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Acts 19:1-7. Paul returning to Ephesus finds there some disciples of John the Baptist

1. And it came to pass that, while Apollos was at Corinth] The digression concerning Apollos being ended, the history now returns to St Paul. Apollos found, no doubt, that Corinth was the most effective centre for his work in Achaia, and apparently made that his head quarters.

Paul having passed through the upper country] The English word “coasts” (A. V.) is now confined in meaning to the sea-shore, formerly it signified any “border-land.” The parts actually visited by St Paul were far away from the sea. Indeed the adjective rendered “upper” signifies “that part to which men go up, away from the sea.” It is applied here to the more Eastern parts of Asia Minor. The Apostle’s journey was most likely through the districts of Lycaonia, Galatia and Phrygia which he had visited before.

came to Ephesus] In fulfilment of the conditional promise made by him when he left (Acts 18:11),

and finding certain disciples] The participle, indicated by the A. V., is not supported by the oldest texts. Read with R. V. “and found.” These men are called disciples, because they were, like Apollos, to a certain extent instructed concerning Jesus, and what they already knew drew them to listen to St Paul who could teach them more.

2. and he said unto them] The different reading in the last verse renders a conjunction needful here, and this the oldest MSS. have.

Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed?] The two verbs in the original are in the same tense, and there is nothing to justify the “since” of the A. V. The description of the state of these disciples is not easy to understand. St Paul addresses them as believers. But this perhaps is only because they presented themselves among the real Christian disciples, and his recent arrival made it impossible for him to know the history of all who appeared among the members of the congregation. He presumes they are believers from the company in which he finds them.

And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Ghost was [given] This rendering of the Revised Version makes the sense more clear than did the A V., but even yet requires explanation. Of the existence of the Holy Ghost no disciples of John could (as might be conceived from the A. V.) be ignorant, for in his preaching he had proclaimed that the baptism of Him who was to come after him should be with the Holy Ghost and with fire. But in the Greek where, as in this verse, the expression “Spirit” or “Holy Spirit” is found without an article (although in English we are forced to put “the” before it) it signifies not the personal Comforter, but an operation or gift of the Holy Spirit. Thus in John 7:39, the A. V. rightly renders “the Holy Ghost was not yet given,” although there is no verb for “given,” because the noun is without an article in the Greek, and so signifies “a spiritual outpouring.” These disciples at Ephesus, then, imply by their answer not that the name “Holy Ghost” was strange, but that they were unacquainted (as was the Baptist himself) with any special bestowal of the gifts of the Spirit.

3. And he said] The oldest authorities omit “unto them,” and it is more natural to do so in the account of these brief questions and answers.

Into what then were ye baptized?] The New Testament phrase is “baptized in” or “into,” to express the close union with God into which men are brought by baptism.

And they said, Into John’s baptism] They may have been disciples of Apollos and have been baptized by him before his more full instruction by Aquila and Priscilla.

4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance] More simply, And Paul said. The best MSS. omit the word for “verily.” Such was John’s description of his own baptism (Matthew 3:11), but after the day of Pentecost the language of the Christian preacher (Acts 2:38) is, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” These Ephesian disciples knew nothing of baptism for the remission of sins, or of the other sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, nor of the gift of the Spirit to the church, nor of the doctrines of faith in Christ and salvation by grace through faith.

saying unto the people, that they should believe] The demand for faith makes the difference between the preaching of Christ and the preaching of John. The latter said “Prepare by repentance for the coming King,” Christ says (and John also spake of this) “Believe on me, for I am He that should come.”

on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus] The oldest MSS. omit “Christ.” In his preaching John had constantly used the phrase “He that cometh after me.” This was the stage of instruction at which these disciples had arrived. They knew that John spake of one who was to come. St Paul’s teaching made clear to them that this was Jesus. The closing words of the sentence are a condensation of all the explanations by which the Apostle convinced them, that Jesus, whom he preached, was the prophet whom John announced. St Luke does not anywhere give speeches or arguments in extenso, but only so much as is needed to explain the results which he describes

5. And when they heard this] The A. V. omits the conjunction which stands in the Textus Receptus. What they heard was not the mere statement that Jesus was the Messiah; but all the arguments with which St Paul demonstrated that this was so, and proved that in Him the Scriptures were fulfilled. The conviction need not have been sudden, though its description is brief.

they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus] They followed the order appointed for admission to the privileges of the Christian covenant. No argument can be drawn from this verse for a repetition of baptism. These disciples had never received such a baptism as Christ ordained. John’s baptism was but a washing symbolical of the repentance which he preached; baptism into the name of Christ is the pledge of a covenant of salvation.

6. And when Paul, &c.] The gift of the Holy Ghost to these disciples appears to have been a special provision of the Spirit for the great work which was to change Ephesus, from the city wholly devoted to the goddess Diana, into the centre of Christian life throughout the west of Asia Minor for several centuries.

and they spake with tongues] A Pentecostal outpouring, for as in Jerusalem the gift wrought its effect among the Jews then gathered there from every quarter, so was the Spirit given in this great centre of Gentile activity that a like result might follow, and that the amazement and marvel at such a power might win attention to the message and gain converts to Christ.

and prophesied] Probably in this case to be understood of the exposition of Old Testament prophecy, and the power of preaching bestowed on them by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The foretelling of future events would be no such help to the cause of Christ as would the power of prophecy in the other sense.

7. And all the men were about twelve] The Revised Version “And they were in all about twelve men,” is a more strict rendering of the Greek, but it does not give a different sense, and “men” in that position receives an undue accent.

The verse has been the cause of much remark. Why the inspired historian should speak with an “about,” has been asked by some. With that we are not concerned, only to observe that the Spirit has not prompted him to speak otherwise. Some have seen in the number and the circumstances a resemblance to the Apostles and their supernatural endowment; others have looked back as far as the Patriarchs and have made of these men the beginning of another Israel. May it not be that the “about” was written to admonish us of the unprofitableness of such speculations? Cp. Joshua 7:5.

8–20. Paul preaches to the Jews first and afterwards to the Gentiles. The Word of God prevails mightily

8. And he entered into the synagogue] As the incident of John’s disciples is mentioned before anything else, it seems likely that St Paul found them among the few Christian brethren in Ephesus, and began his teaching of them before he commenced his visits to the synagogue.

and spake boldly for the space of three months] Going there, that is, on all occasions of religious service, and so giving to his brethren of Israel a full opportunity of hearing all his reasoning, and inquiring whether what he taught was in accordance with the Scriptures. The abiding a longer time with them, which they had asked for (Acts 18:20) on his previous visit, does not seem to have gained him more adherents among the Jews. Perhaps he had noticed when the request was made that it was not with great fervour. Otherwise, it is not like the Apostle to pass by an opened door.

disputing [Better, reasoning] and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God] The Rev. Ver. has improved the translation in “reasoning,” but the italic “as to” before “the things” is needless. The first participle is the same word as in Acts 17:2, and though “from the Scriptures” is not added here as there, we may surely understand it, and that the persuasion spoken of afterwards was no greater display of gentleness than the Apostle used at other times.