Bible Commentaries

Ac 19:1-41.

SIGNAL SUCCESS OF PAUL AT EPHESUS.

1-3. while Apollos was at Corinth--where his ministry was so powerful that a formidable party in the Church of that city gloried in his type of preaching in preference to Paul's

(1Co 1:12; 3:4),

no doubt from the marked infusion of Greek philosophic culture which distinguished it, and which the apostle studiously avoided

(1Co 2:1-5).

Paul having passed through the upper coasts--"parts," the interior of Asia Minor, which, with reference to the seacoast, was elevated.

came to Ephesus--thus fulfilling his promise

(Ac 18:21).

finding certain disciples--in the same stage of Christian knowledge as Apollos at first, newly arrived, probably, and having had no communication as yet with the church at Ephesus.

2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?--rather, "Received ye the Holy Ghost when ye believed?" implying, certainly, that the one did not of necessity carry the other along with it (see on

Ac 8:14-17).

Why this question was asked, we cannot tell; but it was probably in consequence of something that passed between them from which the apostle was led to suspect the imperfection of their light.

We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost--This cannot be the meaning, since the personality and office of the Holy Ghost, in connection with Christ, formed an especial subject of the Baptist's teaching. Literally, the words are, "We did not even hear whether the Holy Ghost was (given)"; meaning, at the time of their baptism. That the word "given" is the right supplement, as in

Joh 7:39,

seems plain from the nature of the case.

4. Then said Paul, John . . . baptized with the baptism of repentance--water unto repentance.

saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him--that is, who should baptize with the Holy Ghost. The point of contrast is not between John and Christ personally, but between the water baptism of John unto repentance, and the promised baptism of the Spirit from the hands of his coming Master unto new life. As to all the facts, or at least the significancy, of this baptism, which made the whole life and work of Christ another thing from what it was conceived to be before it was vouchsafed, these simple disciples were unenlightened.

5-7. When they heard this--not the mere words reported in

Ac 19:4,

but the subject expounded according to the tenor of those words.

they were baptized--not however by Paul himself

(1Co 1:14).

in the name of the Lord Jesus--into the whole fulness of the new economy, as now opened up to their believing minds.

6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them . . . they spake with tongues, &c.--See on

Ac 10:44,45.

8-10. he went into the synagogue and spake boldly for . . . three months, &c.--See on

Ac 17:2, 3.

9. when divers--"some."

were hardened, &c.--implying that others, probably a large number, believed.

spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed--from the synagogue, as at Corinth

(Ac 18:7).

and separated the disciples--withdrawing to a separate place of meeting, for the sake both of the converts already made, and the unsophisticated multitude.

disputing--"discoursing" or "discussing."

daily in the school--or lecture hall.

of one Tyrannus--probably a converted teacher of rhetoric or philosophy.

10. this continued . . . two years--in addition to the former three months. See on

Ac 20:31.

But during some part of this period he must have paid a second unrecorded visit to Corinth, since the one next recorded (see on

Ac 20:2, 3)

is twice called his third visit

(2Co 12:14; 13:1).

See on

2Co 1:15, 16,

which might seem inconsistent with this. The passage across was quite a short one (see on

Ac 18:19)

--Towards the close of this long stay at Ephesus, as we learn from

1Co 16:8,

he wrote his FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS; also (though on this opinions are divided) the EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. (See

Introduction

to First Corinthians, and

Introduction

to Galatians). And just as at Corinth his greatest success was after his withdrawal to a separate place of meeting

(Ac 18:7-10),

so at Ephesus.

so that all they which dwelt in--the Roman province of

Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks--This is the "great door and effectual opened unto him" while resident at Ephesus

(1Co 16:9),

which induced him to make it his headquarters for so long a period. The unwearied and varied character of his labors here are best seen in his own subsequent address to the elders of Ephesus

(Ac 20:17,

&c.). And thus Ephesus became the "ecclesiastical center for the entire region, as indeed it remained for a very long period"

[BAUMGARTEN].

Churches arose at Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis eastward, either through his own labors or those of his faithful helpers whom he sent out in different directions, Epaphras, Archippus, Philemon

(Col 1:7; 4:12-17; Phm 23).