In Acts 18–20, Paul concluded his second missionary journey in Corinth where he met Priscilla and Aquila and stayed 1.5 years. Due to the ongoing opposition of the Jews, Paul pivoted and turned to preaching to Gentiles exclusively. “Some time” later, (18:23) he set out on his third and final journey spending 2 years in Ephesus. There he did “extraordinary miracles” (19:11) and confronted idol worship. Even though the townspeople rioted against “the Way” (19:23), the number of believers increased (19:20). Paul then continued throughout Macedonia and Greece to encourage the believers there (20:2). This section ends with his farewell address to the Ephesian elders (20:18–35) and a tearful goodbye (20:36–38).
Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos
Paul met some fellow tentmakers in Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila (her name is listed first in four of the six mentions of this couple in the New Testament1) had fled Rome when all Jews were ordered to leave (18:2). Paul made tents with them during the week and preached on the Sabbath (18:3–4). After about a year and a half, they traveled together to Ephesus (18:18) where Paul left them to care for the congregation that met in their home (1 Cor 16:19). While there, they met Apollos (18:24).
When Priscilla and Aquila heard [Apollos], they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. (18:26–28)
In what areas might you need to humbly receive instruction? If you are a woman, when has God used you to explain the way of God to a man?
Opposition
Paul’s usual method was to go to synagogues first to preach to his fellow Jews. But they continued to reject Jesus.
But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (18:6)
According to commentator, Dr. Thomas Constable, “Shaking out one’s ‘garments,’ so that no dust from the place remained on them, symbolized the same thing as shaking the dust from one’s sandals (13:51), namely, rejection.”2 Commentator, David Guzik adds, “This was a dramatic way of expressing his rejection of their rejection.”3
As Paul turned his attention to a Gentile audience, the Lord reassured Paul:
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (18:9–10)
“So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God” (18:11). When “the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment” (18:12), the proconsul, Gallio, refused to hear their complaints and dismissed them (18:13–16).
In Ephesus, “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus” (Acts 19:8-9).
When Paul’s message and the increase of believers threatened the economy of Ephesus, a great disturbance arose and “the whole city was in an uproar. … Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him” (19:29–30). Hours later, the crowd was dispersed by the city clerk.
When has God assured you of his protection while you obeyed him?
Salvation
Paul and the other disciples continued “testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah” (18:5), “teaching them the word of God” (18:11; 19:10), “proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah” (18:28), “arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God” (19:8), and “testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (20:24) so that people would “believe” (18:8, 27; 19:2, 18) and “turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (20:21).
Which of these phrases for sharing the gospel can you utilize?
Discipleship
While Paul continued to testify about Jesus to all people, he also devoted much attention specifically to the believers:
After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. (18:23)
When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece (20:1–2)
How might you strengthen and encourage other Christians?
Miracles
God enabled Paul to do miracles in Jesus’s name—healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead.
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. (19:11–12)
One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” (19:15)
When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” (20:9-10)
Tara-Leigh Cobble explains, “The name of Jesus is not a magic spell or an abracadabra. The name of Jesus is the entirety of the person of Jesus Christ—His will, personality, and power.4 177
Do you trust in Jesus’s name or in Jesus himself? Explain.
Unity
We are introduced to some of Paul’s companions and fellow disciples:
He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. (20:4)
Note in particular that Aristarchus refers to the aristocracy and Secundus is a common slave name.5 Imagine these two traveling together! What a picture of the unity Jesus brings to the church. 183
When have you experienced this kind of unity?
Talk Too Much?
Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. (20:7–8)
Paul knew he was leaving soon and wanted to take advantage of every moment he had left with the believers at Ephesus. This, however, doesn’t mean long sermons are the best method of communication.
What do you find to be the most effective way to hear and absorb spiritual truth?
Paul’s Farewell
Just before his departure for Jerusalem, Paul addressed the Ephesian Elders (Acts 20). This personal message reads much like one of the future letters he would write from prison:
HIS WORK/LIFESTYLE
18 You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day.
19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
HIS MESSAGE
21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
HIS INTEGRITY
33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
HIS FUTURE
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
HIS WARNING
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
HIS BENEDICTION
32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Which of Paul’s statements challenges you the most? Why?
Healthy Goodbye
After two years in Ephesus, Paul left. From his example, we see how hard it is to say goodbye to people we love, especially those we know we may never see again due to their path of following Christ.
"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again." ... When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. (20:25, 36–38) After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. (21:1)
How does Paul’s example of his goodbye encourage you in your own farewells?
Conclusion
I leave you with much the same encouragement as in previous weeks:
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. (18:8) In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (19:20)
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I love how Paul bonded with the believers in Corinth and in Ephesus. I appreciate his commitment to strengthening and building them up. I have come back again and again to his example of saying goodbye. Priscilla’s example of instructing Apollos has empowered me. Apollos’ example of humble instruction challenges me. The unity on Paul’s team reminds me to accept others that you have accepted. May we heed the warning of Paul and serve you with his same integrity and devotion.
- https://margmowczko.com/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/ ↩︎
- https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/html/acts/acts.htm#3-the-ministry-in-achaia-17161817 ↩︎
- https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/acts-18/ ↩︎
- Tara-Leigh Cobble, ACTS, 177. ↩︎
- Cobble, 183. ↩︎
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