After the riot (Acts 19:23-41), Paul resolved to leave Ephesus. But he took an extended detour through Macedonia and Achaia instead of going straight to Jerusalem (Acts 20:1-3). On this journey, representatives of some Gentile churches were with him (Acts 20:4). Read Acts 20:7-12. What’s wrong with the common argument that these verses help prove the Sabbath was changed … Continue reading –>
In Ephesus, Paul followed his practice of preaching in the synagogue first. When opposition arose, he and the new believers moved to the lecture hall of a certain Tyrannus, where Paul preached daily for two years (Acts 19:8-10). Luke’s summary of Paul’s Ephesian ministry is that the entire province was intensely evangelized (Acts 19:10, Acts 19:26). In Acts 19:11-20, … Continue reading –>
Acts 18:24-28 records that while Paul was still on his way to Ephesus, a Jewish believer named Apollos came to that city. He was an eloquent man and well-versed in the Scriptures. That Apollos was a follower of Jesus is clear from the way Luke describes him: “he had been instructed in the way of the … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 18:24-28; Acts 19; Acts 20:7-12, Acts 20:15-27; 2 Cor. 4:8-14; Acts 21:1-15. Memory Text: “I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24, NRSV). Luke’s account … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “Those who today teach unpopular truths need not be discouraged if at times they meet with no more favorable reception, even from those who claim to be Christians, than did Paul and his fellow workers from the people among whom they labored. The messengers of the cross must arm themselves with watchfulness and prayer, … Continue reading –>
Acts 18:1-11 recounts Paul’s experience in Corinth, where he would stay for one and a half years. Aquila and Priscilla would become Paul’s lifelong friends (Rom. 16:3, 2 Tim. 4:19). The account implies they were already Christians when they came to Corinth, probably because of the deportation of Jews from Rome by the Emperor Claudius. Roman historian Suetonius … Continue reading –>
Athens, the intellectual center of ancient Greece, was literally given to idols. Marble statues of persons and gods were found everywhere, especially at the entrance of the agora (public square), which was the hub of urban life. Paul was so distressed about such dominant idolatry that he changed his usual practice of going first to … Continue reading –>
When Paul and Silas were released from prison, the missionaries departed from Philippi (Acts 16:35-40). From Philippi, Paul and his companions went straight to Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia. Read Acts 17:1-9. How did the Thessalonian Jews react to Paul’s successful preaching among the Gentiles? Once again we see Paul looking for the synagogue where he … Continue reading –>
Once in Macedonia, Paul and his companions traveled to Philippi, where they established the first Christian congregation in Europe. Read Acts 16:11-24. Where did the missionaries go on Sabbath and why? What ultimately happened to them there? Whenever Paul arrived in a city, his practice was to visit the local synagogue on Sabbath in order to … Continue reading –>
Luke’s selective choice of events brings Paul almost straight to Derbe and Lystra. About Syria and Cilicia, the only thing he says is that Paul went through those regions confirming the churches (Acts 15:41). Read Acts 16:1-13. What does Paul’s action here teach us about how sensitive he was in seeking to reach others? Though Timothy’s father … Continue reading –>
