And in those days, when the number of the disciples
was
multiplied
From an hundred and twenty to three thousand more, from thence to
five thousand more, and after that a multitude of men and women
were added, and still they were increasing; see ( Acts 1:15 ) ( Acts 2:41 ) ( 4:4 ) ( 5:14 ) . This increase of
the disciples agrees with what Maimonides says F26,
before observed, that
``in the days of Gamaliel, (Mynym wbr) , "the heretics were multiplied in Israel".''The word "disciples" was a common name to all Christians, to all that believed in Christ, and was the name they went by, before they were called Christians, ( Acts 11:26 )
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians, or Hellenists,
against the
Hebrews;
by the Hebrews are meant the Jews that dwelt in Judea, and were
the inhabitants of that country, and chiefly of Jerusalem, who
spoke the Hebrew, or rather the Syriac language; and by the
Grecians, or Hellenists, are meant, not the Greeks that were
proselyted to the Jewish religion, though there might be some few
among them; but Jews who were born, and had dwelt, in some parts
of Greece, and spoke the Greek language, and used the Septuagint
version of the Bible; between these two a murmuring arose, a
complaint was made by one against the other: so that, as it
appears from the instance of Ananias and Sapphira, that this
first and pure Gospel church was not free from hypocrites; it is
also manifest, that though they were at first so united and
harmonious in their affections and judgments, yet they were not
always clear of feuds, animosities, and contentions; Satan
bestirred himself, and got footing among them, as he commonly
does where the Gospel is preached, and there is an increase of
it: the reason of this uneasiness was,
because their widows were neglected in the daily
ministration;
that is, they had not that distributed which was necessary for
them, nor so much as the Hebrew widows; they complained of
partiality, as if because the Hebrew widows were the natives of
the country, and might be nearly related to many of the
community, that therefore they were more regarded and better
supplied every day, than their widows were, whose husbands had
dwelt in foreign lands, and were not so well known, and had fewer
acquaintance and relations; for it seems the ministration or
distribution was made every day: and such a practice obtained
among the Jews in common, who used to collect every day for the
poor, and give it daily to them. Maimonides F1 speaks
of it in this manner;
``they appoint collectors, who receive "every day", from every court, a piece of bread, or any sort of food, or fruit, or money, from whomsoever that offers freely for the time; and they divide that which is collected, "in the evening", among the poor, and they give to every poor person of it "his daily sustenance"; and this is called (ywxmt) , "Tamchui", or "the alms dish".''And from hence the apostles might take up this custom, and follow it. The Ethiopic version renders it, "because they saw their widows minister", or "employed daily"; as if the complaint was, that their widows were too much made use of, and obliged to more frequent and to harder service in taking care of the poor, the sick, and helpless, than the other widows were, who had not their share of labour with them, but lived more at ease. Though others rather think the murmur was, because the Grecian widows were not taken into the number, and employed in taking care of the poor, as the Hebrew widows were; but the sense first given, of not having so good a share in the distribution, seems to be the best.
F26 Hilchot Tephilla, c. 2. sect. 1.
F1 Hilchot Mattanot Annayim, c. 9. sect. 2.
