And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
inland country - "There were two routes from Pisidian Antioch to Ephesus. The more usual one, after leading sixty miles south-west, joined the great thoroughfare from the East at Apamea, and so passed down the valley of the Lycus by way of Colossae and Laodicea. The other road was more direct and, avoiding Apamea, passed over higher ground, following the river Cayster, to Ephesus—the whole distance being about 200 miles. In warm weather, the higher altitude would be preferable, though it was more toilsome for ordinary traffic. It is, clearly, to this road along 'the higher-lying parts' that reference is here made." (Walker)
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus - "The Authorized renderings of both Paul's question and their answer are misleading. The word 'since' in the question is as incorrect as the 'after' in Eph 1:13, for Paul's question was whether they had received the Holy Spirit. They could not have questioned this, for the Old Testament Scriptures contain many references to the Holy Spirit, and John's baptism itself was a preparation for the baptism with the Spirit (Matt 3:11). Furthermore Paul's question must be understood in the light of its background. It concerned their receiving the 'pouring out' of the Holy Spirit in miraculous power (Acts 2:17-18). Our Lord had distinctly stated, with regard to the promise of the Spirit: "And, behold, I send THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER UPON YOU: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with POWER FROM ON HIGH (Lk 24:49). "But YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU" (Acts 1:8) ... This must not be confused with the Spirit's operation in regeneration, much less with His present work in sealing believers (Eph 1:13) baptizing them into Christ and His Body (Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 12:13) and indwelling them as His temple (Eph 2:22). Indeed, at Pentecost it was Christ who baptized men in the Spirit while today it is the Spirit who baptizes men into Christ (Matt 3:11 cf. Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 12:13). Finding that these disciples had not received the Spirit (in miraculous power) the apostle asked: 'Unto what then were ye baptized?' to which they replied: 'Unto John's baptism' (Ver 3). This, of course, explained why they had not received the Spirit, for had they been baptized with Peter's baptism at Pentecost they would have received 'the gift of the Holy Ghost' (Acts 2:38)." (Stam)
became stubborn - "A verb specially used of the Jews, and chiefly in respect of their refusal to hear and obey God's voice (Rom 9:18; Heb 3:8, 13, 15; 4:7). The tense is imperfect; the process of hardening went on continually. If our hearts do not accept God's truth, they grow more and more persistent in their opposition to it." (Walker)
continued in unbelief - "Also a verb in the imperfect tense. It combines the ideals of unbelief and disobedience. In the Greek, there is a reference to the word 'persuaded'. They would not be persuaded, but continued un-persuaded and disobedient." (Walker)
hall of Tyrannus - "(i.e., lecture hall) owned by Tyrannus was probably used by him to teach students of rhetoric. He also made it available to traveling philosophers or teachers." (Ryrie)
"The word 'school' (scholee), from which our English equivalent is derived, occurs only here in the New Testament. It denotes 'a lecture hall', and Tyrannus was, most likely, a Greek philosophical teacher from whom the apostle hired the room. His lecture room was probably in one of the 'gymnasia', or places for public resort and recreation which existed in places like Ephesus. Some are of the opinion that he may have been a convert or inquirer like Titus Justus (Acts 18:7)." (Walker)
"Convinced that his ministry in these surroundings had now been brought to an end, and desiring to transfer those who had believed to a more edifying environment, the apostle 'departed' from the synagogue and 'separated the disciples' from the unbelieving Jews, taking up a daily ministry in 'the school of one Tyrannus' (Ver 9). The school of Tyrannus became to the Ephesian synagogue what the house of Justus had been to the Corinthian synagogue: a public condemnation of Israel's rejection of Christ." (Stam)
continued for two years - "He alludes to this prolonged and special opportunity in 1 Cor 16:9. This period excludes the 'three months' of v. 8. According to Jewish reckoning, any space of time over two years and up to three would be called 'three years', and hence the statement of 20:31. It was Paul's longest stay in any missionary centre." (Walker)
inland country - "There were two routes from Pisidian Antioch to Ephesus. The more usual one, after leading sixty miles south-west, joined the great thoroughfare from the East at Apamea, and so passed down the valley of the Lycus by way of Colossae and Laodicea. The other road was more direct and, avoiding Apamea, passed over higher ground, following the river Cayster, to Ephesus—the whole distance being about 200 miles. In warm weather, the higher altitude would be preferable, though it was more toilsome for ordinary traffic. It is, clearly, to this road along 'the higher-lying parts' that reference is here made." (Walker)
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus - "The Authorized renderings of both Paul's question and their answer are misleading. The word 'since' in the question is as incorrect as the 'after' in Eph 1:13, for Paul's question was whether they had received the Holy Spirit. They could not have questioned this, for the Old Testament Scriptures contain many references to the Holy Spirit, and John's baptism itself was a preparation for the baptism with the Spirit (Matt 3:11). Furthermore Paul's question must be understood in the light of its background. It concerned their receiving the 'pouring out' of the Holy Spirit in miraculous power (Acts 2:17-18). Our Lord had distinctly stated, with regard to the promise of the Spirit: "And, behold, I send THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER UPON YOU: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with POWER FROM ON HIGH (Lk 24:49). "But YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU" (Acts 1:8) ... This must not be confused with the Spirit's operation in regeneration, much less with His present work in sealing believers (Eph 1:13) baptizing them into Christ and His Body (Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 12:13) and indwelling them as His temple (Eph 2:22). Indeed, at Pentecost it was Christ who baptized men in the Spirit while today it is the Spirit who baptizes men into Christ (Matt 3:11 cf. Rom 6:3; 1 Cor 12:13). Finding that these disciples had not received the Spirit (in miraculous power) the apostle asked: 'Unto what then were ye baptized?' to which they replied: 'Unto John's baptism' (Ver 3). This, of course, explained why they had not received the Spirit, for had they been baptized with Peter's baptism at Pentecost they would have received 'the gift of the Holy Ghost' (Acts 2:38)." (Stam)
became stubborn - "A verb specially used of the Jews, and chiefly in respect of their refusal to hear and obey God's voice (Rom 9:18; Heb 3:8, 13, 15; 4:7). The tense is imperfect; the process of hardening went on continually. If our hearts do not accept God's truth, they grow more and more persistent in their opposition to it." (Walker)
continued in unbelief - "Also a verb in the imperfect tense. It combines the ideals of unbelief and disobedience. In the Greek, there is a reference to the word 'persuaded'. They would not be persuaded, but continued un-persuaded and disobedient." (Walker)
hall of Tyrannus - "(i.e., lecture hall) owned by Tyrannus was probably used by him to teach students of rhetoric. He also made it available to traveling philosophers or teachers." (Ryrie)
"The word 'school' (scholee), from which our English equivalent is derived, occurs only here in the New Testament. It denotes 'a lecture hall', and Tyrannus was, most likely, a Greek philosophical teacher from whom the apostle hired the room. His lecture room was probably in one of the 'gymnasia', or places for public resort and recreation which existed in places like Ephesus. Some are of the opinion that he may have been a convert or inquirer like Titus Justus (Acts 18:7)." (Walker)
"Convinced that his ministry in these surroundings had now been brought to an end, and desiring to transfer those who had believed to a more edifying environment, the apostle 'departed' from the synagogue and 'separated the disciples' from the unbelieving Jews, taking up a daily ministry in 'the school of one Tyrannus' (Ver 9). The school of Tyrannus became to the Ephesian synagogue what the house of Justus had been to the Corinthian synagogue: a public condemnation of Israel's rejection of Christ." (Stam)
continued for two years - "He alludes to this prolonged and special opportunity in 1 Cor 16:9. This period excludes the 'three months' of v. 8. According to Jewish reckoning, any space of time over two years and up to three would be called 'three years', and hence the statement of 20:31. It was Paul's longest stay in any missionary centre." (Walker)
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