Monday May 18, 2020 - Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 18, 19 & 20
From Athens, Paul goes to Corinth (of 1+2 Letters to the Corinthians fame); his training as a tent-maker attracts him to Aquila and Priscilla who share that occupation and are fellow believers. Timothy (yep, the one Paul wrote 2 letters to) joins him and they experience a run in with the locals. Gallio, a Roman magistrate, makes it clear he doesn’t want to get involved (sounds like Pilate, when Jesus was brought before him, doesn’t it?). Paul then gets a haircut (lucky guy!) and returns to Antioch, completing his second missionary journey.
But like Jeremiah (Jeremiah, 20, 9) Paul can’t sit still; he has to spread the message; he embarks on his third missionary journey. (Paul speaks of this need to preach the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 9, 16). He spends a lot of time in Ephesus (and wrote a letter to the Ephesians later on). A new missionary disciple, Apollos, comes on the scene and our friends Aquila and Priscilla help him to delve deeper into the faith (the first Religious Education class?). Like Peter and John (Ch 8, 17), Paul lays hands on people and calls down the Holy Spirit (Pentecost still continues). If people touch Paul’s clothing they are healed (for the “Jesus connection” see Luke, 8, 43-45). When 7 men use the Lord’s name (Jesus) in vain (without belief) it doesn’t end well; we see a bit of Biblical humor again in their flight from the house. Notice a few words in this section: “The Way” (a name believers applied to themselves). And the pronouns “we” and “us.” Luke switches from the third person (“he said this; she did that”) to the first person plural. Some scholars wonder if this means that Luke had joined Paul on this journey. I wonder if it might be a way of the Holy Spirit saying to us, the readers: “This is your story. You, too, are missionary disciples.”
Ephesus was home to a shrine of a pagan goddess; every shrine has a gift shop. The artists who provided statues of the goddess to pagan pilgrims are upset because when more and more people believed in Jesus, it cut into their profits. So, Paul again faces opposition; he leaves town. Led by the Spirit he decides to go to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. It seems that before departing, he gathers the presbyters (those whom the Holy Spirit had appointed as “overseers”- chapter 20, 28) of the nearby Christian communities. Paul encourages them and warns them about savage wolves who will oppose them (see Luke 10, 3). This also represents the “passing of the torch” to a new generation of missionary disciples to continue the mission of Jesus. At the close of his tearful farewell, Paul reminds them that Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (That’s not in any of the Gospels, but something Jesus said that was not written down but passed on by word of mouth in the early years of the faith).
Something to consider:
Apollos was open to learning more about his faith. Since faith is a relationship with the infinite God, we can never “know” everything, but we can progress in our faith. We’re doing that right now in our journey through Acts. Let’s pat ourselves on the back.
Homework: Read Chapters 21 + 22
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