Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:10
And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
10. And this continued by the space of two years ] The Rev. Ver. changes “by” into “for.” As Englishmen still take a house at so much “ by the week, or the year,” the older phrase might well be retained, as the Revisers do in Act 10:31. Speaking to the Ephesian elders at Miletus the Apostle says he ceased not to admonish the church there for “ three years.” The two statements need not be conflicting. To the two years mentioned here when the three months of Act 19:8 are added, and the time which may have preceded his teaching in the synagogue (see on Act 19:8), the duration of the Apostle’s stay in Ephesus would be described in Jewish reckoning as “three years,” which in their mode of speech need only consist of one whole year, and parts of that which preceded, and that which followed it. Cp. The reckoning of three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection.
so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard, &c.] The oldest authorities omit “Jesus” from this clause. By Asia is meant “proconsular Asia” (see note on Act 2:10). The seed of the seven churches of the Apocalypse was sown in these two years. It is evident from the tumult described in this chapter that the Christian teaching was making as much way among the Gentiles as among the Jews. The language of St Luke here implies that the audience of St Paul was made up not of the settled inhabitants of Ephesus only, but of those who visited the city for business or pleasure, and carried news of the preacher and his message to all corners of the district. Philemon from Coloss may have been one of St Paul’s converts during this time.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This continued – This public instruction.
By the space … – For two whole years.
So that all – That is, the great mass of the people.
Which dwelt in Asia – In that province of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the principal city. The name Asia was used sometimes to denote that single province. See the notes on Act 2:9. Ephesus was the capital; and there was, of course, a constant and large influx of people there for the purposes of commerce and worship.
Heard the word of the Lord Jesus – Heard the doctrine respecting the Lord Jesus.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. By the space of two years] The schoolhouse of Tyrannus was his regular chapel; and it is likely that in it he taught Christianity, as Tyrannus taught languages or sciences.
All they-in Asia heard the word] Meaning, probably, the Proconsular Asia, for the extent of which See Clarke on Ac 16:6.
Jews and Greeks.] For, although he ceased preaching in the synagogues of the Jews, yet they continued to hear him in the school of Tyrannus. But it is likely that Paul did not confine himself to this place, but went about through the different towns and villages; without which, how could all Asia have heard the word? By Greeks, we are to understand, not only the proselytes of the gate, but the heathens in general.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All they; many of all sorts.
Asia; Asia the Lesser, or Asia strictly so called, lying about Ephesus: the heathens came thither to worship their Diana; the Jews came thither about their affairs, either in their trades, or law suits.
The word of the Lord Jesus; the gospel, which is the word concerning the Lord Jesus; or, the word which he appointed to be preached and published.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. this continued . . . twoyearsin addition to the former three months. See on Ac20:31. But during some part of this period he must have paid asecond unrecorded visit to Corinth, since the one next recorded (seeon Ac 20:2, 3) is twice calledhis third visit (2Co 12:14;2Co 13:1). See on 2Co1:15, 16, which might seem inconsistent with this. The passageacross was quite a short one (see on Ac18:19) Towards the close of this long stay at Ephesus, as welearn from 1Co 16:8, he wrotehis FIRST EPISTLETO THE CORINTHIANS;also (though on this opinions are divided) the EPISTLETO THE GALATIANS.(See Introduction to FirstCorinthians, and Introduction toGalatians). And just as at Corinth his greatest success was after hiswithdrawal to a separate place of meeting (Ac18:7-10), so at Ephesus.
so that all they which dweltinthe Roman province of
Asia heard the word of theLord Jesus, both Jews and GreeksThis is the “great doorand effectual opened unto him” while resident at Ephesus (1Co16:9), which induced him to make it his headquarters for so longa period. The unwearied and varied character of his labors here arebest seen in his own subsequent address to the elders of Ephesus (Ac20:17, c.). And thus Ephesus became the “ecclesiasticalcenter for the entire region, as indeed it remained for a very longperiod” [BAUMGARTEN].Churches arose at Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis eastward, eitherthrough his own labors or those of his faithful helpers whom he sentout in different directions, Epaphras, Archippus, Philemon (Col 1:7Col 4:12-17; Phm 1:23).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And this continued by the space of two years,…. Reckoning from the end of the three months, which had been spent in teaching in the synagogue:
so that all they which dwelt in Asia; in the lesser Asia, called the proconsular Asia, of which Ephesus was the chief city:
heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks; these, as they came to Ephesus, whether on account of religion, the Asiatic Jews to their synagogue, and the Greeks or Gentiles to the famous temple of Diana, or on account of trade and business, or for the sake of seeing this place, had the opportunity of hearing the Apostle Paul preach, concerning the person, offices, and grace of Christ; and dispute and reason concerning the more abstruse and difficult points of the Christian religion, in the above school, for two years together; so that the word of the Lord went out from hence, and was spread in all the cities and towns in Asia.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For two years ( ). Note with accusative for extent of time as in verse 8, and often. But in 20:31 Paul said to the Ephesian elders at Miletus that he laboured with them for the space of “three years.” That may be a general expression and there was probably a longer period after the “two years” in the school of Tyrannus besides the six months in the synagogue. Paul may have preached thereafter in the house of Aquila and Priscilla for some months, the “for a while” of verse 22.
So that all they which dwelt in Asia heard ( ). Actual result with and the infinitive with accusative of general reference as is common (also verse 11) in the Koine (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 999f.). Paul apparently remained in Ephesus, but the gospel spread all over the province even to the Lycus Valley including the rest of the seven churches of Rev 1:11; Rev 1:2; Rev 1:3. Demetrius in verse 26 will confirm the tremendous influence of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus on Asia. Forty years after this Pliny in his famous letter to Trajan from Bithynia will say of Christianity: “For the contagion of this superstition has not only spread through cities, but also through villages and country places.” It was during these years in Ephesus that Paul was greatly disturbed over the troubles in the Corinthian Church. He apparently wrote a letter to them now lost to us (1Co 5:9), received messages from the household of Chloe, a letter from the church, special messengers, sent Timothy, then Titus, may have made a hurried trip himself, wrote our First Corinthians, was planning to go after the return of Titus to Troas where he was to meet him after Pentecost, when all of a sudden the uproar raised by Demetrius hurried Paul away sooner than he had planned. Meanwhile Apollos had returned from Corinth to Ephesus and refused to go back (1Co 16:12). Paul doubtless had helpers like Epaphras and Philemon who carried the message over the province of Asia, Tychicus, and Trophimus of Asia who were with him on the last visit to Jerusalem (verses Acts 19:22; Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4). Paul’s message reached Greeks, not merely Hellenists and God-fearers, but some of the Greeks in the upper circles of life in Ephesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Asia. See on ch. Act 2:9.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And this continued by the space of two years; (touto de egeneto epi ete duo) “And this occurred (continued) over a period of the following two years,” in addition to the quarter of a year he taught, reasoned, and disputed in the synagogue of the Jews, Act 19:8. In Act 20:31 Paul refers to his actual stay or residence in Ephesus as a period of three years, about three years in the usual manner of reckoning periods in round numbers.
2) “So that all they which dwelt in Asia,” (hoste pantas tous katoikountas ten Asian) “So that all who inhabited (or resided in) Asia,” pro-consular Asia from where people in masses, Jews and Greeks, came for temple festivals as strangers, heathen, Jews and Greeks. It is quite possible that Paul even visited some of the seven churches nearby Ephesus, in Asia, during this time, Act 20:16-21.
3) “Heard the word of the Lord Jesus,” (akousai ton logon tou kuriou) “Came to (were caused to) hear the word of the Lord,” by Paul directly or his missionary helpers among whom was Timothy, who worked at Colosse, Col 1:1 and others, Col 4:7-18.
4) “Both Jews and Greeks.” (loudaious te kai Hellenas) “Both Jews and Grecians,” proselytes to the Jewish belief in one God, as well as strangers and other Gentile heathens who worshipped at temples of idols, in all parts of Asia, Act 19:23-27; Psa 115:3-9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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10. All which dwelt. Luke doth not mean that the men of Asia came thither to hear Paul; but that the smell [savor] of his preaching went throughout all Asia, and that the seed was sown far and wide; so that his labor was fruitful not only to one city, but also to places which were far off; and that cometh to pass oftentimes, that when the truth of God is preached in one place, it soundeth where the voice of the minister cannot sound, being spread abroad far and wide; because it is delivered from hand to hand, and one doth teach another. For one man were not sufficient, unless every man were for himself diligent to spread abroad the faith. −
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) So that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.Here also there is a gap which can only be partially filled up by inference or conjecture. Ephesus, probably, came to be the centre of St. Pauls activity, from which journeys were made to neighbouring cities; and hence we may legitimately think of the other six churches of Revelation 2, 3 as owing their origin to him. The growth of the new community among both sections of the population became a conspicuous fact, and began to tell upon the number of pilgrims who brought their offerings to the shrine of Artemis, or carried away memorials from it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. All in Asia In the vigour of his manhood, in the plenitude of the Spirit, in the tide of expanding success, did this mighty apostle now make a profound impression not only upon this idolatrous city of Diana, but upon all the border Asia. Aided by his faithful fellow ministers, and, perhaps, by his consecrated twelve, he could not only thunder the law and the Gospel from the academic hall of Tyrannus, but in the surrounding rural territory, and even the other great Asiatic cities. Thousands who came to Ephesus to worship in the cloisters of Diana, came to hear the Gospel of the Saviour at the school of Tyrannus. Other thousands heard that same Gospel from the apostle’s faithful missionaries; so that literally “all Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus.”
HISTORICAL NOTE III.
Nero It was in about the month of October, A.D. 54, that the news of the Roman Emperor CLAUDIUS’ death and of NERO’S accession found Paul in the second of his three years’ preaching at EPHESUS. (See Hist. Note 2 at Act 9:31.) His reign more than covers the future years of Paul’s ministry. While he was thus planting the Gospel in the empire, Burrus, the statesman, and Seneca, the philosopher, were endeavouring to sow the seeds of wisdom and morality in the heart of the young future Emperor, NERO. Under the influence of those lessons, for the first five years of his reign Nero was one of the best of rulers. But he lived to destroy the lives successively of Burrus, Seneca, and Paul.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And this continued for the space of two years, so that all those who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.’
The move was successful and, far from hindering the church, resulted within two years in the spreading of ‘the word of the Lord’ throughout the whole of Asia Minor, among both Jews and Gentiles. ‘All those’ is an exaggeration indicating the widespread nature of the spreading of the word. From this evangelism would arise the ‘seven churches of Asia’ to which John writes in Revelation. Also established would be churches at Laodicea, Colossae and Hierapolis, although not by Paul himself (Col 2:1). It was indeed a great door that had been opened.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 19:10 . ] for two years (as Act 19:8 ; Act 18:20 , and frequently). The three months, Act 19:8 , are to be reckoned in addition to this for the whole residence at Ephesus. This statement of the time is not at variance with Act 20:31 , if only we take the in our passage, and the in Act 20:31 , not as documentarily strict, but as approximate statements. Comp. Anger, de temp. rat . p. 59. There is not, therefore, sufficient reason to suppose, nor is there any hint in the narrative, that we are to reckon the as not extending further than Act 19:20 (Schrader, Wieseler, and others).
. . .] a hyperbolical expression. In Ephesus, flourishing by commerce and art, with its famous temple of Diana and festivals ( , Locella, ad Xen. Eph . p. 132), strangers were continually coming and going from all parts of Asia Minor, Jews and Gentiles, the latter particularly for the sake of worship. The sensation which Paul made excited very many to hear him; a great sphere of labour was opened up to him, 1Co 16:9 .
] comprehends here both proselytes of the gate and complete Gentiles. Comp. on Act 11:20 . The private school, which Tyrannus had granted to Paul, was made accessible by the latter also to the Gentiles, which could not have been the case with a public synagogue.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Ver. 10. So that all they that dwelt in Asia ] Which now (according to the notation of its name) became Esh-jah, the fire of God: not from the fire which at first they worshipped as God; but from the fire of grace kindled upon the hearth of their hearts, and making them shine as lamps in their lives. Father Latimer, when he was demanded the reason why so much preaching and little practice? answered, Deest ignis, the fire of God is wanting, there is not a coal to warm at. It was otherwise now at Ephesus; all was on a light fire, which opened to St Paul that great door and effectual,1Co 16:91Co 16:9 , so that all they that dwelt in Asia were fired up to a holy contention in godliness.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. ] We cannot derive any certain estimate of the length of Paul’s stay in Ephesus from these words, even if we add the three months of Act 19:8 , for Act 19:21-22 admit of an interval after the expiration of the two years and three months . And his own expression, ch. Act 20:31 , , implies that it was longer than from this chapter would at first sight appear. He probably (compare his announced intention, 1Co 16:8 , with his expectation of meeting Titus at Troas, 2Co 2:12-13 , which shews that he was not far off the time previously arranged) left Ephesus about or soon after the third Pentecost after that which he kept in Jerusalem. See Prolegg. to 1 Cor. vi.
. . ] Hyperbolical: all had the opportunity , and probably some of every considerable town availed themselves of it. To this long teaching of Paul the seven churches of Asia owe their establishment.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 19:10 . : exclusive of the quarter of a year in Act 19:8 and in Act 20:31 the Apostle speaks of three years’ residence in Ephesus, “in the usual ancient style of reckoning an intermediate period by the superior round number,” Turner, “Chron. of N. T.,” Hastings’ B. D., see also Page and Wendt, in loco . : not only the position of Ephesus, but the fact that it was just the place which would be frequented for its famous temple and festivals by crowds of strangers, both Jew and Greek, from all parts of proconsular Asia, “Ephesus,” Hastings’ B. D., i., 720. Nor must we suppose that St. Paul and his fellow-workers confined themselves literally to Ephesus. The seven Churches of Asia may reasonably be referred for their foundation to this period all of which were centres of trade, and all within reach of Ephesus. Timothy, moreover, may well have been working at Colosse, since in the Epistle to the Colossians he is mentioned with Paul in the inscription of the letter, although the latter had not been personally known to the Churches of Colosse and Laodicea, Ramsay, “Coloss,” Hastings’ B.D., and St. Paul , p. 274. : comprising no doubt Hellenists and Greeks, cf. Act 11:20 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
by the space of = for. Greek. epi. App-104.
they which dwelt = the dwellers. Greek. katoikeo. See note on Act 2:5.
word. Greek. logos. App-121.
Jesus. The texts omit.
Greeks. Greek. Hellen. Contrast 2Ti 1:15 with this Act 19:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10. ] We cannot derive any certain estimate of the length of Pauls stay in Ephesus from these words,-even if we add the three months of Act 19:8,-for Act 19:21-22 admit of an interval after the expiration of the two years and three months. And his own expression, ch. Act 20:31, , implies that it was longer than from this chapter would at first sight appear. He probably (compare his announced intention, 1Co 16:8, with his expectation of meeting Titus at Troas, 2Co 2:12-13, which shews that he was not far off the time previously arranged) left Ephesus about or soon after the third Pentecost after that which he kept in Jerusalem. See Prolegg. to 1 Cor. vi.
. .] Hyperbolical:-all had the opportunity, and probably some of every considerable town availed themselves of it. To this long teaching of Paul the seven churches of Asia owe their establishment.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
this: Act 18:11, Act 20:18, Act 20:31, Rom 10:18
Asia: Act 16:6, 2Ti 1:15, 1Pe 1:1, Rev 1:4, Rev 1:11
both: Act 18:4, Act 20:20, Act 20:21, Rom 1:16, Rom 10:12, 1Co 1:22-24, Gal 3:28, Col 3:11
Reciprocal: Eze 47:4 – the waters were to the knees Act 2:9 – Asia Act 6:9 – Asia Act 9:35 – all Act 13:49 – was Act 14:1 – Greeks Act 14:3 – therefore Act 17:4 – the devout Act 18:6 – from Act 19:17 – all Act 19:26 – that not Act 19:31 – the chief 1Co 16:9 – there 1Co 16:19 – churches
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 19:10. This school was frequented by many people of all races and from all over Asia, for in the two years that Paul spent in his teaching there, the word of the Lord was heard throughout that area.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 19:10. And this continued by the space of two years. We must reckon this period from the time when Paul separated the disciples from the synagogue. The two years probably terminated before the events related in the 21st and following verses; the regular fixed work appears to have come to an end from the statement of Act 19:22, when his stay in Asia after his disciples departure seems mentioned as something supplementary to his long Ephesian work. Paul (chap. Act 20:31) mentions his whole stay at Ephesus as a space of three years.
So that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. By Asia is signified Proconsular Asia; of this rich and fertile and populous province Ephesus was the capital. The term Asia is always a little vague. It sometimes includes all Mysia, Phrygia, Lydia, and Caria. But Paul probably wrote the term more in the old Homeric sense:
In Asian meadow by Caysters streams. Ephesus was a great commercial city, and people resorted to it from all parts of the surrounding country. Here the apostle would have numberless opportunities to preach to strangers as well as to the regular inhabitants of the city. The great temple and shrine of Diana also attracted a vast concourse of pilgrims; in addition to which not only the apostle, but his companions and friends, such as Aquila, Luke, Timothy, Titus, Epaphras, and others would constantly be journeying to and fro between Ephesus and the neighbouring cities laying the foundations of fresh churches. As we shall see in the 23d and following verses, the rapid growth of the Christian brotherhood in Ephesus created no little alarm among the population who lived on the commerce connected with the great shrine of the Ephesian Artemis (Diana),for the popularity of the new teaching positively told upon the number of pilgrims to the idol shrine. It was only forty years from this time that Pliny, in his famous letter to the Emperor Trajan, speaks of the swarms of Christians in the province of Bithynia (no great distance from Ephesus), of which he was governor. Numbers, he says, of all ages, of all ranks, of both sexes, not only in the cities of his province, but in the very villages and remotest country districts, were infected with this superstition (Christianity).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 8
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
10. All Asia, both Jews and Greeks, during these memorable two years, because they enjoyed ample opportunity to hear the Word, are held responsible as if they did hear it, like the millions of this wicked world who live and die ignorant of the gospel, though held to account for it at the Judgment bar, as if they had heard it, simply because they enjoyed opportunities, though they let them slip.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 10
Asia; Asia Minor. Ephesus was a place of great resort for the whole country.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Evidently Paul taught in Tyrannus’ public hall for two more years. Later Paul said that he had labored in Ephesus for a total of three years (cf. Act 20:31). Paul evidently began his third missionary journey and his three-year ministry in Ephesus in A.D. 53, twenty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the day of Pentecost. As a result of this three years of work, the local Christians preached the gospel and established churches all over the province of Asia. Among these were the churches of Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis in the Lycus Valley (Col 4:13), though evidently Paul did not personally plant them (cf. Col 2:1; Col 4:13). Perhaps the other churches mentioned in Revelation 2, 3 (i.e., Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia) got their start at this time too.
"We may think of the ’hall of Tyrannus’ as the centre of Paul’s activity, attracting many Gentile enquirers from the province generally, who in due course became themselves, like Epaphras, faithful ministers of Christ on Paul’s behalf (Col 1:7)." [Note: Neil, p. 204.]
"The province was intensively evangelized, and became one of the leading centres of Christianity for centuries afterwards." [Note: Bruce, Commentary on . . ., p. 389.]
Many students of Acts do not adequately appreciate the significance of Ephesus as a center for the spread of the gospel. One must carefully note the clues in Acts and the epistles as well as later church history to understand what took place during the years Paul lived there. God had opened a wide door of opportunity for Paul, but there were many adversaries (1Co 16:8-9). Timothy and later the Apostle John followed Paul in ministry there. The Christians at Ephesus became the original recipients of at least three New Testament books (Ephesians , 1 and 2 Timothy) and possible as many as seven (1, 2, and 3 John, and Revelation).