Paul at Ephesus

Act of the Apostles 19:9 (NASB)
But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took the disciples away, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus.

The setting for this encounter is in a Jewish synagogue, where Paul had been presenting the gospel of Christ (known as "the Way") for about 3 months. So the "people" were probably Jews, who had been taught a very different religious view. And even though Paul was persuading several of them, others, "some of them" were becoming hardened.

Our first issue to consider is some people are initially open to hearing alternate views, but when they realize many of the "truths" they hold dear are being said to be bogus, their pride intrudes and they start looking for ways to discredit the alternate view. Sound familiar? Might they refer to Paul's viewpoint as "Paulology?"

After giving the effort to reach those unwilling to abandon their previously held views, Paul took his ministry to more fertile grounds, not within the synagogue of the Jews. This behavior, is also described in Acts 18:5-7.

Our second issue to consider is just who were the "disciples" Paul took with him to the school of Tyrannus. Might this mention be referring to the "about 12" mentioned in Acts 19:7, or also include those Paul had persuaded during the three months he taught at the synagogue? I expect Paul took all the converts to the "Way," both Jews and Gentiles.

For the next two years, Paul taught openly and the message of gospel was spread to that entire coastal region of Asia.

 

Matthew 21:28-32 presents the parable of the "Two Sons." The key lesson is that even when we initially have taken a wrong set of mind, like a tax collector or prostitute, we can have "second thoughts" and change our mind from our wrong set of mind.

In the synagogue, several of those having an Old Covenant mindset were persuaded, and left or came out from that faith, and embraced the "Way" (the gospel of Christ).

Similarly, when Paul was teaching at the "school of Tyrannus" many Gentiles holding beliefs in paganism, again came out of their initial mind-set and placed their full devotion upon Christ.

A corollary lesson for us is to keep an open mind, and never lose sight of the possibility some part of our understanding might be off target, and thus be open to alterations that will make our ministry more effective.

 

John 14:6
Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

Lots of metaphors for Christ Jesus are in play in the above verse. Jesus is the narrow gate across the constricted way to life. See Matthew 7:13-14.

Thus Paul at Ephesus was dealing with those inadvertently constricting the pathway to eternal life when they made false and evil claims about "The Way."

 

Efforts to draw distinctions to change the subject from gist to jive are the bane of doctrinal discussion.

What did Jesus mean when He said, I am the truth? First, let us consider what truth is. Truth is what has fidelity to the original. So it is something (an illustration or communication) that reveals reality. An untruth would be something that falsely misrepresents reality. Jesus revealed God, being the exact image of God. Not just God's nature, but also the promise of God's redemption plan.

Why the distinction, exact image, rather than just image (Colossians 1:15)? Jesus is sinless, where our image is tarnished because of the consequences of the Fall. It took the sacrifice of an "unfallen Adam" (i.e. sinless Jesus) to provide the necessary sacrifice that provides the means of reconciliation.

 

Ephesians 1:7 In ]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace

1) In Him (or in whom) indicates that the person has been spiritually relocated from being "in Adam" (in the realm of darkness) to being transferred into Him (Christ).

2) Those transferred then have "redemption." Thus not "in Him" not redeemed. But those "In Him" are redeemed.

3) Our redemption from our unholy state, dead in our sins, was achieved by God accepting the ransom price of our deliverance, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. When we were transferred spiritually into Christ, we were washed, the washing of regeneration, thus made holy (sanctified) and justified, thus our status was just as if we had not sinned.

4) This is the actual doctrine of grace.