18:19-22
They arrived at Ephesus. It is interesting that he left Priscilla and Aquila while he went to the synagogue. They were Jews and if Aquila had been considered to be the important one of the pair, Paul could have taken Aquila with him and left Priscilla to her own devices, but instead he leaves both of them (he could not have taken Aquila). This perhaps further emphasises the importance of Priscilla. Paul was still following his pattern of Jews first, Gentiles next. It seems that he received quite a favourable reception, but he had other places to go. Paul then set sail from Ephesus, landing at Caesarea, up to Jerusalem and finally to Antioch. It seems that Priscilla and Aquila were left to work with the Ephesians.
18:23
Paul probably spent a few months in Antioch, and then started his third missionary journey. He strengthened all of the disciples, so churches were already established there.
18:24
Alexandria was a major city and a place of great learning, located in Egypt. He was a Jew, and this another reminder of the way we should treat the term Jew in Acts (and indeed the whole of the New Testament). We read statements about the Jews killing Jesus, and the Jews opposing Paul, often violently. We also read, as here, about Jews who were believers, and valuable members of the church. Jesus was a Jew! Paul and all the apostles were Jews, Apollos is a Jew, as were many of Paul’s co-workers. So when it speaks negatively about the Jews it does not mean all Jews and it is not an ethnic slur, it is just a statement of fact that the Jewish “establishment” opposed Jesus and the gospel. Apollos had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, meaning, of course, the Old Testament.
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