And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
The apostles show both patience and prudence: they are not inflamed by the complaint, yet they move swiftly to remedy the growing division before it hardens into a wound. The Church governs herself by order and reason, with the apostles bearing chief authority yet consulting the people as disciples taught of God. That they declare what is profitable rather than merely what they have decreed.
AI summary
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 (Act 6:1): When the number of...
Commenting on Acts 6:1-7
The apostles will not neglect the word and preaching to be consumed by distributing alms, however necessary that work is. They rightly judge it unfit to let the care of the poor occupy their time so that this task of supreme importance to souls must give way to one that only regards the body.
AI summary