Acts 6:1-7

As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

BACKGROUNDER

The incredible unity of the first Christians is threatened by the neglect of some of the widows. The community was still almost all Jews, like the disciples of Jesus, including his mother, Mary, and the Apostles who led them. But the Jewish community itself included many people who had left Jerusalem centuries before when the city was conquered, and who had settled amongst other peoples. These Jews were called, Hellenists, meaning that they had been absorbed into the Greek – Hellenistic – culture.
This cultural division was most bitter when it was exposed by how the most vulnerable, the widows and their children, were treated. Women were mostly unable to get along, even to survive, without a man to provide for them. The community would need to step in to care for these families when no husband or father was present. Think of the humiliation that would also be the lot of such women, who would be utterly dependent on others.

Clearly, the first Christians were caring for the poor members of the community. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44-45) “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.” (Acts 4:34-35) Yet Chapter 5 of Acts tells us of a wealthy couple who withheld their contribution. The human capacity for selfishness was reasserting itself.

And now, in Chapter 6, we see even more gaps. The more foreign “Hellenists” were not being looked after. It is amazing how quickly the community had grown, adding 3,000 members on the first day that the message was preached, Pentecost. But, this cultural division is a sign to the Christian community of how the message of the Gospel, the saving death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, must be proclaimed to all nations, beyond the Jews. The problem faced by the widows shows them that they will face even bigger issues when they encounter pagan groups.

But there is something else going on. When Jesus began his mission his first public message comes from the prophet Isaiah.”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” (Luke 4, citing Isaiah 61) The perennial human division between the haves and the have-nots will be challenged by the coming of the Kingdom of God. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had prophetically announced that God has “put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” (Luke 1:53-54)

There is no easy way for Christians today to get around the divisions among us and around us. We too need to respond to the Holy Spirit who continually calls us back to being of “one heart and soul” (Acts 4), and who anoints people to serve those who are being neglected. The Church today can easily be complacent in the face of injustice as we fall into established sinful patterns of who counts and who doesn’t, who belongs and who is left out.