Acts Part III
Chapter Seventeen
The Thessalonians and the Bereans
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul,as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Paul was first and foremost a soul winner as we can plainly see here, but after he would win people to Christ he would stick around and disciple those believers.
Paul, while he preached the Mystery program that was not found in scripture he would of course have to revert to the Prophesy Program to lead Jews to Christ.
4And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying,These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
Praise the Lord that some of them believed in Thessalonica and that Paul was able to continue to disciple them through his letters and return trips.
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
There were some real rascals there in Thessalonica that came over to Berea to stir up trouble with Paul. I have had people chase me all over town who have picked up my literature to destroy it but they have never followed me to the next town.
The Bereans however were more noble than the Thessalonians in that they as a whole pretty much search to see if what Paul was saying was true.
15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Notice how when Paul left the Synagogue in Athens after disputing with the Jews with the scriptures, then he began to speak to the Idol worshippers in the market place and he doesn’t use the Old Testament with them to prove his points because it was not a part of their history.
He just tells them that God is not in their graven images for he is the Creator not created, but the Jews need their proof texts to show them that indeed Jesus is very Christ.
The resurrection of Christ is what they needed to hear about in order to be saved and Paul did not neglect his duty, When is the last time you told someone about Jesus dying for them, and rising again the third day? There is still time.
Chapter Eighteen
I will go unto the Gentiles
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed,he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
Over and over again you will see Paul say the same things to the Jews in one city that he said to Jews in another city. After reasoning with them for many Sabbaths at their Synagogues that Jesus was the Christ he would literally “shake his raiment” at those that refused to accept their own prophet’s words in favor of their tradition.
The shaking of their raiment was like kicking the dirt off your sandals when someone would not listen to you. They knew exactly what Paul meant by his actions which were also accompanied with words to the effect that he was now going to the gentiles.
7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Things were about to change in Achaia as the word of God spreads Satan gets active trying to stop it so he raises up the very people that have the responsibility to spread it.
12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia,the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 Saying,This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15 But if it be a question of words and names,and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 16 And he drave them from the judgment seat. 17 Then all the Greeks tookSosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
Since it was Sosthenes that was responsible for the insurrection that day which violated Roman Law he was made an example of to the people that there would be no civil unrest in Achaia which would have gotten Gallio into trouble with Rome if he would have allowed this to get out of hand and it got reported back to Rome.
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
This was a Jewish vow that Paul took that did not violate his new-found faith in Christ but rather helped him with his own nation to prove to them that he himself still believed the scriptures.
One does not quit being Jewish because he believes in Israel’s Messiah, but rather he becomes a completed Jew.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; 21 But bade them farewell, saying,I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Here we see Paul wishing to keep one of the seven feasts of Israel. Three of which required every Jewish male to come to Jerusalem each year. These feasts Paul later learned were but shadows of things to come. Colossians 2:16-17
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
This return to Antioch where people were first called Christians ended Paul’s second missionary journey.
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
The Problems with Apollos
Can we just believe what the scripture says here, and nothing more or nothing less? I hope so, because this story, and the one that follows it is another source of great division among those who rightly divide the word of truth and it shouldn’t.
23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Anda certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed inthe way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard,they took him unto them, and expounded unto himthe way of God more perfectly.
Apollos was a disciple of John the Baptist prior to John's death, because he received John’s baptism (the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sin) which pointed to the coming King and his Kingdom that were “at hand”.
Then after Apollos had believed the gospel of the kingdom and was baptized by John he left the area to return to Ephesus prior to Jesus beginning his public ministry.
Apollos would have known that one was coming who was mightier than John who would baptize Israel with the Holy Ghost and with fire when he came.
He would have also been waiting for that with anticipation as would all of the Jews who were waiting for their King and their Kingdom to come.
Where does Apollos fit in? Was he a kingdom saint awaiting the baptism with the Holy Ghost, or would he become a part of the body of Christ.
Did Aquilla and Priscilla expound grace doctrine upon the kingdom teaching Apollos had already received? Was this Jew now to be denied his Kingdom?
Have you ever considered these things? You should take the time to look at them. They are right before your eyes in Acts 18 and chapter 19.
Once Aquilla and Priscilla explainedthe way of Godmore perfectlyto Apollos, he gladly believed Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Is the way of God, and the way of the Lord different from one another?
Apollos it was said above, knew onlythe things of the Lord, and Aquilla and Priscilla taught himthe way of God MORE PERFECTLY.
A seventh grade English student could tell you that in order to understandthe way of Godmore perfectly (completely), you first had to understand itless perfectly (completely).
It doesn’t matter what your daddy told you about this, he can be wrong from time to time but the scriptures are always right.
All Apollos needed was the missing piece of the puzzle, and that was supplied by Aquilla and Priscilla when they explained that Jesus was the one John spoke about he gladly believed Jesus as his Messiah.
Nothing is mentioned about whether Apollos was baptized in Jesus' name or whether Paul returned and laid hands of him.
The twelve Jewish disciples associated with him did have hands laid on them so that they could receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost and they began speaking in tongues.
We must ask ourselves, why wouldn’t Apollos have the exact same experience as these fellow Jewish countrymen did who were believing the same things as he did, and who were baptized with the same baptism (that of John the Baptist) of repentance for the remission of sins.
Do you ever wonder about these things, or do you just keep on reading? You should wonder, and then you should study to shew yourselves approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.
In Acts chapter nineteen we run across these twelve of Apollos' disciples (Kingdom disciples) who didn't havethe way of Godexplained unto them more perfectly like Apollos did, so Paul quickly rectified that situation as Aguila and Priscilla did.
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28 For he mightily convincedthe Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Apollos mightily convincedthe Jews(not Gentiles) publicly, by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. It does not say he preached the death, burial and resurrection, just that Jesus was the Christ.
Don’t read into this story what you want to read into it. Believe what it says, and only what it says. Let the Bible give you your doctrine not someone or some organization.
Chapter Nineteen
Have ye received the Holy Ghost?