of the Greeks so when J by
the time Jesus comes along 400 years
later she’s swallowing her yawns now
which is always
great late afternoon it looks like
this so
sorry my poor girls get away with
nothing but so by the time Jesus comes
there’s some Jews have fully embraced
the helenistic ways right and then
there’s others who haven’t they’ve only
kept true to the judaistic ways okay
judaistic
yeah hebraic judaistic I think is also a
word sure ye who ywn in Father’s face
okay
so maybe a dumb question but why was
there judge judgment against them like
they would be there’s always groups that
want to be the purest okay I figured
yeah they just it’s like a progressive
thing and they’re like that’s not okay
and but
then why are
disciples what is going on like
disciples are giving food to Jews yeah
in a program of some sort yeah okay when
they decided to have everything in
common right remember they decided to
have everything in common so we have
helenistic Jews who are contri so we
have judaistic Jews who are contributing
so much and the Jews are taking more the
reason they were taking more is because
they were losing everything because the
Jewish culture was against them okay
okay so Jew when it’s talking about
helenistic Jews and hebraic Jews these
are disciples these are all Christians
okay okay okay okay why would they call
them Jews because that’s where
Christianity came from was Judaism so at
this point in time they’re still Jews
they’re still going to the temple it’s
the still doing everything that was part
of the law you know to try to they
didn’t know what to really do yet yeah
because
Christ is the Messiah of the Jews that’s
right like it’s all Judaism it’s all
Judaism yeah everything it’s still in
line like it’s not like they’re
departing from no their belief by
believing in Christ and this caused a
great deal of problem with people
because cultures take over and the
culture Reigns over the truth so you
have someone who says the Jewish culture
is best and the Greeks arew and they do
this this was a problem Paul faced
almost everywhere he went the the
hebraic versus
helenistic we should call ourselves
Jews um well is that insane to say
here’s the thing just remember that
that’s true because God said to Abraham
you’re going to have as many offspring
as the Sands of the sea stars in the sky
okay well if you look at the nation of
Israel the Jews themselves they’re not
as number as the stars of the sky so
how’s that going to grow it’s going to
grow by you converting to Christ and
you’re adopted in as a Jew I see and
Paul calls you a real Jew not of the
circumcision not of the circumcision
Christians are real Jews those who are
real Christians are real Jews you are
adopted into the house of Israel because
of your faith and that’s what makes you
your faith a real Jew why because faith
has been behind the Juda uh Judah Jewish
history forever it’s always been about
faith so you’re walking by faith in the
same God you are adopted in but is that
is that real Jew
thing applicable just to those people
Paul was talking to like is it all done
with
after Christ returned yeah the you and
this is another thing that people don’t
accept or will accept there’s no more
Jews we don’t even know who they don’t
have a temple they’re not offering
sacrifice for their sin they’re not
following the law they don’t even know
their genealogy but okay so like a
gentile that believes on Christ is a
real Jew to
Paul and that’s in that time and then
Jesus returns it’s all done yeah so
anyone believes right after Jesus return
and now we’re just looking back on it
anyone who believes on that story
is just it’s just figuratively a
somebody who’s been adopted into the
real house of Israel that still exist a
real Jew okay but but you’re saying it
would be that name isn’t applicable
after the return okay um the name as a
people group is not
applicable because as a people group
they got their identity not only through
religious observance but also through
governmental so that’s what we’re
talking about okay okay I see what
you’re saying it’s a big
topic
um there just shouldn’t even be a name
for this now like there shouldn’t
there’s no name for it right yesu yeah
there’s no name
yesu um okay so they
didn’t to keep going
um the 12 gathered all the disciples
together and said you know excused it it
wouldn’t be right for us to neglect them
the they’re and not excuse it sorry they
um were saying this is taking too much
of our time to be talking about the
distribution of food so we’ll pick seven
people yes to work on this that’s where
Stephen comes in that’s right that’s
right so and these seven people were
called
what
I don’t know and if I’m not mistaken the
Greek word for them is diaconus which is
deacons this is the beginning of deacons
no way yeah what was their job their job
was to collect the offerings given to
the church and to make the distribution
so the apostles could spend their time
with the Holy Spirit doing what they
were supposed to do yeah now we have
Decon
in the scripture too do you ever see a
deacon female in the Mormon Church oh my
gosh they made it all male most most
churches have male deacons only but
there’s deaconesses in the Holy
Scripture too it’s just someone who
handles the temporal Affairs of the
organization but today churches continue
to try to do that they’re trying and the
Mormons have 12y olds as deacons
deacons and deacons don’t do anything in
the Mormon Church they hand out the sa
the sacrament yeah oh and they also go
door too and collect fast offerings
which is how they kind of interpret it
to apply it to them it’s another way for
them to collect
money um I’m not seeing Deacon here I’m
not seeing that term did I miss it or
what
version try the King James or King I’m
just I just I mean that’s what they were
diaconus you said oh Deacon just
Deacon that’s not coming up
huh what’s a ministration
word daily ministration what’s
two that’s just the verse okay what’s
what’s ministration the Greek for
ministration there I don’t know I’m not
you I don’t have bet
dias and what is
it servant it might say Administration
and that’s Young’s
yeah there’s no Deacon servant it’s all
ministration right now but it maybe that
will come
up
um I want I want to take the time to
look that up what verse is it well this
is Acts chapter 6 six what
verse well I don’t know it’s several
verses that I’m talking about what does
it say uh Administration Administration
yeah whatever I think it’s
four okay let’s see or no wait I’m
really sorry
young one yeah
one came a murmuring of the henis of the
Hebrew because the wers being overlooked
in Daily ministration
yeah let’s see
here daily distribution daily
Ministry dang
itak
diaconia oh my gosh wow distribution M
it says distribution in the King James
for
61 but it’s they are just deacons that’s
all it means yeah and it’s not an office
of what the Mormons have made it or what
the Christians make it it’s just people
who help out around the headquarters and
take stuff in and distribute it how
funny nice one Dad thank
you he knew that dionas
dionas um male or female folks there is
no difference between men and women in
the body of Christ it’s pretty insane
that
that these massive things that run
churches today come from the
smallest smallest moments little little
things and then they make a big Empire
on it wild so this
proposal they they wanted to do this so
they could give their attention to
prayer and Ministry of the word and I
brought that up earlier that the
ministry of the word was yeah it’s a
good catch just not knowing what the
word is exactly I bet that’s not
capitalized is it Ministry of the word
and I think we should capitalize it
because he is the word that Bible’s not
the word it calls itself the word of God
I know but he’s the word yeah them
saying Ministry of the word is referring
to sharing Jesus just Jesus specifically
okay and and remember it certainly
couldn’t have meant the New Testament
books because they didn’t have right
yeah wild yeah I’m glad you’re getting
this discernment it’s it’s really
amazing you’re really getting it thanks
yeah she has a a mental defect with with
with hand clapping Knuckles slapping
hers are always a little bit twisted
kind of like this
dad
stop I’m sorry to the peanut gallery
okay this proposal pleased the whole
group they chose
Stephen a man of faith in the Holy
Spirit
um
why
why they just say that about him a man
of in the Holy Spirit and then there’s
Philip pror n Jone all those others and
no females huh not that you said females
but I didn’t read females in other
places females are called deaconesses
okay but here the original were all
males and that causes church and males
who run the church to say it’s got to be
all males oh but Paul was facing an
ancient culture of malale driven stuff
he wasn’t going to up they weren’t going
to upset the apple C heart then the
spirit wasn’t going to bring women in
all of a sudden to this brand new
religion that was just came out of
Judaism people would have freaked and
they and so they’ll use this as the
justification for no women being deacons
now but that’s just not the case they
are in other places and they okay and
they presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid their hands on them
I imagine that’s the
priesthood it’s not a priesthood that’s
how the Mormons interpreted lay their
hands yeah in that day the apostles
would at times lay hands on and all
kinds of miraculous things were
happening so again my question is where
is that now you know they did bestow the
Holy Spirit sometimes by literally
laying hands that was a
cultural um thing that the Jews did they
laid hands so of course they’re going to
be laying hands I want the Mormons say
you have to do that now there’s their
whole priesthood thing is a complete lie
and you’ll understand that when we’re
done with Hebrews okay but yeah yeah but
they had the power then and they could
do that and that’s what they did okay
they note that one of those people is a
convert to Judaism they List names they
say Stephen’s a manful of faith in the
Holy Spirit and they say Antioch or
sorry Nicolas is a convert to Judaism
cool just I didn’t even know that that
out okay uh it’s showing I to me that
shows a little bit of a crack in opening
up to more people like so
like this isn’t so pure of a thing that
and these
are I’m just really surprised that this
is where something like deacons comes
out of because it’s really a casual
thing it’s just naming seven people it’s
not Apostles no it’s just seven people
who are that’s right it’s very casual
yeah it’s like baptism it’s the same
thing it’s just identifying we’ve made
these monolithic ideas
yeah okay so the word of God spread the
number of disciples in Jerusalem
increased rapidly and the number of
priests became obedient to the faith and
a large number of priests became
obedient to the faith that’s what it
said the temple was operated by a high
priest who was the top and lower priests
who would do all the cutting of animals
and clean up and all that stuff they
were priests in the temple of Jud of
Jerusalem
okay okay
um so now Stephen A Man full of God’s
grace and power performed great wonders
and signs among the people opposition
arose however
um opposition arose but they couldn’t
stand against Spirit of wisdom they
secretly persuaded some men to say we’ve
heard Steven speak Blasphemous words
against Moses and against God they bring
him in and accuse him against
against the holy place in the law sorry
I’m speaking against the holy place in
the law
um and I just wanted to clarify that’s
kind of the whole rest of it
and they’re saying that he’s blaspheming
Moses and the law
because he’s talking about Jesus and
Jesus gets rid of the
law or sorry I’m sorry
not he’s speaking Blasphemous against
Moses in God not against Moses in law
but and that’s because he’s talking
about Jesus and I’m just trying to make
the connection so him talking about
Jesus means he’s saying there is no law
and God gave Moses law which is what
Judaism is founded on so talking about
Jesus is blaspheming Moses that very
well could be what Justified their
accusation in their minds it is is that
what they’re trying to say I don’t
remember what it is I think we’ll know
more as Stephen talks in chapter 7 CU he
stands to defend himself oh yeah and he
tells the story of the Jews in a summary
way that is I mean it’s really worth
reading oh yeah well good because I’m
gonna read it yeah um and um and but
you’ll notice something about that he
started as being called a deacon we want
you so it’s just show what you do in
your in the organization that’s one
thing but as a Believer he had the power
to go out and speak you know he was
speaking too so it shows that it wasn’t
just the apostles it was other believers
too who were sharing and being
persecuted performed now see yeah I just
happen to GL gloss over that but Stephen
performed great wonders and signs among
the people and off that overlap and
Steven’s playing an important role to
show Believers in that day you have
power yeah go and show it so that’s why
oh no sorry my question is where are
they today yeah
yeah and Stephen that so that’s probably
why they noted that Stephen was a man
full of faith in the holy spirit because
the others aren’t described like that
but and then they again they say now
Stephen A Man full of God’s grace and
power yeah um Luke the writer is
building it up to show what happens now
next I see yeah and the opposition came
from the synagogue of
fredman Jes of sirene and Alexandria as
well as the provinces of Sicilia who
began to argue with Stephen but they
couldn’t stand up against the wisdom
that the spirit gave him as he spoke
okay and they secretly persuaded some
men we’ve heard okay so they it doesn’t
say what Stephen said it’s just them
saying we’ve heard Stephen speak
Blasphemous words against Moses plus
he’s doing Miracles and if they put the
one who did all the big miracles to
death they’re going to put him to death
so now we’re starting to progress toward
whether you don’t see it now but we’re
starting to progress
toward uh
Israel starting to get more
demonstrative in their
boldness because they’re going to take
the law into their own hands with this
ultimately in another 10 20 years
they’re going to rise up and believe
that they can beat the Roman armies and
we’re seeing the very first sign of it
in the fact that they take the law into
their own hands
here I see so we’ll talk about Stephen
the next
time yeah and number seven oh my gosh
we’re at 20 minutes already um I just
wanted to the last verse is all who were
sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently
at Stephen and they saw his face was
like the face of an
Angel it’s so cool like the face of an
angel that sounds kind of scary Shin
yeah
yeah and that’s uh funny those little
flourishes are sometimes hard to believe
like did some excited right did Luke get
excited there but you know there’s a lot
of that that goes on in scripture Moses
has the face of an Angel a lot of them
and I believe it yeah it um it is kind
of crazy
that he was like just assigned to be a
deacon and he’s out doing that now
that’s like that already is an instance
of How It’s dis it’s not organized in
the way that religion now makes deacons
it’s like so clearcut and they don’t do
like he’s the first one and immediately
he just goes and starts doing and we
don’t see anything that says and Peter
gave him permission to also preach right
because that’s established by Christ if
they’re not against us they’re for us
stop trying to break it up yeah you’re
seeing
it good job Delan
all right thanks everybody thanks
everybody we will see you later
