← Back to the Bible Podcast
Back to the Bible Podcast
Episode 119: Acts 18:17-19:7
00:30:02
In this episode we consider Priscilla and Aquila's work with Apollos, the beginning of Paul's third missionary journey, and the twelve in Ephesus who were baptized into the name of Jesus.
Loading summary
Transcript3 lines
- [00:01]
A
Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's word alone, our authority, every word, every step in the name of Christ. Back to the Bible for the way of life.
- [00:17]
B
If you have your New Testament, you might grab it and turn to Acts 18. That's where we will be taking our study from today. And we are thankful for the opportunity to share in a consideration of God's word with you. Let me make mention of our website, backtothebiblepodcast.com there you can find more information about the program and you can find links to previous episodes and you can find other resources that we are trying to make available as we go along the way. And we are very thankful that we have the technology and the resources to be able to communicate and to present Bible lessons. And we would love for you to reach out to us. And really through the website would be the best way to do that. You can send us a message about a program or maybe you have a Bible question, maybe you would like for us to address something on the program, or you have a critique, or you have a compliment, maybe you have an encouragement or you have some correction that you would like for us to make. We always, always want to speak the truth, and we want to speak it clearly. And if there's ever an occasion where we're saying something that's incorrect, certainly we want you to correct us. And if there's something that we're saying that we could be more clear about, we would love for your help in that as well. Of course, we want to be truthful and clear and we want to speak the truth in love. And we hope that that is reflected in our efforts as we teach and as we speak on the program and in whatever other ways we're able to communicate the truth of God's word. And so you might look@backtothebiblepodcast.com I want to go to Acts 18 because we left off there. I think we left off at about verse, according to my notes last time. And let's just kind of set the stage for what's going on. In Acts chapter 18, the apostle Paul is on what we would call his second missionary journey. And he is in. He has left the city of Corinth. He was there for about 18 months, the text tells us. And he leaves there. And, well, we'll see in verse 14, he was going to defend himself against some of the Jewish folks who had risen up against Paul. That's verse 12. And he was going to speak against that. He was going to give an answer. Now we know that when Paul gives an answer, it's very seldom that he is doing some sort of self defense. When he gives his defense, what he is doing is he's making preparation to proclaim the gospel. We can see that throughout, and we will see that even more as we move through the Book of Acts. When Paul, it seems, would have had an opportunity to kind of explain away what's going on and get himself out of prison or out of trouble, he just uses those opportunities to proclaim the risen Christ. And he doesn't use those as an opportunity to get himself out of trouble. And that's what you see here. He's ready to speak. But Gallio, who is in charge of the community, he's the proconsul of Achaia, says if it were a wrongdoing or a vicious crime. Verse 14. Oh, Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you. If this man had committed some crime, if he was doing something that was against the law, if he was engaged in some illegal activity, then you should bring this up. But verse 15, if there are questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I'm not willing to be a judge of these matters. He's saying, this is a question that is about your own law. It's a question about individuals. It's words and names. And he says, that is not the place for me to get involved. And so he drove them away from the judgment so seat, and they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things. So there are two understandings at least of what's going on there with Sosthenes. So first of all, Gallio dismisses what's going on there. And in verse 17, the Jewish synagogue leader Sosthenes is beaten. Now, when I first read that, and what I first came across, I take it to be that he was being beaten by the Greeks, that he was beaten by the Achaians and the Corinthians, that they come and they beat the Jewish leader. But some have suggested that this beating was by other Jews who were frustrated with Sosthenes because he fails to get Paul punished. Now, I don't know about that, but something is interesting that when Paul writes the letter of first Corinthians, he writes it with Sosthenes. So of course it's very possible and maybe even likely that there's more than one person named Sosthenes. But it is interesting that in this context Sosthenes, who was the leader of the Jews. The same name is used in Corinth to write with Paul to the Corinthians. But here he's getting beaten by the Jews. Does that drive him away? Does that help him see the foolishness, the envy, the pride, the jealousy that's going on among them? Now, verse 18 is going to tell us that Paul will stay many more days, but then he's going to leave. And we'll note what happens even in this attempt to indict and prosecute Paul. It doesn't make him leave Corinth. And I would take it to be that the reason that he doesn't leave Corinth is because of what God said back in verse nine. Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you and no man will lay a hand on you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city. I take it to be that what Paul is doing is he is staying, even in view of the court procedures, because of God's promise that no one would harm him. Alright, now look at verse 18, the very end of the verse. There he does take leave of the brothers and put out to sea for Syria. And with him were Priscilla and Aquila in Cenchrea. He had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. And they arrived in Ephesus and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but taking leave of them, saying, I will return to you again if God wills. And he set sail from Ephesus. So Paul finally leaves and Priscilla and Aquila went with him. Now he's headed for Syria. Syria is the place where Antioch is. He's going back to Antioch, the congregation that had been responsible for sending him out. And he makes it to Cenchrea, which is a port city near Corinth. So if you're leaving Corinth, which is kind of in the center of what is today the nation of Greece, and you head to the east, you'll come to Cenchrea, which is the port city there. And Paul, the pronoun some have suggested could technically be pointing to Aquila, but I take it to be that it's talking about Paul had his hair cut in the fulfillment of a vow. Now, I don't know all the details about what's going on here, but can we say just a couple of things? One, there is no indication that Paul's hair is long in this situation. He does have his hair cut because he was keeping a vow, but that doesn't tell us that he had long hair in order to have his hair cut. I think some people make that assumption that Paul had just gone a really long time, that he's very long haired and scraggly. He may have been, I don't know. But I don't think anything in the text indicates that he has long hair. And given what he would write to the Corinthians in First Corinthians 11, it seems to me that that would not be what was happening unless this was some special circumstance. And so we come through verse 19, and he comes to the city of Ephesus. Now, when we get to chapter 19, Ephesus is going to be the major focus as far as Paul's work, but he will spend about three years there when that happens. But right now he is intending to make it back to Syria and then into. Back to Israel. Now, when I say Israel back to Palestine, so they want to talk more in the synagogue, but Paul has to get back to Antioch. And he says that if the Lord wills, he would come back. And then if you look at verse 22, when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and went down to Antioch. I take it to be he lands at Caesarea, which is on the coast, of course, then goes up to the church that would probably be Jerusalem, and then goes down to Antioch. Now, if you're looking at a map, you would say, wait a second, Caesarea is north of Jerusalem, and it says he's going up to Jerusalem. And Antioch is way north of Jerusalem. It says he's going down to Antioch. So does it not have the ups and downs incorrect? Well, it refers to elevation, not to direction. Antioch was far north of Jerusalem, but it was downhill all the way. He went to Antioch and then went back through, as we'll see in just a minute, through Galatia, verse 23. Having spent some time there, he left and passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Now, this is the beginning of what has been called the third missionary journey. Now, it doesn't have. So I feel like the first missionary journey in chapter 13 kind of started out with this calling the Holy Spirit, calling them out of Antioch, the people, praying, fasting, laying hands on them. The second missionary journey we have this notable start because you have the division between Paul and Barnabas over John, Mark. And so Paul will end up heading north. And Barnabas will end up heading to Cyprus. So you have these two kind of major starts. We don't really get much of a story as far as the beginning here. But what you've got in verse 22, he's in Antioch. He stays some time there, and then he goes to Galatia and. And Phrygia. Notice the text there says, strengthening all the disciples, this is the beginning of the third missionary journey. And that will pick up in verse 19, or, excuse me, in chapter 19. But we're going to kind of have an aside for just a minute as we look at the end of chapter 18. Now, back in Ephesus. So Paul has said he's coming back to Ephesus, he's going to Jerusalem and then to Antioch, and. And now he's in Galatia and Phrygia, and he's doing some preaching there. But meanwhile, back in Ephesus, we have in verse 24 recorded for us a Jew named Apollos. An Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, arrived at Ephesus. And he was mighty in the scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John. And he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. And when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. So while Paul's back in Antioch and while he's traveling through Galatia and Phrygia, there's this man named Apollos. And he is. The text tells us he is eloquent, he is knowledgeable, he is Alexandrian. So Alexandria would be in Egypt. Alexandria has long been known as this place of learning and education. It had a great library that burned. And if you're a historian or you like ancient history, or you would like to. No more. It is heartbreaking to think about that library burning, because surely there were so many resources there that would have shed light on what was going on in the ancient world. But it burned. But this Jewish Bible teacher came to Ephesus, and the text tells us that he was mighty in the scriptures. That is, he knew his Old Testament well. Now the text tells us that he was getting it all right. But he only knew up to the work of John. Now, I think it's possible. I think it's possible that he knows maybe about Jesus or knew that John had pointed to Jesus, but he didn't know the whole story. He didn't know the whole story. And so they take him to the side and. And they tell him about the way of God more accurately. So here you have Aquila and Priscilla, or as they are listed in the text, Priscilla and Aquila. And they take him to the side and they describe the way of God more accurately. Now, they had been partners with Paul in Corinth, and now they're serving the Lord in Ephesus. And every time we see this couple in Scripture, they are finding ways to work for the Lord. Now, perhaps this raises a question. It raises a question for me. But I think that we can think through this. I think if we look in the Scriptures, I think if we look in Corinthians, 1st Corinthians 14, and 1st Timothy, chapter 2, we would see limitations on. On women's teaching. But let me suggest that First Corinthians 14 is a focus on the assembly, that they are to keep silent within the church, and that is they are not to make a public address to the assembly. It's the same thing that's applied to tongue speakers and prophets at certain moments. But for the women, it applies to the assembly, period. That doesn't mean they can't sing, I would suggest. It doesn't mean they can't. Amen. It doesn't mean that they are not allowed to make a peep. It means that they are not to be the ones who are in the position of address to the congregation. In First Timothy 2, we have that women are not supposed to teach in authority over a man. I take it to be that that does not mean that a woman could not pass on spiritual instruction, but rather that she could not do so in an authoritative or domineering way. Now, I don't know what the situation looked like with Priscilla and Aquila, but it seems to me that the Scriptures are telling us that both of them were involved in the conversation, in getting Apollos to understand the way of God. More accurately, the text says when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God. More accurately, they are doing this. It's not just Aquila, one brother said. It's not just Aquila over there teaching and Priscilla making the coffee. And they both get credit for teaching them, I think Both of them have some instruction to pass on to Apollos. Now obviously Aquila and Priscilla are going to approach this in a way that is going to fall in line with what God. God has instructed. And we must be careful that we see all of that and bring all of that to balance. Now they are able to show Apollos and he understands and embraces what they have said. And he wants to go over to Achaia. This is really interesting. You have Paul who's doing the planting in Achaia, especially in Corinth. Apollos wants to go to Achaia. Paul will later write to the Corinthians that Paul planted, but Apollos watered and of course all along Paul says it was God that was giving the increase. But you also have Apollos who is doing preaching in Ephesus. Maybe in some ways we could say he's doing some planting. But Paul is going to come right behind him and, and he's going to do some watering, but he's going to be there for three years. The text is going to tell us in Ephesus and Apollos will have been there and then Paul will come. And so you see these two men working in conjunction with one another, even though the indication is at the end of 18, they've never met. Perhaps at some point they will, but their work is mutual. It's together because they are working for the Lord's cause. So now we come to verse 28 where he says he powerfully refuted the Jews in public. This is talking about Apollos. Remember that Paul had faced the Jewish people in Corinth and he is publicly refuting them, demonstrating by the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. That is, he sees all of these promises. And I think the Jewish people he's talking about would have seen all the promises of the Old Testament scriptures. And what he sees is that Jesus is the fulfillment. He is the yes to all of God's promises. As Paul will say in second Corinthians chapter one, he is the fulfillment of all the promises. So if the disciples, excuse me, if the Jewish people had questions about who these promises were talking about, Apollos is able to answer that question by saying the answer is Jesus. Now we come to chapter 19 and verse 1. Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus and found some disciples. Alright, Now I would assume that Aquila and Priscilla are still there, so he would know that. But he finds other disciples and he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed and they said to him no, we have not even heard if the Holy Spirit is. Your translation may say something like is being received. That's what my text says or has been given and that is added by the translators. But I think it probably is the right sense. Have you received the Holy Spirit? We haven't even heard if the Holy Spirit is being received. I don't think this is a matter of them not knowing that there is a Holy Spirit. I think this is a matter of them not knowing that there is a Holy Spirit being passed on or reception in that sort of way. Alright then verse three. And he said into what then were you baptized? And they said into John's baptism. Now notice that when they did not know about the Holy Spirit being passed on. Now all of a sudden Paul has questions about their baptism. He's wondering if you don't know about the Holy Spirit and you don't know about the Holy Spirit being received then into what were you baptized? Well he says they say we were baptized into John's baptism. Is it possible that these are some of Apollos former disciples? Surely he would have made correction with those he was teaching. But maybe the word hadn't gotten out to these fellows. It's interesting that we see Apollos at the end of 18 only knowing up to John's work. And here we have men who were baptized into John's baptism. Now John's baptism was not something that was in error, it was not something that was wrong, but it was not the full thing. It was not the thing that was. Ultimately John baptized people for repentance looking forward to the one who was coming. And Jesus said to baptize in view of the fact that he was the Christ in view of the fact that the gospel was being proclaimed for the forgiveness of sins. Now Paul has questions about their baptism and finding out their limited knowledge he pointed them and said in verse 4 John baptized with the baptism of repentance telling the people to believe in him who was coming after him, that is in Jesus. And when they heard this they were baptized in the name of Jesus. So John had pointed to Jesus and John's baptism was calling people to repentance and pointing them to the one who was coming. But now it was, can we say, null and void given that Jesus had arrived. So in response to Paul's teaching they were baptized in the name of Jesus. Now look at this in verse seven, verse six. And when Paul had laid hands on him, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with Tongues and prophesying. Now there were in all about 12 men. I want you to see this, that they receive the Holy Spirit and and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying. Now there will be brethren who disagree with me on this, and that's alright. I don't think either one of us is teaching what I would say is error. But my understanding is probably in the minority of folks that I think that what Paul is doing here when he lays hands on them is they are receiving what would be called the gift of the Holy Spirit. I think you see this promise in Acts 2:38. I think you see in Acts 8 when Peter and John go and lay hands on the Samaritans after Philip preaches to them. And I think you see it here in Acts 19. What you have is they are baptized into the name of Jesus, same thing in Acts chapter two. And then they have hands laid on them so that they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I want you to notice here that the gift of the Holy Spirit is an effect of the Holy Spirit coming on them. They are receiving the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is empowering them to speak with tongues and to prophesy. Almost every time, if not every time, that this idea of when we see things like being full of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, almost always it is connected with prophecy or with speaking in tongues as being given as a spiritual gift. I think we see that especially in, for example, Luke 1, with the description of John and Zacharias and Elizabeth. They are said to be full of the Holy Spirit and what are they doing? They begin prophesying with regards to Jesus who is coming. Whether it's John leaping in his mother's womb, or Elizabeth saying, here is the mother of my Lord, or Zacharias, when his tongue is loosed, he begins to prophesy. Every one of those places he is said to be filled. He or she is said to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And I think we see that in other places, Acts chapter 2. The apostles in Acts 2 are said to be full of the Holy Spirit and they begin speaking in tongues. And then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now let me just make mention here. There's going to be some who might object to what I'm saying here. But in Acts 2, Peter promises the gift of the Holy Spirit. The very next time we see the phrase gift of the Holy Spirit being used. That'd be a good place to look for the definition, wouldn't it? The very next time it's used is used in Acts chapter 10 with regards to what Cornelius family is given. They are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and they begin speaking in tongues. Now. Now somebody would say, wait a second, that can't be the same thing because God gave that directly to Cornelius and he did not give it directly to the ones that Peter and John laid their hands on. That's right. But what we see is it's the same thing. Even though the means of transmission was different because the purpose was different. The purpose for Peter and John, excuse me, for Peter making that promise in Acts 2 was that this was in fulfillment of the promise of Joel that all flesh would receive the spirit. In Acts 10. The purpose of the gift of the Holy Spirit was intended to indicate that these people were rightful genuine candidates for receiving the Gospel. But what we have in Acts 19 is we have people who are receiving the Holy Spirit and, and then they are able to work these gifts. So I would say that it seems to me that what we've got here is we've got the gift of the Holy Spirit generally being passed on through hands, the laying on of the apostles hands, and that Cornelius is the exception, even though he's receiving the same kind of gift. Now there's one other place in the New Testament where that phrase is close and it's the phrase gifts multiple of the Holy Spirit. And that's used in Hebrews Chapter two. And it is obviously in reference to spiritual miraculous activity because it's listed with other miraculous activities. Now there are people who will push back on that and that's alright. But I'm saying I think this is a parallel with what's going on in the promise in Acts 2. I think we'd see a parallel in Acts 8 with what happens with the Samaritans. But here's a key point that I want us to focus in on. If these people who were baptized in what at one time had been a legitimate baptism, if they needed to be rebaptized for the right reasons, how much more we should encourage those who have been baptized for illegitimate reasons to be baptized for the right reasons. Was somebody baptized as a baby? Babies don't have sin to wash away. They can't express their belief, they can't repent, they can't confess that baptism is illegitimate. They need to be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Has somebody been baptized thinking they were already saved, that baptism is not legitimate? They didn't die and be raised with Christ. They thought they were already raised with Christ. Have you been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Until next time. We bid you a pleasant good day.
- [29:44]
A
Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's word alone, our authority. Every word, every step in the name of Christ. Back to the Bible for the way of life.