Chapter Nineteen –
Third Journey of Paul
ACTS 19:1-3:
We actually began the third journey in
Chapter 18:23. Paul returned from the second journey to Antioch
of Syria and then went out again to the region of
Galatia
and
Phrygia
strengthening the brethren in these locations; Luke tells us.
Please use this map:
http://www.plvcc.org/index.html?/page_charts_and_maps/CNM21-Pauls3rdJourney.gif
Now that we
have a good understanding of the environment of Ephesus, we can engage in
the events of Paul’s coming to
Ephesus.
Text #1:
Acts 19:1-3
“And
it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through
the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
2 he
said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they
said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 And
he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they
said, “Into John’s baptism.””
Before we
get into the text, just as a reminder, at the end of the
18th
chapter (Vs.
24-28 to be specific); we had the interlude by Luke concerning
Aquila and Priscilla better instructing Apollos about the Christ; as he only
knew the baptism and instruction of John the Baptist. This interim was a
prelude to the fact that Paul would additionally find and work with many
more in Ephesus who had the same understanding as Apollos, as a starting
place to teach about the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ. The exercise then is
to combine both instances for a complete understanding and picture. Luke
also includes in the first verse of our text that Apollos is at Corinth
already when Paul arrives at Ephesus (desiring to cross to Achaia – the
Roman province of southern Greece, where Corinth is the capital;
18:27).
Luke
additionally reminds us that Paul has already gone through Galatia and
Phrygia (the upper regions), prior to arriving in Ephesus. This is his first
time in the Roman province of Asia, as he was forbidden to go here by the
Spirit of God early on the second journey (Acts
16:6); and could not stay when he came through here at the end of
the second journey (Acts
18:19-21).
Finding
Some Disciples:
Luke does
not share the logistics of how Paul came across these disciples of John the
Baptist, just that he does (it is plausible that he may have come across
them when he entered the synagogue of Ephesus on his way back to Jerusalem
on the second journey –
18:19-20; but he did not have time to stay). There are twelve of
them total (Vs.
7). These would be Jews who having traveled to Jerusalem for the
mandatory feasts, would have additionally been subject then to the masses
that went to John to learn from him. As the feasts would conclude, they
would return to the various parts of the world they had made their
pilgrimage to Jerusalem from.
Questions:
The obvious comprehension from
verse one to
verse two, is that disciples is used of these men in a very loose
sense. As Paul begins to question them concerning certain specific markers
of disciples of Jesus as the Christ, we will see that they have no idea of
any of them. How did this happen?
First,
John’s work was preparatory. He preached
“Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is
at hand” –
Matthew 3:2. In addition, he was sent to prepare for the One who
would come after him – “The Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world” –
John
1:29-34. John further acknowledged that he must decrease and the
One to follow must increase, note:
John 3:30-36
“He
must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He
who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and
speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32 And
what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His
testimony.
33 He
who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.
34 For
He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the
Spirit by measure.
35 The
Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.
36 He
who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.””
As many of
these who would have to leave and return home, they waited patiently for the
One. They knew John’s baptism of repentance, and now looked for the kingdom
and King spoken of.
Holy
Spirit:
Paul asks
leading questions in order to ascertain the knowledge and condition of these
who claim to be disciples of the Christ (the One John said would come after
him). One of the leading questions concerning their relationship with Jesus
as the Christ was, “Did you receive
the Holy Spirit”?
All who
have heard that Jesus is the Christ had been baptized into Christ Jesus, and
as such received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
What is
this gift of the Holy Spirit? First, it is important to note that Peter does
not state that it was the Holy Spirit as the gift in
Acts
2:38; but a gift of the Holy Spirit. This would be best described
as the Apostles doctrine in
Acts
2:42; the educational process by which Christians continue to
walk guided by the Spirit of God revealing the mind of Christ (1
Corinthians 2:10-16).
We
additionally know that these early Christians were given gifts of the
Spirit, to do for them, what the word does for us (1
Corinthians 12:4-11; nine to be exact).
We know
that Paul was referring to these, as he would lay his hands on them (the
method they were bestowed, by apostolic power –
Acts
8:14-17;
19:6),
after their true conversion and they then displayed two of the nine gifts.
Remember
that the written word would come after saints were already in the kingdom,
these pre-written word saints would need to know the edification,
exhortation, and comfort that the written word gives us –
1
Corinthians 14:3; this is how they were kept by the Spirit until
the mystery was completely revealed, which is through the hearing of faith
(faith comes by hearing the word of God;
Romans 10:17;
Galatians 3:2,
5).
Into What?
The final leading question of Paul explains beyond a shadow of a doubt that
baptism into Christ puts you into something!
Galatians 3:26-27
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus.
27 For
as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Colossians 2:11-12
“In Him you were also circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried
with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him
through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
Paul
reminds these Christians in Galatia (where he had been before Ephesus), and
in Colossi that their baptisms had put them into Christ (I might add that
Paul calls them acts of faith!).
John’s
Baptism:
These
disciples had only known the baptism of John. This is going to bring Paul to
the exact starting place he needs to begin to now detail how to
“Explain to them the way of God more
accurately” (18:26).
We can
accurately see that both Apollos and these twelve could easily be those who
were looking for the Christ by John’s instruction. To even know beyond a
shadow of a doubt concerning the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming (18:25);
yet, still not know that it was Jesus who was the Messiah, or what
the Spirit of God through the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ requires in
order to enter the kingdom.
So, we can
additionally know with certainty that it is more than just faith in a name,
or a generic understanding of the Son of God that puts an individual into
Christ! Unless we can be taught and come to the point of the Ethiopian
to state:
Acts 8:35-38
“Then
Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus
to him.
36 Now
as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said,
“See,
here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then
Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he
answered and said, “I
believe that
Jesus
Christ is the Son of God.”
38 So
he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went
down into the water, and he baptized him.”
It is easy
to note the similarities in the two accounts, and in the next lesson, Paul
will additionally instruct concerning Jesus as the Christ to the same
result!
Next: “Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus!”