[1] And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples [2] he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” [3] And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John's baptism.” [4] Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” [5] When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [7] Now the men were about twelve in all.1
In the previous chapter we read: This man [Apollos] had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. (Acts 18:25)
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” (Acts 19:4-6)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 16:7-8)
On the last day, that great day of the feast [of Tabernacles], Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for [1] the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because [2] Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)
Chapter | Region | When (A.D.) | Who | Tongues | Sign |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acts 2 | Jerusalem | 33 | Jews | human languages | Sign to waiting disciples: the Promise of the Father had arrived. Sign to visiting and local Jews: judgment of Israel, God turning to foreigners. Endorsement of Peter and those who were Spirit-baptized. |
Acts 8 | Samaria | 36-37 | Samaritans | ? | Sign to Samaritans: dependence upon laying on of Jewish hands: salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). |
Acts 10 | Caesarea (beginning of the ends of the Earth, Acts 1:8) | 39 | Gentiles (Italians in Caesarea) | human language | Sign to Jews: Gentiles given salvation (Acts 11:15-18). |
Acts 19 | Ephesus (more ends of the Earth, Acts 1:8) | 52 | Disciples of John the Baptist | human language | Sign to John's disciples, as Old Testament believers: authority of Paul as a NT Apostle (on a par with that of Peter [Acts 8:14-17]), Spirit baptism by Christ now superseded water baptism by John. A sign to the disciples that the Holy Spirit had been bestowed upon them. |
And being assembled together with [them], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” [He said], “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:4-8)
Endnotes:
1. | Acts 19:1-7, NKJV |
2. | Ref-1411, 1717 |
3. | “The manner in which Paul phrased his question implies that he understood that the Spirit is normally given at the time of faith in Jesus and not subsequent to it.”2 |
4. | Ref-0038, 409 |
5. | “they probably meant they had not heard He had been given or was being given. A similar construction is used in the Greek in John 7:39.”4 |
Sources: