"THE BOOK OF ACTS"
Paul's Ministry At Ephesus (19:1-41)
INTRODUCTION
1. Paul's third missionary journey began in Antioch of Syria...
a. Where he started all three journeys - Ac 13:1-3; 15:36-41
b. As with his second journey, it began by visiting churches
established on his first missionary journey - Ac 15:41; 16:1-5;
18:22-23
2. The first major stop on Paul's third journey with the city of
Ephesus...
a. Where he had briefly stopped on his second journey - Ac 18:19-20
b. Where he had promised to return, God willing - Ac 18:21
[Paul's stay at Ephesus on his third journey proved to the longest of
any recorded by Luke. It lasted about three years (52-55 A.D., ESV
Study Bible), and was a very productive ministry by Paul...]
I. PAUL'S MINISTRY AS RECORDED BY LUKE
A. CONVERTING TWELVE DISCIPLES...
1. Who needed to be baptized again (see previous lesson) - Ac 19:1-5
2. Who received the Spirit, spoke in tongues and prophesied, after
Paul laid his hands on them - Ac 19:6-7
B. TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUE...
1. As was Paul's custom when allowed - Ac 17:2; 18:4
2. This Paul did at Ephesus for three months - Ac 19:8
3. This was longer than at other places - cf. Ac 13:42-45; 14:1-2;
17:1-10,11-15; 18:4-6
C. TEACHING IN THE SCHOOL OF TYRANNUS...
1. As happened elsewhere, Paul was forced to leave the synagogue
- Ac 19:9; cf. Ac 18:4-6
2. He then taught in the school of Tyrannus for two years - Ac 19:9-10; cf. Ac 18:7
3. During this time, all in Asia (western Turkey) heard the word of
the Lord - Ac 19:10
4. Probably through the aid of men like Epaphras - Col 1:7; 4:12-13
D. WORKING UNUSUAL MIRACLES...
1. Involving handkerchiefs or aprons from his body to heal others
- Ac 19:11-12
2. Prompting Jewish exorcists to try and use Jesus' and Paul's
names - Ac 19:13-16
3. The evident contrast between true and false miracle workers led
many to believe - Ac 19:17
4. Those who believed were willing to confess and repent at great
cost - Ac 19:18-19
5. Thus the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed - Ac 19:20
E. THE RIOT AT EPHESUS...
1. Toward the end of his ministry, as Paul began making plans to
leave - Ac 19:21-22
a. Purposing in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia
- cf. Ac 20:1-5
b. Then returning to Jerusalem, followed by a trip to Rome - cf.
Ac 20:5-21:17; 27:1-28:16
c. In preparation for his departure, he sent Timothy and Erastus
to Macedonia - Ac 19:22
2. The Diana incident - Ac 19:23-41
a. A great commotion, brought on by Demetrius and other
silversmiths - Ac 19:23-28
b. In which a mob takes two of Paul's companions, Gaius and
Aristarchus - Ac 19:29
c. Paul was restrained by officials from Asia from addressing
the mob - Ac 19:30-31
d. The Jews put forth Alexander, which further enraged the mob
- Ac 19:32-34
e. The riot was barely controlled by the city clerk, who
exonerated Paul's companions - Ac 19:35-41
[Paul soon left Ephesus and went on to Macedonia as planned (Ac 20:1).
Luke's account of Paul's ministry in Ephesus records great success (Ac
19:10,20). But we can glean even more about his time in Ephesus from
other New Testament sources...]
II. PAUL'S MINISTRY AS INDICATED ELSEWHERE
A. A QUICK TRIP TO CORINTH...
1. Paul made a short visit to Corinth, his second - cf. 2Co 12:14;
13:1
2. His first visit was during the second journey - Ac 18:1
3. His third visit was later on the third journey - Ac 20:1-3
4. The book of Acts is silent about this second visit, but most
place it sometime during his stay at Ephesus
B. EPISTLES TO CORINTH...
1. A letter to the Corinthians (now lost), only alluded to - 1Co 5:9
2. Another letter what we now know as First Corinthians - 1Co 16:5-8,19
C. EMISSARIES TO CORINTH...
1. Timothy
a. Sent from Ephesus to Macedonia - Ac 19:22
b. Who would arrive after First Corinthians - 1Co 4:17; 16:10-11
2. Titus and "a brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout
all the churches" (Luke?)
a. To encourage the Corinthians concerning the collection - 2Co 8:6,16-19
b. To bring Paul word as to how the Corinthians received the
first letter? - 2Co 12:17-18
c. Whose delayed return would later give Paul concern - 2Co 2:12-13
d. But who would eventually bring Paul good news - 2Co 7:5-7,
13-16
D. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT PAUL'S STAY IN EPHESUS...
1. Sosthenes was there, joining Paul in writing to the Corinthians
- 1Co 1:1
2. Paul had been visited by Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus
- 1Co 16:17
3. Aquila and Priscilla hosted the church in their house - 1Co 16:19
4. Paul's sufferings while at Ephesus - Ac 20:17-19; 1Co 15:30-32;
2Co 1:8-11
5. Paul's preaching while at Ephesus - Ac 20:21-21,25-27,31
6. Paul's manual labor while at Ephesus - Ac 20:33-35; 1Co 4:11,12
CONCLUSION
1. Harmonizing Luke's account with what is written elsewhere, we learn
that...
a. The gospel spread throughout Asia (SW Turkey) - Ac 19:10,20
b. Paul's three years in Ephesus was very productive - Ac 20:17-21,31
c. His influence spread even further through epistles and emissaries
2. Reflecting on Paul's ministry in Ephesus, we glean many things,
including...
a. The importance of scriptural baptism - Ac 19:1-7
b. The power of the gospel to transform lives - Ac 19:18-20
c. The resistance of many who put money and tradition above the will
of God - Ac 19:23-34
May Paul's example of faithful ministry in Ephesus encourage and inspire
us to be faithful in our own service to the Lord...!
