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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. The discontent that was among the disciples about the distribution of the public charity, Ac 6:1. II. The election and ordination of seven men, who should take care of that matter, and ease the apostles of the burden, Ac 6:2-6. III. The increase of the church, by the addition of many to it, Ac 6:7. IV. A particular account of Stephen, one of the seven. 1. His great activity for Christ, Ac 6:8. 2. The opposition he met with from the enemies of Christianity, and his disputes with them, Ac 6:9,10. 3. The convening of him before the great sanhedrim, and the crimes laid to his charge, Ac 6:11-14. 4. God's owning him upon his trial, Ac 6:15.
1-7
The Appointment of Deacons
揀選執事
¹ 那時，門徒增多，有說希臘話的猶太人向希伯來人發怨言，因為在天天的供給上忽略了他們的寡婦。
² 十二使徒叫眾門徒來，對他們說：「我們撇下神的道去管理飯食，原是不合宜的。
³ 所以弟兄們，當從你們中間選出七個有好名聲、被聖靈充滿、智慧充足的人，我們就派他們管理這事。
⁴ 但我們要專心以祈禱、傳道為事。」
⁵ 大眾都喜悅這話，便揀選了司提反，乃是大有信心、聖靈充滿的人，又揀選腓利、伯羅哥羅、尼迦挪、提門、巴米拿，並進猶太教的安提阿人尼哥拉，
⁶ 叫他們站在使徒面前。使徒禱告了，就按手在他們頭上。
⁷ 神的道興旺起來；在耶路撒冷門徒數目加增的甚多，也有許多祭司信從了這道。
我們既已看到教會與仇敵的爭戰，又與她一同在她的勝利中歡喜，如今我們來看她內部事務的管理；在這裏我們看到，
I. 教會一些成員之間一次不愉快的紛爭，這紛爭本可能造成不良後果，但被及時而明智地調解了（Ac 6:1）：當門徒（基督徒起初就是這樣被稱呼的，即學習基督的人）增多的時候，在耶路撒冷增加到數千人，有發怨言的事發生。
1. 我們看到門徒增多，心中十分欣慰；毫無疑問，祭司長和撒都該人看到這事，心中惱怒。傳講福音所遭遇的反對，不但沒有阻止其進展，反而促進了它的成功；這個初生的基督教會，正如在埃及的初生猶太教會一樣，*越受苦害，越發增多。*傳道人被毆打、被威嚇、被虐待，然而百姓卻領受了他們的教訓——這無疑是被他們在患難中奇妙的忍耐和喜樂所吸引，這使百姓確信他們是受比他們自己更好的靈所扶持和引導的。
2. 然而我們看到門徒的增多竟成了不和睦的緣由，心中不免沮喪。到目前為止，他們都是同心合意的。這常常被注意到，作為他們的榮耀；但如今他們增多了，就開始發怨言；正如在古時的世界，人開始多起來的時候，就敗壞了自己。你使這國民增多，卻沒有使他們喜樂（Isa 9:3）。當亞伯拉罕和羅得增加了各自的家族時，他們的牧人之间就起了紛爭；這裏也是如此：有發怨言的事發生，不是公開的決裂，而是暗中的心懷怨恨。
（1）投訴者是說希臘話的猶太人，即希臘化猶太人，他們向希伯來人投訴——這些猶太人散居在希臘和其他地區，通常說希臘語，讀舊約的希臘文譯本，而不是希伯來原文；他們中間有許多人因在節期來到耶路撒冷而信了基督，加入了教會，並在那裏繼續住下來。他們向希伯來人——就是使用舊約希伯來原文的本土猶太人——投訴。這兩種人都有成了基督徒的，看來他們共同接受基督的信仰，並沒有如理所當然的那樣，消除他們歸信之前彼此之間的那些小嫉妒，反而保留了一些舊酵；他們不明白，也不記得在基督耶穌裏，並不分希臘人、猶太人，沒有希伯來人和希臘化猶太人的區別，所有人在基督裏都同樣受歡迎，也應當為祂的緣故彼此相愛。
（2）這些希臘化猶太人的投訴是他們的寡婦在天天供給上被忽略了，即在分發公眾慈善款項上被忽略了，而希伯來人的寡婦卻受到更好的照顧。請注意，基督教會中第一次紛爭是關於金錢的事；可惜的是，這世上微小的事竟成了那些自稱專注於另一個世界大事的人之間的離間因素。為救濟窮人籌集了大量金錢，但正如這類情形常有的，在支用上不可能使每個人都滿意。使徒們——錢放在他們腳前——盡力按照捐獻者的意圖來分配，無疑打算以最公正的方式去做，絕不偏袒希伯來人過於希臘化猶太人；然而他們在這裏被投訴，也暗中成了被投訴的對象——希臘化猶太人的寡婦被忽略了；雖然她們是同樣真實的慈善對象，卻沒有得到那麼多，或沒有得到那麼多人照顧，或沒有像希伯來人那樣按時得到供應。如今，[1] 也許這投訴是毫無根據、不公正的，沒有甚麼正當理由；但那些在任何方面處於劣勢的人（如希臘化猶太人與那些純粹的希伯來人相比），往往容易嫉妒自己被輕視，其實並非如此；窮人常見的毛病是，不為所得的感恩，反而怨天尤人，容易抱怨沒有得到更多，或抱怨別人得到的比自己多；嫉妒和貪婪——這些苦毒之根——在窮人中間和富人中間都能找到，儘管他們身處謙卑的境遇，本應安於現狀。但[2] 我們假定他們的投訴可能有一些緣由。第一，有人認為，雖然他們其他的窮人得到了很好的供應，但他們的寡婦卻被忽略了，因為管理者遵循了一條希伯來人所遵守的古規——寡婦應由她丈夫的兒女來供養。見 1Ti 5:4。但第二，我認為這裏的寡婦是泛指一切窮人，因為教會名冊上接受救濟的人中有許多是寡婦，她們在丈夫活著時靠丈夫的勤勞得到很好的供應，但丈夫去世後就陷入了困境。正如掌管公眾司法的人應當特別保護寡婦免受欺壓（Isa 1:17, Lu 18:3）；照樣，掌管公眾慈善的人也應當特別為寡婦預備所需用的。見 1Ti 5:3。還要注意，這裏的寡婦和其他窮人每天都得到供應；也許他們缺乏遠見，不能為將來積蓄，因此基金的管家出於善意，天天給他們日用的飲食；他們過著得一天算一天的生活。如今看來，希臘化猶太人的寡婦相對而言被忽略了。也許分配款項的人考慮到，富裕的希伯來人投入基金的錢比富裕的希臘化猶太人多——後者沒有像希伯來人那樣有產業可賣——所以貧窮的希臘化猶太人應該從基金中少得一些；這雖然有一些道理，他們卻覺得苛刻不公平。請注意，在世界上管理得最好的教會裏，也會有不妥之處，會有管理不善之處，會有不滿，至少會有抱怨；最好的教會就是那種不妥之處最少、最少的。
II. 這事得到圓滿的調解，也找到了消除怨言緣由的辦法。使徒們至今一直負責管理這事。申訴是向他們提出的，冤情的上訴也是向他們提出的。他們不得不雇用手下的人，這些人沒有盡到應盡的關注，也沒有像應有的那樣有效地抵擋偏私的試探；因此必須選出一些人來管理這事，他們比使徒更有時間專心辦理，也比使徒所雇用的人更勝任這託付。現在請留意，
1. 使徒們如何提出這個方案：他們叫眾門徒來——耶路撒冷基督徒聚會點的領袖、主要的帶頭人。十二使徒自己不願沒有他們就決定甚麼，因為謀士眾多，人便得安全；在這類事情上，那些比使徒更熟悉世事的人，也許最能提出好的建議。
（1）使徒們強調他們絕不能讓如此大的分心事妨礙他們的大工作（Ac 6:2）：我們撇下神的道去管理飯食，原是不合宜的。收錢和發錢就是管理飯食，太像聖殿裏兌換銀錢之人的桌子了。這與使徒蒙召所做的工格格不入。他們是要傳講神的道；雖然他們不像我們那樣需要為所傳的內容做許多研讀（因為到那時候，必賜給他們當說的話），然而他們認為那已足夠一個人全人投入，要動用一切心思、關切和時間——儘管他們中間一人勝過我們十人，勝過一萬人。他們若管理飯食，就必在某種程度上撇下神的道；他們不能像應當的那樣專心於傳道的工作。*我們的心不能容納兩種不同的焦慮。*雖然這管理飯食是為敬虔的用途，是為服事富足基督徒的慈善和貧窮基督徒的需要——兩者都是服事基督——然而使徒們不願從傳道中抽出這事所需要的那麼多時間。放在他們腳前的錢財不能使他們離開傳道，正如打在他們背上的鞭子不能使他們放棄傳道一樣。當門徒人數尚少時，使徒們可以管理這事而不對主要工作造成顯著的中斷；但如今人數增多了，他們就不能這樣做了。這是不合宜的，希臘文 ouk areston estin——這是不恰當的，或不可嘉的——我們不該忽略以生命之糧餵養靈魂的事工，而去辦理救濟窮人身體的事務。請注意，傳福音是最好的工作，是傳道人所能從事的 最恰當、最必需的工作，也是他必須全然獻身的工作（1Ti 4:15）；為此，他不可被世務纏身（2Ti 2:4），甚至不可被神殿的外務所纏身（Ne 11:16）。
（2）因此他們要求選出七個人，具有良好的資格，他們的職責就是管理飯食——希臘文 diakonein trapezais——在飯食上作執事（Ac 6:2）。這工作必須有人去做，而且必須比從前做得更好，比使徒所能做的更好；因此要安排合適的人偶爾在話語和禱告上事奉——他們不像使徒那樣完全獻身於此；這些人要管理教會的財物——要核對、支付、記帳——要買節期所需要用的東西（Joh 13:29），並辦理一切為屬靈操練所必需的事務，使一切都按著規矩井然有序地進行，沒有一個人、沒有一件事被忽略。如今，
[1] 這些人必須有適當的資格。由百姓來選舉，由使徒來按立；但百姓沒有權柄選舉、使徒也沒有權柄按立完全不勝任的人：當選出七個人；他們認為這麼多人在目前就夠了，若以後需要，可以再加。這些人必須：第一，有好名聲，沒有可指摘之處，被鄰舍看作正直的人、忠信的人，有好的見證，是可信賴的人，沒有任何品德上的瑕疵，反而在一切美善可稱讚的事上都有好名聲；希臘文 martyroumenous——能提供有關其為人的好見證的人。請注意，在教會中擔任任何職分的人都應當是有好名聲的人，有無可指責、甚至是令人敬佩的品格，這不僅是為了職分的體面，也是為了職分的正當履行。第二，他們必須被聖靈充滿，必須滿有聖靈那些正確管理這託付所必需的恩賜和恩典。他們不僅要是誠實的人，還要是有能力和有勇氣的人；正如以色列中被設立為審判官的那樣的人（Ex 18:21），有才能的人，敬畏神的人，誠實的人，恨不義之財的人；這樣就顯出他們被聖靈充滿。第三，他們必須智慧充足。他們僅僅是誠實的好人還不夠，還必須是謹慎、明智的人，不會被人欺哄，能把事情安排到最好，並且考慮周全：被聖靈充滿、智慧充足，即被聖靈這位賜智慧的靈所充滿。我們看到「聖靈所賜的智慧言語」與同一位聖靈所賜的「知識言語」是有分別的（1Co 12:8）。那些受託管理公眾錢財的人必須智慧充足，使錢財不僅以忠誠來分配，也以節儉來分配。
[2] 由百姓提名這些人：「*當從你們中間選出七個人；*你們當彼此商議，看誰最適合這樣的託付，看誰是你們最能放心信任的。」可以推想，他們比使徒更了解人們的品德，至少更適合去打聽；因此選舉的事交託給他們。
[3] 使徒們要按立他們擔任這服事，要把職責交託給他們，使他們知道當做甚麼，並盡心去做；也要把權柄交給他們，使有關的人知道在這類事務上應當向誰申請並順服誰：我們所派的人。我們英文聖經有許多版本在這裏有一個印刷錯誤；它們印成你們所派的人，好像權柄在百姓手中；其實權柄確實在使徒手中：我們所派管理這事的人，負責這事，確保既不浪費也不匱乏。
（3）使徒們承諾完全獻身於作傳道人的工作，若能妥善卸下這個麻煩的職務，就更加專心（Ac 6:4）：我們要專心以祈禱、傳道為事。在這裏請看，[1] 甚麼是兩大福音典禮——道和禱告；藉著這兩樣，神與祂百姓之間的相交得以維持；藉著道，祂向他們說話；藉著禱告，他們向祂說話；這兩樣彼此互相關聯。基督的國度要藉著這兩樣來推進，增添人數；我們必須向枯骨發預言，然後求神賜生命的靈進入他們裏面。藉著道和禱告，其他的典禮對我們被分別為聖，聖禮也發生效用。[2] 甚麼是福音使者的重大職責——專心以祈禱、傳道為事；他們必須常常或是在裝備自己以從事這些服事，或是在這些服事中從事工作；或公開或私下；在規定的時間內或時間外。他們必須在傳道的事工上作神向百姓的口，在禱告中作百姓向神的口。為了使罪人知罪歸信、使聖徒得造就得安慰，我們不僅要為他們獻上禱告，還要用神的道服事他們，以禱告配合努力，使用所設立的途徑。我們也不可僅僅用道服事他們，還要為他們禱告，使道發生效用；因為神的恩典能不用我們的傳講成就一切，而我們的傳講若沒有神的恩典則一無所能。使徒們領受了聖靈非同尋常的恩賜——方言和神蹟；然而他們專心去做的是傳道和禱告，藉此能造就教會：那些專心以祈禱、傳道為事的人，無疑就是使徒的繼承人（不是在使徒權柄的豐滿上——那些妄稱擁有這權柄的人是大膽的篡奪者——而是在使徒工作中最好、最優秀的部分）；基督必常與這樣的人同在，直到世界的末了。
2. 這個建議如何被門徒們同意，並立刻付諸實行。這不是以絕對的權力強加於他們的，雖然他們在基督裏本可以放膽這樣做（Phile 1:8），而是作為非常恰當的建議提出，於是大眾都喜悅這話（Ac 6:5）。他們看到使徒們如此樂意卸去世俗事務的干預、將其轉交別人，心中歡喜；他們聽到使徒們要專心以道和禱告為事，心中歡喜；因此他們既不爭論這事，也不拖延實行。
（1）他們選定了人選。不太可能所有人都把目光集中在同一批人身上。每個人都有自己看好的朋友。但多數票落在了這裏所列名的人身上；其餘的候選人和選舉人都服從了結果，沒有鬧事，正如社團的成員在這類情形中應當做的。使徒是特殊的職分，是藉著抽籤選出來的，這更直接是神的作為；但管理窮人的監督是由百姓投票選出的，其中仍要顧及神的護理，因為祂掌管萬人的心舌。我們有所選之人的名單。有人認為他們就是從前七十個門徒中的人；但這不太可能，因為他們是基督親自按立的，很久以前就被差去傳福音；沒有理由說他們應當撇下神的道去管理飯食，正如使徒不應當一樣。因此更可能的是，他們是自聖靈澆灌以來歸信的人；因為應許賜給一切受洗之人的是聖靈的恩賜；照著那應許的恩賜，正是被選擔任這服事的人所需要的聖靈充滿。關於這七個人，我們還可以進一步推測：[1] 他們是那些變賣了產業、將錢投入公共基金的人；因為在其他條件相同的情況下，那些在捐獻上最慷慨的人，最適合被託付分配的工作。[2] 這七個人都是希臘化猶太人，因為他們都有希臘文名字，這樣最能平息希臘化猶太人的怨言（這正是設立這制度的原因）——將託付交給像他們一樣的外來人，這些人必不會忽略他們。尼哥拉顯然是其中之一，因為他是進猶太教的安提阿人；有人認為這表達方式暗示他們都是耶路撒冷的皈依者，正如他是安提阿的皈依者。第一個被提名的是司提反，是這七人的榮耀，乃是大有信心、聖靈充滿的人；他對基督的教訓有堅強的信心，在多數人之上充滿信心；充滿忠誠、充滿勇氣（有人如此說），因為他被聖靈充滿，滿有聖靈的恩賜和恩典。他是一個非凡的人，在一切善事上都出類拔萃；他的名字意思是冠冕。腓利排在其次，因為他好好運用了執事的職分，就得到了美好的階梯，後來被按立為傳福音的，作使徒的同伴和助手——他正是這樣被明確稱呼的（Ac 21:8）。比較 Eph 4:11。他所行的傳道和施洗（我們在 Ac 8:12 讀到的）當然不是作執事（因為那職分明明是管理飯食，與傳道的事工相對），而是作傳福音的；當他被升任那職分時，我們有理由認為他放棄了這個職分，因為兩者不相容。至於司提反，我們看到他所做的事沒有一件證明他是傳福音的人；因為他只是在學堂裏辯論，並在法庭上為自己的性命辯護（Ac 6:9, 7:2）。最後提名的是尼哥拉，有人說他後來敗壞了（如同這七人中的猶大），是尼哥拉一黨的創始人——我們在 Re 2:6,15 讀到這一黨，基督在那裏一再說那是祂所恨惡的。但有些古教父為他開脫這個指控，告訴我們，雖然那邪惡淫亂的教派以他的名字自稱，卻是不公正的，因為他不過是堅持有妻子的要像沒有妻子的一樣，他們就惡意地推論有妻子的應當共有妻子；因此特土良（Tertullian）在論到凡物公用時，特別將妻子除外：在我們中間，除了妻子之外，一切都是共有的（Apol. 第39章）。
（2）使徒們指派他們暫時擔任管理飯食的工作（Ac 6:6）。百姓把他們帶到使徒面前，使徒認可了他們的選擇，並按立了他們。[1] 使徒們與他們一起禱告，也為他們禱告，求神賜給他們越來越多的聖靈和智慧——求神裝備他們勝任所蒙召的服事，在其中悅納他們，並使他們藉此成為教會的祝福，特別是作羊群中窮人的祝福。一切在教會服事中受僱的人，都應當藉著教會的禱告交託給神恩典的引導。[2] 使徒按手在他們頭上，即奉主的名為他們祝福，因為按手是用於祝福的；正如雅各為約瑟的兩個兒子祝福；毫無爭議，位分大的給位分小的祝福（Heb 7:7）；執事由使徒祝福，窮人的監督由會眾的牧者祝福。他們既藉著禱告懇求了祝福，就藉著按手使他們確信祝福已經賜下，作為對禱告的回應；這也是賜他們權柄執行那職分，並使百姓有義務在其中順服他們。
III. 教會隨後的長進。當教會的事務這樣得到妥善安排（冤情得以糾正，不滿得以平息）之後，信仰就得著了發展（Ac 6:7）。1. *神的道興旺起來。*如今使徒們決心比以往更緊地抓住傳道的工作，這就把福音傳得更遠，也更有能力地深入人心。傳道人從世俗事務中脫身，完全而有力地獻身於自己的工作，作為一種途徑，將大大促進福音的成功。神的道興旺，正如所撒的種子長起來，結實三十倍、六十倍、一百倍。2. 基督徒人數增多了：在耶路撒冷門徒數目加增的甚多。當基督在世上時，祂的工作在耶路撒冷成效最少；然而如今那城提供了最多的歸信者。神在最惡劣的地方也有祂的餘民。3. 也有許多祭司信從了這道。當那些最不可能的人被神的話和恩典感動時，神的話和恩典就大得榮耀——正如這裏的祭司，他們要麼曾反對這道，要麼至少與反對者結盟。祭司的職位來自摩西的律法，然而他們卻願意為基督的福音放棄；看來他們是成群結隊來的；他們中間有許多人彼此約定，為了互相維持體面、彼此堅固，一同將自己的名字歸於基督：一大群祭司，靠著神的恩典勝過了偏見，信從了這道——他們的歸信就是這樣描述的。（1）他們接受了福音的教訓；他們的心思被基督真理的大能所折服，一切抵擋和反對的意念都被帶來順服祂（2Co 10:4,5）。福音被稱為為信服真道而傳的（Ro 16:26）。信心是一種順服的行動，因為這是神的命令：我們應當信（1Jo 3:23）。（2）他們以喜樂地遵行福音的一切規則和誡命，證明自己信基督福音的誠意。福音的宗旨是煉淨並改革我們的心思和生活；信心為我們立法，我們必須順服它。
英文原文
The Appointment of Deacons
¹ And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
² Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
³ Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
⁵ And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
⁶ Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
⁷ And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Having seen the church's struggles with her enemies, and triumphed with her in her victories, we now come to take a view of the administration of her affairs at home; and here we have,
I. An unhappy disagreement among some of the church-members, which might have been of ill consequence, but was prudently accommodated and taken up in time (Ac 6:1): When the number of the disciples (for so Christians were at first called, learners of Christ) was multiplied to many thousands in Jerusalem, there arose a murmuring.
1. It does our hearts good to find that the number of the disciples is multiplied, as, no doubt, it vexed the priests and Sadducees to the heart to see it. The opposition that the preaching of the gospel met with, instead of checking its progress, contributed to the success of it; and this infant Christian church, like the infant Jewish church in Egypt, the more it was afflicted, the more it multiplied. The preachers were beaten, threatened, and abused, and yet the people received their doctrine, invited, no doubt, thereto by their wonderful patience and cheerfulness under their trials, which convinced men that they were borne up and carried on by a better spirit than their own.
2. Yet it casts a damp upon us to find that the multiplying of the disciples proves an occasion of discord. Hitherto they were all with one accord. This had been often taken notice of to their honour; but now that they were multiplied, they began to murmur; as in the old world, when men began to multiply, they corrupted themselves. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased their joy, Isa 9:3. When Abraham and Lot increased their families, there was a strife between their herdsmen; so it was here: There arose a murmuring, not an open falling out, but a secret heart-burning.
(1.) The complainants were the Grecians, or Hellenists, against the Hebrews—the Jews that were scattered in Greece, and other parts, who ordinarily spoke the Greek tongue, and read the Old Testament in the Greek version, and not the original Hebrew, many of whom being at Jerusalem at the feast embraced the faith of Christ, and were added to the church, and so continued there. These complained against the Hebrews, the native Jews, that used the original Hebrew of the Old Testament. Some of each of these became Christians, and, it seems, their joint-embracing of the faith of Christ did not prevail, as it ought to have done, to extinguish the little jealousies they had one of another before their conversion, but they retained somewhat of that old leaven; not understanding, or not remembering, that in Christ Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew, no distinction of Hebrew and Hellenist, but all are alike welcome to Christ, and should be, for his sake, dear to one another.
(2.) The complaint of these Grecians was that their widows were neglected in the daily administration, that is in the distribution of the public charity, and the Hebrew widows had more care taken of them. Observe, The first contention in the Christian church was about a money-matter; but it is a pity that the little things of this world should be makebates among those that profess to be taken up with the great things of another world. A great deal of money was gathered for the relief of the poor, but, as often happens in such cases, it was impossible to please every body in the laying of it out. The apostles, at whose feet it was laid, did their best to dispose of it so as to answer the intentions of the donors, and no doubt designed to do it with the utmost impartiality, and were far from respecting the Hebrews more than the Grecians; and yet here they are complained to, and tacitly complained of, that the Grecian widows were neglected; though they were as real objects of charity, yet they had not so much allowed them, or not to so many, or not so duly paid them, as the Hebrews. Now, [1.] Perhaps this complaint was groundless and unjust, and there was no cause for it; but those who, upon any account, lie under disadvantages (as the Grecian Jews did, in comparison with those that were Hebrews of the Hebrews) are apt to be jealous that they are slighted when really they are not so; and it is the common fault of poor people that, instead of being thankful for what is given them, they are querulous and clamorous, and apt to find fault that more is not given them, or that more is given to others than to them; and there are envy and covetousness, those roots of bitterness, to be found among the poor as well as among the rich, notwithstanding the humbling providences they are under, and should accommodate themselves to. But, [2.] We will suppose there might be some occasion for their complaint. First, Some suggest that though their other poor were well provided for, yet their widows were neglected, because the managers governed themselves by an ancient rule which the Hebrews observed, that a widow was to be maintained by her husband's children. See 1Ti 5:4. But, Secondly, I take it that the widows are here put for all the poor, because many of those that were in the church-book, and received alms, were widows, who were well provided for by the industry of their husbands while they lived, but were reduced to straits when they were gone. As those that have the administration of public justice ought in a particular manner to protect widows from injury (Isa 1:17, Lu 18:3); so those that have the administration of public charity ought in a particular manner to provide for widows what is necessary. See 1Ti 5:3. And observe, The widows here, and the other poor, had a daily ministration; perhaps they wanted forecast, and could not save for hereafter, and therefore the managers of the fund, in kindness to them, gave them day by day their daily bread; they lived from hand to mouth. Now, it seems, the Grecian widows were, comparatively, neglected. Perhaps those that disposed of the money considered that there was more brought into the fund by the rich Hebrews than by the rich Grecians, who had not estates to sell, as the Hebrews had, and therefore the poor Grecians should have less out of the fund; this, though there was some tolerant reason for it, they thought hard and unfair. Note, In the best-ordered church in the world there will be something amiss, some mal—administration or other, some grievances, or at least some complaints; those are the best that have the least and the fewest.
II. The happy accommodating of this matter, and the expedient pitched upon for the taking away of the cause of this murmuring. The apostles had hitherto the directing of the matter. Applications were made to them, and appeals in cases of grievances. They were obliged to employ persons under them, who did not take all the care they might have taken, nor were so well fortified as they should have been against temptations to partiality; and therefore some persons must be chosen to manage this matter who have more leisure to attend to it than the apostles had, and were better qualified for the trust than those whom the apostles employed were. Now observe,
1. How the method was proposed by the apostles: They called the multitude of the disciples unto them, the heads of the congregations of Christians in Jerusalem, the principal leading men. The twelve themselves would not determine any thing without them, for in multitude of counsellors there is safety; and in an affair of this nature those might be best able to advise who were more conversant in the affairs of this life than the apostles were.
(1.) The apostles urge that they could by no means admit so great a diversion, as this would be, from their great work (Ac 6:2): It is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. The receiving and paying of money was serving tables, too like the tables of the money-changers in the temple. This was foreign to the business which the apostles were called to. They were to preach the word of God; and though they had not such occasion to study for what they preached as we have (it being given in that same hour what they should speak), yet they thought that was work enough for a whole man, and to employ all their thoughts, and cares, and time, though one man of them was more than ten of us, than ten thousand. If they serve tables, they must, in some measure, leave the word of God; they could not attend their preaching work so closely as they ought. Pectora nostra duas non admittentia curas—These minds of ours admit not of two distinct anxious employments. Though this serving of tables was for pious uses, and serving the charity of rich Christians and the necessity of poor Christians, and in both serving Christ, yet the apostles would not take so much time from their preaching as this would require. They will no more be drawn from their preaching by the money laid at their feet than they will be driven from it by the stripes laid on their backs. While the number of the disciples was small, the apostles might manage this matter without making it any considerable interruption to their main business; but, now that their number was increased, they could not do it. It is not reason, ouk areston estin—it is not fit, or commendable, that we should neglect the business of feeding souls with the bread of life, to attend the business of relieving the bodies of the poor. Note, Preaching the gospel is the best work, and the most proper and needful that a minister can be employed in, and that which he must give himself wholly to (1Ti 4:15), which that he may do, he must not entangle himself in the affairs of this life (2Ti 2:4), no, not in the outward business of the house of God, Ne 11:16.
(2.) They therefore desire that seven men might be chosen, well qualified for the purpose, whose business it should be to serve tables, diakonein trapezais—to be deacons to the tables, Ac 6:2. The business must be minded, must be better minded than it had been, and than the apostles could mind it; and therefore proper persons must be occasionally employed in the word, and prayer, were not so entirely devoted to it as the apostles were; and these must take care of the church's stock—must review, and pay, and keep accounts—must buy those things which they had need of against the feast (Joh 13:29), and attend to all those things which are necessary in ordine ad spiritualia—in order to spiritual exercises, that every thing might be done decently and in order, and no person nor thing neglected. Now,
[1.] The persons must be duly qualified. The people are to choose, and the apostles to ordain; but the people have no authority to choose, nor the apostles to ordain, men utterly unfit for the office: Look out seven men; so many they thought might suffice for the present, more might be added afterwards if there were occasion. These must be, First, Of honest report, men free from scandal, that were looked upon by their neighbours as men of integrity, and faithful men, well attested, as men that might be trusted, not under a blemish for any vice, but, on the contrary, well spoken of for every thing that is virtuous and praiseworthy; martyroumenous—men that can produce good testimonials concerning their conversation. Note, Those that are employed in any office in the church ought to be men of honest report, of a blameless, nay, of an admirable character, which is requisite not only to the credit of their office, but to the due discharge of it. Secondly, They must be full of the Holy Ghost, must be filled with those gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost which were necessary to the right management of this trust. They must not only be honest men, but they must be men of ability and men of courage; such as were to be made judges in Israel (Ex 18:21), able men, fearing God; men of truth, and hating covetousness; and hereby appearing to be full of the Holy Ghost. Thirdly, They must be full of wisdom. It was not enough that they were honest, good men, but they must be discreet, judicious men, that could not be imposed upon, and would order things for the best, and with consideration: full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, that is, of the Holy Ghost as a Spirit of wisdom. We find the word of wisdom given by the Spirit, as distinct form the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, 1Co 12:8. Those must be full of wisdom who are entrusted with public money, that it may be disposed of, not only with fidelity, but with frugality.
[2.] The people must nominate the persons: "Look you out among yourselves seven men; consider among yourselves who are the fittest for such a trust, and whom you can with the most satisfaction confide in." They might be presumed to know better, or at least were fitter to enquire, what character men had, than the apostles; and therefore they are entrusted with the choice.
[3.] They apostles will ordain them to the service, will give them their charge, that they may know what they have to do and make conscience of doing it, and give them their authority, that the persons concerned may know whom they are to apply to, and submit to, in affairs of that nature: Men, whom we may appoint. In many editions of our English Bibles there has been an error of the press here; for they have read it, whom ye may appoint, as if the power were in the people; whereas it was certainly in the apostles: whom we may appoint over this business, to take care of it, and to see that there be neither waste nor want.
(3.) The apostles engage to addict themselves wholly to their work as ministers, and the more closely if they can but get fairly quit of this troublesome office (Ac 6:4): We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. See here, [1.] What are the two great gospel ordinances—the word, and prayer; by these two communion between God and his people is kept up and maintained; by the word he speaks to them, and by prayer they speak to him; and these have a mutual reference to each other. By these two the kingdom of Christ must be advanced, and additions made to it; we must prophesy upon the dry bones, and then pray for a spirit of life from God to enter into them. By the word and prayer other ordinances are sanctified to us, and sacraments have their efficacy. [2.] What is the great business of gospel ministers—to give themselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word; they must still be either fitting and furnishing themselves for those services, or employing themselves in them; either publicly or privately; in the stated times, or out of them. They must be God's mouth to the people in the ministry of the word, and the people's mouth to God in prayer. In order to the conviction and conversion of sinners, and the edification and consolation of saints, we must not only offer up our prayers for them, but we must minister the word to them, seconding our prayers with our endeavours, in the use of appointed means. Nor must we only minister the word to them, but we must pray for them, that it may be effectual; for God's grace can do all without our preaching, but our preaching can do nothing without God's grace. The apostles were endued with extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, tongues and miracles; and yet that to which they gave themselves continually was preaching and praying, by which they might edify the church: and those ministers, without doubt, are the successors of the apostles (not in the plenitude of the apostolical power—those are daring usurpers who pretend to this, but in the best and most excellent of the apostolical works) who give themselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word; and such Christ will always be with, even to the end of the world.
2. How this proposal was agreed to, and presently put in execution, by the disciples. It was not imposed upon them by an absolute power, though they might have been bold in Christ to do this (Phile 1:8), but proposed, as that which was highly convenient, and then the saying pleased the whole multitude, Ac 6:5. It pleased them to see the apostles so willing to have themselves discharged from intermeddling in secular affairs, and to transmit them to others; it pleased them to hear that they would give themselves to the word and prayer; and therefore they neither disputed the matter nor deferred the execution of it.
(1.) They pitched upon the persons. It is not probable that they all cast their eye upon the same men. Everyone had his friend, whom he thought well of. But the majority of votes fell upon the persons here named; and the rest both of the candidates and the electors acquiesced, and made no disturbance, as the members of societies in such cases ought to do. An apostle, who was an extraordinary officer, was chosen by lot, which is more immediately the act of God; but the overseers of the poor were chosen by the suffrage of the people, in which yet a regard is to be had to the providence of God, who has all men's hearts and tongues in his hand. We have a list of the persons chosen. Some think they were such as were before of the seventy disciples; but this is not likely, for they were ordained by Christ himself, long since, to preach the gospel; and there was not more reason that they should leave the word of God to serve tables than that the apostles should. It is therefore more probable that they were of those that were converted since the pouring out of the Spirit; for it was promised to all that would be baptized that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; and the gift, according to that promise, is that fulness of the Holy Ghost which was required in those that were to be chosen to this service. We may further conjecture, concerning these seven, [1.] That they were such as had sold their estates, and brought the money into the common stock; for cæteris paribus—other things being equal, those were fittest to be entrusted with the distribution of it who had been most generous in the contribution to it. [2.] That these seven were all of the Grecian or Hellenist Jews, for they have all Greek names, and this would be most likely to silence the murmurings of the Grecians (which occasioned this institution), to have the trust lodged in those that were foreigners, like themselves, who would be sure not to neglect them. Nicolas, it is plain, was one of them, for he was a proselyte of Antioch; and some think the manner of expression intimates that they were all proselytes of Jerusalem, as he was of Antioch. The first named is Stephen, the glory of these septemviri, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost; he had a strong faith in the doctrine of Christ, and was full of it above most; full of fidelity, full of courage (so some), for he was full of the Holy Ghost, of his gifts and graces. He was an extraordinary man, and excelled in every thing that was good; his name signifies a crown. Phillip is put next, because he, having used this office of a deacon well, thereby obtained a good degree, and was afterwards ordained to the office of an evangelist, a companion and assistant to the apostles, for so he is expressly called, Ac 21:8. Compare Eph 4:11. And his preaching and baptizing (which we read of Ac 8:12) were certainly not as a deacon (for it is plain that that office was serving tables, in opposition to the ministry of the word), but as an evangelist; and, when he was preferred to that office, we have reason to think he quitted this office, as incompatible with that. As for Stephen, nothing we find done by him proves him to be a preacher of the gospel; for he only disputes in the schools, and pleads for his life at the bar, Ac 6:9,7:2. The last named is Nicolas, who, some say, afterwards degenerated (as the Judas among these seven) and was the founder of the sect of the Nicolaitans which we read of (Re 2:6,15), and which Christ there says, once and again, was a thing he hated. But some of the ancients clear him from this charge, and tell us that, though that vile impure sect denominated themselves from him, yet it was unjustly, and because he only insisted much upon it that those that had wives should be as though they had none, thence they wickedly inferred that those that had wives should have them in common, which therefore Tertullian, when he speaks of the community of goods, particularly excepts: Omnia indiscreta apud nos, præter uxores—All things are common among us, except our wives.—Apol. cap, 39.
(2.) The apostles appointed them to this work of serving tables for the present, Ac 6:6. The people presented them to the apostles, who approved their choice, and ordained them. [1.] They prayed with them, and for them, that God would give them more and more of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom—that he would qualify them for the service to which they were called, and own them in it, and make them thereby a blessing to the church, and particularly to the poor of the flock. All that are employed in the service of the church ought to be committed to the conduct of the divine grace by the prayers of the church. [2.] They laid their hands on them, that is, they blessed them in the name of the Lord, for laying on hands was used in blessing; so Jacob blessed both the sons of Joseph; and, without controversy, the less is blessed of the greater (Heb 7:7); the deacons are blessed by the apostles, and the overseers of the poor by the pastors of the congregation. Having by prayer implored a blessing upon them, they did by the laying on of hands assure them that the blessing was conferred in answer to the prayer; and this was giving them authority to execute that office, and laying an obligation upon the people to be observant of them therein.
III. The advancement of the church hereupon. When things were thus put into good order in the church (grievances were redressed and discontents silenced) then religion got ground, Ac 6:7. 1. The word of God increased. Now that the apostles resolved to stick more closely than ever to their preaching, it spread the gospel further, and brought it home with the more power. Ministers disentangling themselves from secular employments, and addicting themselves entirely and vigorously to their work, will contribute very much, as a means, to the success of the gospel. The word of God is said to increase as the seed sown increases when it comes up again thirty, sixty, a hundred fold. 2. Christians became numerous: The number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. When Christ was upon earth, his ministry had least success in Jerusalem; yet now that city affords most converts. God has his remnant even in the worst of places. 3. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Then is the word and grace of God greatly magnified when those are wrought upon by it that were least likely, as the priests here, who either had opposed it, or at least were linked in with those that had. The priests, whose preferments arose from the law of Moses, were yet willing to let them go for the gospel of Christ; and, it should seem, they came in a body; many of them agreed together, for the keeping up of one another's credit, and the strengthening of one another's hands, to join at once in giving up their names to Christ: polis ochlos—a great crowd of priests were, by the grace of God helped over their prejudices, and were obedient to the faith, so their conversion is described. (1.) They embraced the doctrine of the gospel; their understandings were captivated to the power of the truths of Christ, and every opposing objecting thought brought into obedience to him, 2Co 10:4,5. The gospel is said to be made known for the obedience of faith, Ro 16:26. Faith is an act of obedience, for this is God's commandment, that we believe, 1Jo 3:23. (2.) They evinced the sincerity of their believing the gospel of Christ by a cheerful compliance with all the rules and precepts of the gospel. The design of the gospel is to refine and reform our hearts and lives; faith gives law to us, and we must be obedient to it.
8-15
Stephen's Address
司提反的申辯
⁸ 司提反滿得恩惠、能力，在民間行了大奇事和神蹟。
⁹ 當時有稱利百地拿會堂的幾個人，並有古利奈、亞歷山大、基利家、亞細亞各處會堂的幾個人，都起來和司提反辯論。
¹⁰ 司提反是以智慧和聖靈說話，眾人敵擋不住，
¹¹ 就買出人來說：我們聽見他說謗讟摩西和神的話。
¹² 他們又聳動了百姓、長老，並文士，就忽然來捉拿他，把他帶到公會去，
¹³ 設下假見證，說：這個人說話，不住地踐踏這聖所和律法。
¹⁴ 我們曾聽見他說：這拿撒勒人耶穌要毀壞此地，也要改變摩西所交給我們的規條。
¹⁵ 在公會裏坐著的人都定睛看他，見他的面貌，好像天使的面貌。
司提反無疑在履行分配教會慈善之職上勤勉忠心，竭力將這事安排得井井有條，使眾人普遍滿意；雖然從此處可知他是個有非凡恩賜、適合更高職位的人，但他既蒙召擔任這職分，就不以盡這職分為恥。他在小事上忠心，就受託以更多；雖然我們沒有看見他藉傳道和施洗來推廣福音，卻看見他在此被召去擔任非常光榮的服事，並在其中蒙神印證。
I. 他藉著奉基督的名行神蹟來證明福音的真實（Ac 6:8）。1. 他滿得恩惠、能力——即滿有堅強的信心，這信心使他能行大事。充滿信心的人也充滿能力，因為藉著信心，神的能力為我們所用。他的信心如此充滿他，以致沒有留下不信的餘地，並為屬天恩典的影響騰出了空間，因此正如先知所言，他藉萬軍之耶和華的靈滿有力量（彌 3:8）。藉著信心我們倒空自己，如此就被基督充滿——基督是神的智慧、神的能力。2. 他既如此滿有恩惠能力，就在民間行了大奇事和神蹟，是公開行的，在眾人眼前；因為基督的神蹟不怕最嚴格的審查。司提反雖然不是按職分作傳道人的，卻行了這些大神蹟，這並不奇怪，因為我們知道這些是聖靈各別的恩賜，分給各人——這人蒙聖靈賜他智慧的言語，那人也蒙這位聖靈賜他知識的言語……又有一人蒙這位聖靈賜他信心……又叫一人能行異能，又叫一人能作先知（林前 12:10-11）。而且這些神蹟不僅隨著傳道的人，也隨著信的人（可 16:17）。
II. 他為基督教的事業對抗那些反對者並與之辯論（Ac 6:9-10）；他作為辯論者在戰場的高處服事宗教的利益，而其他人則作修理葡萄園的人和耕種者來服事。
1. 我們在此被告知他的對手是誰（Ac 6:9）。他們是猶太人，卻是說希臘話的猶太人，是分散之地的猶太人，似乎比本土猶太人更熱心於他們的宗教；他們在所居之地——在那裏他們如同有斑點的鳥——持守宗教的實踐和認信並不容易，要在耶路撒冷保持聚會也花費不小、相當辛勞，這使他們比那些信仰認信輕省的人更積極地維護猶太教。他們屬於那稱為利百地拿會堂的；羅馬人稱那些Liberti或Libertini——或因是外國人而被授予公民權，或因生為奴隸而獲釋放成為自由人。有人認為這些利百地拿是那些獲得了羅馬公民權的猶太人，正如保羅所得的（Ac 22:27-28）；他很可能就是在這利百地拿會堂中與司提反辯論最積極的人，並帶動其他人加入辯論，因為我們看見他在司提反被石頭打死一事中十分活躍，並贊同將他處死。此外還有屬於古利奈人和亞歷山大人之會堂的——猶太作家也曾提及這些會堂；也有屬於他們會堂、來自基利家和亞細亞的人；若保羅作為羅馬自由人不屬於利百地拿會堂，那麼作為基利雅省大數城的人，他就屬於後者：他很可能同時是兩個會堂的成員。生在外國、在當地有事務的猶太人，經常有理由不僅要到耶路撒冷來，更要在耶路撒冷居住。各國都有自己的會堂，正如倫敦有法國、荷蘭和丹麥的教會：那些會堂也是各國猶太人送子弟去受猶太教育的地方。如今那些會堂中的導師和教授們，看見福音增長，統治者又對此增長睜一隻眼閉一隻眼，擔心這對他們所熱心維護的猶太教將造成何種後果，又自認所持之理正當、自己足以應付，便著手以辯論的力量來壓倒基督教。這是公正而合理的做法，是宗教所總是樂意接受的。耶和華說：你們要呈上你們的案件，你們要聲明你們確實的理由（賽 41:21）。但他們為何與司提反辯論呢？為何不與使徒本人辯論呢？(1) 有人認為是因為他們輕看使徒為沒有學問的小民，不屑與之較量；但司提反受過學術訓練，他們以為與旗鼓相當之人交手是自己的榮耀。(2) 另有人認為是因為他們對使徒心存敬畏，不能像對待司提反那樣與他們自由隨便地交往——司提反身居較低的職分。(3) 也許他們既已公開下戰書，門徒便選派司提反作他們的辯護者；因為使徒不當放下傳講神道的職責去捲入爭論。司提反不過是教會中的一個執事，卻是個敏銳的年輕人，才華橫溢，比使徒本人更適合對付好爭辯的對手，便被指派擔此服事。有些史家說司提反曾在迦瑪列門下受教，掃羅和其餘的人便視他為叛徒，以特別的狂怒將他作為靶子。(4) 很可能他們與司提反辯論，是因為司提反熱切地要與他們辯論、說服他們，而這正是神所召他去擔任的服事。
2. 我們在此被告知他在這場辯論中如何取勝（Ac 6:10）：他們敵擋不住司提反的智慧和聖靈。他們既不能維持自己的論點，也不能回答他的。他以無可辯駁的論據證明耶穌就是基督，而且表達得如此清楚充分，以致他們對他所說的無可反駁；他們雖未被說服，卻被駁得啞口無言。經上不是說他們敵擋不住他，而是說他們敵擋不住他說話的智慧和聖靈——就是藉著他說話的那智慧的靈。此時應驗了那應許：因為我必賜你們口才、智慧，是你們一切敵人所敵不住、駁不倒的（路 21:15）。他們以為只是與司提反辯論，以為自己能佔上風；其實他們是在與他裏面的神的靈辯論——他們根本不是對手。
III. 最終，他以自己的血印證了這道；我們將在下一章看到他如此行了；此處記載了他的仇敵為此所採取的一些步驟。當他們作為辯論者無法回答他的論證時，就以罪犯的身份起訴他，並買通見證人來作偽證，指控他說了褻瀆的話。「在這樣的條件下，」Baxter 先生在此處說，「我們與惡人辯論。若不是護理的奇蹟，世上被以偽證和法律為藉口所殺害的信仰之人不會如此少——儘管有成千上萬恨他們的人，對發假誓毫無良心。」他們買通人來——即告訴他們該說甚麼，然後雇他們起誓如此說。他們因司提反證明了他們的錯誤、向他們指出了正路而更加惱怒；他們本應因此向他致以最深切的感謝。我將真理告訴你們，就成了你們的仇敵嗎？——他還證明了這確實是真理。如今讓我們在此注意，
1. 他們如何以一切可能的手段和努力挑撥政府和暴民來反對他——若不能藉此一方得逞，便可藉另一方（Ac 6:12）：他們聳動了百姓反對他，好叫公會即使（按照迦瑪列的建議）仍認為應當放了他，他們也可藉民眾的狂怒和暴亂來壓倒他；他們又設法聳動了長老和文士反對他，好叫百姓即使袒護他、保護他，他們也可藉權威得逞。如此他們自信必能達到目的，因為他們弓上有兩根弦。
2. 他們如何把他帶到審判台前：*他們忽然來捉拿他，把他帶到公會去。*他們成群結隊地撲上來，如同獅子撲向獵物——原文有此意。他們如此粗暴強暴地對待他，是要向百姓和政府表示他是個危險人物——若不嚴加看守就會逃脫法網，若不以武力拘押就會反抗。他們捉住他之後，便凱旋般地把他帶進公會，看來如此匆忙，以致他身邊連一個朋友也沒有。他們從前把許多人聚在一起時，發現他們彼此壯膽、彼此堅固；因此他們要試試如何各個擊破。
3. 他們如何預備好隨時可以提出的證據來對付他。他們決心不像從前審判我們救主時那樣——當時臨時找見證人而找不到。這些見證人事先已準備好，並被教唆要起誓說他們聽見他說謗讟摩西和神的話（Ac 6:11）——踐踏這聖所和律法（Ac 6:13）；因為他們聽見他說耶穌要對他們的地方和規條怎樣怎樣（Ac 6:14）。也許他確曾說過類似含意的話；然而那些對他作證的人被稱為假見證——因為，雖然他們的證詞中有幾分真實，卻對他所說的作了錯誤而惡意的曲解，加以歪曲。請留意，
(1.) 對他提出的一般指控是甚麼——他說了謗讟的話；而且為加重情節，「他不住地說謗讟的話；這是他的日常話題，在各樣場合他都不離此題；無論到哪裏，都以此灌輸他所接觸的人。」這也暗示他頑梗不化、不聽勸誡。「他已受過警告，卻仍不住如此說話。」褻瀆被公正地視為重罪（輕蔑地、誹謗地論及造我們的神），因此司提反的逼迫者要人以為他們深切關心神之名的尊榮，是出於對此的熱心而行。正如舊約的認信者和殉道者所遭遇的，新約的也是如此——恨惡他們、把他們趕出去的弟兄說，願耶和華得榮耀；假裝如此行是事奉神。據說他說了謗讟摩西和神的話。到此為止他們是對的：褻瀆摩西的人（若他們指的是摩西的著作——那些是神所默示的）就是褻瀆神自己。輕蔑地論及聖經、加以嘲笑的人，就是反映在神自己身上，就是向他行惡。他的大旨意是要高舉律法、使律法為大為尊；因此貶低律法、使律法被人輕看的人，就是褻瀆他的名；因為他已將他的話高過他一切的名。但司提反真的褻瀆了摩西嗎？斷乎沒有，他離此甚遠。基督和他福音的傳揚者從未說過任何看來像褻瀆摩西的話；他們總是帶著敬意引用摩西的著作，向他們上訴，所說的不過是摩西所說將要成就的事；因此司提反被控褻瀆摩西實在極不公正。但是，
(2.) 讓我們看看這項指控如何得到支持和證明；說實話，到了要證明的時候，他們所能指控的不過是他說了謗讟這聖所和律法的話；而這就被當作等同於褻瀆摩西和褻瀆神自己。如此，到了提證時，指控便大為縮水了。[1.] 他被控褻瀆這聖所。有人將此理解為耶路撒冷城——那聖城，他們對之有極大的嫉妒。但更當理解為聖殿——那聖殿。基督被判為褻瀆者，是因他所說的話被認為反映了聖殿——他們似乎很關心聖殿的榮譽，甚至在自己以惡行褻瀆了聖殿之時仍如此。[2.] 他被控褻瀆律法——他們以此誇口、在其中信靠，儘管他們因違反律法而褻瀆神（羅 2:23）。那麼，他們怎能證明這點呢？到了此處，指控再次縮水；因為他們所能指控他的，不過是他們自己聽見他說過（但這話是怎麼說的、他作了怎樣的解釋，他們認為不必交代）這位眾人議論紛紛的拿撒勒人耶穌要毀壞此地，也要改變摩西所交給我們的規條。他不能被指控說了任何貶低聖殿或律法的話。祭司們自己褻瀆了聖殿——使之不僅成為買賣之所，更成為賊窩；卻要人以為他們熱心維護聖殿的榮譽，去對付一個從未對聖殿說過任何不當之處、反而比他們更照聖殿本來的用處——作為禱告的殿——來使用的人。他也從未像他們那樣毀謗律法。但，*第一，*他曾說，拿撒勒人耶穌要毀壞此地——毀壞聖殿、毀壞耶路撒冷。也許他確曾如此說過；但說聖殿不會像示羅那樣永存，說公義聖潔的神不會將他聖所的特權繼續賜給那些濫用特權的人——這對聖所算是甚麼褻瀆呢？先知們豈不也曾就迦勒底人毀壞那聖所一事，向他們的列祖發出同樣的警告嗎？不，聖殿初次建造之時，神自己豈不也發出了同樣的警告嗎：這殿雖然甚高，將來經過的人必驚訝（代下 7:21）。那麼，告訴他們拿撒勒人耶穌若他們繼續反對他，就必公正地毀滅他們的地方和國家，而他們只能怪自己——這樣的人算是褻瀆者嗎？那些以宗教信仰為藉口，將因他們敗壞的行事為人而受的責備稱為對他們信仰的褻瀆性攻擊的人，是惡意濫用了自己的信仰認信。*第二，*他曾說，這耶穌要改變摩西所交給我們的規條。而在彌賽亞的日子，這些規條本來就該改變——當實體來到，影子就當廢去；然而這不是律法的本質改變，而是律法的成全。基督來不是要廢掉，而是要成全律法；他若改變了摩西所交付的一些規條，是為了引進和確立那些更好的；若猶太教會沒有頑固地拒絕接受這新的設立、死守禮儀律法，據我所知他們的地方也不會被毀滅；因此，他把他們引上了一條確實可以避免毀滅的路，又確實警告了他們若不走那路就必被毀滅——他竟因此被控為褻瀆者。
IV. 我們在此被告知他被帶到公會面前時神如何印證他，並使之顯明神與他同在（Ac 6:15）：在公會裏坐著的人——那些祭司、文士和長老——定睛看他（因為他是個陌生人，他們此前沒有審問過他），見他的面貌，好像天使的面貌。審判官通常會留意囚犯的面容——有時這是表明有罪或無罪的線索。如今司提反帶著好像天使的面容出現在審判台前。1. 也許這不過是暗示他有異常愉悅開朗的面容，其中沒有絲毫為自己恐懼或對逼迫者憤怒的跡象。他看來好像一生中從未比此時更高興——此時他被召公開為基督的福音作見證，且有望得到殉道者的冠冕。他面容上有如此平靜的安寧、如此無畏的勇氣，以及如此難以言喻的溫和與威嚴的融合，以致人人都說他看來像個天使——這確實足以使撒都該人相信有天使，因為他們親眼看見了一個化身的天使。2. 更當理解為他的面容上有奇蹟般的光輝和明亮，如同我們救主改變形像時那樣——至少像摩西從山上下來時那樣——神有意藉此尊榮他的忠心見證人，使他的逼迫者和審判官羞愧，他們的罪若在此之後仍執意對付他，就必大為加重，實在就是背叛真光。他自己是否知道自己的面貌發光，我們不得而知；但在公會裏坐著的人都看見了，大概還彼此議論，而這實在是極大的恥辱——他們既看見、且不能不看見神與他同在，卻沒有把他從審判台前請到審判席上的首位。智慧和聖潔使人的面貌發光，然而這些不能使人免受最大的侮辱；這也不足為奇——連司提反面貌的發光也不能保護他；儘管很容易證明，他若真對摩西有任何不敬，神就決不會如此將摩西的尊榮加在他身上。
英文原文
Stephen's Address
⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
⁹ Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
¹¹ Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
¹² And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
¹³ And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
¹⁴ For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
¹⁵ And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Stephen, no doubt was diligent and faithful in the discharge of his office as distributor of the church's charity, and laid out himself to put that affair in a good method, which he did to universal satisfaction; and though it appears here that he was a man of uncommon gifts, and fitted for a higher station, yet, being called to that office, he did not think it below him to do the duty of it. And, being faithful in a little, he was entrusted with more; and, though we do not find him propagating the gospel by preaching and baptizing, yet we find him here called out to very honourable services, and owned in them.
I. He proved the truth of the gospel, by working miracles in Christ's name, Ac 6:8. 1. He was full of faith and power, that is, of a strong faith, by which he was enabled to do great things. Those that are full of faith are full of power, because by faith the power of God is engaged for us. His faith did so fill him that it left no room for unbelief and made room for the influences of divine grace, so that, as the prophet speaks, he was full of power by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, Mic 3:8. By faith we are emptied of self, and so are filled with Christ, who is the wisdom of God and the power of God. 2. Being so he did great wonders and miracles among the people, openly, and in the sight of all; for Christ's miracles feared not the strictest scrutiny. It is not strange that Stephen, though he was not a preacher by office, did these great wonders, for we find that these were distinct gifts of the Spirit, and divided severally, for to one was given the working of miracles, and to another prophecy, 1Co 12:10,11. And these signs followed not only those that preached, but those that believed. Mk 16:17.
II. He pleaded the cause of Christianity against those that opposed it, and argued against it (Ac 6:9,10); he served the interests of religion as a disputant, in the high places of the field, while others were serving them as vinedressers and husbandmen.
1. We are here told who were his opponents, Ac 6:9. They were Jews, but Hellenist Jews, Jews of the dispersion, who seem to have been more zealous for their religion than the native Jews; it was with difficulty that they retained the practice and profession of it in the country where they lived, where they were as speckled birds, and not without great expense and toil that they kept up their attendance at Jerusalem, and this made them more active sticklers for Judaism than those were whose profession of their religion was cheap and easy. They were of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines; the Romans called those Liberti, or Libertini, who either, being foreigners, were naturalized, or, being slaves by birth, were manumitted, or made freemen. Some think that these Libertines were such of the Jews as had obtained the Roman freedom, as Paul had (Ac 22:27,28); and it is probable that he was the most forward man of this synagogue of the Libertines in disputing with Stephen, and engaged others in the dispute, for we find him busy in the stoning of Stephen, and consenting to his death. There were others that belonged to the synagogue of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, of which synagogue the Jewish writers speak; and others that belonged to their synagogue who were of Cilicia and Asia; and if Paul, as a freeman of Rome, did not belong to the synagogue of the Libertines, he belonged to this, as a native of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia: it is probable that he might be a member of both. The Jews that were born in other countries, and had concerns in them, had frequent occasion, not only to resort to, but to reside in, Jerusalem. Each nation had its synagogue, as in London there are French, and Dutch, and Danish churches: and those synagogues were the schools to which the Jews of those nations sent their youth to be educated in the Jewish learning. Now those that were tutors and professors in these synagogues, seeing the gospel grow, and the rulers conniving at the growth of it, and fearing what would be the consequence of it to the Jewish religion, which they were jealous for, being confident of the goodness of their cause, and their own sufficiency to manage it, would undertake to run down Christianity by force of argument. It was a fair and rational way of dealing with it, and what religion is always ready to admit. Produce your cause, saith the Lord, bring forth your strong reasons, Isa 41:21. But why did they dispute with Stephen? And why not with the apostles themselves? (1.) Some think because they despised the apostles as unlearned and ignorant men, whom they thought it below them to engage with; but Stephen was bred a scholar, and they thought it their honour to meddle with their match. (2.) Others think it was because they stood in awe of the apostles, and could not be so free and familiar with them as they could be with Stephen, who was in an inferior office. (3.) Perhaps, they having given a public challenge, Stephen was chosen and appointed by the disciples to be their champion; for it was not meet that the apostles should leave the preaching of the word of God to engage in controversy. Stephen, who was only a deacon in the church, and a very sharp young man, of bright parts, and better qualified to deal with wrangling disputants than the apostles themselves, was appointed to this service. Some historians say that Stephen had been bred up at the feet of Gamaliel, and that Saul and the rest of them set upon him as a deserter, and with a particular fury made him their mark. (4.) It is probable that they disputed with Stephen because he was zealous to argue with them and convince them, and this was the service to which God had called him.
2. We are here told how he carried the point in this dispute (Ac 6:10): They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. They could neither support their own arguments nor answer his. He proved by such irresistible arguments that Jesus is the Christ, and delivered himself with so much clearness and fulness that they had nothing to object against what he said; though they were not convinced, yet they were confounded. It is not said, They were not able to resist him, but, They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke, that Spirit of wisdom which spoke by him. Now was fulfilled that promise, I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist, Lu 21:15. They thought they had only disputed with Stephen, and could make their part good with him; but they were disputing with the Spirit of God in him, for whom they were an unequal match.
III. At length, he sealed it with his blood; so we shall find he did in the next chapter; here we have some steps taken by his enemies towards it. When they could not answer his arguments as a disputant, they prosecuted him as a criminal, and suborned witnesses against him, to swear blasphemy upon him. "On such terms (saith Mr. Baxter here) do we dispute with malignant men. And it is next to a miracle of providence that no greater number of religious persons have been murdered in the world, by the way of perjury and pretence of law, when so many thousands hate them who make no conscience of false oaths." They suborned men, that is, instructed them what to say, and then hired them to swear it. They were the more enraged against him because he had proved them to be in the wrong, and shown them the right way; for which they ought to have given him their best thanks. Was he therefore become their enemy, because he told them the truth, and proved it to be so? Now let us observe here,
1. How with all possible art and industry they incensed both the government and the mob against him, that, if they could not prevail by the one, they might by the other (Ac 6:12): They stirred up the people against him, that, if the sanhedrim should still think fit (according to Gamaliel's advice) to let him alone, yet they might run him down by a popular rage and tumult; they also found means to stir up the elders and scribes against him, that, if the people should countenance and protect him, they might prevail by authority. Thus they doubted not but to gain their point, when then had two strings to their bow.
2. How they got him to the bar: They came upon him, when he little thought of it, and caught him and brought him to the council. They came upon him in a body, and flew upon him as a lion upon his prey; so the word signifies. By their rude and violent treatment of him, they would represent him, both to the people, and to the government, as a dangerous man, that would either flee from justice if he were not watched, or fight with it if he were not put under a force. Having caught him, they brought him triumphantly into the council, and, as it should seem, so hastily that he had none of his friends with him. They had found, when they brought many together, that they emboldened one another, and strengthened one another's hands; and therefore they will try how to deal with them singly.
3. How they were prepared with evidence ready to produce against him. They were resolved that they would not be run a-ground, as they were when they brought our Saviour upon his trial, and then had to seek for witnesses. These were got ready beforehand, and were instructed to make oath that they had heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God (Ac 6:11) —against this holy place and the law (Ac 6:13); for they heard him say what Jesus would do to their place and their customs, Ac 6:14. It is probable that he had said something to that purport; and yet those who swore it against him are called false witnesses, because, though there was something of truth in their testimony, yet they put a wrong and malicious construction upon what he had said, and perverted it. Observe,
(1.) What was the general charge exhibited against him—that he spoke blasphemous words; and, to aggravate the matter, "He ceases not to speak blasphemous words; it is his common talk, his discourse in all companies; wheresoever he comes, he makes it his business to instil his notions into all he converses with." It intimates likewise something of contumacy and contempt of admonition. "He has been warned against it, and yet ceases not to talk at this rate." Blasphemy is justly reckoned a heinous crime (to speak contemptibly and reproachfully of God our Maker), and therefore Stephen's persecutors would be thought to have a deep concern upon them for the honour of God's name, and to do this in a jealousy for that. As it was with the confessors and martyrs of the Old Testament, so it was with those of the New—their brethren that hated them, and cast them out, said, Let the Lord be glorified; and pretended they did him service in it. He is said to have spoken blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Thus far they were right, that those who blaspheme Moses (if they meant the writings of Moses, which were given by inspiration of God) blaspheme God himself. Those that speak reproachfully of the scriptures, and ridicule them, reflect upon God himself, and do despite to him. His great intention is to magnify the law and make it honourable; those therefore that vilify the law, and make it contemptible, blaspheme his name; for he has magnified his word above all his name. But did Stephen blaspheme Moses? By no means, he was far from it. Christ, and the preachers of his gospel, never said any thing that looked like blaspheming Moses; they always quoted his writings with respect, appealed to them, and said no other things than what Moses said should come; very unjustly therefore is Stephen indicted for blaspheming Moses. But,
(2.) Let us see how this charge is supported and made out; why, truly, when the thing was to be proved, all they can charge him with is that he hath spoken blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; and this must be deemed and taken as blasphemy against Moses and against God himself. Thus does the charge dwindle when it comes to the evidence. [1.] He is charged with blaspheming this holy place. Some understand this of the city of Jerusalem, which was the holy city, and which they had a mighty jealousy for. But it is rather meant of the temple, that holy house. Christ was condemned as a blasphemer for words which were thought to reflect upon the temple, which they seemed concerned for the honour of, even when they by their wickedness had profaned it. [2.] He is charged with blaspheming the law, of which they made their boast, and in which they put their trust, when through breaking the law they dishonoured God, Ro 2:23. Well, but how can they make this out? Why, here the charge dwindles again; for all they can accuse him of is that they had themselves heard him say (but how it came in, or what explication he gave to if, they think not themselves bound to give account) that this Jesus of Nazareth, who was so much talked of, shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses delivered to us. He could not be charged with having said any thing to the disparagement either of the temple or of the law. The priests had themselves profaned the temple, by making it not only a house of merchandise, but a den of thieves; yet they would be thought zealous for the honour of it, against one that had never said any thing amiss of it, but had attended it more as a house of prayer, according to the true intention of it, than they had. Nor had he ever reproached the law as they had. But, First, He had said, Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, destroy the temple, destroy Jerusalem. It is probable that he might say so; and what blasphemy was it against the holy place to say that it should not be perpetual any more than Shiloh was, and that the just and holy God would not continue the privileges of his sanctuary to those that abused them? Had not the prophets given the same warning to their fathers of the destruction of that holy place by the Chaldeans? Nay, when the temple was first built, had not God himself given the same warning: This house, which is high, shall be an astonishment, 2Ch 7:21. And is he a blasphemer, then, who tells them that Jesus of Nazareth, if they continue their opposition to him, will bring a just destruction upon their place and nation, and they may thank themselves? Those wickedly abuse their profession of religion who, under colour of that, call the reproofs given them for their disagreeable conversations blasphemous reflections upon their religion. Secondly, He had said, This Jesus shall change the customs which Moses delivered to us. And it was expected that in the days of the Messiah they should be changed, and that the shadows should be done away when the substance was come; yet this was no essential change of the law, but the perfecting of it. Christ came, not to destroy, but to fulfil, the law; and, if he changed some customs that Moses delivered, it was to introduce and establish those that were much better; and if the Jewish church had not obstinately refused to come into this new establishment, and adhered to the ceremonial law, for aught I know their place had not been destroyed; so that for putting them into a certain way to prevent their destruction, and for giving them certain notice of their destruction if they did not take that way, he is accused as a blasphemer.
IV. We are here told how God owned him when he was brought before the council, and made it to appear that he stood by him (Ac 6:15): All that sat in the council, the priests, scribes, and elders, looking stedfastly on him, being a stranger, and one they had not yet had before them, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. It is usual for judges to observe the countenance of the prisoner, which sometimes is an indication either of guilt or innocence. Now Stephen appeared at the bar with the countenance as of an angel. 1. Perhaps it intimates no more than that he had an extraordinarily pleasant, cheerful countenance, and there was not in it the least sign either of fear for himself or anger at his persecutors. He looked as if he had never been better pleased in his life than he was now when he was called out to bear his testimony to the gospel of Christ, thus publicly, and stood fair for the crown of martyrdom. Such an undisturbed serenity, such an undaunted courage, and such an unaccountable mixture of mildness and majesty, there was in his countenance, that every one said he looked like an angel; enough surely to convince the Sadducees that there are angels, when they saw before their eyes an incarnate angel. 2. It should rather seem that there was a miraculous splendour and brightness upon his countenance, like that of our Saviour when he was transfigured—or, at least, that of Moses when he came down from the mount—God designing thereby to put honour upon his faithful witness and confusion upon his persecutors and judges, whose sin would be highly aggravated, and would be indeed a rebellion against the light, if, notwithstanding this, they proceeded against him. Whether he himself knew that the skin of his face shone or no we are not told; but all that sat in the council saw it, and probably took notice of it to one another, and an arrant shame it was that when they saw, and could not but see by it that he was owned of God, they did not call him from standing at the bar to sit in the chief seat upon the bench. Wisdom and holiness make a man's face to shine, and yet these will not secure men from the greatest indignities; and no wonder, when the shining of Stephen's face could not be his protection; though it had been easy to prove that if he had been guilty of putting any dishonour upon Moses God would not thus have put Moses's honour upon him.
在本章我們看到：一、門徒之間因公共捐項的分發而起的不滿，徒 6:1。二、揀選並按立七個人來管理這事，並減輕使徒的重擔，徒 6:2-6。三、教會因許多人加入而增長，徒 6:7。四、特別記述七人之一的司提反。1. 他為基督所顯的大熱心，徒 6:8。2. 他在基督教仇敵手下所遇的反對，以及他與他們的辯論，徒 6:9,10。3. 他被提到大公會前，以及所加於他的罪名，徒 6:11-14。4. 神在他受審時承認他，徒 6:15。