Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:3
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
3. And he said ] The oldest authorities omit “unto them,” and it is more natural to do so in the account of these brief questions and answers.
Into what then were ye baptized? ] The New Testament phrase is “baptized in” or “into,” to express the close union with God into which men are brought by baptism.
And they said, Into John’s baptism ] They may have been disciples of Apollos and have been baptized by him before his more full instruction by Aquila and Priscilla.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Unto what – Unto what faith or doctrine. What did you profess to believe when you were baptized?
Unto Johns baptism – See the notes on Act 18:25.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Unto what then were ye baptized? What doctrine did you make profession of? And what religion did you seal unto at your baptism?
Unto Johns baptism; the doctrine that John taught, and the religion that he professed and preached. Thus the Jews are said to be
baptized unto Moses, 1Co 10:2, being engaged to believe the doctrine and observe the law delivered by Moses. Now the Baptist, as Act 18:25, preached indeed Christ; but many things concerning him he could not preach, unless as of things to come; as his death, and resurrection: the Baptist being beheaded before our Saviours death, and the Holy Ghost was not poured out in that extraordinary manner until after our Saviours resurrection and ascension; which pouring out of the Spirit, these disciples at Ephesus, having been baptized by John in Judea, and afterwards returning home, might not have heard of.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1-3. while Apollos was atCorinthwhere his ministry was so powerful that a formidableparty in the Church of that city gloried in his type of preaching inpreference to Paul’s (1Co 1:12;1Co 3:4), no doubt from themarked infusion of Greek philosophic culture which distinguished it,and which the apostle studiously avoided (1Co2:1-5).
Paul having passed throughthe upper coasts“parts,” the interior of Asia Minor,which, with reference to the seacoast, was elevated.
came to Ephesusthusfulfilling his promise (Ac 18:21).
finding certain disciplesinthe same stage of Christian knowledge as Apollos at first, newlyarrived, probably, and having had no communication as yet with thechurch at Ephesus.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized?…. The apostle takes it for granted that they were baptized, since they were not only believers, but disciples; such as not only believed with the heart, but had made a profession of their faith, and were followers of Christ; but asks unto what they were baptized; either in whose name they were baptized, since Christian baptism was administered in the name of the Spirit, as well as in the name of the Father and of the Son; or what attended or followed their baptism, seeing sometimes the Holy Ghost fell upon persons, either before baptism, or at it, or after it:
and they said, unto John’s baptism; some think they had never been baptized at all with water baptism, only had received the doctrine preached by John, concerning repentance and remission of sins, and so were baptized unto him, professing the same doctrine he did, just as the Israelites were baptized into Moses; others think they were baptized, but very wrongly, being baptized in the name of John, and not in the name of Jesus Christ; and so, as it was not Christian baptism they had submitted to, it was right to baptize them again: but neither of these are probable, for it is not likely that they should receive John’s doctrine, and not his baptism; that they should be his disciples and followers, and not attend to the more distinguishing branch of his ministry; and it is still more unlikely that they should be baptized in his name, who preached Jesus Christ to his followers, and pointed out to them the Lamb of God, and declared him to be greater than he; it seems rather that they were baptized, and that they were baptized in the name of Christ, as John’s disciples were, as the apostle affirms in the following words.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Into what ( ). More properly,
Unto what or
on what basis (Robertson, Grammar, p. 592). Clearly, Paul felt they had received a poor baptism with no knowledge of the Holy Spirit.
John’s baptism ( ). Last mention of John the Baptist in the N.T. They had been dipped in other words, but they had not grasped the significance of the ordinance.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Unto what [ ] . Rev., more correctly, into. See on Mt 28:19. John. The last mention of John the Baptist in the New Testament. “Here, at last, he wholly gives place to Christ” (Bengel).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And he said unto them,” (eipen te) “Then he inquired of them,” further, as a basis of instructing them regarding gifts of the Holy Spirit, as he did to the church at Corinth, 1Co 12:1-11.
2) “Unto what then were ye baptized?” (eis to oun ebaptisthete) “With reference to what then were you all baptized?” What was the occasion of your baptism?
3) “And they said, unto John’s baptism.” (hoi de eipan eis to loannou baptisma) “Then they replied, with reference to the baptism of John,” of John the Baptist, who had been “sent from heaven, from God to baptize (immerse) only those who gave testimony of repentance for their sins and faith in Jesus Christ, who should come after him, to prepare a people for Jesus to use, in establishing His church, Mat 3:1-11; Joh 1:1-34; Joh 15:26-27; Act 1:20-21.
Paul simply would not lay hands on disciples until he first certified that they had received “heaven-sent” or “heaven approved” baptism. There was nothing wrong with their baptism, for it was the only kind that Jesus, all of the apostles, and every member of the early church had received. Paul is not said to have either baptized or re-baptized a single one of the twelve, Act 19:7. He simply determined that they had Scriptural baptism, before he laid hands on them.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(3) Unto what then were ye baptized?The answer of the disciples had shown (1) an imperfect instruction, falling short of that which catechumens ordinarily received before they were admitted to the new birth by water and the Spirit; (2) an imperfect spiritual experience. Could those who made it have been admitted into the Church of Christ by baptism in His name? The answer to that question showed their precise position. They were practically disciples of the Baptist, believing in Jesus as the Christ, and thinking that this constituted a sufficient qualification for communion with the Church of Christ.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he said, “Into what then were you baptised?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ’
This lack of the Spirit puzzled him because he knew that they had been baptised. How could they have been baptised having not experienced the Spirit? So he asked them the nature of their baptism and was told that it was the baptism of John.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 19:3 . ] reference of the baptism (Mat 3:11 ; Mat 28:19 ; Rom 6:3 ; 1Co 1:13 ; 1Co 10:2 ; 1Co 12:13 ; Gal 3:27 ): unto what, then , as the object of faith and confession, to which you were referred, were ye baptized?
] accordingly , since the matter so stands, since ye have not even heard of the existence of the Holy Spirit. The presupposition in this is, that they, baptized in the name of Christ, could not but have received the Holy Spirit.
. .] in reference to the baptism administered by John , so that thus the baptism performed in our case was to be the baptism of John , in relation to which we were baptized.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Ver. 3. Unto John’s baptism ] That is, unto John’s doctrine sealed by baptism. This Paul shows to be nothing so, Act 19:4 . Whence Piscator collecteth that they were baptized by some of John’s disciples into John’s name, as if he had been the Christ. For that John had some such zealots about him, appears byJoh 3:26Joh 3:26 , &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. ] Paul’s question establishes the above rendering, to what then ( , if ye did not so much as hear of the Holy Ghost at your first believing) were ye baptized ? If the question and answer in Act 19:2 regarded, as in E. V., the whole interval since their conversion, this enquiry would have been more naturally expressed in the perfect. See Gal 3:27 , where there is the same necessity of preserving the historical sense of the aorists.
] unto (with a view to, as introductory to) what profession ? They answer, unto (that indicated by) the baptism of John , viz.: repentance , and the believing on Jesus, then to come , but now (see ch. Act 18:25 , note) the object of our faith .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 19:3 . : presupposes that if they had been baptised into the name of Jesus, they would have received the Spirit at Baptism. : “to baptise into” (R.V.) may have been suggested by the original practice to baptise by dipping or plunging, see Humphry, Comment. on R. V., in loco . . , i.e. , into or unto repentance. For the strange notion that they were baptised into John as the Messiah see Hackett’s note.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unto them. The texts omit.
Unto. Greek. eis. App-104.
baptized. App-115.
baptism. App-115.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3.] Pauls question establishes the above rendering, to what then (, if ye did not so much as hear of the Holy Ghost at your first believing) were ye baptized? If the question and answer in Act 19:2 regarded, as in E. V., the whole interval since their conversion, this enquiry would have been more naturally expressed in the perfect. See Gal 3:27, where there is the same necessity of preserving the historical sense of the aorists.
] unto (with a view to, as introductory to) what profession? They answer, unto (that indicated by) the baptism of John, viz.: repentance, and the believing on Jesus, then to come, but now (see ch. Act 18:25, note) the object of our faith.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 19:3. , then, therefore) This question contains the idea of astonishment: from which it follows as a consequence, that all who were expressly baptized in the name of Jesus, received the Holy Spirit at that time. Nor does Paul inquire whether they were baptized, but , into what: for all were baptized.-, of John) We have received (taken up) the baptism of John, say they, so as to give ourselves up to his teaching. Therefore the baptism of John was most widely propagated, as well as his teaching; but, as often happens, in the case of those more remote and later in point of time, the ordinance was administered less purely or less fully.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Unto what: Mat 28:19, 1Co 12:13
Unto John’s: Act 18:25, Mat 3:1-17, Luk 3:1-38
Reciprocal: Mar 1:4 – did Act 13:24 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
Act 19:3. In answer to his question about their baptism, they told Paul that they had been baptized unto John’s baptism. (See chapter 18:25.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? Unto whatas the object of faith and confessionthen were ye baptized? for it is clear by your own words that you had not been baptized, to use your master Johns own expression, with the Holy Ghost (see Mat 3:11). St. Paul well knew that the faith of these disciples of the forerunner was at best but a very imperfect faith, and that the baptism of John was but an imperfect rite.
And they said, Unto Johns baptism. They had been baptized into a faith in a coming Messiaha Messiah who was even then on the earthwith a confession, too, of the necessity of repentance. But their knowledge of the effects of His sufferings, of the work of the precious blood, was very dim, very uncertain, and of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit they confessed that they knew nothing.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 1
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
3. And he said, Unto what then were you baptized? And they said, Unto the baptism of John. This is a confirmation that Apollos was one of those mighty men, ushered forth by the ministry of John the Baptist and still preaching in his dispensation. Was not this a pity? Apollos was a few years behind the age when he came to Ephesus. But what about the unsanctified preachers in all of the popular churches at the present day, who are not, like Apollos, a dozen years behind the age, but three thousand years behind, as they are preaching in the dispensation of Moses? So we can withhold our criticisms from Apollos.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
19:3 {2} And he said unto them, Unto {b} what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto {c} John’s baptism.
(2) John only began to instruct the disciples whom Christ would make perfect.
(b) In what doctrine then are you taught and instructed?
(c) To be baptized into John’s baptism is to profess the doctrine which John preached and to be identified with his baptism.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This discovery led Paul to raise another question to clarify his second assumption. What baptism had they experienced, or with whom did they identify in baptism? They replied that they had undergone John’s water baptism. This response told Paul that they had not experienced Spirit baptism and so were evidently unsaved. Another view is that they were saved, but they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. I favor the former view because I believe that by this time everyone who believed in Jesus received the Spirit at the moment of his or her conversion (cf. Rom 8:9; 1Co 12:13).
"Like Apollos (Act 18:25), they had been baptized as a symbol of repentance only." [Note: Neil, p. 203.]
Apollos seems to have become a Christian by the time he met Priscilla and Aquila whereas these men, I think, had not become believers in Jesus yet.