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Alpharic Research Institute

Centre for Research in Philosophy, Theology and
Ethics
Email: alpharicinstitute@gmail.com 09066927954

EXEGETICAL STUDY OF ACTS 6:1-4 AND POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING

OF NIGERIA
BY
GODSWILL OME UFERE
Email: uferegodswillmatthias@gmail.com, godswillmatthias99@gmail.com; __GSM: +2347045155575
APRIL, 2022

ABSTRACT
The church in Jerusalem represented in Acts 6 verses 1–4 was promptly
challenged by the problem of inequity and lack of fair play among the various
stakeholders and such disaffection reached a situation of murmur and open
agitation. This challenge to the apostles was a threat to the consolidation of the
already established Christian community in Jerusalem and its spread to the
whole world. Something must be done to arrest the situation or the Church runs
the risk of disintegration. Having some moral lessons drawn from the pericope
at the back of the mind, one notices that recently there has been a clamour by the
different geopolitical groups in Nigeria to restructure the Nigerian political
system. The clamour is based on the failed position of post-war federalism to
give all parts of Nigeria’s pluralistic society a fair and equal representation
which hitherto was meant to stop Nigeria from another civil war or the cry for
cessation by one region or another. The church, as an impartial umpire in the
art of politics, should, in the midst of the turmoil, serve as the conscience of the
masses, pressing hard to the actualization of the demands of the masses. This
paper, through historical method analyzed that situation of agitation to
inequality and gross misrepresentation in the book of Acts 6:1–4, pressing to
offer vital lessons to Nigeria in her quest for political restructuring.

INTRODUCTION against evil has become muted. The churches,

which played a strong public role in the
The voice of the church has fallen silent in
previous dispensation, have largely withdrawn
Nigeria. Witnesses against society and the
from the political debate. An ecclesiastical
authorities have become rare. The prophetic
silence prevails over political matters. The
voice of the churches involved in the struggle
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uncertainty about the socio-political role of
the church in Nigeria can be traced back to at
least two large problematic areas, namely: a)
the rise of a democratic constitutional state in
which the State has adopted a neutral stance
toward churches and religions, and b) the
profiling of company and religious pluralism.
These two realities have caught the churches
off-guard, since we were not prepared for
these enormous social upheavals (Van Wyk
36). The question is, however, whether this
silence is an acceptable stance for the church
to take? Ought there to be a radical distance
between church and politics, or could anything
else be legitimately expected of the church?
Must the Church withdraw completely from
the field of politics in the Nigeria democratic
dispensation? Would the consequences not be
an ascetic Christianity, escapism, religious
inwardness and limiting the gospel to private
life? If one has misgivings about the radical
schism between church and politics, then one
should surely be able to indicate why and
when the church and the world could become
involved with each other (Bayer 281-296).
CONCEPTS OF POLITICS,
RESTRUCTURE AND THE CHURCH
 Politics
Oguntola-Laguda and Ngbea define politics as
‘the acquisition of power and the use of such
power’ (104). Curran approaches the subject
from an etymological perspective when he
explains that it ‘came out of two Greek words
polis which means “city” and teche which
means an art, a skill or a method that is, the art
of governing a city’ (in Ngbea 105). Onyekpe
sees politics as ‘the struggle for power which
itself is the authority to determine or formulate
and execute decisions and policies which must
be accepted by the society’ (16). While
Pennock and Smith view politics as: that
which has to do with the forces, institutions
and organizational reforms in any society, that
are recognized as having the most inclusive
and final authority existing in that society for
the establishment and maintenance of order,
the effectuation of other conjoint purposes of
its members and reconciliation of their
differences (9). Although these definitions are
academically up to date, the study believes
that politics is a tool necessary to pilot the
affairs of any organization or society and by
doing so defines it as the effort to possess the
required mandate to rule and/or make laws.
This definition places the efforts of the
apostles in Acts 6:1–3 as wholly political.
 Restructure
The concept of restructuring has become a bit
complex in explanation, with lots of things
said about it yet at the same time, having been
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scarcely defined from the time it entered into Mueller defines the church as ‘the communion
the Nigerian vocabulary. However, Bello of believing saints which the Holy Ghost thus
defined it as the process of increasing or gathers through the gospel’ (541). The striking
decreasing the number of component parts feature of Mueller’s definition is the mention
that makes up a system and re-defining the of the operation of the Holy Spirit through the
inter-relationship between them in such a way agency of the gospel, and not limiting the
that the entire system performs more definition of the church to one creedal
efficiently (10). He discovered the various statement or another, a fact that most modern
modes of restructuring, which he listed as definitions ignore. Berkhof conceptually
‘Wholesale restructuring or Piecemeal affirms that: The New Testament … has two
restructuring; Fast-paced restructuring or words derived from the Septuagint, namely
Gradual restructuring; Short-term ekklesia, from ek and kaleo, ‘to call out’, and
restructuring or Long-term restructuring; sunagoge, from sun and ago, meaning ‘to
Government-driven or people-driven come or to bring together’. The latter is used
restructuring; and Formal or informal exclusively to denote either the religious
restructuring’. Bello opined that ‘the outcome gatherings of the Jews or the buildings in
of any restructuring will depend to a great which they assembled for public worship
extent on which of the above modes of (555). Berkhof further stated that ‘the term
restructuring is adopted by Nigeria’, and he ekklesia, however, generally designates the
insists that most heads of state or governments church of the New Testament’ (555–556).
in the past have made restructuring most
BACKROUND AND EXEGESIS OF
times, unwittingly in the Nigerian polity (12).
ACTS 6:1-4
Bello’s definition characteristically subjects
the process of restructuring to a mechanical  BACKGROUND OF THE TEXT
function without aligning it to the activities of
At this time, the church was quite young, but
human beings in a given society, say Nigeria.
growing rapidly. On the day of Pentecost,
It is on this note that the research comes in to
three thousand souls were added to the small
opine that restructure should be seen with the
band of Jesus’ disciples. Many of these were
lenses of reshuffling of an already working
Jews from other countries—Jews of the
system for optimum performance and result.
Diaspora who had come to Jerusalem to
 Church celebrate Pentecost (the Diaspora was Jews
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dispersed or scattered among the Gentile
nations). The new believers have been like
seeds scattered to the four winds—bringing
Christ to their households and, in many cases,
to their communities as well. The Lord added
new people to the church “day by day those
who were being saved” (2:47) (Gaventa 401).
The apostles have been engaged in powerful
healing and preaching ministries. Another five
thousand people heard and believed. Jewish
authorities, hoping to stifle the
movement, responded by arresting Peter and
John and bringing them before the council (the
Sanhedrin, the ruling body in Jerusalem).
Peter and John were courageous, and refused
to stop preaching. Peter, filled with the Holy
Spirit, preached a powerful sermon to the
members of the council. Church leaders
prayed for courage to proclaim the Gospel in
the face of opposition (Wall 499).
The last half of chapter five (5:17-42) forms
the immediate context, telling of
persecution of Christians by the high priest
and other leading Jewish authorities. They
arrested Peter and other apostles, but an angel
freed them from their cell. The next morning,
the council sent officers to bring the apostles
before the council, but the officers found the
cell empty. Then someone reported, “Behold,
the men whom you put in prison are in the
temple, standing and teaching the people”
(5:25). The officers went to get the apostles,
but were careful not to use violence
(Kistemaker 1841).When the apostles
appeared before the council, the council
members wanted to kill the apostles, but
Gamaliel, an honored teacher, counseled
caution, lest they “be found even to be
fighting against God” (5:39). So the council
had the apostles beaten, and then dismissed
them, yet they never stopped teaching and
new preaching Jesus, the Christ (Gaventa 401). In
chapter 6, there was an abnormal situation
among the believers. It was reported to the
apostles, and they took decision on the best
thing to do in order to bring a solution to the
problem in a way that it would not still affect
their ministry.
 EXEGESIS
The passage began with, “In those days”
refers to the events of chapter five. See “The
Context” above for information about those
the
events as well as the multiplication of the
disciples. Just prior to his ascension, Jesus had
told his disciples, “You will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You
will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts
of the earth” (Acts 1:8) (Barclay, n.pg). That
process is well underway by the time of this
story.
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“a complaint arose from the ways to make money to support themselves.

Hellenistsagainst the Hebrews” (v. 1b). There were many widows, because young
Scholars tend to agree that these Hellenists girls often married older men (Gaventa 404).
were Greek-speaking Jews who had adopted Also, men often faced greater physical risks—
elements of the Greek culture. In this instance, in military service or protecting livestock
these Hellenists were also Christians— against wild animals.
although the word Christian did not appear
Torah law included provisions to provide for
until Acts 11:26 (Bruce, n.pg). At this very
the needs of widows and other poor people.
early stage, nearly all Christians were Jewish.
Landowners were required to leave the edges
It won’t be until Acts 9 that Saul hears Christ
of their fields unharvested so that poor people
call him on the road to Damascus—with the
could glean the fields and obtain enough food
result that Saul becomes Paul and turns from a
for survival (Leviticus 19:9-10). The law also
being a persecutor of the church to being the
made provision for the next of kin to redeem
chief apostle to the Gentiles. It won’t be until
land sold by a relative (Leviticus 25:25), and
Acts 10 that Peter sees a vision of a great
required families to support indigent kin
sheet holding all kinds of animals and hears a
(Leviticus 25:35). The prophets emphasized
voice commanding, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”
concerned for the poor and condemned ill
(Acts 10:13). Acts 9-10, therefore, form the
treatment of widows and orphans (Isaiah 1:17,
hinge between the very early church that is
23; 10:1; Jeremiah 5:28; 7:6; 22:3; Malachi
almost totally Jewish—with Peter being the
3:5) (Bruce, n.pg). In this case, the church had
lead apostle (Acts 1-8) and the slightly later
established a daily distribution—to provide for
church that is becoming increasingly Gentile
widows. Providing for them should not be a
—with Paul being the lead apostle (Acts 10)
problem, because the believers had pooled
(Williams, n.pg). The Hebrews would have
their resources, so that none were in need
been Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christians who
(4:34). However, the Greek believers thought
would not have been assimilated into the
that the church was discriminating against
Greek culture.
their widows in the daily distribution (Barclay,
“because their widows were neglected in the n.pg). The text doesn’t tell us whether that
daily service” (v. 1c). Widows and orphans was true, but if the charges proved incorrect, I
were vulnerable financially, because most believe that the account in Acts would tell us
widows inherited no property and had few that.
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The Greek word “diakonia” (service or
ministry) is closely related to the word
“diakonos” (deacon or service). Based on the
use of the word “diakonia” (service) as well as
the nature of the service to which these seven
men were being called, the tradition in which I
grew up taught that these verses from Acts 6
recorded the establishment of the office of
deacon. However, I have come to doubt that,
based on several considerations: It should be
noted that the word “diakonos” (deacon) isn’t
used in this story—nor is there any mention
here of establishing the office of deacon. Also,
of the seven men chosen in verse 5, only
Stephen and Philip are mentioned elsewhere
in the New Testament—and nowhere is either
of them called a deacon. Stephen will soon be
martyred (6:8 – 7:60). Philip will preach and
heal in Samaria—and baptize the Ethiopian
eunuch (Acts 8). Paul will visit his home in
Caesarea (Acts 21:8). We know nothing
further of the seven men chosen to administer
the daily distribution. This is the Jerusalem
church, but all seven men have Greek names.
It is hard to imagine that the Jerusalem church
would allow the establishment of the office of
deacon without having at least some
representation in that group (Kistemaker
1841-1842).
“The twelve summoned the multitude of the
disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for
us to forsake the word of God and serve
tables” (v. 2). The phrase “the twelve” is a
synonym for the apostles. That number
dropped to eleven when Judas committed
suicide, but rose again to twelve when
Matthias was chosen to replace Judas (Acts
1:15-26). The twelve thought it inappropriate
to forsake the word of God—which Jesus had
commissioned them to speak (Matthew 28:19-
20; Acts 1:8)—so that they might “serve
tables”—administer the distribution of food
and other necessities to Jerusalem widows
(Wall 499). There is no indication here that
the apostles felt that the administration of the
daily distribution was unworthy of their
concern, but they had been called to a
different form of service—proclamation. They
had to be careful lest the administration of the
daily distribution crowd out their primary
calling—preaching. The apostles would not
have been doing God’s will if they had
allowed themselves to be distracted from their
calling of proclamation. Neither would the
seven men have been doing God’s will if they
rejected the call to administer the distribution
of food (Bock 391). Both proclamation and
administration were important. They believers
needed to discern what God was calling them
to do. Then they need did it.
“Therefore select from among you, brothers,
seven men of good report, full of the Holy
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Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business” (v. 3). The apostles stated
three criteria to be used in selecting the seven
men: First, they were to be “men of good
report.” Their integrity would be of utmost
importance, because they would be handling
significant sums of money and would assume
responsibility for the welfare of a large
number of widows. Second, they were to be
“full of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit
empowers ministry and guides ministers.
Without the guidance and power of the Holy
Spirit, these seven men would likely make
serious mistakes. Third, they must be “full…
of wisdom.” Wisdom is the kind of
understanding that makes it possible for
people to make good decisions and to avoid
bad consequences—and to choose the good
and to avoid the evil (Bock 391). The apostles
said, “But we will continue steadfastly in
prayer and in the ministry of the word” (v. 4).
The priority for the twelve was prayer and the
ministry of the word—which is proclamation
of the Gospel. That was in keeping with the
commission that Jesus had given them
(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
RESTRUCTURING THEPOLITICAL
SYSTEM OF NIGERIA IN THE LIGHT
OF ACTS 6:1-4
In the text, Acts 6:1-4, there was a problem of
neglect and inequity. The brain behind the
neglect and inequity meted out to the
Hellenistic Jews by the Hebraic Jews. This
character produced an unequal treatment of
the estranged Jews of Greek origin to the
extent where the humanitarian service of the
church to the indigent widows was mainly
concentrated on the Hebraic or Jerusalem
Jews and not equitably distributed also to the
Hellenistic Jews. Such a foul play in the
young church brought the challenge of
murmuring, which led the apostles to seek to
restructure the already structured social
gospel, which, before now as earlier said,
favoured only an aspect of the church
populace. The same situation broadly applies
in the Nigerian context today. Sadly but true,
it is evident that the Nigerian federal system
of government which was meant to be the
machinery, which would carry everyone
along, failed. The collapse of federalism in
Nigeria’s pluralistic state and its consequence
of championing ethnic interests based on high
cultural differences therefore necessitated the
agitation for restructuring in the Nigerian
state.
The call for restructuring the Nigerian politics
has become highly tuned up presently on the
singular basis that the ‘nation has made a
history in terms of political development since
she attained political independence half a
century ago’ Arguably, whether it is a secular
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or a religious institution, an organized sector
comprising people, especially those with
cultural divergences, would be susceptible to
unfair treatments which invariably leads to
complains, and Nigerian populace naturally
displays same reaction like the Hellenistic
Jews in Acts 6:1–3.
Nigeria should not be a paper-tiger giant of
Africa, but an economic, political, stable,
dynamic and development-driven nation.
Contrary to expectations, and quite correctly,
her experiences so far have been quite
traumatic, excruciating and challenging; the
basic minimal structures required for a
country to lay claims to the practice of
federalism include a political system in which
there is power sharing under a written
constitution with a government consisting of
at least two orders: a central or federal
government and the governments of the
constituent units with each order of
government receiving an allocation of
financial resources tailored to their specific
requirements.
Nigeria could easily pride herself as operating
federalism subsequently, this basic
requirement of federalism has not been
attained in the Nigerian federalism since for
long that Nigeria has been a federal state.
Some of these awkward practices in the nation
fuelled the spate of ethnic groupings in
Nigeria, leading to the emergence of such
groups as Odua People’s Congress, Igbo
Youth Council, Arewa People’s Congress,
Bakassi Boys, Movement for the
Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and
today, we have the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB).
It is very clear here that the Nigerian state
blatantly refused to accept and, in fact,
maximize its diversity in cultural and ethnic
situations, which is the basis for the clamour
for restructuring. Although the event in Acts
6:1–3 is employed in this study not as a
political model per se (owing to the various
political and cultural differences that obtains
between the Jerusalem church and the
Nigerian nation) but as moral and allegorical
examples for Nigeria (because the Bible
contains spiritual principles that can be
applied in all cultures of the world), such
lessons should be imbibed as fast as possible
to save the Nigerian nation by restructuring or
an imminent tearing along religious and ethnic
lines becomes unavoidable.
Historically, Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-
cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual state
with a population of well over 170 million
people and evidence of further population
explosion so; naturally, there would be the
crisis of partiality and flagrant nepotism, as
was the case between the Hebraic and the
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Hellenistic Jews in Acts 6:1–3. But apart from
overpopulation, Nigeria’s major problem has
been its pluralism. Having seen that
federalism is arguably a conflict-solving
mechanism which was the expected solution
to Nigeria’s pluralism and which sadly failed
Nigeria, the only obvious option to solving
Nigeria’s cold war and marginalization would
be a restructuring of Nigeria’s political and,
by extension, the economic and social systems
of the state.
One would not forget that the study presented
the apostles in Acts 6:1–3 as having gathered
the populace and engaged in a restructuring
effort by organizing what looked like a
constitutional conference that was both free
and fair. Although the church understood God
as the owner of the church, but the study’s
investigation points to the fact that the
apostles were the human governors and
administrators of the church and therefore
needed to make critical decisions without
directly consulting God, and this leaves the
lesson that a political entity like Nigeria
should go beyond religious sentiments and let
its political leaders make critical decisions of
restructuring, without necessarily consulting
God or the gods.
CONCLUSION
The paper has analyzed the Nigerian state as a
enormous state with equally sizable problems
just like the Jerusalem church presented in
Acts 6:1–4 had an increasing problem when
its number increased. It found that the
challenge that Nigeria has, which has led to
constant call for restructuring which is similar
to the murmur of the Hellenistic Jews of that
time, is cultural (religious and ethnic). So to
solve it, a constitution that recognized the
uniqueness of the various religious and ethnic
nationalities in Nigeria must be drafted as
urgently as possible, which shall be used as a
ready tool for Nigeria’s political restructuring.
In such restructuring, the different ethnic
groups in Nigeria, which is loosely carved into
the present six geopolitical zones, must be
made to be autonomous. Such autonomy
means that they should be greatly empowered
– that is, they should become powerful enough
to manage both their resources and ethnic
sentiments, while the central government
becomes less powerful and attractive. This
step reminds one of the moves made in Acts
6:1–4 by the apostles to restructure an already
structured politics. This, when done, will
reduce the tension at the Federal level that is
caused by the scramble for political power to
manipulate the state’s natural and mineral
resources. This will enable Nigeria to return to
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the height of her glory as an egalitarian nation
just as in the agro-economic-driven Nigeria.
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