Introduction:

1. This section shifts from Paul’s second to his third missionary journey.

2. Saving faith requires right attitudes joining right understanding.

Discussion:

I. The End of the Second Journey

A. After “a good while,” Paul left Corinth and stopped at Ephesus in route to Antioch, leaving Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus (18:18-19).

B. Paul then stopped briefly in Caesarea and Antioch before returning to Galatia and Phrygia to further strengthen the disciples (18:20-23).

II. The Conversion of Apollos

A. In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila met Apollos, a future fellow worker.

B. His attitude was right, but his understanding was lacking (18:24-26).

C. Once he learned the whole truth, he went to Corinth and labored faithfully among the brethren there (18:27-28; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4-6).

D. Priscilla and Aquila showed right attitudes as well (Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 4:5-6).

III. The Conversion of the Disciples of John

A. Paul returned to Ephesus and met a group of disciples (19:1).

B. As he inquired about their conversion, he learned their understanding was inadequate, just as Apollos’ understanding had been (19:2-3).

C. They had been baptized in John’s baptism (which looked ahead to the Christ; Matthew 3:1-6), but they were not baptized in Jesus’ name (19:3-4).

D. Like Apollos, upon hearing what was necessary for entry to the kingdom of God, these men did not hesitate to obey (19:5-7).

E. Once again, right hearts gained right understanding, and this led to obedience creating people who now stood in right standing with God.

IV. Paul in the Jewish Synagogue

A. Being rejected in the synagogue, Paul taught in the school of Tyrannus for two years resulting in the gospel’s spread across Asia (19:8-10).

B. This incident shows the impossibility of faith in a hardened heart.

1. The gospel continues its march “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

2. It is increasingly clear that in the teaching and reception of the gospel, right attitudes must mix with right hearts for souls to be saved.