Acts 6:2

The multitude (to plhqo). The whole church, not just the 120. Fit (areston). Pleasing, verbal adjective from areskw, to please, old word, but in the N.T. only here and Acts 12:3 ; John 8:29 ; 1 John 3:22 . Non placet. Should forsake (kataleipsanta). Late first aorist active participle for usual second aorist kataliponta from kataleipw, to leave behind. Serve tables (diakonein trapezai). Present active infinitive of diakonew from diakono (dia and koni, dust), to raise a dust in a hurry, to serve, to minister either at table ( John 12:20 ), or other service ( John 12:25 ), to serve as deacon ( 1 Timothy 3:10 1 Timothy 3:13 ). "Tables" here hardly means money-tables as in John 2:15 , but rather the tables used in the common daily distribution of the food (possibly including the love-feasts, Acts 2:43-47 ). This word is the same root as diakonia (ministration) in verse Acts 1 and diakono (deacon) in Philippians 1:1 ; 1 Timothy 3:8-13 . It is more frequently used in the N.T. of ministers (preachers) than of deacons, but it is quite possible, even probable, that the office of deacon as separate from bishop or elder grew out of this incident in Acts 6:1-7 . Furneaux is clear that these "seven" are not to be identified with the later "deacons" but why he does not make clear.