Connect Acts 6:6 with Old Testament practices of commissioning leaders. The Scene in Jerusalem “They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.” (Acts 6:6) The infant church needed trustworthy men to oversee daily food distribution. The solution: public presentation, prayer, and the laying on of hands. Those simple actions echo a deep Old Testament pattern. Roots in the Torah • Numbers 27:18-23 – Moses lays hands on Joshua – “Take Joshua… and lay your hand on him.” (v. 18) – Commissioned “in the sight of” the congregation (v. 19) – “He laid his hands on him and commissioned him.” (v. 23) • Deuteronomy 34:9 – The fruit of that act – “Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him.” • Numbers 8:10 – Consecration of the Levites – “Present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them.” • Leviticus 8 – Ordination of Aaron and his sons – Public setting, symbolic acts, priestly garments, anointing oil, sacrifices, prayer. Common Threads between Acts 6 and the Old Testament 1. Public Selection • OT: Joshua, Levites, priests chosen before the whole assembly. • NT: Seven men “presented… to the apostles” before the congregation (Acts 6:5-6). 2. Laying On of Hands • OT: Physical touch signified identification and commissioning. • NT: Apostles mirror Moses—hands confer recognition of calling. 3. Prayer (or Blessing) • OT: Moses prays (Numbers 27:21); priestly ordinations filled with benedictions. • NT: Apostles pray first, then act—same dependence on God. 4. Transfer of Authority and Enablement • OT: “Spirit… on you… put the Spirit on them” (Numbers 11:17). • NT: After Acts 6, the seven serve with wisdom and power—Stephen’s miracles follow immediately (Acts 6:8). 5. Congregational Witness • OT: Entire assembly watches, ensuring transparency. • NT: Church body involved, ensuring unity and accountability. Why the Pattern Matters • Continuity—God’s methods for setting apart leaders remain steady from Sinai to Jerusalem. • Legitimacy—Hands and prayer demonstrate that leadership is God-ordained, not self-appointed. • Empowerment—Throughout Scripture the act accompanies an impartation of wisdom or Spirit-empowerment. • Community—Public commissioning binds leaders and people together under God’s covenant order. Living Reflection Acts 6:6 is not an isolated New Testament custom; it is the church walking in the footsteps of Moses, Joshua, and the Levitical priesthood. The same God who guided Israel commissions servant-leaders for His people today, through the timeless means of prayerful laying on of hands and communal affirmation. |
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