Acts 13:2 - Exposition

And as for as, A.V. They ministered ; i.e. not, as Meyer explains it, the whole Church, but the prophets and teachers, doubtless at an assembly of the Church. The word λειτουργούντων , here rendered "they ministered" (from which the word "Liturgy" is derived), signifies any solemn ministration or holy service. In the Old Testament the LXX . use it as the rendering of תרֵשֵׁ , to minister (often with the addition "to God," or "to the Lord "), which is a general word applying to the ministrations of priests and Levites ( Exodus 28:35 ; Numbers 8:26 , etc.). Hence its use in Hebrews 10:11 (see too Luke 1:23 ; Hebrews 9:21 ). Joshua too is called Moses'minister ( תרֵשָׁםְ ) in Joshua 1:1 , etc., and the angels are called λριτουργικὰ πνεύματα , "ministering spirits" ( Hebrews 1:14 ). Just as the Church transferred from the Jewish congregation so many other words and things, so also the use of the words λειτουργία λειτουργεῖν , to Sicily "Divine service," without specifying the particular office, whether prayer, or preaching, or Holy Communion, or ordination, or any ether part of the worship of God. Its classical use was to designate any office performed by an individual for the public good. Hence in the New Testament its application to Church alms ( 2 Corinthians 9:12 ), to gifts for the support of the ministry ( Philippians 2:30 ), to the office of magistrates ( Romans 13:6 ), etc. The restricted application of the term λειτουργία to the service used in the celebration of the Eucharist was of much later growth, as is evident from Chrysostom explaining the word here of preaching. "What means ministering? Preaching" (Hom. 27.). It seems to have arisen from the fact that the first forms of prayer were those come posed for the office of the Holy Communion. This passage, therefore, does not give the slightest support to fasting Communion. What was the exact occasion of the service and fast here spoken of it is impossible to say. The Holy Ghost said , etc. This is the origin of the question in the Ordination of Deacons, "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office?" Separate me ( ἀφορίσατε ) . The act of separation, or ordination, would be by the laying on of the hands of Symeon and Lucius and Manaen, as Chrysostom says (at least of the two last named), in the presence of the whole Church, but the separation by the Holy Ghost, at least as regards Saul ( ὁ ἀφορίσας με ), bad been from his mother's womb ( Galatians 1:15 ). Observe, too, the καλέσας of Galatians 1:15 , and the προσκέκλημαι here. This is another instance of the very close resemblance between parts of the Acts and the Epistle to the Galatians, which looks as if St. Paul was writing it about the same time as he was giving to St. Luke the details of his own history (see Acts 8:19 , note). The ordination was to the apostolate (Chrysostom). Barnabas and Saul are never called apostles till after their ordination or consecration ( Acts 14:14 ).