The Grecians in Acts 6 were Jews, not Gentiles — specifically Jews who were citizens of nations other than Palestine.
Les Feldick teaches that a Grecian was a Jew who was not a native of Palestine, often living in Greek-speaking regions and belonging to another nation. In Acts 6, their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution, which caused murmuring against the Hebrews.
Acts 6:1 — This is the verse that introduces the Grecians as a distinct group murmuring against the Hebrews over neglected widows.
Acts 6:1 says, "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." This is the only verse in Acts 6 that names the Grecians, and it places them in contrast to the Hebrews within the early Jewish believing community. Acts 11:20 also uses the same term: "And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus." The text itself does not define the word, but in both places the Grecians appear as a recognizable group of Jewish believers in the first-century narrative.
Les Feldick is emphatic that the Grecians were not Gentile Greeks. He defines a Grecian as "a Jew who was a citizen of some other nation except Palestine" and "a Jew who was not a native of Palestine" (Clip 1; Clip 4). They were Jews who lived outside the land, sometimes in Greece or among Greek-speaking people, and were identified by their foreign citizenship and language. Les uses this distinction to explain the trouble in Acts 6. He points out that the widows of the Grecians were not getting their fair share of the daily distribution, and he calls Acts 6 "the first signs of trouble" among the early believers who had been meeting in the temple and sharing all things in common (Clip 0; Clip 1). He also stresses the difference between the words "Grecians" and "Greeks": a Grecian is a non-Palestinian Jew, while a Greek is a Gentile. This becomes important when the narrative later reaches Antioch, where real Greeks — Gentiles — began to show interest in the gospel (Clip 2; Clip 5).
According to Les Feldick, a Grecian was a Jew who was a citizen of some other nation except Palestine — a Jew who was not native to Palestine. They were Jews who lived in Greek-speaking lands or adopted the Greek language, but they were still Jews, not Gentiles. This is why Les says it would not have been unusual for Jewish believers to speak to Grecians; they were fellow Jews.
No. Les explicitly says, "Now these are not Gentiles, remember" when commenting on a passage where Saul disputed against the Grecians. He then repeats his definition: a Grecian was a non-Palestine Jew, a Jew who was a citizen of another nation. He contrasts this with a Greek, who is a Gentile.
Acts 6:1 states that the Grecian widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Les says the Grecian widows weren't getting their fair share, and he views this complaint as the first sign of trouble for the early Jewish believers who had been sharing everything in common for about seven years after Pentecost.
Les notes that in Acts 11, the word in newer translations is "Greeks" rather than "Grecians," and he agrees with that change because the people being reached at Antioch were actually Gentiles. In his words, "Grecians were Jews who were living in Greece, or at least speaking the Grecian language, or the Greek language. But Greeks speaks of what? Gentiles." The earlier Grecians in Acts 6 were still Jews; the later Greeks in Antioch were Gentiles.
Context of Acts 6: First Signs of Trouble
Les sets the context for Acts 6: the early believers had been sharing all things for about seven years with no discord, and now chapter 6 presents the first signs of trouble.
Definition of a Grecian
Les defines a Grecian as a Jew who was a citizen of some other nation except Palestine, and not a native of Palestine; the Grecian widows in Acts 6 were not getting their fair share.
Grecian vs. Greek
Les explains that Grecians were Jews living in Greece or Greek-speaking areas, while Greeks are Gentiles, making the term change at Antioch significant.
Why Paul Went to Arabia: The Revelation of Grace
Now, still no reference to death, burial, and resurrection, because that they didn't understand either yet, but at least they're approaching these Gentiles. And the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. And then tidings of these things came to the ears of the church, or the assembly again, which was in Jerusalem.
Grecians Are Not Gentiles
Commenting on Saul disputing against the Grecians, Les reminds readers that these are not Gentiles but non-Palestinian Jews.
Gentiles Enter the Picture at Antioch
Les notes that in the earlier chapters of Acts there is no record of Gentiles seeking the God of Israel; the first interest among Gentiles begins at Antioch.
Why the Resurrection Happens in Order — 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
And they who were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, that which we just read about back there in chapter 7. Those Jews who came under that persecution, headed up of course by Saul of Tarsus. They were scattered as far, or they traveled as far as Phoenix and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the Word, and I always have to stop there, what Word have they got? Old Testament.
Why God Separated Israel: The Meaning of the Blood on the Doorposts
Now I'm saying all this to get you ready for someday when we get to the New Testament and when the apostle Paul begins going to the Gentiles, how did the Jews feel about it? Oh, it upset them. See? Who in the world has the right to go to those pagan Gentiles? Well, now, we don't want to come too hard on these Israelites because of that, because after all, for almost two thousand years, God has bee…
Acts 6:1: And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
This is the key verse for the question — it names the Grecians and shows the complaint against the Hebrews.
Acts 11:20: And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
This verse shows the same word used later in Acts, which Les uses to teach the distinction between Jews and Gentiles at Antioch.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the Grecians were Jews who were citizens of nations other than Palestine, not natives of the land. They were not Gentile Greeks; a Greek, by contrast, is a Gentile.
The Bible says their widows were neglected in the daily ministration (Acts 6:1). Les says the widows of the Grecians weren't getting their fair share.
Because they lived outside Palestine, often in Greek-speaking lands, and were citizens of other nations. The term pointed to their foreign background, not to Gentile ancestry.
Yes, according to Les Feldick. He describes Acts 6 as the first signs of trouble after about seven years of harmony among the early Jewish believers.
Watch the Teaching: Why Repentance Was Offered to Israel — Acts 5 Explained