Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 649. His Preaching at Ephesus

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Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 649. His Preaching at Ephesus

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His Preaching at Ephesus

1. We first hear of Apollos at Ephesus. Ephesus, one of the most celebrated cities of Ionia in Asia Minor, was situated on the river Cayster, not far from the sea-coast, between Smyrna and Miletus. After falling into the hands of the Romans, it became the metropolis of pro-consular Asia; and was famous as a place of great commerce; still more so as the chief seat of the worship of the goddess Artemis, whose splendid temple stood not far from the harbour Panormus. Having been burnt by Herostratus on the night when Alexander the Great was born (b.c. 355), a new and more magnificent structure was reared, which was reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world. The Apostle Paul visited the place on his second missionary journey, as he returned from Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila. He did not, however, remain in it, but left Aquila and Priscilla. On his third journey, he revisited the city and abode there two years and three months, preaching first in the synagogue, and then in the school of Tyrannus.

It was in the interval between St. Paul's visits that Apollos came to Ephesus.

Ephesus was the seat of that form of corrupted Christianity which we find so often alluded to in the Acts of the Apostles as “science falsely so called,” “vain philosophy,” etc. Here let us make a distinction; confuse not the philosophy of those days with that of the present day; they are alike in name alone. The science of these days is a reverent investigation of the laws of God, and it is marvellous how men can fail to gain from it something of the love of God; but the philosophy of those days was simply the craving of the intellect for amusement and enjoyment in the things of God. And let it be remembered that religion's self may become a mere matter intellectual, and men may examine the evidences respecting the being of a God, or the proofs of immortality, with the same apathy and coldness with which we consider the evidences of the existence of some volcanic crater or of some distant nebula.^{1 [Note: F. W. Robertson, The Human Race, 179.]

2. Now, what brought Apollos to Ephesus? The most obvious answer is, the claims of business. But if this is true, those claims had a very slight hold upon him, for as soon as occasion arose he was ready to pass on to Corinth for a definitely religious work. In the absence of any positive statement, the opinion may be advanced that he came to Ephesus with an equally religious purpose in view. Ephesus possessed attractions likely to appeal to this learned and zealous Jew, and with all the passion of a teacher and an apologist in his soul he made his way thither, intent upon proving to the Jews that in Jesus their own Messianic prophecies had received their fulfilment. It was a noble mission, and it had as its object the enthronement of that Lord he so imperfectly understood.

His intention was beyond criticism, but his equipment was incomplete. How reminiscent of Wesley's comment on his missionary endeavours in Georgia, “I who went to America to convert others was never myself converted to God,” especially in the light of the later note, “I am not sure of this!” Apollos went to Ephesus to teach others, and he learned that he himself stood in need of a teacher.^{1 [Note: H. S. Seekings, The Men of the Pauline Circle, 111.]}}Spirit of Light! do Thou impart

Majestic truths, and teach my heart;

Teach me to know how weak I am,

How vain my powers, how poor my frame;

Teach me celestial paths untrod,

The ways of glory and of God.^{2 [Note: Crabbe.]}