In yesterday's passage we found Gamaliel advising the Sanhedrin to let the apostles go. They do let them go, but they beat them first.
"His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." (Acts 5:40) Gamaliel said nothing about giving them the thirty-nine stripes, which is probably what is meant by the flogging they receive. But the apostles' enemies hope to intimidate them into going silent. The punishment of thirty-nine stripes is a very severe punishment and the Sanhedrin use it to try and put a halt to the Christian church.
But it has the opposite effect. "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." (Acts 5:41-42) These men do something that unbelievers find difficult to fathom: they rejoice that they have been counted worthy of suffering for Christ. They rejoice because the fact that they are being persecuted means they are actually accomplishing something for the Lord. A few years ago I was listening to Dr. Charles Stanley's morning radio program and he said something that has stuck with me, "If Satan isn't bothering you, then you aren't bothering him." If life is going along year after year on a calm and even keel, if no temptations are coming against us, if we are paying no price for following Christ---then perhaps we are not following Christ as closely as we should be. The apostles are bothering Satan, so Satan bothers them. But the Spirit who is in them is greater than the spirit who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Next we are going to meet a man named Stephen, a man chosen to help distribute goods to the needy, a man who will soon be martyred for his faith. The early Christian church is carrying on the Jewish tradition of tamhui, which means "tray". In the Jewish tradition two collectors from the synagogue would go out every Friday and collect money and goods for the needy. They would then distribute these goods later that same day. A dispute arises in the church regarding how the distribution is being carried out. "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food." (Acts 6:1) The Hellenistic Jews are Jews who have assimilated into the Greek culture. (Hellas being the original name of the country we know as Greece.) They are from various places all over what is, in the first century AD, the Roman Empire. They have stopped speaking Aramaic and speak and read and write only in Greek. But we must make no mistake: these Jews are true Jews and when they convert to Christianity they are true Christians.
We don't know whether the Greek widows actually were being treated unfairly or whether the Hellenistic Jews, knowing the Hebraic Jews harbor some prejudice against them, are simply looking for areas in which to find fault. It's true that the Hebraic Jews thought the Hellenistic Jews had become less spiritual and had become more worldly. They felt these Hellenized believers had compromised with the world and had left many of the old traditions behind. Luke's words seem to indicate that there actually was some disparity between the distribution of goods among the two groups, but many scholars believe this was due more to a cultural barrier and language barrier than anything else. Holy as the early church was, it's doubtful the believers would have deliberately treated one needy person any differently than another needy person.
"So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.'" (Acts 6:2-4) The apostles say, "There aren't enough hours in the day for us to get the gospel message out as we should and to also oversee this distribution. You must appoint seven trustworthy and godly men to handle the distribution to the Greek widows."
It is believed that all seven of these men are Hellenistic Jews. Their names do not sound like Hebraic names. It would make sense that Hellenistic Jews would be chosen to oversee the distribution to the Hellenistic widows. This way no one can be accused of prejudice. "The proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them." (Acts 6:5-6)
"So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7) Satan sought to divide the early church into two factions because, as Jesus Christ once said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." (Mark 3:25) Satan sought to use the Hellenized Jews and the Hebraic Jews against each other, causing division in the church. His plot failed. Because his plot failed, the church continues to grow, with even a large number of priests converting to Christianity. Threats haven't worked. Imprisonment hasn't worked. Beatings haven't worked. Divisions haven't worked. Next Satan is going to see if death will work. Stephen, a man whom Luke tells us is full of faith and the Holy Spirit, will be martyred for proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ.
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