Paul in Asia
Acts 19:8-20; 2/25/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
The word Asia originated from the ancient Greek word Ασία, which was directly used in Latin. It is Asia. Later Germanic languages were modeled on this and gradually became fixed. The Chinese translation of Asia was finalized by Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci in 1582. Paul came to Asia at this time, laid the foundation of the gospel, and opened up the road to mission. Let’s look at the first point:
Leave the synagogue and go to the hall
Paul was a scholar-type pastor. He usually went either to the synagogue or to a school. This is why God gives everyone different gifts and different paths of ministry. First, Paul entered the synagogue. The basic functions of the synagogue were prayer and study. As the number of Jewish settlers increased, the synagogue gradually became a place for learning, eating Holy Communion, hearing cases, donating offerings, and was also used for political and social gatherings. Of course, the purpose of the synagogue is still mainly for religious activities. In fact, the New Testament church also developed based on the concept of synagogue. Paul went into the synagogue precisely to implement the priority of the gospel first to the Jews. As a Pharisee and a disciple of Rabbi Gamaliel, it was natural for Paul to debate in the synagogue. Of course, the content of Paul’s debate is different from before. It is based on the gospel and salvation as its purpose.
Second, the hall of Tyrannus. Who was Tyrannus? In fact, the Bible only mentions it here, and there is not much information to cite. We generally know that Tyrannus was a Greek scholar who opened a school in Ephesus to study Greek philosophy. When Tyrannus and Paul met, it is not difficult to imagine that they cherished each other. The relationship of mutual appreciation and admiration is really not easy. Paul was rejected in the synagogue and even slandered the message he preached, so Paul changed his place and came to the hall of Tyrannus. Paul came here and his eloquence, wisdom, and learning were brought into full play. Tyrannus felt satisfied because he could share the resources of the school, and Paul felt happy because he could share the gospel.
Finally, hear the word of the Lord. Paul followed the order of priority in Romans 1:16 and preached the gospel to the Jews first. But when the Jews rejected the gospel, Paul turned to the Gentiles and preached the gospel to the Greeks. For two years he debated every day in the hall of Tyrannus. The Bible says of Paul’s ministry there: “so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Here we can see a very important principle, which is the relationship between the church and the ministry. The scholar’s ministry that Paul was developing here was under the authority of the church’s ministry. This is very different from the chaos in the church we see today, right? The root of today’s chaos is separation from the authority of the church. Let’s look at the second point:
Signs and wonders accompanied him
In fact, it was a miracle that Paul was able to preach in the school of Tyrannus for two years. First, start with Greek philosophy. We know that Greek philosophy has gone through three stages: natural philosophy, humanism, and systematic philosophy. When we talk about Greek philosophy, we cannot ignore the historical status of its mythology. Maybe we may not have read much Greek mythology, but at least we have heard some stories such as the Trojan Horse in Homer’s epics, right? The God preached by Paul is the one true God of the Trinity, which is completely different from the Greek polytheistic system. Therefore, it was not easy for Tyrannus to allow Paul to use the location of his school and share all the resources of the same school with him. The two have different core values, but they can peacefully coexist under the same roof. It cannot be said that this is not a miracle.
Secondly, start with the healing of the diseases. When Paul wanted to prove that Jesus was the Christ in a debate in the hall of Tyrannus, God gave him the power to perform miracles. Even without Paul having to do anything himself, the Bible says: “so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them” An open secret is revealed here, that is, power comes from God, not man. After the meeting, Jesus went to visit Peter’s mother-in-law. Once Jesus went, the fever subsided, and she got up and served Jesus and His company. The Bible says that during the more than two years that Paul served in Tyrannus, “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, ” Judging from the description in the scriptures, it doesn’t seem to be a big deal. However, the disease is cured, isn’t it magical?
Finally, start by driving away evil spirits. In the Bible, it seems that healing is always associated with casting out demons. There are difficult and easy ways to drive out demons. Some demons just touched Paul’s towel or apron, and the evil demons went out. Some Jews in the same city used to chant curses to drive out demons, but they could not drive them out. They saw how easy it was for these people who believed in Jesus to cast out demons. So they copied the gourd and painted the ladle, and also imitated them. The Bible says of them: “undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Who would do such a thing? The Bible tells us: “Those who did this were the seven sons of Sceva, the chief priest of the Jews.” It shows that Judaism at this time has degenerated into a folk religion that pretends to be gods and ghosts. Let’s look at the third point:
The name of the Lord was extolled
True faith is not afraid of suppression! The essence of suppressing faith is that those in power are uneasy and fearful, so they use their ignorance and short-term authority to make pitiful cries to the almighty, eternal and merciful God. First, be overcome by evil spirits. The seven sons of the chief priest thought that they were the second generation of officials and could be a little more powerful! In addition, their father is the chief priest, so they can get some light. It shouldn’t be a problem to deal with some brats and the like. Who knew that they would encounter some powerful ghosts this time? They said, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Unexpectedly, it turns out that the evil spirit also know people. The Bible says: But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” The slap in the face made a snapping sound! If you do not believe in Jesus, there is no power in the name of Jesus. On the contrary, Paul, who believed in Jesus, did not have to do anything to have the demons cast out.
Secondly, be overcome by the name of the Lord. Therefore, it is not Paul who has power, but Jesus Christ whom Paul believes in! After this incident, the Bible says: “And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.” Fear leading to reverence was the role that God played through Paul in Asia. The purpose was that people would be saved through faith in His name. If people do not have a heart of reverence, even if they believe in the Lord, they will be disrespectful of God and not take their faith seriously. We may have never truly believed in God, so that we can abandon the Lord, abandon biblical principles, or even go with Satan at any time for a worldly reason.
Finally, the word of the Lord was increased and prevailed. The word of the Lord increase and prevail, is manifested in the revival of the church. There are people in the church who confess and repent, some who testify for the Lord, some who are willing to pay the price, and some who are willing to give time and money to the Lord and serve God willingly. Most of the things we did before we believed in the Lord cannot be brought under the light. Whether you are willing to speak out and admit it publicly is closely related to the prevailingness of the word of God. In the church at Ephesus, “Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.” Not only that, “and a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.” It’s a bit like when I went to the homes of some idol worshipers, they believed in Jesus, but they were reluctant to throw away the Buddha statues and Guanyin statues. They even emphasized how expensive those were when they bought them.
Conclusion
Well, thank the Lord! Paul preached the gospel to the Jews and Greeks in Asia, opened up the ministry of scholars in the church, healed the sick and cast out demons, magnifying the name of the Lord, and the word of the Lord prevailed!
Let us pray……
Acts 19:8-20
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all[b] of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
