{And when they had appointed for them elders in every
church} (cheiroton(8873)antes de autois kat' ekkl(8873)ian
presbuterous). They needed also some form of organization,
though already churches. Note distributive use of kata with
ekkl(8873)ian ( 2:46  5:42  Tit 1:5 ). Cheirotone(935c) (from
cheirotonos, extending the hand, cheir, hand, and 	ein(935c), to
stretch) is an old verb that originally meant to vote by show of
the hands, finally to appoint with the approval of an assembly
that chooses as in  2Co 8:19 , and then to appoint without regard
to choice as in Josephus (_Ant_. XIII. 2, 2) of the appointment
of Jonathan as high priest by Alexander. So in  Ac 10:41  the
compound procheiratone(935c) is used of witnesses appointed by God.
But the seven (deacons) were first selected by the Jerusalem
church and then appointed (katast(8873)omen) by the apostles. That
is probably the plan contemplated by Paul in his directions to
Titus ( Tit 1:5 ) about the choice of elders. It is most likely
that this plan was the one pursued by Paul and Barnabas with
these churches. They selected the elders in each instance and
Paul and Barnabas "ordained" them as we say, though the word
cheirotone(935c) does not mean that. "Elders" were mentioned first
in  11:30 . Later Paul will give the requirements expected in
these "elders" or "bishops" ( Php 1:1 ) as in  1Ti 3:1-7  Tit
1:5-9 . It is fairly certain that these elders were chosen to
correspond in a general way with the elders in the Jewish
synagogue after which the local church was largely copied as to
organization and worship. Paul, like Jesus, constantly worshipped
and spoke in the synagogues. Already it is plain, as at Antioch
in Syria ( 11:26 ), that the Christians can no longer count on
the use of the Jewish synagogue. They must have an organization
of their own. The use of the plural here implies what was true at
Philippi ( Php 1:1 ) and Ephesus ( Ac 20:17,28 ) that each church
(one in each city) "had its college of elders" (Hackett) as in
Jerusalem ( 21:18 ). Elder (presbuteros) was the Jewish name
and bishop (episkopos) the Greek name for the same office.
"Those who are called elders in speaking of Jewish communities
are called bishops in speaking of Gentile communities" (Hackett).
Hovey rightly holds against Hackett that teaching was a normal
function of these elders, pastors or bishops as they were
variously called ( 1Ti 3:2  Tit 1:9  1Co 12:28,30  Eph 4:11 ).
{Had prayed with fasting} (proseuxamenoi meta n(8873)tei(936e)). It was
a serious matter, this formal setting apart of these "elders" in
the churches. So it was done in a public meeting with prayer and
fasting as when Paul and Barnabas were sent forth from Antioch in
Syria ( 13:3 ) on this mission tour. {They commended them to the
Lord} (parethento autous t(9369) kuri(9369)). Second aorist middle
indicative of paratith(886d)i. Old and solemn word, to entrust, to
deposit as in a bank ( 1Ti 1:18  2Ti 2:2 ). Cf. parath(886b)(885c) in
 1Ti 6:20  2Ti 1:12,14 . It was all that they could now do, to
commit them to the Lord Jesus. Jesus used this word on the cross
( Lu 22:32 ). {On whom they had believed} (eis hon
pepisteukeisan). Past perfect indicative (without augment) of
pisteu(935c). They had "trusted" in Jesus ( 2Ti 1:12 ) and Paul now
"entrusts" them to him with confidence. It was a solemn and
serious occasion in each instance as it always is to set apart
men for the ministry. These men may not have been ideal men for
this service, but they were the only ones available and they were
chosen from the actual membership in each instance, men who knew
local conditions and problems.