Great treatment by Alan Knox on Acts 6:1-4 which is often used to defend ministers spending half of their work week in their offices preparing a 40 minute sermon.
I think he makes a valid point regarding the subject of this passage (apostles vs elders), but I think he is probably wrong about the temporary nature of this activity. He says that this devotional time of prayer and focus on God's word was temporary, and then soon left behind as the apostles began their missionary work. I think that simply cannot be proven, and he seems to misunderstand what the apostles were doing (as if they were holed up in a room somewhere like monks just reading and praying). From Paul's other writings, prayer and studying scripture continued to be important to him throughout his missionary journeys.
So, what is otherwise an descent article is a bit flawed exegetically.
Also, I think Acts 6 is taken more as a pattern. If we cannot appeal to Acts 6 for evidence of the role of an elder (who are not mentioned), neither can we appeal to it for the role of a deacon (who also are not mentioned). It just says seven men were selected to handle the money/widows situation--no office is mentioned.
But, I think most see in here a pattern for godly service and leadership. Since deacons are to serve, this seems to be a good example of what that service should look like.
Likewise, since elders are to care spiritually for the flock (which includes the ministry of the Word), Acts 6 serves as a good example of what that should look like (at the very minimum it implies there should be a centrality of the Word in the life and ministry of the elders).
But, I would agree it is a bit shaky to try to prove from this anything more than these general principles. Trying to make this into a job description for elders probably isn't fully legitimate (but neither is failing to see a principle that can be transferred).
2 comments:
I think he makes a valid point regarding the subject of this passage (apostles vs elders), but I think he is probably wrong about the temporary nature of this activity. He says that this devotional time of prayer and focus on God's word was temporary, and then soon left behind as the apostles began their missionary work. I think that simply cannot be proven, and he seems to misunderstand what the apostles were doing (as if they were holed up in a room somewhere like monks just reading and praying). From Paul's other writings, prayer and studying scripture continued to be important to him throughout his missionary journeys.
So, what is otherwise an descent article is a bit flawed exegetically.
Also, I think Acts 6 is taken more as a pattern. If we cannot appeal to Acts 6 for evidence of the role of an elder (who are not mentioned), neither can we appeal to it for the role of a deacon (who also are not mentioned). It just says seven men were selected to handle the money/widows situation--no office is mentioned.
But, I think most see in here a pattern for godly service and leadership. Since deacons are to serve, this seems to be a good example of what that service should look like.
Likewise, since elders are to care spiritually for the flock (which includes the ministry of the Word), Acts 6 serves as a good example of what that should look like (at the very minimum it implies there should be a centrality of the Word in the life and ministry of the elders).
But, I would agree it is a bit shaky to try to prove from this anything more than these general principles. Trying to make this into a job description for elders probably isn't fully legitimate (but neither is failing to see a principle that can be transferred).
Taking that a bit further..."the whole cotton-pickin' Book is not about you".
It's about Christ...for you.
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