Acts 19 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Acts 19:1-7

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’

They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’

3 So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they replied.

4 Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’

5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

A. Find Out:    

1. Who was where? v.1
2. What did Paul ask and what replies was he given? v.2,3
3. How does Paul show that was inadequate? v.4
4. What then happened? v.5
5. What did Paul do and with what effect? v.6

B. Think:

1. How can we know these “disciples” were Christians?
2. How was these disciples’ experience inadequate?
3. In what two ways was that remedied?

C. Comment:

Apollos has moved onto Corinth by the time Paul gets back to Ephesus , as he had earlier promised ( 18:21 ). When he arrives he encounters a small group of Christians with a limited experience. We know they are Christians because he asked them about their experience when they “believed”. Christian believers they were but they had an inadequate experience of the Lord. They didn’t know about the Holy Spirit and Paul’s question must refer to “baptism in the Spirit”, a clear experience he expected them to have had. They had only had a water baptism that was to do with repentance.

Their “Spirit baptism” (v.5) comes about through two ways: first they are taught by Paul why their existing knowledge and experience were inadequate (v.4) and then, second, he laid hands on them and prayed for them. When those two things happened then they are filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues and prophesied, i.e. a clearly observable event. It is interesting to note that conservative commentators seeking to avoid a “double events salvation” skirt around and avoid various words in this passage. It is clear however, that these were already “disciples”, they were already “believers” but their teaching and experience were simply inadequate in the eyes of Paul. He remedies this by teaching and praying over them and they receive.

D. Application:

1. Do WE have a powerless experience of the Lord?
2. We need His filling to be released in gifts for service.

Passage: Acts 19:8-12

8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 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. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to those who were ill, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

A. Find Out:

1. How long did Paul keep going to the synagogue? v.8
2. What eventually happened? v.9a
3. So what did Paul then do? v.9b
4. How long did that continue? v.10
5. What was God doing? v.11
6. What was the extent of this anointing? v.12

B. Think:

1. What seem to be the two phases of Paul’s teaching in Ephesus ?
2. What prompted the change?
3. What are the three areas of his ministry in that place?

C. Comment:

After encountering the “limited believers” Paul goes on to follow his usual practice of going to the Jews of the town to share the Gospel. He goes to the synagogue and for three months keeps sharing from the Scriptures about Jesus. Some believe but others get hardened against it and eventually speak strongly against the message.

Paul realises it is time to move on from this phase and takes the new believers into another place where he continues to teach them daily through discussions (note the change from “arguing” – v.8 – to “discussions” – v.9). This has changed from evangelizing to teaching new converts. He is now building up the newly formed church. This phase continues on for another two years. He is really making sure this church is established. But more than this the word goes out from Ephesus to all the area of Asia Minor.

Not only are evangelisation and church teaching the main planks of Paul’s ministry but healing also. While in Ephesus the Lord gave Paul an amazing healing ministry, so much so that even things that Paul had touched, when conveyed in faith, brought healing. This was clearly a very significant building time by the Spirit when the church was blessed and much strengthened.

D. Application:

1. The first stage is always to be evangelizing.
2. The next stage, by necessity, is teaching. Are we doing both?

Passage: Acts 19:13-20

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, ‘In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’ 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’ 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practised sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

A. Find Out:

1. Who were trying to do what, and how? v.13,14
2. What happened to them one day? v.15,16
3. How did this change the outlook of many? v.17
4. How did they show that in a practical way? v.18,19
5. So what was happening generally? v.20

B. Think:

1. How were some of the Jews “using” religion?
2. How was Jesus’ name lifted because of this?
3. How was this seen not to be mere head knowledge?

C. Comment:

The power of God was clearly there in Ephesus and so it is perhaps not surprising that some of the religious Jews who were not Christians tried to cash in this. They were being challenged by what they saw as this new sect that was moving powerfully in signs and wonders, and having heard or seen, presumably, Paul casting out demons in Jesus’ name, they decided to do it the same way. What they didn’t realise, of course, was that Paul knew Jesus and was doing it under his direction. When these Jews tried it the demons knew that this wasn’t Jesus and so turned on these would-be exorcists.

The result of this publicly, when the story spread, was excellent! Everyone began to realise that this wasn’t just some mechanical way of deliverance, it was clearly Jesus himself acting in authority through his servants, and as the Holy Spirit moved He brought mighty conviction to many who came to the Christian gathering and publicly confessed their sins. More than that all those who had been involved in “magic” burned their books (scrolls), a tremendous clean out revealing a tremendous sum having been spent on deception previously. When the power of God is clearly there, that which is counterfeit will eventually be shown up and the glory will come to God, it is only a matter of time!

D. Application:

1. Deliverance ministry is not mere words but relationship with Jesus.
2. True repentance brings acts to go with the words.

Passage: Acts 19:21-31

21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. ‘After I have been there,’ he said, ‘I must visit Rome also.’ 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: ‘You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.’

28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s travelling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theatre together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theatre.

A. Find Out:

1. What was Paul’s intended strategy? v.21,22
2. Yet before he did that who stirred up trouble? v.23,24
3. Who did he stir up and what did he say Paul was doing? v.25,26
4. What two things did he say would happen? v.27
5. What happened then? v.28,29
6. What did Paul want to do but who stopped him? v.30,31

B. Think:

1. Check the map. How would you describe Paul’s plans in v.21?
2. Read Rom 15:23 -32 When was that written?
3. What appears to be the main motivation of Demetrius?

C. Comment:

Luke briefly gives us an insight to Paul’s future plans, to go to both Jerusalem and Rome . The letter to the Romans indicates that Paul had Spain on his heart beyond Rome. He obviously wanted to check out the churches in Macedonia and Achaia that he had established on his second trip and then report back to the mother church at Jerusalem before he went further afield. He is constantly working on the basis of a) building up the existing churches and b) going further with the Gospel while c) keeping the home base fully informed. Good strategy!

However, before he leaves Ephesus , he receives yet further opposition from the enemy. Everywhere he went Paul encountered enemy lash-back. So far he hasn’t had it at Ephesus but now it comes in the form of those who made shrines to Artemis. As so many people were turning to the Lord and turning from the false idol Artemis, those employed in the minor industry of shrine making were having their income cut! They eventually objected and rose up to oppose Paul. A riot starts and crowds rush into the main meeting place. Paul wants to go to reason with them but his friends and town officials strongly advise against this. Where emotions are running high, appealing to their logic doesn’t always work. It is sometimes better to wait until emotions cool.

D. Application:

1. Where the Gospel is flourishing the enemy will always attack.
2. We need wisdom to know how to deal with his attack.

Passage: Acts 19:32-41

32 The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defence before the people. 34 But when they realised he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’

35 The city clerk quietened the crowd and said: ‘Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.’ 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

A. Find Out:

1. What was going on? v.32
2. The Jews sought to do what? v.33
3. Yet what happened? v.34
4. What first point did the city clerk make? v.35,36
5. What were his second and third points? v.37,38
6. What was his final point and warning? v.39

B. Think:

1. What does this passage show us about “crowds”?
2. What does it show us about the Jews of Ephesus?
3. How did the city clerk quell the riot?

C. Comment:

A crowd is a dangerous element, often being swayed by emotions and nothing else. So it was here. Eventually the Jews pushed their spokesman forward, presumably to disassociate themselves from the Christians, but as soon as the crowd realised they were Jews they shouted them down, presumably because they felt they also could be a threat to their own “religion”. It is the town clerk who quietens things.

First he reaffirms their pagan beliefs and says if they believe that then there is no fear for the cult of Artemis. Next, he points out that Paul and friends haven’t done anything illegal and, third, that if Demetrius has any legal complaint, then he can settle it in the courts. Finally, he warns them that they themselves are in great danger of being charged with rioting and will be breaking the law. In these ways he calms the whole place down.

Why does Luke include this incident in his writing? Perhaps to show that the Christian faith again has been shown to be NOT offending the law of the land in any way. Others may charge that it is but the civil authorities have yet again backed it up and made it more secure. It may offend non-believing pagans who feel threatened by it, but it is not breaking the law of the land.

D. Application:

1. People in a crowd easily loose control of their emotions. Beware.
2. The Christian faith was legally acceptable. Beware the day it isn’t.