Assignment for 7.19 to 7.25, Acts 18: 18-28

[Irving]

Assignment 7.19 to 7.25.09
ACTS , 18:18- 28


PREFACE: Verse 18:18 is near the end of Paul’s second missionary
journey, on which he was accompanied by Silas and later, Luke and
Timothy. Now he leaves Corinth, after a stay of 1 1/2 years, in the
company of Priscilla and Aquilla, heading for Ephesus, where he leaves
these two companions. During a short stay in Ephesus he reasoned with
the Jews in the synagogue, despite his recent abuse by Jews in
Corinth. He declines an invitation by Jews in Ephesus to stay a while,
but promises to return if it is God’s will. Sailing from Ephesus he
lands at Caesarea, goes up to Jerusalem (altitude: 2500 feet) and
finally ends the second journey in his sponsoring congregation,
Antioch of Syria in 52 A.D., where he and Barnabas had first begun
their collaboration in 45 A.D.

People we encounter in Acts 18:18 - 28
• Priscilla and Aquilla. A Christian married couple, tent makers with
whom Paul had worked to support himself in Corinth.
• Apollos. A learned Jewish man, native of Alexandria, thoroughly
grounded in the O.T. He was a Christian, but was instructed more
deeply by Priscilla and Aquilla.
• Paul, the apostle, the greatest Christian missionary of all time.

verse 18. Paul finished his time at Corinth (1.5 years) and headed for
Syria in the company of Priscilla and Aquila, leaving Silas and
Timothy. His sponsoring congregation in Antioch was in Syria, but
his first stop was Ephesus. He cut his hair (probably shaved his head)
at Cenchrea, the port of Corinth on the Saronic Gulf. This act
normally ended a temporary Nazerite vow (see Nu.6:1-21). The grammar
of the Greek text that describes the cutting of the hair leaves some
uncertainty as to whether it was Paul or Aquila who had his hair cut,
but the consensus of scholars is that it was Paul.

verse 19. Arrival at Ephesus. Priscilla and Aquilla are to remain.
Note the order of names. The precedence of “Priscilla” indicates that
she was of higher social status , or in some other way, more prominent
than her husband. Ephesus, at this time, was the 4th largest city in
the entire Roman Empire, with a population of 225,000. Its beautiful
temple of Artemis was one of the 7 wonders of the world. Artemis was a
Greek / Roman goddess; however, in Ephesus she was understood as a
modern version of Ashtoreth, the consort of Baal, the goddess of
fertility. Her statue in Ephesus depicted her with 16 or more breasts.
Paul went to the synagogue again ( he has difficulty shedding his
commitment to evangelizing the Jews – see 18:6).

verses 20,21. He elicited the interest of the Jews, and they asked him
to stay. Paul declined but promised to return if it was God’ will. He
set sail from Ephesus.

verse 22. Paul landed at Caesarea, an Empire headquarters of Rome,
then went up to Jerusalem (the use of the adverb “up” refers to the
altitude of Jerusalem ) to visit the “mother” congregation, and
finally to Antioch, his sponsoring congregation. This ended the Second
Missionary Journey.

verse 23. After spending some time in Antioch – at least a number of
months and possibly almost a year – Paul starts his 3rd missionary
journey. We are not told whom he might have taken with him. It was an
overland trip at the start (see Map) through Galatia and Phrygia –
returning to sites of previous evangelistic efforts. First Tarsus, his
hometown, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Pisidia, and then a much
longer stop at Ephesus, where he had promised to return near the end
of his second journey.

verses 24,25,26. Now, we come to a side story to Paul’s journey. This
is the account of Apollos, a learned man, a converted Jew, who began
to speak boldly in the synagogue at Ephesus. Priscilla and Aquilla
heard him and invited him to their home. They instructed him more
fully in Christianity. This passage illustrates that it is proper for
a woman to teach an adult male, but not publicly. Priscilla and her
husband taught Apollos in their home.

Verses 27, 28. Apollos wanted to go to the region around Corinth. His
fellow Christians in Ephesus encouraged him and sent a letter of
introduction to Christians there. Apollos must have been an
extraordinarily effective preacher and a good debater. He refuted his
Jewish opponents forcefully in public, and he knew his O.T.

Study Questions for Acts 18: 18
-28

1. It is obvious that Paul struggled with apportionment of his
attention between Jews and Gentiles in his evangelistic endeavors.
How does this fact instruct Christians of any period in history as
they face the issue of apportioning evangelistic effort ?

2. Notice the importance that Paul as well as Priscilla and Aquila
placed upon thorough instruction as a necessary foundation for
effective evangelizing. How are we attending to that aspect of our
goals to be an evangelizing congregation at Peace Lutheran Church?
Do you think it is generally understood in our congregation that this
is an important objective of our Bible study program?

3. Paul always returns to the congregation that has sponsored his
missionary journeys. Can you list some of the reasons why this is
important for him and for the congregation? Do you think the reason
he did not remain longer in Ephesus, but promised to return was
related to a need he felt to make a report to his sponsoring
congregation in Antioch of Syria?

4. Notice how the missionary journeys of Paul include repeat visits
to congregations he has established on a previous visit. Why do you
suppose Paul found this necessary? Why did he not use this time to
establish new ones instead of revisiting already established
congregations?