Passage of the Day - January 11, 2011

Acts 19:1-7

 ¹It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples.

 ²He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."

 ³And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism."

 ⁴Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

 ⁵When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 ⁶And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

 ⁷There were in all about twelve men.

Again I must quote Matthew Henry.  Sometimes I don’t reference him.  Other times I use him as a guide.  Occasionally, as in this occasion, he says it best:

Paul, at Ephesus, found some religious persons, who looked to Jesus as the Messiah. They had not been led to expect the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, nor were they informed that the gospel was especially the ministration of the Spirit. But they spake as ready to welcome the notice of it. Paul shows them that John never design that those he baptized should rest there, but told them that they should believe on Him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. They thankfully accepted the discovery, and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Ghost came upon them in a surprising, overpowering manner; they spake with tongues, and prophesied, as the apostles and the first Gentile coverts did. Though we do not now expect miraculous powers, yet all who profess to be disciples of Christ, should be called on to examine whether they have received the seal of the Holy Ghost, in his sanctifying influences, to the sincerity of their faith. Many seem not to have heard that there is a Holy Ghost, and many deem all that is spoken concerning his graces and comforts, to be delusion. Of such it may properly be inquired, "Unto what, then, were ye baptized?" for they evidently know not the meaning of that outward sign on which they place great dependence.

http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=44&c=19

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
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