新约 - 使徒行传(Acts)第19章

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
And all the men were about twelve.
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
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.
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
使徒行传第十九章   第 19 章 

  保罗展开第三次旅程 

  19:2-4 约翰的洗礼象征悔改,并不代表在基督里的新生命。这些以弗所信徒像亚波罗一样( 18:24-26 ),需要得到更多的有关耶稣基督信息的教导。他们相信耶稣是弥赛亚,可是他们不知道耶稣的死和复活,或是圣灵的工作的重要性。成为一个基督徒包括离罪(悔改)和归向基督(相信),这些信徒仍未完全。在使徒行传里,信徒领受圣灵的方法各有不同;一般当人表明相信基督后,圣灵便会立即临到他。然而在这里,神让圣灵迟一点才降临在信徒身上,因为他们的知识并不完备。神要坚定这些原来不认识圣灵的信徒,圣灵的充满印证他们是信徒。 

  徒 19:6> 圣灵降临在外邦人身上,他们竟能说方言,为了什么? 

  19:6 当保罗按手在这些门徒头上时,他们便领受了圣灵,就如那些门徒在五旬节时的情形一样,有明显外在的记号,显示圣灵的同在。当圣灵降临在外邦人身上时也出现同样情况。( 10:45-47 ) 

  徒 19:9> “学房”这名词挺有意思,它是一个什么地方? 

  19:9 保罗在这个学房里讲道。这类学房早上用来教授哲学,但在白天最热的时间(约上午十一时至下午四时)是空着的。由于许多人在这段时间都不用工作,所以他们便来听保罗讲道。 

  徒 19:13-16> 那些人也反覆喊着耶稣的名字,为何不得力?奇怪了…… 

  19:13-16 许多以弗所人都从事驱邪和行法术以牟利,( 19:18-19 )。士基瓦的儿子们被保罗的工作深深吸引,但保罗赶鬼的能力来自圣灵,而不是妖术,显然比他们更有能力。然而,他们发觉人不能够驾驭或仿效神的能力,这些人呼喊耶稣的名字,却不认识祂。改变人的能力是来自耶稣基督的,不是念咒语般吟诵祂的名字就可以得到,神只通过祂所拣选的人来运用祂的能力。 

  徒 19:18-19> 人行邪术,所为何事,其实有能力谁不想?只是其害却…… 

  19:18-19 以弗所被视为是邪术和玄术的中心,他们虚构一些魔法,以便能得着财富、快乐和美满的婚姻。至今迷信与巫术仍极之流行,神明确禁止这等行为(参申 18:9-13 );假如你仍眷恋玄术、邪术或是巫术,你就不能够成为信徒。一旦涉足其中,你很快便会被缠住,难以脱身,因为撒但的势力实在很强。不过,神的能力更大(参约壹 4:4 ;启 20:10 )。假如你仍着迷于玄术,你应该向以弗所人学习,尽快离开这些陷阱。 

  徒 19:21> 保罗要去罗马,也许因为那里够繁荣? 

  19:21 为什么保罗说他要去罗马呢?不论他到哪里,他都看到罗马的影响力,保罗希望将基督的信息带到世界的影响力和权力中心去。 

  徒 19:22> 以拉都,好像不太出名,他是谁? 

  19:22 保罗在提摩太前书和后书里更详细地提到提摩太。以拉都是忠心服事神的信徒,他不仅是保罗的得力助手,也是哥林多城管银库的(参罗 16:24 )。 

  徒 19:24> 敬拜的事也可以淫乱,这以弗所究竟是一个怎样的城市? 

  19:24 亚底米是一个象征生育的女神,在以弗所城内有一座安放她的神像的大庙,这座庙是古代的伟大奇景之一。亚底米的祭礼中包含许多放荡淫乱的行为。很明显,以弗所的宗教和商业活动,都反映出这是一个敬拜外邦偶像的城市。 

  徒 19:25-27> 保罗可没有得罪他们,为何他们要和保罗争论? 

  19:25-27 当保罗在以弗所传道时,底米丢和他的同行并非因与保罗争论有关教义问题而愤怒,乃是因为保罗的工作影响到他们的财路。他们是制造亚底米女神的银龛的,如果百姓相信基督,就会抛弃偶像,这样必定会打击他们的生意。 

  徒 19:27> 人常为自己自私的行为而辩护,你也同意?真好,但你会这样的吗? 

  19:27 底米丢激起骚乱的策略,就是先利用他的同行工匠爱钱的心理,然后以爱国和对宗教的忠诚为藉口,遮掩他们贪婪的用心。参与骚乱的人无视自己的自私动机,相反,自以为是忠于土地,忠于信仰的大英雄。 

  徒 19:30> 19:30 保罗想进入戏园解救他的同伴,但其他信徒担心他的安全而不许他进去。 

  徒 19:33-34> 有一个人站出来,不知道他出来做什么? 

  19:33-34 这群暴徒变为反犹太人和反基督徒。这位亚历山大可能是被犹太人推出来作他们的发言人,想解释清楚犹太人与基督徒没有关系,他们并不涉及银匠的经济问题。 

  徒 19:38> 19:38 “方伯”是罗马一个省份的总督或地方行政官。 

  徒 19:40> 乱一定要平,如果不平,当官的后果嘛…… 

  19:40 以弗所城是由罗马帝国统治的,当地领袖的主要责任就是维持和平与治安。假如他们控制不了城中的百姓,罗马政府会撤销他们的职务,整个市镇也可能实行军法统治,许多公民自由均会被剥夺。 

  徒 19:41> 此地不宜久留,你想保罗会有这样的心态吗?但你可知为何不宜久留? 

  19:41 以弗所的骚乱提醒保罗是继续向前的时候了,同时也显示出当基督徒向亚西亚最庞大的偶像宗教发出挑战时,法律仍然为他们提供了一些保障。──《灵修版圣经注释》