From Corinth to Ephesus
TRANSLATION
(12) While Gallio served as proconsul of Achaia, the Jews mounted a united attack against Paul and brought him to the seat of judgment. (13) They charged, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” (14) Just as Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio told the Jews, “If you Jews were making a complaint about a misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. (15) But since this involves questions about words and names and your own law, deal with it yourselves. I refuse to serve as a judge about such matters.” (16) He then had them driven from the seat of judgment. (17) Then the crowd seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal, but Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
(18) After this Paul stayed a good while longer in Corinth and then took his leave of the fellowship of believers and sailed for Syria along with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae, he had his hair cut off, for he had taken a vow. (19) When they came to Ephesus, he left them there. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. (20) When they asked him to stay a while longer, he declined (21) but promised as he left, “I will return again to you if it is God’s will.” He then set sail from Ephesus. (22) When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church. Next, he went down to Antioch. (23) After spending some time there, he left them and traveled through the regions of Galatia, and Phrygia strengthening all the disciples.
(24) Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an educated man and knew the Scriptures thoroughly. (25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately although he knew only about the baptism of John. (26) He began to speak 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. (27) When he desired to cross to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed. (28) He vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, demonstrating from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.
OBSERVATIONS
Several important events were chronicled in these verses. First, Gallio, the Corinthian proconsul, refused to consider the Jews’ case against Paul. Although he was released from all charges, Paul sensed that the time was approaching for him to return to Syria. After a long and successful ministry in Corinth, he took his leave and, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila, headed first to Ephesus where he left the couple to continue ministering while he made his way back to Antioch to revisit the churches he had helped to plant in that area.
Luke noted that after Paul had left, a gifted speaker named Apollos came to Ephesus from Alexandria. While he had already become a Jesus follower, his knowledge of the faith was somewhat limited and needed to be deepened. This task Priscilla and Aquila effectively undertook, preparing him for further ministry in Achaia. Repetitions in this segment included the names of “Paul” (vss. 14 & 18), “Gallio” (vss. 14 & 17), “Jew(s)” (vss. 14, 19, 24, & 28), “Priscilla and Aquila” (vss. 18 & 26), “Ephesus” (vss. 19, 21, & 24), “the disciples” (vss. 23 & 27), and “Jesus” (vss. 25 & 28).
OUTLINE
I. The Jews’ attempts to prosecute Paul failed when Gallio, the proconsul, refused to hear their case. (15-17)
II. Paul, after departing with Priscilla and Aquila for Ephesus, left them to minister there, and, after promising to return, he continued to Antioch. (18-23)
III. When Apollos arrived in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila deepened his understanding of the faith for a more effective ministry throughout Achaia. (24-28)
IDEA STATEMENT
After Paul left Corinth and Ephesus, God provided each church with gifted believers to carry on the ministry in his absence.
APPLICATION
In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul devoted three chapters to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (12-14). One verse provides us with a summary of his teaching: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7). In other words, every member of the Body of Christ has been given at least one spiritual gift to be used for edifying all the others. This principle is on display in today’s segment. In Paul we observe the gift of apostleship, his unique ability to proclaim the Gospel cross-culturally and plant new churches where no one had gone before. However, remaining in one area for more than a few months to pastor those churches was not part of his giftedness. Others in Corinth, called “the brothers” (vs. 18), would carry on the crucial ministry of shepherding the flock once Paul had left for other destinations.
Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who were also tentmakers, between them possessed another set of gifts which probably included discernment, exhortation, hospitality, teaching, and showing mercy. Not only had they rendered invaluable assistance to Paul while he was in Corinth, they proved their worth in Ephesus, particularly in their ministry to Apollos who needed the kind of training they were able to offer him. Then, in Apollos, we discover another array of gifts which enabled him to “powerfully refute” those who opposed the Gospel as well as effectively demonstrate from the Scriptures that Jesus was the promised Messiah. When the members of a local body of believers are effectively exercising their gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit, the church will inevitably grow and have a significant impact on the entire region.