Hellenists complain against the Hebrews over the distribution of food.

Acts 6:1

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“Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” Acts 6:1

Thousands of people, Jewish and non-Jewish, were coming to Jesus as the way to serve God. The message of serving God by faith in Jesus Christ was a better way than trying to live for God by the letter of the laws of Judaism. In the multiplying of the disciples of Jesus Christ, there arose a complaint between the Hebrew Jewish people and the Hellenists Jewish people.

The Hebrews clung to the Jewish traditions, language, and customs while believing in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. This alone was enough for them to be accused of blaspheme which could be punishable by death. For that reason, they appeased the Jewish rulers by keeping the custom of circumcision and other outwardly practices [but their heart was devoted to Jesus Christ]. They fellowshipped with the multitudes of Believers from a sincere heart. This is similar to the Believers of today who keep all of the traditional customs of the churches, such as water baptism, Easter services, Christmas services, communion services, etc. while within their heart realizing that their faith in Jesus Christ alone makes them right with God.

The Hellenists were those Jewish people who lived among the Greeks and adopted the customs of their world. They also fellowshipped with the multitudes of the family of Jesus Christ as they lived for God by faith in Jesus. Timothy’s mother was a Hellenist who married a Greek, so Timothy was the child of a Jewish mother and Greek father, as quoted, “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.” Acts 16:1 Paul spoke in Greek and also in Hebrew, as quoted, “Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?” He replied, “Can you speak Greek?” Acts 21:37 “Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language…” Acts 21:40 Also, the entire New Testament was written in Greek, so any Jewish person not fluent in the Greek language was not able to read the letters that we read in the New Testament today.

Today, the “Hellenists” would be all of us who do not keep the customs of the churches and do not attend church services. However, we do cling to the message of the Cross, the need for Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of unbelief, the resurrection from the dead, the life of Holiness, eternal life, and the judgment to come beyond the grave.

The Hellenists had a complaint against the Hebrews because the widows of the Hellenists were being neglected when the distribution of food was given to the multitudes of Believers. In the minds of the Hebrews, they probably felt awkward about serving “Gentile” widows because it would have been unlawful to do so by Jewish customs. Peter explains that in this way, “Then [Peter] said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Acts 10:28 Our Lord Jesus teaches us that in Him there is no Greek nor Jew, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

In today’s world, there are those who live for Jesus but don’t go to church, there are those who keep the customs of the churches and live for Jesus Christ, and there are those who are atheists who live for the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel [they flood the congregation of the churches and are the masses of the community]. As part of our walk in Holiness, our spirit, mind, and soul are sanctified to cleanse us from placing barriers between people. That’s because the Holy Spirit in us wants to bring the testimony of Jesus to the whosoever, not to bring condemnation, as quoted, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

When it comes to the distribution of the food of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all people are welcomed to come to the table and eat.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11