What does Acts 4:35 mean?

The twelve apostles, who had followed Jesus for three years in poverty, are now responsible for the wealth of thousands of new Jesus-followers. They are exemplifying Jesus' example of servant-leadership (Matthew 20:25–28).

As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, He met a rich young man who faithfully followed the Mosaic law. Jesus noticed a weakness in his character, however, and challenged him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. His love of money kept him from fully dedicating his life to God (Mark 10:17–22). After the man left, despondent, Peter pointed out that the disciples had abandoned everything to follow Jesus (Mark 10:28). Days later, the thief Judas (John 12:4–6) sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). Now, thousands of people entrust the apostles with their money and possessions.

The apostles receive the offerings, but it's not clear who disburses them. As the church grows, the task grows more difficult, to the point that the widows from outside the Aramaic-speaking regions don't receive sufficient support. At the time, Jews living outside of Judea tried to move to Jerusalem in their later years, hoping to die in Jerusalem. It's possible the church includes a significant number of elderly widows.

When the Greek-speaking Christian Jews point out the inconsistency, the apostles consider the situation. The apostles' job is to bear witness to Jesus' resurrection, teach the new believers, and pray (Acts 1:8; 2:42; 6:4). The church selects seven men to take over the management of the donations (Acts 6:1–3). In doing so, the church remains unified, and more people share in leadership responsibilities.