The Last Missionary Efforts   18:24 -- 21:16
Overview
-- Actually, not too useful to think of the last missionary efforts as a journey.  
Paul was in Ephesus for well over two years – and material in this section focuses on Ephesus area.
-- The fact the farewell speech addressed to Ephesian elders further indicates importance.
-- After Corinth most important city Paul sought to evangelize – hub of all commerce
and cultural center of Western Asia.
-- After Corinth city about which we are best informed in literature and archaeology. 
-- Free city but under Roman control as of 133 BCE.
200,000 – 250,000 inhabitants making it most important city of Asia Minor and
3rd largest city in the Empire after Rome and Alexandria.
-- Important trade route city and port.  A college of Roman “messengers” based there.
Apollos 18:24-28
-- Jews from Alexandria – name indicates a Hellenized Jew – a common name in Egypt at the time.
-- v. 25 – We should interpret based on the story that follows in 19:1-7.
He had been baptized with water – repentance baptism – but not by the Holy Spirit.
-- v.26 – Taught well, but not completely accurately.  The mentoring ministry of Priscilla and
Aquila bespeaks a faith expansion that had far outstripped the educational resources.
-- v. 28 – Obviously had been to “Bible study!”
-- The fact that both Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos is significant:  Luke trying to show
the variety of roles women played in early Christianity.
The Baptist’s disciples 19:1-7
-- v. 1 “disciples” probably suggest untrained students here.
-- Baptist movement continued into the 4th C.  This section is the 5th clarification of
the Baptist’s role in Acts.  (1:5; 11:16; 13:25; 18:25) 
-- These disciples were probably not Christians, but in fact disciples of John the Baptist,
though Luke portrays as strange, fringe Christians.
-- For Luke the sine qua non of being a Christian was receiving the Holy Spirit. (11:17).
-- This is the only NT example of rebaptisms and the text makes clear we are NOT talking 
about a form of Christian baptism replacing another.
Ephesus Chronicles – Proclamation to Jews/Gentiles 19:8-10
-- Lecture hall of Tyrannus unfound
-- This is the longest period of stable ministry without trial or expulsion – left of his own will.
-- Much opportunity/opposition we know from 1 Corinthians written toward end of Ephesus stay.
Paul’s success – so9me believed, some didn’t like some of the ancient Israelites.  (Deut 2:30, 10:16)
-- Large Jewish community there since 3rd century BCE.
Miracles & Magic in Ephesus  19:11-20
-- vv. 15-15 a little comic relief as Luke attempts to mix the light with the dark –
the demon sees no power and turns the tables on them.
-- Ephesus was the magic capital of Asia Minor.
-- The attempt of the seven sons would have made perfect sense in Ephesus at the time.
-- v. 17 no mass conversion here – self-preservation.
-- v. 19 burning of books happened when viewed as subversive.  Here it’s voluntary.
Piece of silver = Drachma – 1 drachma = days wage for a laborer.
Riot in Ephesus – 19:23-41
-- Begun by a speech – ended by a speech – Lukan rhetorical interest and typical of the age.
-- Paul not a major actor in this section, only appears in vv. 30-31.
Now the story less about Paul than about the progress of a social movement (“the way”)
and the unstoppable word of God.
--Artemis
	+ Temple and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – four times the size of
the Parthenon (425 x 225 feet with 127 sixty-four-foot columns.)
	+ Artemis of Ephesus was worshipped over the whole region.
v. 24 – Demetrius – probably made replicas of the temple – 
terra cotta and marble ones have been found.
-- In NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art there is a bronze matrix of Artemis in her temple
dating to the 1st or 2nd century.  This was the mold silver would have been poured into.
-- Demetrius’ speech – blunt and inelegant.
v. 26 – Classic fear-mongering by exaggeration.
-- v. 27 – Honor/shame culture
-- Ephesians took an y threat to the cult of Artemis very seriously.
v. 32 – disarray – Lukan sarcasm
v. 33 – No difference between Alexander and the Jews and Paul the Christian Jew
as far as the crowd concerned.
Paul’s Pilgrimage to Jerusalem   20:1-16
-- Some parallel with Jesus trip to Jerusalem, but shouldn’t be over stated.
-- vv. 20:7-12
-- v. 7 – Perhaps first mention of the fact that it was Sunday (1st day of the week) that 
the Christians met to have fellowship and hear preaching.
-- v.9 – Meeting a floor up.  If an apartment building the hosts were not among the social elite.
-- the boy “lucky”
A miracle tale about the raising of the dead.
-- The sea journey.  Many days in a small craft, hugged the shore, in every night.
-- 20:17-31 – Paul’s speech of succession.