him in the synagogue where he spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8). Here he witnessed to his Jewish brethren but they only hardened their hearts and re fused to believe. His action at this point is of interest. Luke says: “He departed from them, and separated the disciples” (verse 9). Paul refused to linger where Christ was denied. Any true servant of Christ would hesitate in fear and tremb ling before dividing a church, but light can have no communion with darkness (2 Cor. 6:14), hence the only action remaining is to come out from among those in darkness and be separ ate. Personally, I believe it quite likely that this might have been the forma tion of the local assembly at Ephesus. Many local evangelical churches that are greatly blessed of God today exist as the result of some such movement. When men are determined to oppose the teaching of God’s Word, it is use less to continue with them. The chrurch at Ephesus continued for two years in a schoolhouse (Acts 19:9, 10), of which one Tyrannus was the headmaster. Many a rural church in our own country had its beginning in a public schoolroom. God wanted Asia to hear the gospel and the matter of , a meeting place was no problem with Him. A man like Paul needs no fancy edifice in which to preach. For two years the ministry of teaching and preaching God’s Word flowed ceaseless ly to all Asia from the local school- house. Mighty spiritual movements need not emanate from great cathedrals. A Spirit-filled man may be the instru ment of revival, no matter the environ ment in which you place him. Such was Paul. The seal of God’s approval was obviously upon this zealous apostle in the notable miracles which were performed through him (Acts 19:11, 12 ). Chafer declares, “That the Epistle to the Ephesians is not addressed to un regenerate persons is clear. The full identification of the distinct and limited class to whom this message is addressed will be disclosed as the study of the Epistle proceeds. 35
supernatural experience of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Some of my readers may want to differ from me here and tell me that these “disciples” were saved but, like the Jews today, they were out of date. Indeed, the basis of their faith and baptism was not in the Redeemer who had already come and died on Calvary’s cross for the remis sion of sins and had come forth from death and the grave. Eager to help the Ephesians, Paul asked his second question: “Unto what then were ye baptized?” (Acts 19:3). They answered: “Unto John’s baptism.” Notice, he did not ask if they had been baptized. He took that for granted. The unsatisfactory answer to his first ques tion raised suspicion in his mind about their baptism. What, might have prompted his question concerning bap tism? I see an answer that is highly probable. Paul could not conceive of any one receiving true Christian bap tism, and' yet being so ignorant about the new birth. If they had received the true believer’s baptism, they should have known something about the gos pel and its power to save. Now we are not to hold these disci ples responsible for their ignorance. They were doubtless willing to learn but had been taught by Apollos who, while an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, knew only the baptism of John (Acts 18:24, 25). With all of this man’s knowledge, all of his elo quence, all of his fervency, and all of his boldness, he was sadly lacking in the truth of the finished work of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. Vine writes, “Apollos taught a pre paratory baptism unto repentance, which looked forward to the coming of the King. Christian baptism looks back to His coming and sees the ac complishments of our salvation in Christ’s virgin birth, virtuous life, vi carious death, victorious resurrection, and visible ascension to the Father’s right hand. Christian baptism is the identification of the true child of God with his Lord in death, burial, and res urrection.” Paul’s next move at Ephesus found
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