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Acts 6:7-10 shows us that many priests who witnessed the words and wonders of Acts 2-5 believed in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah, as many Pharisees had. We also begin to see God’s servant Stephen emerge as a powerful, faithful witness.
Food for thought from the recorded discussion
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The chapter begins with a dispute over how to take care of the widows in their community. We are introduced to the seven deacons appointed to minister, diakonia in Greek, to the widows. [Review the study of Acts 6:1-7 for an in-depth discussion of the diakonia of all believers.] The most prominent of them was a man named Stephen.
Acts 6:8 tells us Stephen was “full of grace and power” and he did “great wonders and signs among the people.”
Acts 6:7 tells us that many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. They had a front-row seat to the proclamations and healings by Peter in the temple during Shavuot, called Pentecost in Greek, one of the three great pilgrimage appointments God established with Israel.
Acts 15:5 tells us that Pharisees also came to believe in Yeshua, so painting all priests and all Pharisees as unrepentant unbelievers is not valid.
Do preaching the word and “signs and wonders” go together? If so, how? If not, why not? What is the danger of requiring “signs and wonders” before considering a speakers message? Was Thomas wrong to ask for a sign? What did he do when he was given the sign he asked for?
The accusations leveled against Stephen were leveled against Yeshua and later leveled against Paul as well. More on that next time.
Reader: David De Fever. Speaker: Jeff.