Wherefore brethren look ye out among you
Or "choose out among you", as the Syriac version adds, and as the
Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it; which shows that this
sort of officers, deacons, must be members of the church, and of
the same church to which they are ordained deacons; and that they
must be chosen to that office by the whole community, or by the
common suffrages and votes of the people. So the F2 Jews
``did not appoint (onrp) , (which may be rendered) "an overseer of the poor", in a congregation, without consulting the congregation;''which officer seems pretty much to answer to a deacon.
Seven men, of honest report;
why the number seven is fixed upon, perhaps no other solid reason
is to be given, but that that number was judged sufficient for
the care of the poor in that church, and at that time; nor is it
obligatory on other churches to have just so many, neither more
nor fewer; for such officers are to be chosen as the church
requires: perhaps some regard might be had to (ryeh ybwj) (hebv) , "the seven good men of the F3 city"
among the Jews, who had great authority in their synagogues, and
who had power to sell them, when old and useless; and who seem,
according to Maimonides F4, to be the elders of the people. It
is necessary that this sort of officers in the church should be
men "of honest report"; that have a good testimony both from
within the church and without, of their honesty and fidelity;
since they are intrusted with the church's stock, and have the
care of many devolved upon them: so the collectors of alms among
the Jews were to be men (Mynmanw
Myewdy) , "known and faithful" F5; men of
known probity and integrity: and, besides this good and honest
report they were to have from others, they were also to be men
full of the Holy Ghost, of wisdom;
they were to be men, not only that had the Spirit of God in them,
but who were eminent for their rich experiences of grace; and who
had superior gifts of the Spirit, whereby they were capable both
of defending the truth against opposers, and of speaking a word
of exhortation to duty, or of comfort under distress, or of
reproof to members, as circumstances required; and it may be at
this time when the church consisted of some of all nations, as
seems from ( Acts
2:9-11 ) it might be necessary that they should have the
extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, especially that of speaking
with divers tongues, that they might be able to converse with
persons of different languages: and "wisdom" is highly requisite
in them, that they may be good economists of the church's stock,
and dispose of it in the most prudent manner: and conduct
themselves agreeably to the different tempers and spirits of men
they have to do with, and especially in composing differences
among members.
Whom we may appoint over this business;
assign or make over that part of their office to them, which
hitherto they had exercised, and install them into it, and invest
them with it.