PAUL'S LONG STAy in ephesus

Acts 19:8-10 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

As he did when entering Ephesus on his second missionary journey, so he did on this occasion. ...(H)e went into the synagogue, and, as our Lord had commanded his apostles (Matt. 10:6), so Paul first preached to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The lesson text tells us that he disputed and persuaded them as he endeavored to affirm the gospel of salvation through Christ Jesus to them, which we are assured, was included in the things concerning the kingdom of God. No doubt, as a fellow Jew, Paul reasoned with them, affectionately answering all their questions and using Old Testament scriptures to overcome their objections to the inspired message he presented to them.

This he continued to do boldly for the space of three months. Instead of the words found in the lesson text,"when divers were hardened," the NKJV more correctly translates this passage to say, "when some were hardened." In other words, some of those hearing Paul's teaching hardened their hearts and believed not the message he delivered to them. Not only that, but they spake evil of that way before the multitude. From this we assume those that disbelieved Paul's message used all manner of evil persuasion to convince others to also refuse his teaching. They contradicted the gospel message of salvation by denying and refusing to accept the fact that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Savior promised in Old Testament prophesy.

Fully realizing this, Paul departed from them. Having the gift of spiritual discernment Paul knew that he could not penetrate their hardened hearts with his Holy Spirit-inspired New Testament gospel of salvation through Christ Jesus. Therefore, he separated the disciples that had accepted Christ as their Savior, and who, more than likely, had already been baptized into His body, the church of Christ. Paul took them with him to a place that was more conducive to learning the complete, pure doctrine of Christianity. He took them to a place where there was no disruptive opposition - to the school of one Tyrannus. It is probably true, that in the early days of the New Testament church, there were no buildings designed and specifically built to preach, teach, and worship God through Jesus Christ. Therefore they assembled in homes of Christians and in public places where God's word could be taught without any disruptions.

Luke continues to write that the teaching of Paul in Ephesus continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. The reference to "Asia" here refers to that part of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the principal city. Although Paul had ceased preaching in the synagogue of Ephesus, it is evident that Jews, as well as Greeks, desiring to hear the New Testament word of God, came to hear Paul proclaim the gospel of Christ in the schoolroom of Tyrannus. And doing so, they heard the word of the Lord Jesus. That is, they heard God's inspired New Testament revelation of eternal salvation proclaimed by the apostle Paul. And by his teaching of God's word, he told all people of the world then, and tells all people today, that Jesus Christ is His Son, the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy, and Savior or the world, through whom salvation is promised to all that obey His will and submit to baptism for the remission of their sins.

God in His infinite wisdom empowered the apostles of Christ, including Paul, the ability to miraculously confirm their preaching to be the true word of God. Verses 11 and 12, following the lesson text, confirm this fact. This scripture reads: And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. These miracles were "special." Ordinary men and women of the world could not perform them. Therefore the ability of the apostles to perform them could not be denied as coming from God. So the gospel of Christ continued to be effectively taught to both Jews and Gentiles in Ephesus for two years, and confirmed by God's special miracles by the hands of Paul.