SEV Biblia, Chapter 6:2
Así que, los doce convocaron la multitud de los discípulos, y dijeron: No es justo que nosotros dejemos la palabra de Dios, y sirvamos a las mesas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 6:2
Verse 2. It is not reason] ouk areston esti, it is not pleasing, proper, or fitting, that we should leave the word of God, that we should give up ourselves, or confide to others, the doctrine of salvation which God has commanded us to preach unto the people. And serve tables.] Become providers of daily bread for your widows and poor: others can do this, to whom our important office is not intrusted.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. Then the twelve , etc.] 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 ministers 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 poors table; to whom they are to distribute of the churchs stock, with all impartiality, simplicity, cheerfulness, and sympathy.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Hitherto the disciples had been of one accord; this often had bee noticed to their honour; but now they were multiplied, they began to murmur. The word of God was enough to take up all the thoughts, cares and time of the apostles. The persons chosen to serve tables must be duly qualified. They must be filled with gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, necessary to rightly managing this trust; men of truth, an hating covetousness. All who are employed in the service of the church ought to be commended to the Divine grace by the prayers of the church They blessed them in the name of the Lord. The word and grace of God are greatly magnified, when those are wrought upon by it, who wer least likely.
Greek Textus Receptus
προσκαλεσαμενοι 4341 5666 V-ADP-NPM δε 1161 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM δωδεκα 1427 A-NUI το 3588 T-ASN πληθος 4128 N-ASN των 3588 T-GPM μαθητων 3101 N-GPM ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3P ουκ 3756 PRT-N αρεστον 701 A-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ημας 2248 P-1AP καταλειψαντας 2641 5660 V-AAP-APM τον 3588 T-ASM λογον 3056 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM διακονειν 1247 5721 V-PAN τραπεζαις 5132 N-DPF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Reason (areston). Lit., pleasing or agreeable.Leave (kataleiyantav). Rather forsake or abandon: leave in the lurch. Serve tables. Superintend the distribution of food.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:2 {The multitude} (to pleqos). 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 #Ac 12:3; Joh 8:29; 1Jo 3:22. _Non placet_. {Should forsake} (kataleiyantas). Late first aorist active participle for usual second aorist katalipontas from kataleipw, to leave behind. {Serve tables} (diakonein trapezais). Present active infinitive of diakonew from diakonos (dia and konis, dust), to raise a dust in a hurry, to serve, to minister either at table (#Joh 12:20), or other service (#Joh 12:25f.), to serve as deacon (#1Ti 3:10,13). "Tables" here hardly means money-tables as in #Joh 2:15, but rather the tables used in the common daily distribution of the food (possibly including the love-feasts, #Ac 2:43-47). this word is the same root as diakonia (ministration) in verse #1 and diakonos (deacon) in #Php 1:1; 1Ti 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 #Ac 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.
