Comentarios bíblicos

Acts 19:1-7 The Holy Ghost is conferred by Paul on twelve of

John’s disciples.

Acts 19:8-12 He preacheth at Ephesus, first in the synagogue, and

afterwards in a private school for two years; God

confirming the word by special miracles.

Acts 19:13-20 Certain Jewish exorcists, attempting to cast out a devil

in the name of Jesus, are sent off naked and wounded:

the gospel gains credit, and magical books are burned.

Acts 19:21-41 Paul proposing to depart soon, Demetrius and the

silversmiths raise an uproar against him, which is

with some difficulty appeased.

The upper coasts; the north parts, in which were Pontus, Bithynia, Phrygia, and Galatia, Acts 18:23.

Have ye received the Holy Ghost? The extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, as prophesying, speaking with tongues, healing of the sick, &c., as appears by Acts 18:6, and John 7:39; for it could not be, that they, who were instructed and baptized by John, should be ignorant of the essence or person of the Holy Ghost; for the Baptist had seen him descending upon our Saviour; as is remembered by all the evangelists which speak of his baptism, Matthew 3:16 Mark 1:10 Luke 3:22; besides other scriptures which testified of him; and St. John had spoken of him unto all he baptized, that our Saviour would baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, John 1:32,33.

We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost: this answer must be understood, according to the question, of those gifts now mentioned; and which by the imposition of the hands of the apostles were given, especially at the ordination of such as were sent to preach the gospel, it being necessary for the planting of the church, those miraculous gifts assuring those unto whom they preached, that their doctrine was from heaven; as also to assure the apostles themselves of the success of their ministry, and the conversion of such they preached unto, as Acts 10:44,47. And this acceptation of these words is paralleled, 1 Samuel 3:7, where it is said, that

Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the meaning is, that he knew not that God was wont so to speak unto any; otherwise, that holy man, as young as he was, both knew God, and served him.

Unto what then were ye baptized? What doctrine did you make profession of? And what religion did you seal unto at your baptism?

Unto John’s baptism; the doctrine that John taught, and the religion that he professed and preached. Thus the Jews are said to be

baptized unto Moses, 1 Corinthians 10:2, being engaged to believe the doctrine and observe the law delivered by Moses. Now the Baptist, as Acts 18:25, preached indeed Christ; but many things concerning him he could not preach, unless as of things to come; as his death, and resurrection: the Baptist being beheaded before our Saviour’s death, and the Holy Ghost was not poured out in that extraordinary manner until after our Saviour’s resurrection and ascension; which pouring out of the Spirit, these disciples at Ephesus, having been baptized by John in Judea, and afterwards returning home, might not have heard of.

The baptism of repentance; at which the Baptist did exhort them to repentance, and they by it were obliged to repent; by which is manifest, that the baptism of John and of Christ (which he commanded) are one and the same. John’s baptism did respect Christ, and oblige the baptized to believe in him, as also to repent; and more, it was a seal unto them of the remission of their sins, as is expressly observed, Mark 1:4: so that the baptism of John, and the baptism of the apostles afterward, had the same sign and the same thing signified in them both (the inward and outward part, the heavenly and earthly part, were the same in both); as also they had both the same end; and therefore they were both the same. Add to this, that unless the Baptist’s and the apostles’ baptism were the same, Christ and his members (the church) are not baptized with the same baptism. It must be acknowledged that there are some circumstances in which they differ; John’s baptism respected Christ to come; that is, in the exercise of his ministry (which was not so fully exercised till after John’s death); but especially, those great things (his death, resurrection, and ascension, &c.) were to come after John’s time, which now are accomplished.

On Christ Jesus; including the Father and the Holy Ghost, and mentioning Christ, to difference his baptisms from the several baptizings and washings then in use.

The disciples, or those that John preached to, (for these Ephesians were not amongst those few that Paul baptized, 1 Corinthians 1:14), who when they heard what the Baptist said in the foregoing verse, they were baptized; as in the same terms it is said, Acts 2:37,

when they heard what St. Peter had said, they were pricked in their heart, & c., and were baptized. As for Paul’s imposing his hands upon them that are said here to be baptized, it might very well be, that the twelve disciples, Acts 19:7, might have been baptized by John, and now receive the Holy Ghost in those extraordinary gifts by the laying on of the hands of St. Paul: for to what end should these disciples, who were baptized with St. John’s baptism, be again baptized by Paul? It is true, they had further manifestations of the mystery of the gospel brought unto them; but if men should be baptized for every degree of knowledge or grace which they do acquire, how many baptisms had they need to have, who ought daily to grow in grace and in knowledge! It is evident, that the apostles themselves were only baptized with the baptism of John, for there were none else to baptize them. And baptism being an ordinance for our regeneration and new birth, as we can be born but once in the flesh, we can be but once also born in the Spirit; and no more may Christians be baptized twice, than the Jews could be twice circumcised.

Laid his hands upon them; thereby ordaining and authorizing of them to preach the gospel.

The Holy Ghost came on them; in those extraordinary gifts of tongues, &c., whereby they were fitted to preach the gospel unto any nation or people unto whom they should be sent.

Prophesied; they prophesied, either in its proper sense, being enabled to foretell things that were to come; or in a larger and more improper sense, praising and magnifying of God, and declaring the hidden mysteries of the gospel; expounding the Scriptures, especially the prophecies concerning Christ, as 1 Corinthians 14:1.

Or exactly twelve; answering to the apostles, and that blessed number so often mentioned in Scripture.

The synagogue of the Jews at Ephesus. For in the greater cities the Jews had their synagogues, in which they had their prayers, read, and expounded the law; as also a school for teaching of their theology, in which they treated of hard questions, and more difficult matters; which might occasion the apostle’s frequenting that place.

The kingdom of God; the gospel; which is so called, Romans 14:17, because the kingdom of grace is by it set up in us here, and we are fitted by it for the kingdom of glory hereafter. But it might be also so called, because the Jews had dreamed of a political kingdom of the Messiah, and the Christians would own that Christ was indeed a King, but that his kingdom was a spiritual kingdom.