Verse 7: “And the Word of God increased and there became a multiplication of the number of the disciples in Jerusalem. Many of the crowd of priests obeyed the faith.”

The Word of God increased: The knowledge of the Word of God increased among the believers. The knowledge of the gospel increased among those unbelievers around them. Ministry was effective all around, because of this distribution of power and responsibility.

The crowd of priests obeyed the faith:

1. The priests were the ones who usually carried out this ministry of daily food distribution to the widows and orphans (from within the temple area). The believers in Messiah were increasingly involved in this, and they would have been a testimony in the way that they solved arising issues. This ministry had an impact on the priests, as they saw that the widows and orphans were not being neglected.

2. The primary responsibility of the priests was to teach the Word of God. They were now exposed to the whole truth of God and this impacted them.

3. They were also responsible for the sacrificial service. They were experts on sacrifice – examining the animals brought to them, in order to deem the sacrifices acceptable (if the animals were blameless) or unacceptable. When presented with Messiah, as the sacrificial Lamb, they received Him as the proper sacrifice for redemption.

Acknowledging Him as the Passover Lamb that takes away the sins of the world.

Verse 8: “Stephen, full of faith and mighty power, doing wonders and great signs among the people.”

Full of faith: In 6v5 we were told that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. Being full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit resulted in a release of the Holy Spirit’s power in his life.

Wonders and great signs: See Note in chapter 3v2

The Apostles are teaching truth, revealing the revelation of God. This revelation is being confirmed, by miracles, before the citizens of Jerusalem, the priests, and all living in Israel.

Verse 9: “Certain ones of the Synagogue of the Freed Ones stood up, and also the Syrians and the Alexandrians and those from Sicily and Asia. These began to argue with Stephen.”

The Syrians and the Alexandrians and those from Sicily and Asia: These were the ones primarily from outside of Israel but were now living in Israel.

Verse 10: “They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he was speaking.”

The wisdom and the Spirit: See 6v3

Note: The book of Acts highlights the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. Without Him leading, guiding, directing, teaching, empowering, illuminating truth to us, etc we would never be able to carry on the Ministry of Messiah.