And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
\nActs 18:23<\/p>\n
Basically, this section is divided into five geographical territories, based on the areas where Paul went during this third missionary journey between the years A.D. 53 and 58.<\/p>\n
I. THE MINISTRY IN GALATIA AND PHRYGIA\u2014ACTS 18:23<\/p>\n
And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.<\/p>\n
The verse begins: having spent some time there; literally, it says, \u201chaving done some time,\u201d refers to Paul\u2019s return to Antioch in verse 22. Exactly how long he was in Antioch is not stated, but he had remained there for some time. This was his final period in Antioch as far as the Bible record is concerned. With that departure, Paul began his third missionary journey, but this time he went alone. He had Barnabas with him on the first trip and Silas on his second trip. Whether anyone else chose to go with him or whether it was his decision to go alone on this occasion is not known, but he did go alone.<\/p>\n
Luke summarized 1,500 miles of travel with the statement that Paul went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia. Luke does not give a lot of detail as to what Paul did during that segment of travel, but whatever it was, he did it in order. This is a Greek word which means \u201cin succession.\u201d Although Luke did not give the specific names of the cities Paul passed through, it appears that he did have a program as he went from one city to another.<\/p>\n
Paul did no evangelism in these areas this time; rather, he was: establishing all the disciples. Many of churches in this area were planted by Paul during his first missionary journey, although some had been planted by others. His purpose was not to go from city to city evangelizing, but to visit all the local churches for the purpose of establishing or discipling the brethren. He had done the same thing in exactly the same area during his second missionary journey in Acts 15:41. Paul\u2019s program was that just as he had begun his second missionary journey by discipling the people who had been saved during his first missionary journey, he started his third trip in the same way.<\/p>\n
II. THE MINISTRY IN EPHESUS\u2014ACTS 18:24\u201319:41<\/p>\n
This lengthy section has been sub-divided into seven smaller units. The first unit concerns the story of Apollos.<\/p>\n
A. The Story of Apollos\u2014Acts 18:24\u201328<\/p>\n
The introduction of Apollos in verse 24 reveals two things about him:<\/p>\n
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures.<\/p>\n
First, he was a certain Jew; secondly, his name was Apollos, showing that he was a Jew of the Diaspora. Furthermore, he was an Alexandrian by race, meaning he was a native of Alexandria in northern Egypt.<\/p>\n
The City of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. The Jewish colony he placed there eventually constituted one-third of the entire population. Alexandria was a university town with a great library, and it was there that the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, was translated. It became the center of Jewish Hellenistic philosophy, whose leader was Philo.<\/p>\n
Apollos is described as: an eloquent man, which means \u201ca man of words\u201d in Greek; he was a man of ideas because he was educated. He came to Ephesus after Paul had already left (Acts 18:18\u201321). Apollos proved to be: mighty in the scriptures; he was powerful in his knowledge and use of Scripture because he had been biblically trained in Alexandria.<\/p>\n
The way in which Apollos acquired his knowledge is dealt with in verse 25a: This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for instructed means that he was taught orally, by word of mouth. What he had been taught was: the way of the Lord. This does not refer to the gospel, but to biblical truth in general, especially Old Testament truth. Furthermore, he was fervent in spirit; the Greek word for fervent means \u201cboiling,\u201d he was boiling in spirit. This is not referring to the Holy Spirit here, but to the fact that he was fervent in his human spirit.<\/p>\n
Not only was he fervent in his human spirit, but he taught accurately what he knew according to verse 25b: he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John.<\/p>\n
Basically, Apollos\u2019 message was: that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; that John had pointed out Yeshua (Jesus) as the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29); and that Yeshua was the Messiah. That was as much as Apollos knew, because he knew only the baptism of John. His knowledge was incomplete in that he did not know about the death and Resurrection of Yeshua, and for that reason, he did not have believer\u2019s baptism, only John\u2019s baptism. Those who were baptized by John committed themselves to accept whomever he pointed out to be the Messiah according to Acts 19:4. Apollos had done this, however, he probably left the Land of Israel to go back to Alexandria, without ever finding out how the rest of the story developed.<\/p>\n
Apollos preached as much as he had learned from John the Baptist in verse 26a: and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.<\/p>\n
Paul had preached in this same synagogue earlier at the end of his second missionary journey. Although Paul had more details about the Messiah than Apollos, these two preachers had now proclaimed that Yeshua is the Messiah to the same synagogue.<\/p>\n
Further instruction of Apollos then came by Priscilla and Aquila in verse 26b: But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately.<\/p>\n
Priscilla and Aquila had been left behind in Ephesus by Paul (Acts 18:19). They were both in the synagogue when Apollos preached and could tell that there was something lacking in his knowledge of Jesus. So they took him into their home and into their confidence: and [they] expounded unto him the way of God more accurately or more fully; in other words, they told him the rest of the story. Now he understood the gospel in its entirety. He already knew that Yeshua was the Messiah, now he also knew about His substitutionary death, burial, and Resurrection.<\/p>\n
Verses 27\u201328 deal with the ministry of Apollos in Corinth. In order to carry out the specific ministry of Acts 19:1, Apollos departed for Achaia in verse 27a: And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him.<\/p>\n
Because he wanted to go to Greece, the brethren encouraged him to go, and they wrote a letter of commendation to the disciples at Corinth. Since Priscilla and Aquila were well known in the Church of Corinth, their recommendation would help Apollos in his ministry. Paul made reference to this letter in 2 Corinthians 3:1.<\/p>\n
The twofold ministry of Apollos in Corinth is described in verses 27b\u201328: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace; for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.<\/p>\n
First, Apollos\u2019 ministry to the believers in the church is in verse 27b: he helped them much that had believed through grace (1 Cor. 3:5\u20136; 4:6). Secondly, he also ministered to the Jewish community by preaching the gospel to them in verse 28: he powerfully confuted the Jews; and he did this publicly, in open meetings, probably in the synagogue: showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. Now that Apollos had fuller knowledge, he could spell out more clearly the means of salvation through the death of the Messiah.<\/p>\n
B. The Story of the Disciples of John the Baptist\u2014Acts 19:1\u20137<\/p>\n
Luke describes Paul\u2019s journey to Ephesus in verse 1a: And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus.<\/p>\n
The account of Paul\u2019s journey to Ephesus begins with the phrase: And it came to pass; that is, after Apollos had left Ephesus, and while he was still ministering to the Church in Corinth (Acts 18:27\u201328), Paul passed through the upper country. This indicates that Paul did not use the usual Roman road to the west, which went by way of Colossae and Laodicea, but he took the more direct route straight to Ephesus, thereby keeping the promise he made to them in Acts 18:21.<\/p>\n
This is the last mention of Apollos in the Book of Acts, but other references to him are in 1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:5\u20136, 22; 4:6; 16:12; and Titus 3:13.<\/p>\n
1. Paul\u2019s Ministry to John\u2019s Disciples\u2014Acts 19:1b\u20134<\/p>\n
A group of men in Ephesus with even less knowledge than Apollos were the disciples of John the Baptist. Paul\u2019s ministry to them begins in verse 1b: and found certain disciples.<\/p>\n
From this context, these men had been baptized by John the Baptist like Apollos, but while Apollos had remained with John long enough to hear him to declare that Yeshua was the Lamb of God, these disciples had obviously left the Land some time after being baptized by John, but before he had pointed out Yeshua as the Messiah. For that reason, they had never heard of Jesus.<\/p>\n
Paul recognized them to be believers of some sort, yet there was something missing, so he raised the question in verse 2a: and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?<\/p>\n
It is unfortunate that the King James Authorized Version translated this verse so that it reads, \u201cHave you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?\u201d The Greek word used here does not mean \u201csince\u201d but \u201cwhen,\u201d and all other translations have corrected that mistranslation. By the time of Acts 19, everyone received the Spirit when they believed. While Paul recognized that these men were believers of some sort, he recognized that there was obviously something lacking in the content of their faith, and he wondered if they had ever received the Holy Spirit. So he asked them directly: Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? Paul knew that if they had not, it would indicate that they were not truly believers in Yeshua.<\/p>\n
Their answer is in verse 2b: And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was given.<\/p>\n
They knew from what John had preached that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was coming some time in the future, and that it would be the Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8; Mat. 3:11; Lk. 3:16). So, the very fact that they had not even heard that the Spirit had begun His ministry of Spirit baptism shows that they had left the Land long before Acts 2; otherwise, they would have heard about it.<\/p>\n
Paul therefore raised another question in verse 3a: And he said, Into what then were ye baptized?<\/p>\n
If they had not received the Holy Spirit when they believed, then what kind of baptism had they received? All Paul knew was that they had been baptized in water, but because of all the various kinds of water baptism being practiced in that day, he was not sure which kind these disciples of John the Baptist had received.<\/p>\n
They answered in verse 3b: And they said, Into John\u2019s baptism.<\/p>\n
They were disciples of John the Baptist, but they were not yet believers in Yeshua; they had the baptism of John, but not believer\u2019s baptism. This verse contains the very last mention of John the Baptist in the New Testament.<\/p>\n
Paul then gave his explanation in verse 4: And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.<\/p>\n
Those who were baptized by John the Baptist identified themselves with his \u201cback-to-God movement\u201d and committed themselves to accept whomever John pointed out to be the Messiah. This much these disciples knew, but they did not know which Man John had finally pointed out. Paul now explained to them that the One who came after John, on whom John\u2019s disciples had believed, was Jesus. They had never gotten this far in their belief before, because they had left the Land before they heard John say: Behold the Lamb of God. So again, they had even less knowledge than Apollos.<\/p>\n
2. The Salvation of John\u2019s Disciples\u2014Acts 19:5\u20137<\/p>\n
John\u2019s disciples come to New Testament salvation in verse 5: And when they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n
When they heard the gospel, that Yeshua was the Messiah, they were baptized. Now, they were re-baptized, but this time: into the name of the Lord Jesus. This re-baptism would be in contrast to proselyte baptism, and also in contrast to John\u2019s baptism; they now received water baptism as believers.<\/p>\n
They also received Spirit baptism in verse 6: And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied.<\/p>\n
The means of Spirit baptism was by the laying on of hands by the Apostle Paul. Although he was not one of the Twelve Apostles, he was not one who had previously been a disciple of John the Baptist either. The Twelve Apostles, including Matthias, who was reckoned among the Twelve since Acts 1:26, had been disciples of John. Paul was in the second category of apostles, those who had seen the resurrected Yeshua, but who had not previously been baptized by John.<\/p>\n
The result of Paul\u2019s laying his hands on these disciples of John was that: the Holy Spirit came on them. They received Spirit baptism and became members of the Body of the Messiah, which is the Church. The evidence of this was the gifts of tongues and of prophecy.<\/p>\n
Finally, verse 7 states how many there were of them: And they were in all about twelve men.<\/p>\n
3. Some Comparisons<\/p>\n
Because of the differences of order in the way they received the Holy Spirit, some comparisons can be drawn between this event with John\u2019s disciples and what happened with the Jews in Acts 2, with the Samaritans in Acts 8, and with the Gentiles in Acts 10.<\/p>\n
The order with the Jews in Acts 2 was: first, repentance, secondly, water baptism, and thirdly, reception of the Holy Spirit. The order with the Samaritans in Acts 8 was: first, they believed; secondly, they were baptized in water; and thirdly, the apostles came down from Jerusalem, laid their hands on them, and then they received Spirit baptism. The order with the Gentiles in Acts 10 was: first, faith; secondly, Spirit baptism; and thirdly, then water baptism. The order here in the case of these disciples of John the Baptist was: first, they believed; secondly, they were re-baptized in water; and thirdly, Paul laid his hands on them, and then they received Spirit baptism.<\/p>\n
There is no consistent order or pattern. Because the Book of Acts is a history book, it cannot be used to determine the theology of the gifts of the Spirit, especially the gift of tongues. Theology must come from the direct propositional statements of Scripture, especially Ephesians 4; Romans 12; and 1 Corinthians 12\u201314.<\/p>\n
The principle by this time is exactly what Paul anticipated in his questioning verse 2a, \u201cDid you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?\u201d In their case, they had not received Spirit baptism because they had not yet believed on Yeshua. However, when they did believe on Jesus, they did receive the Holy Spirit. Today, as soon as a person believes, he receives the Spirit and is baptized by the Spirit into the Body of the Messiah.<\/p>\n
C. The Witness of Paul in Ephesus\u2014Acts 19:8\u201312<\/p>\n
1. Paul\u2019s Witness to the Jews\u2014Acts 19:8\u20139<\/p>\n
As always, Paul began with \u201cthe Jew first\u201d in verse 8: And he entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n
Paul had been to this synagogue once before in Acts 18:19, and now he spake boldly. The Greek tense indicates that he kept on speaking boldly for the space of three months. This is the longest known ministry of Paul in any one synagogue. It was remarkable in that they had already been exposed to him once before, and that Apollos had been preaching in this same synagogue (Acts 19:27\u201328). So, this particular synagogue had a lot of exposure to the gospel.<\/p>\n
The means by which Paul communicated the gospel was by both reasoning and persuading. The word reasoning refers to the intellect; he tried to convince them mentally and intellectually that Jesus was the Messiah. The word persuading refers to the will; he also tried to get them to make a choice and to accept Yeshua as the Messiah.<\/p>\n
Specifically, the content of his messages in the synagogue was: concerning the kingdom of God; that is, the Kingdom Program, past, present, and future. It was essential for Paul to explain that, if Yeshua really was the Messiah, why the Kingdom had not been set up then. He had to explain about the past, present, and future aspects of the Kingdom Program, especially how it was being worked out in his day and age.<\/p>\n
But the rejection came after three months of ministry in verse 9: But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.<\/p>\n
In verse 9a, the word hardened refers to the intellect. At some point, their minds were hardened and they would not believe intellectually. The word disobedient refers to the will; the intellectual rejection led to active disobedience. So they began to speak evil of the Way before the multitude. The expression the Way is a common term in the Book of Acts for the new faith; it was not referred to as \u201cChristianity,\u201d but as the Way. The leaders of the synagogue became aggressive opponents, telling the multitude not to believe in the Messiahship of Yeshua.<\/p>\n
In verse 9b, Paul\u2019s response is that he departed from them in the synagogue. The Greek word for \u201cdepart\u201d is the same word from which the English word \u201capostasy\u201d comes, and it can also be used for physical departure. For that reason, some believe that the \u201cfalling away\u201d or \u201cdeparture\u201d of 2 Thessalonians 2 refers to the Rapture, but that is inconclusive. The fact is, the Greek word can refer to physical departure, although most of the time it refers to moral departure.<\/p>\n
Not only did Paul separate himself physically from the synagogue, he also separated the disciples; in other words, he pulled the Jewish believers out of the synagogue and planted a new church. In this way, the Church of Ephesus was planted, and later became the recipient of the Epistle to the Ephesians.<\/p>\n
Paul then established a new base for his ministry; he reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus. This was the Greek school or lecture hall where intellectual pursuits and instruction were followed. But now it was to attain its finest use when Paul used it to teach the Messiah, who is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:30). Tyrannus was probably a Greek rhetorician who taught rhetoric. From historical records, it is known that the people of Ephesus worked into the wee hours of the morning, then rested from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Thus, Tyrannus would have worked in the morning and Paul would have used this lecture hall in the afternoons to proclaim his own message.<\/p>\n
2. Paul\u2019s Witness to the Gentiles\u2014Acts 19:10<\/p>\n
And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.<\/p>\n
Verse 10a gives a summary of Paul\u2019s ministry: this continued for the space of two years. If this period is added to that of verse 8, which mentions a period of three months, it means that the total length of Paul\u2019s ministry in Ephesus was two years and three months. In Acts 20:31, Paul sets the figure at three years, but that is because part of a year counts for a whole year in Jewish reckoning, hence there is no contradiction in these two passages. It was during this time that he wrote two of his epistles: 1 and 2 Corinthians.<\/p>\n
The result of his ministry is in verse 10b: all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord. The gospel began to spread from the School of Tyrannus by the disciples of Paul, who learned the truth from his mouth and spread it to the outlying regions. From New Testament writings, churches such as, Colossae, Smyrna, Perganum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea are known to have existed in the first century, but there is no record of how they began. This would probably explain how these churches were founded, because the Word began to spread throughout Asia. The audience included: both Jews and Greeks.<\/p>\n
3. The Authenticating Signs of Paul\u2019s Ministry\u2014Acts 19:11\u201312<\/p>\n
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.<\/p>\n
Concerning the miracles in verse 11, the Greek word literally means \u201cpowers.\u201d These special miracles were not ones that happened by chance, not ordinary miracles, rather, they were unique miracles performed by the Apostle Paul, as was the case with the shadow of Peter in Acts 5:15.<\/p>\n
These special miracles were wrought by the hands of Paul, as part of his apostolic authority. This phrase again shows that such powers were limited to the apostles and their legates in the Book of Acts. Miracles were not performed by believers in general. Even Paul did not always have this power (2 Cor. 12:8; Phil. 2:27; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20).<\/p>\n
Verse 12 gives the specifics: Those who had physical diseases were healed when handkerchiefs or aprons, which had come into contact with Paul\u2019s body, were taken to them. The word handkerchiefs refers to bands of cloth worn around the head, and the word aprons refers to linen aprons used by artisans such as tent-makers.<\/p>\n
The result was: the diseases departed from them. Paul also healed those with demonic problems: the evil spirits went out. This is another biblical verse, which clearly distinguishes between physical sicknesses and demonic problems.<\/p>\n
D. The Failure of the Imitators\u2014Acts 19:13\u201320<\/p>\n
1. The Jewish Fortunetellers\u2014Acts 19:13<\/p>\n
But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.<\/p>\n
This verse introduces these imitators as certain \u2026 strolling Jews, referring to something quite common in those days: traveling Jewish fortunetellers. These were Jewish individuals who were living in disobedience to the Law of Moses, because they practiced sorcery, which they connected with the name of Solomon. This was not part of Judaism, but a perversion of it. Josephus mentions these groups in his works, just as Luke does here in the Book of Acts. They are called exorcists, a Greek word that means \u201cto exact an oath\u201d or \u201cto use a spell\u201d or \u201cto use a charm.\u201d<\/p>\n
These Jewish exorcists had seen how Paul operated. They had overheard how he cast out demons, but they took Paul\u2019s words as a magical formula or magical charm or spell with which to drive demons out. They tried to simply repeat what Paul was saying: I adjure you by Jesus, but then added: whom Paul preaches. Literally, they said, \u201cI adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.\u201d This showed that they took the name Jesus to be a magical word and nothing more. When they said: Jesus whom Paul preaches, it showed they did not know Yeshua personally; they merely overheard what Paul was saying and were out to imitate what he was doing.<\/p>\n
2. The Story of the Sons of Sceva\u2014Acts 19:14\u201320<\/p>\n
Some of the Jews who were imitating Paul are recorded in verse 14: And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, who did this.<\/p>\n
Although the name Sceva is a Latin name, he was a Jew, and one who had perverted Judaism in Ephesus. While he was a chief priest, he was corrupted. He now lived far from Jerusalem, for he would not be allowed to practice these things in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
When these men tried to use the formula: I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches, the demon answered in verse 15: And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?<\/p>\n
Twice the demon said, I know. In English, the same terminology is used, but it is not the same in Greek. When the demon said: Jesus I know, he used a Greek word which means \u201cto know by interaction with\u201d or \u201cto know by experience.\u201d The demon knew Yeshua by experience. When he said: Paul I know, a different term, which means \u201cto know about\u201d or \u201cto understand,\u201d was used. In other words, the demon knew about Paul; he was acquainted with who he was; he recognized him.<\/p>\n
But when the demon asked: but who are ye? the Greek is far more emphatic, \u201cBut you! Who are you?\u201d The demon knew Yeshua well and he recognized Paul as a legate of Yeshua, but these seven sons of Sceva had no such recognition or authority.<\/p>\n
The result was failure in verse 16: And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.<\/p>\n
The man who was controlled by the demon was suddenly energized by the demon and leaped on these seven sons of Sceva. The Greek word for leaped on means \u201cto spring upon like a panther.\u201d In other words, the man sprang upon them like a panther and mastered both of them. The Greek word for both here means \u201call,\u201d so he mastered all seven of them, and prevailed against them. The result was: all of their garments were torn off and they were traumatized and badly beaten up.<\/p>\n
There were three results of the experience with the sons of Sceva in verses 17\u201319. The first result was that the Messiah was glorified in verse 17: And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.<\/p>\n
The news spread very quickly among both Jews and Greeks. The result was: fear fell upon them all; there was a real reverential awe. The Greek word for magnified means \u201cto make great.\u201d It was a great victory over demonism in Ephesus.<\/p>\n
The second result was the confession of the saints in verse 18: Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.<\/p>\n
The Greek tense means that they kept on coming, one after the other, because even some of the believers were still caught up in occult practices. Their response now was that they came and confessed their participation in occult practices. It was a confession that implies a renunciation of occultism and a commitment not to engage in it any further.<\/p>\n
The third result was the destruction of many occult books in verse 19: And not a few of them that practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for magical arts means \u201cmagical things.\u201d They were not merely dabbling in sorcery as bystanders, they actually were practitioners of sorcery and occult rituals. Because Ephesus was famous for its occult literature, they brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. The Greek text states they \u201cburned them down completely.\u201d When they determined the price of them, they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver, equivalent to ten thousand dollars today.<\/p>\n
In verse 20, Luke gives a summary of what happened as the outcome of the experience with the imitators: So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.<\/p>\n
The tense of the Greek here indicates that the Word of God grew and kept on growing; it prevailed and kept on prevailing; gaining in strength.<\/p>\n
E. Paul\u2019s Future Plans\u2014Acts 19:21\u201322<\/p>\n
Verse 21 reveals the itinerary Paul was thinking of undertaking after the experiences of two years and three months in Ephesus: Now after these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.<\/p>\n
The word spirit here is most likely a reference to his own human spirit. His plan was: when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, areas where he had already planted churches, he would confirm them, then go to Jerusalem. The purpose behind this trip to Jerusalem was to deliver the collections of money that the Gentile believers had given for the Church of Jerusalem. Then he stated: After I have been there, I must also see Rome. Paul felt it necessary to be able to get to Rome to pay his debts (Rom. 1:15), not monetary debts, but spiritual debts. He had a great desire to go as far as Rome (Rom. 1:10), but had previously been hindered from going there. According to Romans 15:23\u201329, he had firmly set his sights on visiting that city.<\/p>\n
This is the itinerary that Paul did indeed end up following, but it involved a change of plans. He had originally planned to go to Achaia first, then to Macedonia (2 Cor. 1:15\u201316), hoping to spend the winter in Corinth and to remain in Ephesus until Pentecost (1 Cor. 16:5\u20138). But he did not get to any of those places. Instead he followed the order of verse 21.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s preparations for his trip are given in verse 22: And having sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.<\/p>\n
He had sent two of his disciples into Macedonia to prepare the way. One was Timothy, whom Paul had sent earlier to Corinth to take care of matters there according to 1 Cor. 4:17 and 16:10\u201311. When Timothy returned to Ephesus, Paul sends him off again to Macedonia. The other disciple was Erastus, of whom little is known; but he is also mentioned in Romans 16:23 and again in 2 Timothy 4:20.<\/p>\n
As for Paul: he himself stayed in Asia for a while. Literally, the Greek reads, \u201cHe himself had additional time in Asia.\u201d According to 1 Corinthians 16:8\u20139, the reason he stayed on in Asia was because of a further opportunity to witness.<\/p>\n
F. The Riot Over Artemis\u2014Acts 19:23\u201341<\/p>\n
1. The Great Stir\u2014Acts 19:23<\/p>\n
And about that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.<\/p>\n
While Paul was making plans for his departure, about that time, there arose a great stir. The text states: no small stir, which is an idiom for \u201ca great disturbance,\u201d \u201ca tremendous riot.\u201d The same word is also used in Acts 12:18. The subject of this disturbance was: concerning the Way. Again, the Way is a New Testament name for the new faith (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 24:22).<\/p>\n
In 1 Corinthians 15:32, Paul wrote: I fought with wild beasts in Ephesus, which was probably a reference to the experience described in these verses. Since Paul was a Roman citizen and could not be thrown to the beasts, he was obviously using that expression figuratively as a result of being exposed to possible mob violence.<\/p>\n
2. The Story of Demetrius\u2014Acts 19:24<\/p>\n
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen.<\/p>\n
The man who organized and lead this great stir was: a certain man named Demetrius, who was a silversmith by profession. He made silver shrines for devotees to dedicate in her temple. These silver shrines representing the goddess would be placed in a niche in a wall. They were also worn around the neck as an amulet. They were actually small models of the temple incorporating an image of Artemis.<\/p>\n
There is some confusion about the identity of this goddess because of English translations which read Diana, but the Greek says \u201cArtemis.\u201d Diana is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Artemis. The Roman goddess Diana or the Greek Artemis was a beautiful virgin huntress who was the sister of the god Apollo. The goddess in this passage, Artemis of Ephesus, was not the same as the Diana of the Romans or even the Artemis of the Greeks. The Artemis of the Ephesians was a multi-breasted goddess of fertility in man, in animals, and in nature. She was called \u201cThe Great Mother,\u201d and there was an annual festival to her that was conducted in the month of May.<\/p>\n
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was originally built in the sixth century B.C., but it was destroyed on October 13, 356 B.C. It was also on that same night that Alexander the Great was born, and this was taken to be significant. The temple was then rebuilt, and that is when it became one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was built as the Artemesion, the Temple of Artemis. Built between two hills, it measured four hundred thirty feet long by one hundred sixty feet wide, with one hundred columns, each fifty-five feet high. It was used as a bank, as an asylum for refugees, and it had an elaborate cult worship using temple prostitutes.<\/p>\n
This temple brought no little business unto the craftsmen. This statement shows that Demetrius was the leader or the president of the Guild of Silversmiths, and he brought business to these silversmiths. Because of his position, he was sure to get a hearing for anything he had to say. So he gathered all the silversmiths together to make a speech. As a result of this speech, the great stir against the Way occurred. Figuratively speaking, Paul did indeed have to \u201cfight with wild beasts in Ephesus\u201d because his life was endangered. He could easily have been mobbed and killed if God had not intervened.<\/p>\n
3. The Speech of Demetrius\u2014Acts 19:25\u201327<\/p>\n
In preparation for his speech, Demetrius gathered a crowd in verse 25a: whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation.<\/p>\n
The gathering probably included those who made the marble and terra cotta shrines as well, because they would have been affected for the same reason. So, this was a gathering of associated trades to protest Paul\u2019s preaching.<\/p>\n
Demetrius began by stating the problem in verse 25b: and said, Sirs, ye know that by this business we have our wealth.<\/p>\n
The real problem for Demetrius is an economic one. However, he intends to turn it into a religious issue, since idolatry was the source of their wealth.<\/p>\n
Having stated the problem, Demetrius then describes Paul\u2019s work as opposition in verse 26: And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands.<\/p>\n
After two years and three months, Paul\u2019s ministry had become public knowledge; by this time, his influence had spread. The expression, this Paul, shows an element of contempt. Paul had been persuading people, both in their mind and in their spirit, to turn away from idolatry: saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. Paul was obviously preaching against idolatry. He made the same point in Ephesus as he had in Athens in Acts 17:29. What he had to say had a clear Old Testament base, because it was the same thing Isaiah said in Isaiah 44:9\u201317. Paul had obviously been attacking the center of their business and source of their wealth.<\/p>\n
Finally, Demetrius spells out two ways that made Paul such a threat to them in verse 27: and not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world worshipped.<\/p>\n
First, Paul was a threat to their business in that their trade [would] come into disrepute in verse 27a. The word disrepute means \u201ccensure,\u201d \u201cexposure,\u201d \u201csomething being rejected after being examined.\u201d Demetrius was afraid that when people began to listen to what Paul was saying, they would begin to examine their idolatry more closely, and end up repudiating it. Thus the business of making gods would lose its place in the economic strata of Ephesian society. Again, the issue was clearly an economic one rather than a religious one.<\/p>\n
In verse 27b, the second way in which Paul was a threat was that their religion would be made of no account. Demetrius called her the great goddess. Artemis was sometimes referred to as \u201cthe Great One.\u201d An inscription found in Ephesus called her \u201cthe greatest god.\u201d So the Temple of Artemis, this great Wonder of the World, was in danger of becoming reduced to no account; she would be deposed from her magnificence. The Greek word for magnificence is also used in Luke 9:43 of the majesty of God, and Peter used the same word of the Transfiguration in 2 Peter 1:16.<\/p>\n
The statement: whom Asia and the world worshipped was clearly an exaggeration on the part of Demetrius. While not all Asia and certainly not all the world worshipped her, yet no goddess was more widely worshipped. There have been temples of Artemis discovered in Gaul and Spain. Now, all this splendor was in danger of being set aside by one man, and a Jew at that! The danger Demetrius envisaged was that the cult of Artemis might indeed die out.<\/p>\n
4. The Responses to the Speech\u2014Acts 19:28\u201332<\/p>\n
There were two reactions of the crowd. The first reaction was by the artisans in verse 28: And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.<\/p>\n
They were filled with or controlled by wrath. Suddenly they had learned that their livelihood was at stake, and so they cried out. The Greek uses the imperfect tense here, which means that they began to cry out, and kept at it continuously. Their cry was: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. More literally, \u201cGreat Artemis of the Ephesians!\u201d This cry has been verified by some archaeological discoveries of inscriptions containing these very words.<\/p>\n
The second reaction of the crowd was by the city\u2019s entire population in verse 29: And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul\u2019s companions in travel.<\/p>\n
They were filled with or controlled by confusion. The Greek word for confusion means, \u201cto pour together like a flood.\u201d It describes the riot as a flood, with the accompanying confusion of yelling and screaming: they rushed with one accord into the theatre. The Greek word for rushed implies an \u201cimpetuous dashing.\u201d This was mob psychology: with one accord, they dashed into the theatre. This theater had a diameter of four hundred ninety-five feet, and could seat 25,000 people. On the way, they seized two people: Gaius (Acts 20:4; 1 Cor. 1:14), and Aristarchus (Acts 20:4; 27:2; Col. 4:10; Philem. 24), who were men of Macedonia, Paul\u2019s companions in travel.<\/p>\n
Verse 30a gives Paul\u2019s response: And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people.<\/p>\n
Clearly, he wanted to face this howling mob. He knew, of course, that this could mean certain death, and so did his friends. Paul was willing to face a quick death to try and dissuade the mob. This incident may be the background to what he wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8\u20139: concerning our affliction that befell us in Asia, \u2026 yea, we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.<\/p>\n
But Paul was dissuaded by two groups of people in verses 30b\u201331. The first group was his own disciples in verse 30b: the disciples suffered him not.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for suffered emphasizes resistance and pressure. The more Paul insisted on going, the more his disciples physically refused to allow it. By doing so, they probably saved Paul\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
The second group to try to dissuade him is in verse 31: And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre.<\/p>\n
Asiarch was the proper official title for the municipal leaders of Ephesus, as is known from historical records. The Asiarchs were ten officers elected by the cities of the Roman Province of Asia. Their key responsibility was twofold: first, to supervise funds collected in connection with the worship of the emperor; and secondly, to preside at the games in the festivals. These responsibilities had to be at their own expense, and so the job was given only to those who were wealthy enough to afford it. Yet, wealthy people eagerly sought this opportunity for involvement because of the prestige it gave them. Somehow, some of these Asiarchs had become friends of Paul. This does not mean that they had become believers, but at least they respected him. Since they were not present to physically restrain him, they sent a message, beseeching him not to adventure himself into the theatre. They insisted on this over Paul\u2019s protest.<\/p>\n
In verse 32, Luke again describes the confusion in the theater: Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.<\/p>\n
The cause of it was: the [whole] assembly was in confusion. The Greek word for assembly is ekklesia, showing that this word can be used in other ways than simply as \u201cchurch.\u201d The word is used here in its classical Greek pagan sense, not in the New Testament sense of referring to the Body of the Messiah. This was a pagan assembly, and not even a legal one at that. The true state of affairs was that most of them did not even know why they had come together into the theater. It was a mob situation, not an orderly assembly.<\/p>\n
5. The Attempt to Quiet the Mob\u2014Acts 19:33\u201334<\/p>\n
And they brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defence unto the people. But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.<\/p>\n
At this point, the Jewish people of Ephesus brought forward Alexander, one of their number in verse 33. The Jewish community was fearful that the mob would turn upon them as well, since Jews were also opposed to idolatry as a people and did not practice it themselves. Furthermore, most of the church leaders were Jews, including Paul, Gaius, and Aristarchus. Perhaps, Alexander was chosen to try to quiet the mob and explain the situation from the viewpoint of the unsaved Jewish community who did not believe in Yeshua. This man may have been the same Alexander who was the coppersmith of 2 Timothy 4:14; he was also from Ephesus, and he did much evil to Paul. However, he was rapidly waving his hand up and down in an attempt to quiet the mob to get a hearing, wanting to make a defense to the mob.<\/p>\n
But in verse 34: when they perceived that he was a Jew, it had the opposite effect. The mob had no comprehension of any difference between unbelieving Jews and believers at this point. They kept on crying aloud: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. This cry was unanimous, without confusion; they kept on crying out the same phrase in unison at the sight of a hated Jew. The context clearly had anti-Semitic overtones, and it lasted: about the space of two hours.<\/p>\n
6. The Intervention of the Townclerk\u2014Acts 19:35\u201341<\/p>\n
Finally, the townclerk came to the rescue in verse 35a: And when the townclerk had quieted the multitude.<\/p>\n
This man held the most important office in Ephesus: chief executive officer. He was the administrator of the city; the keeper of the archives; in charge of all its money; presided over all assemblies; drafted decrees to be submitted to the popular assembly; acted as the chairman of the popular assembly, which was often held in this same theater; and communicated directly with the Roman authorities. He was able to quiet the mob because his position commanded respect.<\/p>\n
The content of his speech to the mob is given in verses 35b\u201340: he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knows not that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.<\/p>\n
In verse 35b he reminded them of the status of Artemis: everyone knows the great Diana. The idol had been made from the image which fell down from Jupiter, or Zeus; the Ephesians believed the image of Artemis in the temple had come down from the heavens. It may have been formed from a meteor, though that is not certain.<\/p>\n
In any case, there was no reason for the mob to resort to a riot in verse 36, rather, they must be quiet, and to do nothing rash. Concerning Gaius and Aristarchus, he pointed out in verse 37, that they could not be charged with two particular outrages against their religion: first, they were not robbers of temples; and secondly, they were not guilty of blasphemy against their goddess. Although the apostles may have preached against idolatry, they used tactics so as not to commit any illegalities.<\/p>\n
Next, he gives the proper course of action to follow in verses 38\u201341: If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another. But if ye seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day\u2019s riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.<\/p>\n
The townclerk points out, in verse 38, that if Demetrius had something against Paul or anyone else, he should take them before the courts, and let the courts decide. As for any other matters they wished to discuss, he reminds them in verse 39, that this must be handled in the regular assembly, not by a riot. In other words, he is telling them that they should use proper legal procedures and not stoop to mob violence. Finally in verse 40, the townclerk pointed out that, because of this riot, they might lose the grace they had in the eyes of Rome; they might have to give an account to the Roman authorities to make sure that there was nothing anti-Roman about it.<\/p>\n
He then dismissed the assembly in verse 41. This action of formally dismissing the people by the townclerk gave it a semblance of order. This event ended Paul\u2019s work in Ephesus.<\/p>\n
G. Observations of Paul\u2019s Ministry in Ephesus<\/p>\n
Before moving on, it might be wise to make some observations of Paul\u2019s ministry in Ephesus. A total of eleven observations can be made.<\/p>\n
The first observation is that there are three things which can be clearly deduced: First, the gospel was preached to a hostile world of both Jews and Gentiles. Secondly, this opposition intensified as vested interests were challenged; in the case of Ephesus, the vested interest of the idol makers was challenged. Wherever vested interests are challenged by the gospel, the opposition will intensify. And thirdly, opposition is no excuse for failure to preach the gospel. We must continue to preach the gospel in the face of opposition.<\/p>\n
The second observation is that it was the longest single recorded period of ministry in one place in Paul\u2019s lifetime.<\/p>\n
The third observation is that it included evangelizing the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19:1\u20137.<\/p>\n
The fourth observation is that much of Paul\u2019s ministry was in a rented hall, the lecture hall of Tyrannus in Acts 19:9.<\/p>\n
The fifth observation is that it was a time of some unusual miracles in Acts 19:11\u201312.<\/p>\n
The sixth observation is that the power of occultism which was strong among the believers, but it was finally broken in Acts 19:19.<\/p>\n
The seventh observation is that Paul envisaged an enlarged ministry in the future in Acts 19:21.<\/p>\n
The eighth observation is that the ministry ended with a riot in Acts 19:23\u201341.<\/p>\n
The ninth observation is that Paul\u2019s ministry included pastoral care in Acts 20:20, 31.<\/p>\n
The tenth observation is that Paul faced constant dangers: he wrote in Romans 16:3\u20134 that Priscilla and Aquila had risked their own lives to save Paul in Ephesus; he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:32 that he had to fight with wild beasts at Ephesus, and in 1 Corinthians 16:9 he had many adversaries. In 2 Corinthians 1:8\u201310, he mentioned three things: first, in verse 8 he suffered afflictions in Asia, and at times he despaired even of life; secondly, in verse 9 he had the sentence of death within himself; and thirdly, in verse 10 they were delivered out of so great a death. It was a time when his life was threatened more than once.<\/p>\n
And the eleventh observation is that Paul wrote the Epistles of 1 and 2 Corinthians during this period of his career.<\/p>\n
III. THE MINISTRY IN MACEDONIA AND GREECE\u2014ACTS 20:1\u20134<\/p>\n
A. Paul\u2019s Departure for Macedonia\u2014Acts 20:1<\/p>\n
And after the uproar ceased, Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.<\/p>\n
As for the timing, it was: after the uproar ceased or more literally, \u201cafter the ceasing.\u201d The Greek word for uproar means both \u201cnoise\u201d and \u201criot,\u201d a picture of total confusion. After this citywide confusion, Paul finally made his decision to leave Ephesus. It was not the riot that made him decide to leave, because in Acts 19:21 he had already made the decision to leave at some point and to go into specific areas. But the riot was the catalyst that set the timing for his departure.<\/p>\n
Paul called the disciples together to inform them of his plans to go elsewhere. He exhorted them to stand fast in the faith, then he took leave of them. The Greek word for leave means \u201cto draw one to himself in embrace\u201d either in greeting or in departure. When he took leave of the disciples, he embraced them; he drew them to himself and embraced them in preparation for his departure. This was a warm hearted departure.<\/p>\n
Paul departed to go into Macedonia. The text does not say where he went in Macedonia, but very likely he went back to the City of Philippi in Macedonia.<\/p>\n
B. Paul\u2019s Arrival in Greece\u2014Acts 20:2<\/p>\n
And when he had gone through those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece.<\/p>\n
This verse summarizes his ministry in Macedonia: when he had gone through those parts [that is, through Macedonia], and had given them much exhortation. As he traveled through Macedonia this time, he was not doing evangelism but discipleship. He then went as far as Illyricum, which is modern Yugoslavia (Rom. 15:19).<\/p>\n
This summarizes about a year of ministry. What else he did during this trip can be deduced from 2 Corinthians: first, he had a ministry in the city of Troas (2 Cor. 2:12\u201313); secondly, he did not met with Titus (2 Cor. 2:13). It was then that he came into Greece, specifically, to the City of Corinth.<\/p>\n
C. Paul\u2019s Departure for Asia\u2014Acts 20:3\u20134<\/p>\n
Verse 3 records his departure from Greece: And when he had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.<\/p>\n
The timing was: when he had spent three months there; that is, the winter months of A.D. 56\u201357 or A.D. 57\u201358. During this time he wrote the Epistle to the Romans and possibly the Galatian Epistle.<\/p>\n
Then, there was of a conspiracy against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria. Because he wanted to arrive in Jerusalem in time for the Passover, he had planned to sail from Corinth, heading for the Province of Syria, which included the Land of Israel in those days. But the discovery of a plot to assassinate him, either at the port or out at sea, forced him to change his plans. Instead: he determined to return through Macedonia; in other words, he decided to take the overland route back through Macedonia. This would mean that he would spend Passover in the City of Philippi instead of in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Verse 4 reveals who accompanied Paul on this part of the trip: And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Beroea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.<\/p>\n
He was accompanied by a group of representatives of various churches who went with him as far as Asia. From the Church of Berea, he was accompanied by Sopater, the son of Phyrrus. There were two representatives from the Church of Thessalonica, Aristarchus and Secundus. Aristarchus is mentioned in Acts 19:29; Colossians 4:10; and Philemon 24. Outside of the Book of Acts, Secundus is not mentioned anywhere. The representatives of Berea and Thessalonica were representatives of the churches of Macedonia. There were also two representatives from cities in Galatia: Gaius, from Derbe and Timothy, from the City of Lystra. These represented the Province of Galatia. Then from the Asian churches came Tychicus and Trophimus. Trophimus is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:20.<\/p>\n
Another person who accompanied them, but who is not named here, was Luke. This can be seen from the use of the plural pronoun we in following verses. He probably represented the Church of Philippi because he rejoined Paul at this point. Luke had been left earlier at Philippi to pastor the church in Acts 16:10, and now he rejoined Paul once he arrived back there. He is going to be traveling with Paul as the Philippian representative. Paul himself may have represented Achaia.<\/p>\n
When the verse states: as far as Asia, it probably refers only to Sopater, while Trophimus went with Paul all the way to Jerusalem in Acts 21:29. Aristarchus stayed with Paul all the way back to Rome (Acts 27:2; Col. 4:10). As well as acting as escort to Paul, these men represented their Gentile churches, carrying their donations to the Jewish believers in the Church of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
IV. THE MINISTRY IN TROAS\u2014ACTS 20:5\u201312<\/p>\n
A. The Trip to Troas\u2014Acts 20:5\u20136<\/p>\n
A detail about the church delegates is added in verse 5: But these had gone before, and were waiting for us at Troas.<\/p>\n
The other members of the group mentioned in verse 4 had sailed on ahead of Paul into Asia Minor and were waiting for him. The pronoun us shows that Luke had now rejoined the group at Philippi. But he did not sail ahead with the others, he chose to wait and sail with Paul. He now remains with Paul all the way to the end of the Book of Acts, all the way to Rome.<\/p>\n
Verse 6 records the arrival at Troas: And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we tarried seven days.<\/p>\n
The timing was: after the days of unleavened bread. This phrase includes both the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread and shows that Paul had to observe Passover in Philippi because of the plot in verse 3. That may well be the reason he did not leave for Troas with the others. This statement also implies that Luke was a Jew, and for that reason did not leave for Troas with the others because he wanted to stay and observe the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. Because the discovery of the plot Jewish plot necessitated the change of Paul\u2019s plans, he now aims to reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost in Acts 20:16.<\/p>\n
Paul and Luke arrived in Troas in five days. 2 Corinthians 2:12\u201313 states that, when Paul had come here earlier, he had an open door to present the gospel, but his agony over the Corinthian Church made him move on to Macedonia without preaching the gospel in Troas. So now he stays a much longer time, perhaps to make up for his short stay earlier.<\/p>\n
B. The Story of Eutychus\u2014Acts 20:7\u201312<\/p>\n
Verse 7 records the meeting of the Church of Troas: And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.<\/p>\n
The timing of the meeting was: upon the first day of the week. The context shows that it was also at night. According to the Jewish way of reckoning time, the night of the first day of the week is not Sunday night, but Saturday night. The Sabbath was over and now it is Saturday night, the first day of the week.<\/p>\n
The Greek word shows that this was a formal meeting. It is the same word used in Hebrews 10:25, where believers are commanded \u201cnot to forsake the assembling together.\u201d Paul stayed with them to break bread, a reference to the Communion service or the Lord\u2019s Supper which followed the traditional agape feast in that day.<\/p>\n
Then Paul discoursed with them, which means he preached a sermon. The Greek text implies that he went on at length: intending to depart on the morrow, which be our Sunday morning. So he began preaching on Saturday night and he prolonged his speech until midnight; he just went on and on! The fact that Luke mentioned midnight shows that the meeting took place at night on the first day of the week or Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Verse 8 describes the environment: And there were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together.<\/p>\n
This is another indication that the meeting took place at night: there were many lights. These would have been oil lamps with burning wicks, which would tend to stifle the air. This was in the upper chamber, which was usually a large room where such meetings could be conducted.<\/p>\n
An incident that happened during the meeting of the Church of Troas is recorded in verse 9: And there sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.<\/p>\n
This verse records the death of a certain young man named Eutychus. His name means \u201cfortunate,\u201d although he was not so fortunate on this occasion! He was sitting by a small latticed window with no glass; it would have been open because of all the lamps. He was borne down with deep sleep; the Greek text describes the gradual process of nodding off into a deep sleep. As Paul discoursed for much longer, going on and on, Eutychus eventually fell into a very deep sleep. Giving in to the drowsiness: he fell down from the third story [of the upper chamber], and was taken up dead. The people all considered him to be dead; being a doctor, Luke would have known that he was dead.<\/p>\n
Verse 10 records the resurrection of Eutychus: And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no ado; for his life is in him.<\/p>\n
Paul went down from the third floor to the ground: and fell upon him, which brought life back into Eutychus. This was similar to what Elijah did in 1 Kings 17:21, and what Elisha did in 2 Kings 4:32\u201337. Then, embracing him [completely] said, Make ye no ado, or \u201cStop making a noise.\u201d The reason was: for his life is in him. This does not mean he only swooned and merely appeared to be dead. It means that he really was dead, but now his life had returned through the action of the Apostle Paul.<\/p>\n
Thus, in verses 11\u201312, they were able to continue the meeting: And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted.<\/p>\n
In verse 11, Paul now went back up to the third floor, and joined in the breaking of bread or the Communion and the eating of the agape meal. Then he preached another sermon afterwards. The second sermon was even longer than the first; it went on from midnight until dawn. At dawn Paul departed, but only after he had said all that he wanted to say that night.<\/p>\n
As for Eutychus, in verse 12: they brought the lad [up] alive, and the whole church was not a little comforted over his restoration to them.<\/p>\n
V. THE MINISTRY IN MILETUS\u2014ACTS 20:13\u201338<\/p>\n
A. The Arrival\u2014Acts 20:13\u201317<\/p>\n
The journey to Miletus is recorded verses 13\u201316. Verse 13 records the journey from Troas to Assos: But we going before to the ship set sail for Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, intending himself to go by land.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s party of church representatives, including Luke this time, went ahead of him to the ship, which set sail for Assos, a distance of twenty miles. Assos was a seaport south of Troas in Mysia, in the Province of Asia. There they intended to take Paul into the ship, because he had chosen to go overland to Assos. This was his desire, and this was the way Paul arranged things, choosing to walk the twenty miles. There was a good paved road connecting the two cities, so it was a fairly easy trek.<\/p>\n
Verse 14 describes the journey from Assos to Mitylene: And when he met us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.<\/p>\n
The group came together again at Assos, picking up Paul as planned, and came to Mitylene. Mitylene was the capital of Lesbos, and was thirty miles from Assos.<\/p>\n
Verse 15 describes the trip between Mitylene and Miletus, comprised of three legs: And sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus.<\/p>\n
The first leg was a one-day trip, sailing from Mitylene, arriving the next day over against Chios. Chios is an island in the Aegean Sea, located eight miles off the mainland.<\/p>\n
The second leg was from Chios to Samos, which was also a one-day trip. Samos is another island in the Aegean. By sailing directly from Chios to Samos they were able to bypass Ephesus in order to save time. Because Paul had already missed getting to Jerusalem for Passover, he now wished to be there in time for the Feast of Pentecost.<\/p>\n
The third leg of the trip brought them from Samos to Miletus. This, too, was a one-day trip. Miletus is located twenty-eight miles south of Ephesus. Today it is known by its Turkish name of Palatia. Miletus was the southernmost Greek city in the Province of Asia. It was a very important maritime city on the River Meander. At one time, it was the chief city of the Ionian Greeks, but by Paul\u2019s day, it had been eclipsed by Ephesus. Archaeologists have found an inscription in a pagan theater there, which reads: \u201cPlace of the Jews who are also God-fearing,\u201d which shows that the Jews of the City of Miletus had become rather secularized.<\/p>\n
Verse 16 states the reason for Paul\u2019s itinerary: For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.<\/p>\n
The plan to bypass the City of Ephesus means that either he chartered the ship or the captain was willing to oblige him. This was something Paul had determined, and one way and another, he got his way that he might not have to spend time in Asia. The Greek word for spend means \u201cto waste time.\u201d The reason for bypassing Ephesus was: for he was hastening. He was hurrying for the purpose that: if it were possible, he might arrive at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s desire to observe the Feast of Pentecost in no way contradicted his faith in Yeshua, showing again that Jewish believers are free to participate in these festivities on the basis of personal desire, even though they are no longer bound to participate.<\/p>\n
Once he had arrived in Miletus, Paul called to himself the Ephesian elders in verse 17: And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for sent means \u201cto call from one place to another.\u201d What Paul did was to call the elders of the Church of Ephesus to come down to the port of Miletus and meet him there. This was almost a thirty-mile journey, a good one-day\u2019s stiff walk.<\/p>\n
In this verse, the leaders of the Ephesian Church are referred to as elders. The Greek word is presbuteros, which is the origin of the English word \u201cpresbyterian.\u201d Literally, it means elders; such men had the highest authority in a local congregation. They were also known as bishops in verse 28, which shows that the office of elder and bishop were one and the same. A third name given to the same office was that of pastor. Although the elders formed the highest authority in any local church, Paul, as an apostle, had authority over them all; so he used this apostolic authority to summon the elders of the Church of Ephesus to himself.<\/p>\n
B. The Message to the Elders of the Ephesian Church\u2014Acts 20:18\u201335<\/p>\n
1. The Introduction to the Message\u2014Acts 20:18a<\/p>\n
And when they were come to him, he said unto them.<\/p>\n
These words introduce the third Pauline discourse in the Book of Acts. This discourse is given to the church or more specifically, to the elders of the local Church of Ephesus. Of the various discourses by the Apostle Paul which Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, this is the only one recorded where Paul is speaking to believers; all the others, both before and after this, were to unbelievers.<\/p>\n
2. Paul\u2019s Past Ministry Among the Elders\u2014Acts 20:18b\u201321<\/p>\n
Paul gave a review of his three years in Ephesus and a defense of his conduct there. He began by reminding them of his arrival in verse 18b: Ye yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time.<\/p>\n
He used personal pronouns in an emphatic way here, \u201cYou yourselves know that what I am about to tell you is true.\u201d What Paul was about to tell them was something they all knew quite well: from the first day that I set foot in Asia, about four years earlier. These elders were among his earliest converts at that time. He adds: after what manner I was with you all the time. The phrase all the time means during his three years of ministry in Ephesus. Because he had been either in Ephesus or in the area close by, they had been able to observe his lifestyle closely and could testify to the truth of what he was now saying.<\/p>\n
Paul speaks of his service in three ways in verse 19: serving the Lord with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews.<\/p>\n
First: with all lowliness of mind, meaning with humility and humble-mindedness. Secondly: with tears, for there was an emotional content in his ministry. Thirdly: with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews. But in spite of Jewish opposition, Paul continued his ministry of evangelism, which is something he reaffirmed in 2 Corinthians 2:4.<\/p>\n
He pointed out his ministry of discipleship in verse 20: how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house.<\/p>\n
The word anything refers to the teaching of Scripture; Paul did not hold back anything that was profitable for them from Scripture, that is what he declared to them. The means he employed was teaching [them] publicly, and going from house to house, because in those days, churches were house churches.<\/p>\n
But, in verse 21, he also had a ministry of evangelism: testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
The gospel was proclaimed both to Jews and to Greeks. The message was twofold. First: repentance toward God, which means turning away from sin and turning to God; recognizing oneself to be a sinner. Secondly: faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, which was the content of the faith that saves. In other words, they had to believe that Yeshua died for their sins, was buried, and rose again. Referring to Yeshua as Lord emphasizes Him as the One who has the authority to save, the One with authority over salvation.<\/p>\n
3. Paul\u2019s Outlook for the Future\u2014Acts 20:22\u201327<\/p>\n
a. The Plan to Go to Jerusalem\u2014Acts 20:22\u201323<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s prospect for the future begins with a description of his present situation and his plan to go to Jerusalem. This is verified by two references to the word spirit. First, Paul refers to his own human spirit in verse 22: And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.<\/p>\n
With the words: And now, behold, he changes the subject from what was past-his ministry among them-to what is now present and said: I go bound in the spirit. The word spirit in the Greek has the definite article, so it may mean the Holy Spirit or it may refer to Paul\u2019s human spirit. More likely it is the latter, because he mentions the Holy Spirit in the next verse. In that spirit, he states: I go bound. The Greek word for bound means \u201cto have a sense of purpose,\u201d a sense of purpose in obeying the spirit, whether it is the Holy Spirit or his own inner human spirit. Paul was being compelled, either by the Holy Spirit or by his own spirit, to go to Jerusalem. If it was Paul\u2019s human spirit, then it means that it was under the control of the Holy Spirit. So Paul\u2019s desire to go unto Jerusalem was also the desire of the Holy Spirit. It was not wrong for him to go to Jerusalem, as some teach. He declares: not knowing the things that shall befall me there. Paul knew that something bad was going to happen to him, but he did not know what the details were.<\/p>\n
Secondly, he shows what the Holy Spirit\u2019s role was in this in verse 23: save that the Holy Spirit testified unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.<\/p>\n
This means that Paul had many special revelations from the Holy Spirit, confirming that bonds and afflictions or trouble awaited him. This much Paul knew; what he did not know were any of the details.<\/p>\n
b. Paul\u2019s Decision to Move Ahead with his Plan\u2014Acts 20:24<\/p>\n
In spite of the fact that he knew something was going to happen, Paul\u2019s decision was made in verse 24: But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.<\/p>\n
For Paul, the preservation of his life was not a priority. His goal was to fulfill his calling before the Lord. His aim was to finish his life\u2019s work (2 Tim. 4:7) and the specific calling which he received from the Lord Jesus, which is a reference to his calling on the Damascus road (1 Tim. 1:12). He wanted to testify [of] the gospel of the grace of God. He had been called to proclaim the gospel to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). The gospel he preached was the gospel of the grace of God. His special calling necessitated this trip to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
c. Paul\u2019s Accomplishments\u2014Acts 20:25\u201327<\/p>\n
Paul bids a final goodbye to the Ephesian elders in verse 25: And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more.<\/p>\n
The words: And now, behold signifies another change of subject, as he moves from the present back into the past. I know that ye all, that is, these elders, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. These elders will not see Paul again. This was his conviction at this time, based upon the minimum knowledge he had about what was to happen to him in Jerusalem. Later from Rome, Paul wrote twice about his plans for coming east again (Phil. 2:24; Philem. 22). The Pastoral Epistles show that Paul did come back to Ephesus again (1 Tim. 1:3; 3:14; 4:13). He also returned to two nearby places: Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) and Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20). So, he did see them again, although he did not realize it when he said these words.<\/p>\n
Verse 26 gives Paul\u2019s standing: Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.<\/p>\n
On this last day when he was with the Ephesian elders, Paul\u2019s testimony was that he was pure from the blood of all men.<\/p>\n
Paul gives the reason why he could say this in verse 27: For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.<\/p>\n
As part of his ministry of discipleship, he taught all areas of biblical truth.<\/p>\n
4. Paul\u2019s Warning to the Elders\u2014Acts 20:28\u201331<\/p>\n
Paul points out various responsibilities of the Ephesian elders in verse 28: Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.<\/p>\n
The phrase Take heed means \u201chold your minds unto yourselves\u201d as elders, and to all the flock, meaning the local Church of Ephesus. They are called bishops here, an office to which the Holy Spirit called them. The Greek word for bishop means \u201coverseer.\u201d It is the word episkopos, from which the English word \u201cepiscopalian\u201d originates. This refers to the same office as elder in verse 17. So the office of elder and bishop are the same. The calling was: to feed the church of the Lord. The Greek word for feed means \u201cto shepherd,\u201d \u201cto tend\u201d or \u201cto pastor\u201d the flock. These elders or bishops were also shepherds and pastors. So in the New Testament church, the terms: elder, bishop, and pastor all apply to the same individuals holding the same office. Each term simply emphasizes a different area of their ministry: \u201cbishop\u201d emphasizes the concept of overseeing the flock; \u201celder\u201d emphasizes the aspect of ruling among the flock; and \u201cshepherd\u201d or \u201cpastor\u201d emphasizes the aspect of feeding the flock.<\/p>\n
The basis for their work was that this was the flock which the Messiah had purchased with his own blood. The Greek word for purchased means \u201cto reserve or preserve for oneself.\u201d This was the means of redemption for the Church. The Messiah did this to make it His own private possession, by means of His blood. Therefore, these elders were to take heed to their responsibilities because of the position which God had given them.<\/p>\n
Verses 29\u201330 give two reasons why they must take heed. The first reason is given in verse 29: I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock.<\/p>\n
After he leaves them, Paul knows that at this point: grievous wolves shall enter. The word grievous means \u201crapacious\u201d or \u201charsh.\u201d This is a term Yeshua used of false teachers in John 10:12. These false teachers will come in, not sparing the flock. The very flock which these elders must tend will find itself invaded by false teachers coming in from the outside, causing some of the flock to scatter. But, as they continue Paul\u2019s ministry in teaching the whole counsel of God, this will help to minimize the danger.<\/p>\n
The second reason why they must take heed is given in verse 30: and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.<\/p>\n
From among the members of the congregation itself, false teachers will arise. Their evil deed will be speaking perverse things. The Greek word for perverse means \u201cto turn aside,\u201d \u201cto twist or disturb\u201d the truth. They will begin twisting the truth of that whole counsel of God.<\/p>\n
Their purpose will be: to draw away the disciples; that is, to split the church from within so that they would have a following of their own and they would no longer have to follow the leadership of the elders. In fact, it was the fulfillment of these very words that necessitated the writing of 1 and 2 Timothy, which point out that these false teachers had arisen among the believers by that time (1 Tim. 1:3\u20137, 19\u201320; 4:1\u20137; 6:3\u20135; 2 Tim. 1:15; 2:16\u201318; 3:1\u20139). This problem is also dealt with in Revelation 2:1\u20137.<\/p>\n
Paul exhorts them to watch in verse 31: Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.<\/p>\n
Based upon what he had just said in verses 29\u201330: Wherefore watch ye, because of these two dangers, they must stay awake and watch. The basis of his exhortation was: remembering that by the space of three years, the approximate length of his ministry among them. They were to remember that he ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. Paul admonished them all in the truth with tears. Now that they have been sufficiently warned, they must stay awake and be watchful so that they can know when to act and warn the believers.<\/p>\n
5. The Commendation\u2014Acts 20:32\u201335<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s sermon of warning to the elders of Ephesus comes to a conclusion with a commendation in verse 32: And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified.<\/p>\n
The Greek word for commend means \u201cto deposit,\u201d Paul now deposits them to God and to the word of his grace. The Word of God is the instrumentality which is able to build you up. Because the Word of God edifies to maturity, that instruction will give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. The inheritance here is the perfection that will come with ultimate sanctification; they will receive this along with others who are sanctified through the Word of God. The same point is made in Ephesians 1:14\u201318. In other words, these elders are to submit themselves to God and His Word.<\/p>\n
Paul described his principle of supporting himself in verses 33\u201334: I coveted no man\u2019s silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.<\/p>\n
In verse 33, Paul claimed that he did not covet anyone\u2019s money or possessions.<\/p>\n
The way Paul received support in verse 34 was very well known to these elders; his own hands had ministered. The apostle was not above manual labor, and he worked to provide his own necessities, and for those of his fellow travelers, such as Timothy.<\/p>\n
Paul was an example for them in verse 35: In all things I gave you an example, that so labouring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.<\/p>\n
These elders should also be willing to work with their hands to help further the ministry. The weak were those believers who were easily offended. By working to provide for their own necessities as Paul had done, the elders would avoid offending a weaker believer, who might be upset at his leaders for not working for their own support.<\/p>\n
They are now to remember the words of the Lord Jesus. This quote: It is more blessed to give than to receive is not found anywhere in the Gospels. Since the Gospels do not record this, it is obviously one of several things Yeshua taught that had been passed down to Paul by oral tradition.<\/p>\n
C. Paul\u2019s Departure\u2014Acts 20:36\u201338<\/p>\n
Verse 36 contains the conclusion of Paul\u2019s message to the elders of Ephesus: And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all.<\/p>\n
When he had concluded his message to them, Paul kneeled down and prayed with them all. Paul may have been the one who prayed aloud.<\/p>\n
Verses 37\u201338a give two responses of the elders: And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul\u2019s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more.<\/p>\n
Their sorrow was evidenced in two ways. First, externally they all wept sore in verse 37; or more literally, \u201cthere came considerable weeping on the part of all.\u201d They fell on Paul\u2019s neck, which was an act of extreme emotion, and kissed him. The Greek implies that they kept on kissing him; they kissed him repeatedly, one after another.<\/p>\n
Secondly, internally they were sorrowing most of all for the word he had spoken in verse 38a. The Greek word means, \u201cto torment,\u201d \u201cto cause intense pain,\u201d \u201cto distress oneself.\u201d What they were most distressed about was when he said: that they would behold his face no more. This bothered them even more than his warning about the coming threat upon the church.<\/p>\n
The passage ends in verse 38b with Paul\u2019s escort: And they brought him on his way unto the ship.<\/p>\n
With this statement, Paul\u2019s third missionary journey comes to an end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples. Acts 18:23 Basically, this section is divided into five geographical territories, based on the areas where Paul went during this third missionary journey between the years A.D. 53 and 58. I. THE … <\/p>\n