In spite of the numerous maps, etc. it’s important for us to focus on the message that Luke has taken such pains to record in Acts. It’s God’s Word, not just as history, but as a lesson for today’s church, not as an institution, but as the Body of Christ, in which all of us are part. You can read the Book of Acts many times, and not get the full value of it. Hopefully, the additional information adds to your understanding the full measure of God's Word presented in Acts.
Chapter 19 opens with Paul taking the land route from Antioch Syria to Ephesus (map)—staying 3 yrs., speaking publicly and even house-to-house. In v.1-4 Paul explains the difference between John the Baptist’s baptism and that of the Holy Spirit, by whom we are born again as Jesus explained in John 3:3-7.
Why did Jesus have to be baptized by John? If Jesus was perfect (He was), and John was baptizing with water for repentance (Matthew 3:11), then why was Jesus baptized? He didn’t have anything to repent of! Yet, in Matthew 3:15, Jesus says to John, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” As the Second Adam, Jesus fulfilled perfectly what we are incapable of fulfilling, and in doing so, atoning for our sins.
Anyone reading Paul’s letter to the Ephesians will quickly get a feel for how important this church was in the broader scheme of things. Ephesus was an important trade route within the Roman Empire. Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit, picked strategic cities along major routes for preaching the word and establishing churches. My goal is to walk with Paul on his journey, and not just read about it.
This is what Paul of Tarsus would have encountered upon his arrival in Ephesus, as it appeared in his day. He stayed in Ephesus from about 53 to 56 AD. Don’t just read about Paul’s travels in Acts. Walk with him through this city and throughout the region. Ephesus was the Roman capital of the province of Asia, as such an important city.
Over time, Ephesus and the region continued to grow in importance. In 330 AD, Roman Emperor Constantine moved the Roman Capitol from the City of Rome, to this region, establishing the City of Constantinople (gold star), which then became the Eastern Roman Empire, aka Byzantine Empire, that fell to Islam (Ottoman Turks), what is now Istanbul, Turkey. Certainly a lesson for today's church. Pray for the church in America, that it too doesn't disappear as did the churches in Acts, including Ephesus and across the region.
Some of the challenges Paul faced in Ephesus. A principal place of worship was the Temple of Artemis (Greek)/Diana (Roman). One of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Largest Greek temple every constructed; 418’ x 239’ – 4 times larger than the Parthenon in Athens (next slide). Yet, Paul was preaching Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, which most likely was met with resentment and resistance by the city’s worshipers of Artemis. Without the Holy Spirit, no one would be saved.
A reminder of what the Parthenon looked like then and what it looks like now.
My goal is to set the stage to provide insight into what Paul encountered in Ephesus. These are the gods people worshiped—a mix of Greek (West) & Asian (East) cultures. Diana, shown here, aka Artemis—worshiped in Ephesus, a Greek deity, also goddess of the hunt (next slide) worshiped in parts of Greece and Rome. These are the challengers Paul faced, convincing them that they worshiped these false gods in vain.
Temple in Ephesus contained 127 marble columns, each 62’ tall. What must Paul have thought when he stood in front of it? This shows the Roman goddess of Artemis. Obviously these people were serious about their religion and were not about to surrender it to a foreign religion boldly professed by a Jew. Which raises the question, are we saved by reason alone or by inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps a future study on predestination and election.
V.7 states 12 men, as was the custom, but no mention of women which doesn’t mean there weren’t any present. I think it’s safe to presume there were women as well. Why don’t we speak in tongues and prophesy today? The infant church had enormous odds against it, as we see in the pagan temples of worship as symbols of their gods. The Holy Spirit manifested Himself visibly to reinforce and uplift those early Christians. If we had such "signs" today, the focus would be on the “signs and wonders” and not Jesus, Himself as our Lord and Savior.
Again, the maps are to help paint a picture of Paul’s travels and mission field, to help us better visualize the message, as though we were alongside of Paul and not just reading about him. Map shows the relationship between Corinth (chapter 18) and Ephesus (chapter 19). Anytime we read the Word prayerfully, the Holy Spirit is with us, just as He was with Paul and those early Christians.
In Ephesus, Paul left the synagogue and went to the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus, v.19 (shown in image). Intellectually, they met their match in Paul who preached Jesus as Lord and Savior for two years—most likely, turning Ephesus upside down per v.10. His message had to appeal to both Jew (O.T. prophesies) and Gentile (perhaps Genesis, recount of creation and fall of Adam).
Messianic Prophecy! Why is this important? Because the Bible/O.T. tells us of the fall of man, and the promised Messiah fulfilled in Christ Jesus who atoned for our sin. A message for both Jew and Gentile.
We can be certain it was part of Paul’s message at Tyrannus, regarding who Jesus was and His fulfillment of those Messianic Prophecies, equally important for pagan converts as it was for the Jews. These Greeks were intellectuals and even the O.T. scriptures would be of relevance to them as potential evidence of who Christ was. A message that is as relevant and important today as it was then.
We will look at few of those verses that Paul may have used in his discussions; with the corresponding N.T. fulfillment, which the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul perhaps even before they were recorded in the Gospels.
A few of the prophesies fulfilled by Jesus: Born of a Virgin—perhaps a message that could resonant with the worshipers of Artemis. Other verses note the linage of Jesus from Abraham to David. This may have been Paul’s arguments showing Jesus’ specific fulfillment of the O.T. prophesies, something intellectual Greeks could relate to. The O.T. verses are the prophecies. The N.T. verses show how Jesus fulfilled them. Continued on next slide.
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Next week we will continue Chapter 19. Too much for a single posting. Stay tuned to continue our journey with the Apostle Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit. God bless each of you as we make this journey with Paul.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the minds and hearts of those in Congress and this Presidential Administration, that without God, they are placing our nation on a dark path to destruction. Miracles are possible with God. Pray for our Nation, our church, our pastor, and his family.
The End
of Acts of the Apostles
Part 1 of Chapter 19
to be continued next week
