Acts 6

Acts 6:1

He took him by the right hand. To encourage and strengthen his faith. He was bidden to “arise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 3:6), and thus to show his faith in act. He did, and was healed in doing so.

Acts 6:2

Leaping up stood. His alacrity and eagerness are shown in the language used.

Acts 6:3

The people . . . were filled with wonder. They had often seen the lame beggar, but now saw him “walking, and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8), and did not know how he had been healed.

Acts 6:5

Ran together . . . in the porch that is called Solomon’s. The marvel assembled a concourse who gathered in Solomon’s porch, a great covered portico of the temple, built on foundations that had been reared by Solomon, and hence called by his name.

Acts 6:6

Ye men of Israel. Peter seized the opportunity to preach Christ.

Acts 6:7

The God of Abraham. The God of the patriarchs whom they all worshiped hath glorified his Son Jesus. They delivered him to Pilate, and denied him when Pilate would release him, but demanded a murderer, instead of the Holy One, and slew him. This One God had raised and glorified. A wonderful contrast; a terrible arraignment.

Acts 6:9

We are witnesses. The Twelve, all of whom had seen the risen Lord. Observe how prominent in the early preaching is the resurrection and the apostolic witness to it.

Acts 6:10

His name. Not Peter’s power, but Christ’s name, had done all. Through faith in his name. Not only the faith of Peter and John, but the faith created in the lame man. In an act of faith he was made strong. Plumptree states: ``The faith alike is in the healer and the healed.''

Acts 6:11

I wot. “I know”. It was in ignorance of the majestic personality of Jesus that they slew him. Their rulers, ignorant also, might have known better had they not blinded themselves by prejudice.

Acts 6:12

But those things, which God had shewed, etc. God “had foreshown all these things by the prophets”, even that Christ should suffer. See Isaiah 53:1-12 Daniel 9:26.

Acts 6:13

Repent ye therefore. The same command given on the great occasion of Pentecost. See Acts 2:38. Repentance is not sorrow, but the fruit of sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). Those, on Pentecost, “pierced to the heart” were told to “repent”. Judas sorrowed unto death, but did not come to repentance. Repentance is an internal change resulting, not from remorse, but from conviction of sin and godly sorrow for it. The Greek term “metanoeo” means “a change of mind”. It is the change of determination or will, the resolve to turn from sin to God, what, in religious language, is often styled “a change of heart”. And be converted. “Turn again” (Revised Version). The Greek term “epistephate” is not passive, but active. The command is to do some act, not to have something done to us. The Greek verb “epistrepho” occurs thirty-nine times in the New Testament and is universally in the active voice. A false idea is given in the Common Version by making it passive. To “repent”, or change the heart, is the internal change wrought by faith, and this is to be followed by a definite act, “to turn”.

If one is on the wrong road, is convicted of this, repents of it, the result is an “act”, to “turn”, and then to go the right way. This figure applies to the sinner. Convicted of sin, repentant, there must be some outward act of turning. That act, following repentance, is given in Acts 2:38. The penitent is required to be baptized, and then to go in the new way following Jesus. Meyer says: Baptism is not here expressly named, as in <a href="/bible/parallel/ACT/2/38" class="green-link">Acts 2:38</a>, but was now understood of itself, seeing that thousands had been baptized, and the thought is suggested in the figurative expression 'in order' that your sins may be blotted out, namely, by the water of baptism.'' Dean Howson notes: In a similar exhortation (Acts 2:38) Peter adds, “Be baptized”, but this would now be understood.’’ See Acts 22:16. When the times of refreshing shall come. The Revised Version is correct, “That so there may come”, etc. The steps are, in Acts 2:38, (1) Repentance, (2) baptism, (3) remission of sins, (4) the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here, the order is (1) Repentance, (2) to turn, (3) the blotting out of sins, (4) the seasons of refreshing. One passage aids in interpreting the other.

Acts 6:14

And he shall send Jesus Christ. Again we have to turn to the Revised Version for the meaning: “And that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, [even] Jesus”. The great hope of the Jews was the Messiah. He had come, been rejected, and had returned to heaven. His return will be prepared for by repentance, and turning to the Lord. The blotting out of sins, the seasons of refreshing, and the return of Christ are all, in some measure, dependent on their repentance and turning. The Christ appointed is even Jesus, the crucified One.

Acts 6:15

Whom the heaven must receive. Until all the work predicted by the prophets had been accomplished. The times of restitution. The “restoration” (Revised Version). The moral restoration of the world. Christ will come in person, not before, but after the millennium is ushered in (Revelation 20:11-15).