the acts of the apostles-第15部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Seven　Deacons


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。〃

The　early　church　was　made　up　of　many　classes　of　people；　of　various
nationalities。　At　the　time　of　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　at
Pentecost；　〃there　were　dwelling　at　Jerusalem　Jews；　devout　men；　out　of　every
nation　under　heaven。〃　Acts　2：5。　Among　those　of　the　Hebrew　faith　who　were
gathered　at　Jerusalem　were　some　commonly　known　as　Grecians；　between　whom　and
the　Jews　of　Palestine　there　had　long　existed　distrust　and　even　antagonism。

The　hearts　of　those　who　had　been　converted　under　the　labors　of　the　apostles；
were　softened　and　united　by　Christian　love。　Despite　former　prejudices；　all
were　in　harmony　with　one　another。　Satan　knew　that　so　long　as　this　union
continued

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to　exist；　he　would　be　powerless　to　check　the　progress　of　gospel　truth；　and
he　sought　to　take　advantage　of　former　habits　of　thought；　in　the　hope　that
thereby　he　might　be　able　to　introduce　into　the　church　elements　of　disunion。

Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　as　disciples　were　multiplied；　the　enemy　succeeded
in　arousing　the　suspicions　of　some　who　had　formerly　been　in　the　habit　of
looking　with　jealousy　on　their　brethren　in　the　faith　and　of　finding　fault
with　their　spiritual　leaders；　and　so　〃there　arose　a　murmuring　of　the
Grecians　against　the　Hebrews。〃　The　cause　of　complaint　was　an　alleged　neglect
of　the　Greek　widows　in　the　daily　distribution　of　assistance。　Any　inequality
would　have　been　contrary　to　the　spirit　of　the　gospel；　yet　Satan　had
succeeded　in　arousing　suspicion。　Prompt　measures　must　now　be　taken　to　remove
all　occasion　for　dissatisfaction；　lest　the　enemy　triumph　in　his　effort　to
bring　about　a　division　among　the　believers。

The　disciples　of　Jesus　had　reached　a　crisis　in　their　experience。　Under　the
wise　leadership　of　the　apostles；　who　labored　unitedly　in　the　power　of　the
Holy　Spirit；　the　work　committed　to　the　gospel　messengers　was　developing
rapidly。　The　church　was　continually　enlarging；　and　this　growth　in　membership
brought　increasingly　heavy　burdens　upon　those　in　charge。　No　one　man；　or　even
one　set　of　men；　could　continue　to　bear　these　burdens　alone；　without
imperiling　the　future　prosperity　of　the　church。　There　was　necessity　for　a
further　distribution　of　the　responsibilities　which　had　been　borne　so
faithfully　by　a　few　during　the　earlier　days　of　the　church。　The　apostles　must
now　take　an　important　step　in

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the　perfecting　of　gospel　order　in　the　church　by　laying　upon　others　some　of
the　burdens　thus　far　borne　by　themselves。

Summoning　a　meeting　of　the　believers；　the　apostles　were　led　by　the　Holy
Spirit　to　outline　a　plan　for　the　better　organization　of　all　the　working
forces　of　the　church。　The　time　had　come；　the　apostles　stated；　when　the
spiritual　leaders　having　the　oversight　of　the　church　should　be　relieved　from
the　task　of　distributing　to　the　poor　and　from　similar　burdens；　so　that　they
might　be　free　to　carry　forward　the　work　of　preaching　the　gospel。　〃Wherefore；
brethren；〃　they　said；　〃look　ye　out　among　you　seven　men　of　honest　report；
full　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　wisdom；　whom　we　may　appoint　over　this　business。
But　we　will　give　ourselves　continually　to　prayer；　and　to　the　ministry　of　the
word。〃　This　advice　was　followed；　and　by　prayer　and　the　laying　on　of　hands；
seven　chosen　men　were　solemnly　set　apart　for　their　duties　as　deacons。

The　appointment　of　the　seven　to　take　the　oversight　of　special　lines　of　work；
proved　a　great　blessing　to　the　church。　These　officers　gave　careful
consideration　to　individual　needs　as　well　as　to　the　general　financial
interests　of　the　church；　and　by　their　prudent　management　and　their　godly
example　they　were　an　important　aid　to　their　fellow　officers　in　binding
together　the　various　interests　of　the　church　into　a　united　whole。

That　this　step　was　in　the　order　of　God；　is　revealed　in　the　immediate　results
for　good　that　were　seen。　〃The　word　of　God　increased；　and　the　number　of　the
disciples　multiplied　in　Jerusalem　greatly；　and　a　great　company　of　the
priests

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were　obedient　to　the　faith。〃　This　ingathering　of　souls　was　due　both　to　the
greater　freedom　secured　by　the　apostles　and　to　the　zeal　and　power　shown　by
the　seven　deacons。　The　fact　that　these　brethren　had　been　ordained　for　the
special　work　of　looking　after　the　needs　of　the　poor；　did　not　exclude　them
from　teaching　the　faith。　On　the　contrary；　they　were　fully　qualified　to
instruct　others　in　the　truth；　and　they　engaged　in　the　work　with　great
earnestness　and　success。

To　the　early　church　had　been　entrusted　a　constantly　enlarging　workthat　of
establishing　centers　of　light　and　blessing　wherever　there　were　honest　souls
willing　to　give　themselves　to　the　service　of　Christ。　The　proclamation　of　the
gospel　was　to　be　world…wide　in　its　extent；　and　the　messengers　of　the　cross
could　not　hope　to　fulfill　their　important　mission　unless　they　should　remain
united　in　the　bonds　of　Christian　unity；　and　thus　reveal　to　the　world　that
they　were　one　with　Christ　in　God。　Had　not　their　divine　Leader　prayed　to　the
Father；　〃Keep　through　Thine　own　name　those　whom　Thou　hast　given　Me；　that
they　may　be　one；　as　We　are〃？　And　had　He　not　declared　of　His　disciples；　〃The
world　hath　hated　them；　because　they　are　not　of　the　world〃？　Had　He　not
pleaded　with　the　Father　that　they　might　be　〃made　perfect　in　one；〃　〃that　the
world　may　believe　that　Thou　hast　sent　Me〃？　John　17：11；　14；　23；　21。　Their
spiritual　life　and　power　was　dependent　on　a　close　connection　with　the　One　by
whom　they　had　been　commissioned　to　preach　the　gospel。

Only　as　they　were　united　with　Christ　could　the　disciples　hope　to　have　the
accompanying　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　and

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the　co…operation　of　angels　of　heaven。　With　the　help　of　these　divine　agencies
they　would　present　before　the　world　a　united　front　and　would　be　victorious
in　the　conflict　they　were　compelled　to　wage　unceasingly　against　the　powers
of　darkness。　As　they　should　continue　to　labor　unitedly；　heavenly　messengers
would　go　before　them；　opening　the　way；　hearts　would　be　prepared　for　the
reception　of　truth；　and　many　would　be　won　to　Christ。　So　long　as　they
remained　united；　the　church　would　go　forth　〃fair　as　the　moon；　clear　as　the
sun；　and　terrible　as　an　army　with　banners。〃　Song　of　Solomon　6：10。　Nothing
could　withstand　her　onward　progress。　The　church　would　advance　from　victory
to　victory；　gloriously　fulfilling　her　divine　mission　of　proclaiming　the
gospel　to　the　world。

The　organization　of　the　church　at　Jerusalem　was　to　serve　as　a　model　for　the
organization　of　churches　in　every　other　place　where　messengers　of　truth
should　win　converts　to　the　gospel。　Those　to　whom　was　given　the
responsibility　of　the　general　oversight　of　the　church　were　not　to　lord　it
over　God's　heritage；　but；　as　wise　shepherds；　were　to　〃feed　the　flock　of
God；。　。　。　being　ensamples　to　the　flock〃　（1　Peter　5：2；　3）；　and　the　deacons
were　to　be　〃men　of　honest　report；　full　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　wisdom。〃　These
men　were　to　take　their　position　unitedly　on　the　side　of　right　and　to
maintain　it　with　firmness　and　decision。　Thus　they　would　have　a　uniting
influence　upon　the　entire　flock。

Later　in　the　history　of　the　early　church；　when　in　various　parts　of　the　world
many　groups　of　believers　had　been　formed　into　churches；　the　organization　of
the　church　was　further

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perfected；　so　that　order　and　harmonious　action　might　be　maintained。　Every
member　was　exhorted　to　act　well　his　part。　Each　was　to　make　a　wise　use　of　the
talents　entrusted　to　him。　Some　were　endowed　by　the　Holy　Spirit　with　special
gifts　〃first　apostles；　secondarily　prophets；　thirdly　teachers；　after　that
miracles；　then　gifts　of　healings；　helps；　governments；　diversities　of
tongues。〃　1　Corinthians　12：28。　But　all　these　classes　of　workers　were　to
labor　in　harmony。

〃There　are　diversities　of　gifts；　but　the　same　Spirit。　And　there　are
differences　of　administrations；　but　the　same　Lord。　And　there　are　diversities
of　operations；　but　it　is　the　same　God　which　worketh　all　in　all。　But　the
manifestation　of　the　Spirit　is　given　to　every　man　to　profit　withal。　For　to
one　is　given　by　the　Spirit　the　word　of　wisdom；　to　another　the　word　of
knowledge　by　the　same　Spirit；　to　another　faith　by　the　same　Spirit；　to
another　the　gifts　of　healing　by　the　same　Spirit；　to　another　the　working　of
miracles；　to　another　prophecy；　to　another　discerning　of　spirits；　to　another
divers　kinds　of　tongues；　to　another　the　interpretation　of　tongues：　but　all
these　worketh　that　one　and　the　selfsame　Spirit；　dividing　to　every　man
severally　as　He　will。　For　as　the　body　is　one；　and　hath　many　members；　and　all
the　members　of　that　one　body；　being　many；　are　one　body：　so　also　is　Christ。〃
1　Corinthians　12：4…12。

Solemn　are　the　responsibilities　resting　upon　those　who　are　called　to　act　as
leaders　in　the　church　of　God　on　earth。　In　the　days　of　the　theocracy；　when
Moses　was　endeavoring　to　carry　alone　burdens　so　heavy　that　he　would　soon
have