Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Acts 20 — Paul’s third journey continues: A death plot takes him to Asia for a resurrection, tearful farewell to Ephesus

Paul’s third journey through Asia (modern Turkey), Macedonia and Greece continued. After being run out of Ephesus, Paul traveled to Greece through Macedonia. He planned to sail from Greece to Syria, but the discovery of plot on his life prompted a return tour through Macedonia and western Asia (modern Turkey). During the journey, Paul’s prolific preaching made Eutychus “fall asleep in the LORD” literally and euphemistically, but Paul resurrected him. In another city, Paul confided to the elders of Ephesus that he was “innocent of the blood of all men” by fearlessly proclaiming the good news about God’s mercy for Jew and non-Jew through Messiah Yeshua, yet the Spirit was telling him continually that part of completing his task involved “facing the music” in Yerushalayim.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Acts 18-19 — teaching Apollos in Ephesus, ‘baptism of Yokhanan’ vs. ‘baptism of the Spirit’

Paul went from Corinth in Greece to Ephesus in modern-day Turkey. In Ephesus, Priscilla, Aquilla and he met Apollos of Alexander, a biblically strong speaker and debater. Apollos becomes a power preacher about the Messiah, and with the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” he and 11 other believers there become complete. In this story we explore the meanings of “baptism of Yokhanan” and “baptism of the Spirit.”