Then the twelve
The twelve apostles, as the Syriac version reads; for their
number was now complete, Matthias being chosen in the room of
Judas: these being informed of the murmur there was between the
two sorts of believers, the Hebrew and thc Hellenistic Jews,
called the multitude of the disciples unto
them;
either the hundred and twenty, the original members of the
church, which first formed it, and on whom the Holy Ghost
descended on the day of Pentecost; or rather the whole body of
the church: for what the apostles had to say concerned them all;
and they all had an equal right to chose their officers, that
should minister unto them; and when they were convened together,
they addressed them after this manner:
and said, it is not reason;
or "it is not pleasing", neither to God, nor to us; so the Arabic
version reads, "this does not please us"; nor could it be
pleasing to the church itself:
that we should leave the word of God
the study of the word, meditation upon it, and preaching it: not
that they did relinquish either of these; but they were sometimes
obliged to omit them, or not so frequently attend them; the care
of the poor taking up more of their time, than the work of the
ministry, or preaching of the Gospel would admit of; and
therefore thought it not so right and proper, or so acceptable a
thing to God and man, that they should in the least neglect a
work of so great importance to the souls of men, and cause it to
give way to that which only regarded their bodies:
and serve tables;
the tables of the poor, collect for them, inspect into their
several cases, and circumstances, and distribute accordingly to
them; which required a good deal of time, care, thought, and
circumspection, especially in such a church, where the numbers
were so large. From hence we learn what is the business of
deacons, who were afterwards appointed to take this part of the
apostles' work off of their hands, and attend to it; which is to
serve tables: the table of the Lord, by providing the bread and
wine for it; receiving both from the minister, when blessed, and
distributing them to the members; and collecting from them for
the poor, and the defraying the charge; and observing what
members are missing at the ordinance, whom they are to admonish;
and if their admonitions are not regarded, to report it to the
church: and they are likewise to serve the minister's table, by
taking care that he has a sufficient competency for his support;
and it belongs to them to stir up the members of the church to
their duty in communicating to him; and what they receive of
them, they are to apply to his use: and also, they are to serve
the poor's table; to whom they are to distribute of the church's
stock, with all impartiality, simplicity, cheerfulness, and
sympathy.
