Paul arrives in Ephesus, reunites with Aquila and Priscilla, while Apollos gets established in Corinth
Acts 19:1; Romans 3:19-31; Galatians 3:1-14
…
Flanked by the ornate Roman gates at both of it’s ends and lined with two enormous arched porches on both sides, the Arcadian Way inclines from the harbor to the theatre which butts against the hillside.
As in many Roman cities, the main thoroughfare connecting the city with it’s nearby port teems with a sea of vendors. Here they hawk their wares to passers by hoping for a flicker of interest, just enough to warrant the next step in the trading process… the timeless sport of haggling.
As he observes dozens of interactions like this happening at this very moment, Paul then finds himself smiling at the idea that his friends are buried somewhere here in the marketplace. Moreover, he is excited that he and his friends will be reunited once again. As he conducts his search, he happens upon a surprising number of tentmakers spaced throughout both stoas.
“Okay.” Paul mutters as he enters through the gate and begins his search. “Finding them might be tougher than I thought.” He ponders while giving attention to the swarm of vendors lining the street. He sighs at the madness of it all and thinks back on his own days as a vendor. “Crazy!” He says aloud.
Within earshot of a nearby vendor, Paul chuckles when he hears the salesman use a tactic that he himself has used before. “It doesn’t matter where I go, all tradesmen seem to do it the same way.” He reenacts the exchange between the buyer and seller and says to himself aloud while the transaction takes place some thirty feet away.
“The vendor entices and shows his new and improved product.” Paul rehearses aloud, as he mentally walks himself through the typical sales transaction. “The slightly interested buyer moves closer to inspect and finally asks, “How much?” The vendor then assesses the buyer, rubs his chin and points out the especially detailed craftsmanship along with the toil of hardship that went into making such a fine product. “Here’s why mine is better.” He would often imply if not outright say.”
“The salesman flatters. “You have a keen eye for detail.” He then pauses for dramatic effect and finally makes an offer. “For you…I will make you a special deal. I like you.” He then gives the buyer an unreasonably high quote.” Paul continues. “Shocked by the inflated price, the buyer then points out the flaws and offers a low ball counter which, of course, only insults the vendor. Ever the thespian, the seller gives a cold shoulder, as if to send the buyer away.” Paul continues. “Here, the ultimatum card is played. Does the buyer move in, or will he walk away? Should he move closer, the vendor knows he has the upper hand. Should he walk away, the vendor will reach out in a moment of desperation to keep the buyer engaged. After all, he cannot afford to lose him.”
A voice yells out from behind and interrupts Paul’s train of thought. “You there.”
Paul bristles at the idea of being poached by a city guide. He straightens up and pretends not to hear him.
The voice whistles then yells. “Yes, you. You who are standing without knowing what you’re doing. You must be new here.”
Paul sighs. The thought of turning around and placating a guide has little appeal to him.
The voice becomes shriller. “I say, you there! I’m talking to you!”
“Nope.” Paul says under his breath. He begins to walk away.
“Hey!” The voice gets even louder. “Don’t you ignore me when I call out to you… Paul of Tarsus!”
Paul stops in his tracks and turns around to see… Aquila laughing so hard that he buckles over to hold onto his stomach.
…
As if in unison, Apollos and Timothy shake their heads at the back and forth discussion happening in front of them.
“No.” Sosthanes explains. “To excoriate the Law from the good news about Jesus is to undermine God’s rendering of the Law in the first place. To dismiss our obedience to the Law in favor of…”
“The Holy Spirit?” Apollos deftly interjects, finishing the sentence. Closely huddled together, Apollos looks into the eyes of the men closest to him. “Let me ask you all something. How is it that God credited Abraham with righteousness some several hundred years before the Law even existed? If keeping the Law at all times is how we gain God’s favor, then what do we do with Abraham? What do we do with any individual who existed before the Law? Moreover, we understand the Law brings condemnation to anyone who does not uphold all of the commandments of God. Should you trespass against a single command, you stand condemned and removed from God’s favor, yes? How are we faring in that area, hmmmm?” He prods. “Are there any of you here who would be willing to step out on a limb and claim that you have completely upheld the Law, never violating a single command?”
An argument is heard off in the distance, as the intimate group of men stay awkwardly silent.
“Yes,” Apollos smirks. “I thought as much.”
Abraham believed the promises of God, yes?” He pauses to look into the eyes of those next to him and continues. “God made certain promises and Abraham believed, so much so that he rearranged his life to align himself with those promises. God’s response? God counted Abraham’s belief, his new conviction, as righteousness. No God ordained Law was in place at the time.”
“But… My brother,” Sosthanes interjects. “The Law wasn’t revealed until well after Abraham had gone to dwell with his ancestors. With new revelation comes new expectations. The Law would be the new basis for God’s adjudication.”
“Indeed.” Apollos quickly replies. “The Law certainly upped the level of God’s expectations towards Israel. But the spirit behind the Law remained scarce, didn’t it. If the Law was so capable of bringing about transformation, then wouldn’t we see the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s fingerprints actively at work within the hearts of fellow Jews? Wouldn’t we see factions and hostilities towards one another cease altogether? Wouldn’t we identify a culture of grace and self-control instead of a culture of condemnation and rigid rule keeping? Wouldn’t we recognize God-sized miracles taking place on an ongoing basis?”
Apollos turns directly to Sosthanes and continues. “If the Law was so successful at changing humankind, then what need would there be for the Holy Spirit in the first place? Why would Jesus need to offer his body as a permanent sacrifice for our corrupt nature, hmmm? Furthermore, did you receive the Holy Spirit by your obedience to the Law, or just as it was with Abraham, did it come by hearing through faith? No, God’s transferring us from the Kingdom of Darkness and into the Kingdom of Light was a result of him offering Christ as an ultimate sacrifice for our deeply corrupted beings and by declaring us as newly favored by him.” Apollos gets up, stretches, and moves towards the door. He turns around and says, “One last item, gentlemen: Why on earth would we choose to resurrect an old way of thinking to live out our new freedom in Christ as God’s favored ones?” He mutters aloud as he makes his exit. “If it didn’t work for 1400 years, how in the world would it be any different for us now?”
…
Seated at a tiny table in the courtyard next to their apartment, Aquila, Priscilla and Paul share a small meal together. Locating a bucket, Aquila places it under a dripping pipe and fills it full.
“In the terraced homes.” Aquila begins as he points to the west, “The wealthy have their water plumbed right inside their homes.”
“Oooohhhh.” Priscilla smiles at this. “No more trips to the pipe.”
“At least we have a pipe.” Aquila says looking over at the water spigot. “In Corinth, you had to walk a lot further away. At least now you can get enough water to heat up a nice bath.” He muses as he smiles at the thought.
“You get me the tub, I’ll draw the bath.” Priscilla counters.
Paul smiles at the back and forth. “My how I’ve missed you two.”
Priscilla ribs Aquila and snorts. “Ha! See hun, even when we’re bickering, we’re still appealing to this guy. Time to take off the blinders, Paul.” She pokes. “Or, maybe your eyes didn’t quite heal up all the way after all.”
A younger man enters the courtyard and clears his throat. “Excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt.”
“Epaphras!” Aquila calls out. “Just in time. I was about to come up with a reason why the Mrs. here won’t get her bathtub.”
“Yes,” Priscilla chimes in. “You just missed the bruising Aquila was about to receive. Get in here and sit yourself down.”
Paul stands to meet Epaphras and offers him a chair.
“Oh, I couldn’t, my lord.” Epaphras replies as he sits on the cement.
Aquila brings over a chair and says, “Get up and sit down.” He laughs at himself. “That was confusing wasn’t it.”
Paul takes his time to size up the younger man and asks. “Where are you from, son?”
“Phrygia, my lord.” He says. “More specifically Colossae.”
“No kidding.” Paul replies. “I passed through there on my way to Ephesus.” He looks over at Aquila and Priscilla and smiles. “I think we have some catching up to do.”
…
We’re going to stop here for today:
Apollos follows up with Timothy and the church in Corinth, while Paul arrives in Ephesus and spends time getting updated with his trusted humorous married couple, Aquila and Priscilla.
As Paul has encountered in the regions throughout modern day Turkey, Apollos experiences a similar set of problems in Corinth. Well meaning Messianic Jews wish to incorporate the Law of Moses into their relationship with Christ. Paul has been fighting this war for sometime by now, and Apollos himself is beginning to see how much of an uphill battle this is for the early church.
With this being his fourth trip to Galatia (two visits in his first missionary excursion, one visit in his second mission trip, and this recent trip on his way to Colossae and Ephesus in his third mission), Paul is likely to write the letter to the Galatians here in Ephesus explaining why the Spirit has bypasses the need for the Law.
As for the timeline of Paul’s third mission go around, the year is likely to be AD 53. Paul is going to spend a minimum of two years in Ephesus and will take time addressing the Galatian issue. Unfortunately, the contention between the Law and the Spirit isn’t only happening in Roman Galatia. This is a problem facing many of the towns with a larger Messianic Jewish presence. Paul even addresses the Romans later on, as the problem keeps on showing up throughout his ministry.
In Romans 3:19-31, Paul provides us with the value of the Law–Yes, he does value the Law greatly–but he follows with a clear explanation of how the Spirit enables believers to go above and beyond the Law’s commands and exhibit the righteousness and character of God. I’ve taken the liberty to break this passage down into a few major hunks followed up with a quick “Andy” take in the parentheses. Let’s get into it.
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin.
(The Law raises God’s expectations of humanity and will hold those under the Law fully accountable for their violations of it. The Law doesn’t save. It condemns.)
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
(Bypassing the Law, Jesus’ life-giving sacrifice made God’s favor available to anyone–meaning Jew or Gentile alike–and all who believe. Even the Law and the Prophets explain this)
This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
(God has held back punishment so that he could show mercy and rescue all who otherwise deserve to be punished–which is everyone–through their faith)
Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
(A new law has replaced the old. It is no longer the Law of Moses, which condemns anyone trying to live up to it. Instead, it’s a law of faith. Jews and Gentiles alike may bypass the Law of Moses and receive the righteousness of God by trusting in Jesus)
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
(For those who believe, the Holy Spirit changes them from the inside out to want to go above and beyond the commandments found in the Law. The Law is fulfilled when we align ourselves with the character of God)
— Romans 3:19-31
Even though Paul provides us with this insightful contrast between the Law and the Spirit in Romans, the same sentiment is also found in Galatians.
Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.
— Galatians 3:1-5
Hear the message about Christ, believe in his sacrificial offering on your behalf, and let the Holy Spirit of God go to work on changing your heart.
I know we have tackled this matter in several previous episodes, but to Paul and Apollos alike, this issue confronted them in just about every single ministry moment they had. Our takeaway? Believe in the work of Jesus and frequently ask God to make changes within you as you go. That pretty much sums up our responsibility in the Christian faith. While our Christianity requires our investment of seeking God out and our willingness to be changed, God does the heavy lifting.
Well, that’s it for this week! May you search out God to begin His faithful and cleansing work within you. Let’s move forward… together.