3rd Missionary Trip - Lorin

Paul’s lengthy ministry at Ephesus during this third trip (cf.
Acts 19:10). This would have taken him through the cities of
Philadelphia, Sardis, and Smyrna. 22 How much evangelizing
Paul and his traveling associates did is not mentioned by Luke
in this very brief reference.
Upon his arrival in Ephesus he encountered τινας
μαθητὰς, some disciples. Luke’s terminology indicates their
Christian commitment, but with Paul’s questioning of them a
large gap in their understanding was uncovered.
First Paul quizzes them about the presence of the
Holy Spirit in their lives: εἶπέν τε πρὸς αὐτούς· εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον
ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy
Spirit when you became believers?” This question connects the saving roll of the Holy Spirit to one’s confession of
faith. Although some commentators see this more reflecting Luke’s theology than Paul’s, the issue remains the
same and Paul’s view is laid out very clearly in Galatians 3:1-5 23 and 5:16-26. 24 The Holy Spirit in the moment of
salvation comes into an individual’s life infusing that life with God’s salvation and also taking up residence in the
person’s life in order to become the source of spiritual life and direction to the person the rest of his or her earthly
journey.
The answer to this question by these individuals at Ephesus is interesting: οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ
εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαμεν, They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” It is hard to
imagine that their background teachings in the traditions of John the Baptist had not given attention to the coming
of the Holy Spirit. The tiny glimpses into John’s ministry contained in the gospels clearly stresses the Holy
Spirit. 25 Their reply most likely signals that they had no knowledge of how John’s predictions of the coming the
Holy Spirit were realized in Jesus’ ministry and especially on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
This somewhat puzzling answer prompts Paul then to ask, εἶπέν τε· εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; Then he said,
“Into what then were you baptized?” The public water baptism significantly defines the religious orientation of the individual.
The structuring of the question is important. εἰς τί assumes that public immersion represents a stepping
into something; it’s not just a ritual that is done. That is, baptism signals the moving of the person into a definite
commitment to something or someone. Thus by raising the issue about the nature of their baptismal experience,
Paul is able to gain a better understanding of where they are religiously.
Their reply is simple and straight forward: οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα, They answered, “Into
22For some insight into early Christian activity in these cities see Rev. 2:8-11 (Smyrna); 3:1-6 (Sardis); 3:7-13 (Philadelphia).
These letters in Revelation were depicting the conditions in these churches some three or four decades after Paul came through these
cities on the third missionary journey. A lot of the later issues centered on difficulties in coping with the Jewish synagogues in the cities.
No indications, however, either inside the NT or in early church tradition connect Paul directly to any of these churches.
23Gal. 3:1-5. 3.1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited
as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by
believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience
so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. 5 Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by
your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
3.1 ῏Ω ἀνόητοι Γαλάται, τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν, οἷς κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμένος; 2 τοῦτο μόνον
θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν· ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως; 3 οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε, ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματι νῦν σαρκὶ
ἐπιτελεῖσθε; 4 τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ; εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ. 5 ὁ οὖν ἐπιχορηγῶν ὑμῖν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἐνεργῶν δυνάμεις ἐν ὑμῖν, ἐξ ἔργων νόμου
ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;
24Gal. 5:16-18. 16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed
to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you
want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.
16 Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε. 17 ἡ γὰρ σὰρξ ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, τὸ δὲ
πνεῦμα κατὰ τῆς σαρκός, ταῦτα γὰρ ἀλλήλοις ἀντίκειται, ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἐὰν θέλητε ταῦτα ποιῆτε. 18 εἰ δὲ πνεύματι ἄγεσθε, οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ
νόμον.
25 “‘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.
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13 They had not heard that the Spirit had been poured out. They were
unaware of Pentecost.” [John B. Polhill, vol. 26, Acts, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers,
1995), 399.]