#1595 Acts 19 Part 1 Becoming Hardened

 

Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus and found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard if the Holy Spirit is being received.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 Now there were in all about twelve men.

8 And after he entered the synagogue, he continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and were not believing, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he left them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19: 1-10 LSB

Acts 19: 1-10

Vs. 1-3 Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed - I think this is more easily understood in the transitional nature of Acts, moving from the Old Covenant to the New. We left off with Apollos which is a good key in understanding this. Remember, he was preaching Christ correctly, but was also pulled aside by Priscilla and Aquila who explained "the way of God more adequately" to him. He had an OT understanding, so the expectation of the Messiah, but some things missing from his doctrine, which seems to be missing with these men as well. It says in verse three, "into John's baptism" which was also the extent to which Apollos had been taught until his time with the tent makers. John taught a baptism of repentance, as he was the one preparing the way of the Lord, announcing the arrival of Messiah. 

Bruce Barton - Paul’s question to this group of Ephesian men underlines the truth that apart from the Holy Spirit, there is no salvation (Romans 8:9, 16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13). The Spirit is the one who imparts life (John 3:5). The reply of these men is difficult to interpret. John the Baptist had talked plainly about the coming of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:32–33). Perhaps this answer implies that they were unaware that the time of the Spirit’s outpouring had come at last. Whatever the case, like Apollos (18:24–26), these men needed further instruction on the message and ministry of Jesus Christ. They believed in Jesus as the Messiah, but they did not understand the significance of his death and resurrection or the role of the Holy Spirit in the birth and life of the church. Since becoming a Christian involves turning from sin (repentance) and turning to Christ (faith), these “believers” were incomplete. They had repented but had not yet trusted in Christ. In truth, they were believers only in the sense that they were seeking to believe. (LABC-Acts)

Polhill - Paul’s interrogation of the disciples revealed that at no point had they advanced beyond John the Baptist’s initial preaching of repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. The NIV translation of their reply to Paul’s question “Did you receive the Holy Spirit?” (v. 2) is literal, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” John’s disciples would surely have been acquainted with the Spirit and especially with his teaching that with the coming of the Messiah the Spirit would be poured out (cf. Luke 3:16). What they would not be aware of, if they had not heard of Jesus’ death and resurrection and of the event at Pentecost, was that this proclamation of John had been fulfilled in Christ. Evidently that was the case with this group. They had not heard that the Spirit had been poured out. They were unaware of Pentecost. (NAC-Acts)

John MacArthur interprets the response of John's disciples as confirming "to the apostle that they were not yet Christians. That they were unacquainted with the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost showed that they were in fact Old Testament saints." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Acts)

John Stott comments "In a word, they were still living in the Old Testament which culminated with John the Baptist. They understood neither that the new age had been ushered in by Jesus, nor that those who believe in him and are baptized into him receive the distinctive blessing of the new age, the indwelling Spirit." - Precept Austin

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ”… Matthew 3: 1-3

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”… Acts 2: 37-39

…15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”… Acts 11: 15-17

V. 4 John baptized with the baptism of repentance - Here the Apostle explains the difference, and what has transpired since. He told of Jesus, Who was to come after him, and Jesus came, went to the cross, died for the sins of His sheep, and rose again. Jesus promised the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and he has come to take up permanent residence in those who believe. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Darrell Bock helps us understand John's baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins -

The final characteristic mentioned about this baptism is its goal. It is directed toward, (eis, for), the forgiveness of sins. This statement could be read to suggest that some type of total forgiveness and efficacy is found in John’s baptism that makes the experience one of “becoming saved.” However, this understanding reads back more into the event than the time of the event and the presentation of Luke will allow. John is a preparatory figure (Lk 1:17+ ="It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”, Luke 1:76–77+; Schürmann 1969: 154–57). He prepares a people for God. Most importantly, John says that his baptism is nothing compared to the baptism that the Mightier One brings (Lk 3:16+). So John’s baptism is a prophetic eschatological washing; that is, it is a baptism of promise that looks to the greater baptism of the Spirit (Schürmann 1969: 158–60). It points forward to the cleansing that comes to those who respond to Messiah’s offer with faith. This association of Spirit and cleansing was mentioned in the OT (Ezek. 36:25–27+; Zech. 13:1+). The washing in the Jordan adds symbolism, picturing either repentance (Isa. 1:16–17+; Jer. 4:14) or divine cleansing (Ps. 51:7–9+; Isa. 4:2–6+; Ezek. 37:23+; Jer. 33:8-note) or, perhaps, both (Nolland 1989: 141). If there be any doubt that Luke understands John in this prophetic and eschatological fashion, a glance at Acts 19:1–10+ ends any such uncertainty. Disciples who know only of John are to accept immediately the baptism tied to Jesus. Acts 19:4+ makes it clear that John’s baptism is not complete in itself, but points to faith in Jesus (also Acts 13:24+). Thus, John’s baptism represented for its precross Israelite audience a commitment to a new approach to God resulting in a life of fruitfulness for God and expectation of the eschaton....In short, John’s baptism was a step on the way to the Promised One’s forgiveness. The repentance in view here will not only make one alter the way one lives, but also will cause one to see “the Mightier One to come” as the promise of God. To submit to this baptism is to confess one’s commitment to this perspective. This is the essence of John’s baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Baker Exegetical Commentary-Luke)

John MacArthur adds that "while there were various ceremonial washings in Judaism (cf. Heb. 6:2+), there was no baptism of Jews. But while there was no baptism of Jews in Judaism, the Jews did baptize Gentile converts to Judaism (Gentile proselytes). Thus, those who “were being baptized by [John] in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins” (Mt. 3:6), were publicly acknowledging that they were no better than the Gentiles. Their sins had separated them from the true and living God (cf. Isa 59:2) and cut them off from covenant blessings. For Jewish people to place themselves on the same level as the despised Gentiles was astonishing, and demonstrates the power of John’s preaching. Unfortunately, few being baptized by John were truly repentant. The nation would later reject Jesus when He failed to meet their expectations of a political Messiah, who would deliver them from the Romans. Others were superficial from the start....But those few (Mt 7:13–14+) who acknowledged their sinful condition and alienation from God and turned to Him in repentant faith were saved. (Luke Commentary) - PA

Vs. 5-7 They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus - This was evidenced by them speaking in tongues and prophesying, which the Apostles would have understood from their own experience, and have related back to Pentecost. I believe Acts 2 to be the bar for this.

More from Acts 2 and tongues

Vs. 8-10 Reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus - He had reasoned with the people in the area, but with those who were not going to believe it only caused their hearts to harden more. God does not owe us anything except for the wages of sin, but it is worse to hear the gospel, to hear sound reason and reject the Savior, for God has commanded that all men everywhere must repent. He is Lord not because people accept Him as such, that is Who His is, the "I am", the eternal Being, the Creator. We acknowledge our inclination towards unbelief, that we are described as dead in our trespasses and sins, that it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God Who shows mercy. Unbelief is not the inability of God to convince men, rather it is their natural fallen state. When men believe it is not from their own ability to reason and ascertain truth, for no one seeks the truth. No one finds God on their own, for faith itself is a gift from God. You are at enmity with God, He is holy and you are not, so the last thing you will find when you look for God is the true God. You will find other gods, and you will make idols of the mind, but to desire the God of Scripture for Who He really is, that is a desire caused by the Holy Spirit, by the calling of the Father through the life and death of the Son. No one comes unless the Father draws them, so none of the men who refused Paul's gospel message got what they didn't want, and it was Christ Who they didn't want, and He said, "no one comes to the Father but by Me."

Arnold has an interesting note on the school of Tyrannus "The Western Manuscript adds the words, “From the fifth to the tenth hour.” Paul and his disciples rented the School of Tyrannus from 11:00 o’clock in the morning to 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon. Why? In the ancient world, the working hours were from about 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and then they took a five hour break for a siesta and leisure time. Work resumed after 4:00 p.m. and continued until about 10:00 p.m. The point is that Paul and his Christian disciples gave up precious sleeping time and relaxation time to meet, study the Word and witness to anyone who wanted to hear about Jesus Christ. Notice that they were willing to sacrifice time to further the kingdom of Christ." (Sermon) - PA