In the last three Q&As, we covered Paul’s first and parts of his second missionary journeys. We discussed his experiences in Athens where most rejected his teachings. He then departed from there and went to Corinth. He arrived there about 50 AD.
Corinth was an extremely evil city, filled with temple prostitutes who “served” during the day in the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of “love,” and would come down in the evening for their sexual activities. Some of those problems of the Corinthians were carried into the church which Paul would establish (see 1 Corinthians 5:1-2), and Paul later wrote two letters to the Corinthian church, while he was in Ephesus, correcting illicit behavior. He also pointed out that some of the brethren had been fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals and sodomites, but upon baptism, they had been washed, sanctified and justified (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
While in Corinth, he found a Jewish couple with the names of Aquila and Priscilla, who had fled from Italy because of Emperor Claudius who had compelled all Jews to depart from Rome (Acts 18:2). Verse 3 says: “So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.” Actually, the meaning is that he was a “leather-worker.” Some have claimed that this passage shows that a minister must not draw a salary. This is false. Note what it says, for example, in 2 Corinthians 11:7-9:
“Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.”
Paul did not draw a “salary” or take the tithe or wages from the Corinthians because, as commentaries have stated, some in Corinth still viewed him somewhat with suspicion.
Soon, Silas and Timothy joined him. Paul reasoned every Sabbath with Jews and Greeks, and persuaded them that Jesus was the Messiah. When the Jews rejected him and blasphemed, Paul announced: “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6).
This did not make the Jews very happy, but Christ comforted Paul in the night by a vision: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city” (verses 9-10). And so, Paul remained in Corinth for 1 year and 6 months, teaching the word of God (verse 11), but hostile and envious Jews tried to instigate another uproar against Paul, but failed, because Roman proconsul Gallio refused to hear their accusations.
Gallio was known as a kind man, as testified by his brother Seneca, and he was an impartial Roman officer. Also, Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, is mentioned who was severely mistreated by the Jews (verse 17). He is later referred to in 1 Corinthians 1:1 as “our brother.”
Paul still remained “a good while” in Corinth (verse 18), until he left with Aquila and Priscilla for Cenchrea. We read that “he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow” (verse 18). Many commentaries feel that this was a Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:1-21). During the time of the vow, no wine or other drinks made from wine could be consumed, and no grapes were to be eaten. Also, the hair was not to be cut during this time, and no dead person was to be touched. Samson was under a Nazarite vow, but he violated his vow on numerous occasions. Presumably, Elijah and John the Baptist were under the vow as well. Jesus was not, as He drank wine and touched dead people! At the end of the vow, the head was shorn. Today, the Nazarite vow has no more meaning for true Christians.
There are good reasons to deny that this was a Nazarite vow. At the end of the vow, offerings would be given at the Temple, but Paul and his companions were not any where near the Temple in Jerusalem (compare Acts 21:23-26). Also, it is not clear who took the vow. Even though many feel that Paul made this vow, others claim that it was actually Aquila who took the vow, as the passage in verse 18 reads, in full: “So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.” It is claimed that the reference to “he” who had cut off his hair and who had taken a vow does not refer to Paul, but to Aquila.
Paul departed from Cenchrea and came to Ephesus where he stayed for a short while and reasoned with the Jews. He then decided to leave Ephesus for Jerusalem, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing” (verse 21). This could be a reference to the Feast of Tabernacles. In any event, it is clear that Paul did not only continue to keep the weekly Sabbath, but also God’s annual Holy Days.
Verse 22 concludes Paul’s second journey. We read, after he had left Ephesus: “And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.” Antioch, as we recall, was the city where his second journey started. Commentaries tell us that Paul travelled about 3,085 miles on his second journey, 1,800 miles of which were travelled by land, and that this second journey took place from AD 49 to AD 52.
His third journey began in Acts 18:23, where we read:
“After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.”
The account about Paul continues in Acts 19:1 where Paul is described as being again in Ephesus, where he stayed for nearly 3 years. Ephesus has been named the city of criminals, where the temple of Diana and the area around the temple granted them the right of asylum [not unlike today’s “sanctuary cities” in the USA]. Ephesus was also the city of superstition, charms and spells. People would buy those magic parchments which they wore as amulets. [Not unlike today].
The temple of Diana, also known as the temple of Artemis, was one of the “seven wonders” of the ancient world. Diana or Artemis, daughter of Zeus (Jupiter in Roman), was the “virgin goddess of the hunt.” One of her main symbols included the moon.
In Acts 19:1-7, an interesting episode is described:
“… Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples, he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.”
Unbelievable as it may seem to us today, these followers of God did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. They had only been baptized “into John’s baptism,” who had baptized for repentance. But John had said that after him, another would come (Jesus Christ) who would baptize “with the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 3:11). When the disciples who were met by Paul heard this, they were baptized in the name of Jesus. Note, they were not baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as referred to in Matthew 28:19. It is obvious that the wording in this passage is not a “magical formula,” which must be repeated at baptism. Nowhere in the Bible do we find that people were baptized in this triune name. In addition, there is great suspicion that the passage in Matthew 28:19 regarding baptism was later added by the Catholic church to support the wrong teaching of the Trinity.
Note, too, that Paul laid hands on the disciples, and THEN the Holy Spirit was given. A baptism even by ordained ministers of God without the laying on of hands is incomplete. Upon the receipt of the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues; that is, in foreign languages (compare Acts 2:6-11). There are only three recorded events when, upon receipt of the Holy Spirit, people spoke in “tongues” to confirm that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed on them in unusual ways (note again Acts 2 and Acts 19; also note Acts 10: 44-48).
Acts 19:8-12 continues the narrative as follows:
“And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.”
We should take note of several things here. First, Paul spoke about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3; 14:22; 28:23)—that is, the government of God and also the Family of God. God is a ruling Family (consisting of the Father and the Son), in which we can be born. As correctly baptized disciples, we are BEGOTTEN children of God, but when Christ returns, we will be changed to immortality–BORN children of God, ruling with and under Christ in the Kingdom of God which will be established here on earth. We will be God beings as God is God, equal with the glorified Jesus Christ, but always under the Father and Christ in authority.
We also note that Christianity is described as “the Way.” This is not only a theoretical understanding of doctrines, but it is a practical Way of Life which must be lived (see Acts 9:2; 18:26; 19:23; 24:14).
We find that when unbelieving, hardened and evil-speaking people opposed the Way before the multitudes, Paul departed and withdrew the disciples. Sometimes, it is necessary to just withdraw from an evil environment rather than staying there and perhaps thinking one can have a positive impact on those who oppose and blaspheme God.
Finally, we read that God healed people when they received aprons or handkerchiefs upon which Paul had placed his hands (“unusual miracles by the hands of Paul”). Based on this and other passages (compare Matthew 9:20-22; 14:34-36), the Church of God sends an anointed cloth to a sick individual if a minister cannot visit him or her personally. Please note that when the people received the aprons from Paul, they were healed from their physical afflictions AND from evil spirits which had plagued or even possessed them. The next biblical passage shows a shocking contrast to what Paul had done.
Continuing with Acts 19:13-20:
“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
This passage makes clear that anyone not authorized by God to cast out demons had better not try it. Apart from the fact that it is useless, it can severely backfire. Christ spoke of people who would claim that they had cast out demons in Christ’s name, but Christ will answer them that He had never known them, and to depart from Him as they had practiced lawlessness or the transgression of God’s Law (Matthew 7:22). To just use Christ’s name as a “magical formula” is not a method honored by God.
It is also interesting to note that many who had practiced magic did not only cease from doing so, but that they burned their expensive magical books [their value is estimated as 50,000 silver coins] which instructed them in the practice of magic, so they would not be tempted again to return to this occult and demonic practice.
(To be continued)
Lead Writer: Norbert Link