A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 19

While Apollos was at Corinth (εν τω τον Απολλω εινα εν Κορινθω). Favourite idiom with Luke, εν with the locative of the articular infinitive and the accusative of general reference (Luke 1:8; 2:27, etc.).

Having passed through the upper country (διελθοντα τα ανωτερικα μερη). Second aorist active participle of διερχομα, accusative case agreeing with Παυλον, accusative of general reference with the infinitive ελθειν, idiomatic construction with εγενετο. The word for "upper" (ανωτερικα) is a late form for ανωτερα (Luke 14:10) and occurs in Hippocrates and Galen. It refers to the highlands (cf. Xenophon's Anabasis) and means that Paul did not travel the usual Roman road west by Colossae and Laodicea in the Lycus Valley, cities that he did not visit (Colossians 2:1). Instead he took the more direct road through the Cayster Valley to Ephesus. Codex Bezae says here that Paul wanted to go back to Jerusalem, but that the Holy Spirit bade him to go into Asia where he had been forbidden to go in the second tour (16:6). Whether the upper "parts" (μερη) here points to North Galatia is still a point of dispute among scholars. So he came again to Ephesus as he had promised to do (18:21). The province of Asia included the western part of Asia Minor. The Romans took this country B.C. 130. Finally the name was extended to the whole continent. It was a jewel in the Roman empire along with Africa and was a senatorial province. It was full of great cities like Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea (the seven churches of Re 2; 3), Colossae, Hierapolis, Apamea, to go no further. Hellenism had full sway here. Ephesus was the capital and chief city and was a richer and larger city than Corinth. It was located at the entrance to the valley of the Maeander to the east. Here was the power of Rome and the splendour of Greek culture and the full tide of oriental superstition and magic. The Temple of Artemis was one of the seven wonders of the world. While in Ephesus some hold that Paul at this time wrote the Epistle to the Galatians after his recent visit there, some that he did it before his recent visit to Jerusalem. But it is still possible that he wrote it from Corinth just before writing to Rome, a point to discuss later.

Certain disciples (τινας μαθητας). Who were they? Apollos had already gone to Corinth. They show no connection with Priscilla and Aquila. Luke calls them "disciples" or "learners" (μαθητας) because they were evidently sincere though crude and ignorant. There is no reason at all for connecting these uninformed disciples of the Baptist with Apollos. They were floating followers of the Baptist who drifted into Ephesus and whom Paul found. Some of John's disciples clung to him till his death (John 3:22–25; Luke 7:19; Matthew 14:12). Some of them left Palestine without the further knowledge of Jesus that came after his death and some did not even know that, as turned out to be the case with the group in Ephesus.

Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? (ε πνευμα αγιον ελαβετε πιστευσαντεσ?). This use of Π in a direct question occurs in 1:6, is not according to the old Greek idiom, but is common in the LXX and the N.T. as in Lu 13:23 which see (Robertson, Grammar, p. 916). Apparently Paul was suspicious of the looks or conduct of these professed disciples. The first aorist active participle πιστευσαντες is simultaneous with the second aorist active indicative ελαβετε and refers to the same event.

Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was (Αλλ' ουδε ε πνευμα αγιον εστιν ηκουσαμεν). The reply of these ignorant disciples is amazing. They probably refer to the time of their baptism and mean that, when baptized, they did not hear whether (ε in indirect question) the Holy Spirit was (εστιν retained as in Joh 7:39). Plain proof that they knew John's message poorly.

Into what (εις τ). More properly,

Unto what or

on what basis (Robertson, Grammar, p. 592). Clearly, Paul felt they had received a poor baptism with no knowledge of the Holy Spirit.

John's baptism (το Ιωανου βαπτισμα). Last mention of John the Baptist in the N.T. They had been dipped in other words, but they had not grasped the significance of the ordinance.

With the baptism of repentance (βαπτισμα μετανοιας). Cognate accusative with εβαπτισεν and the genitive μετανοιας describing the baptism as marked by (case of species or genus), not as conveying, repentance just as in Mr 1:4 and that was the work of the Holy Spirit. But John preached also the baptism of the Holy Spirit which the Messiah was to bring (Mr 1:7f.; Matthew 3:11f.; Luke 3:16). If they did not know of the Holy Spirit, they had missed the point of John's baptism.

That they should believe on him that should come after him, that is on Jesus (εις τον ερχομενον μετ' αυτον ινα πιστευσωσιν, τουτ' εστιν εις τον Ιησουν). Note the emphatic prolepsis of εις τον ερχομενον μετ' αυτον before ινα πιστευσωσιν with which it is construed. This is John's identical phrase, "the one coming after me" as seen in Mr 1:7; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 1:15. It is not clear that these "disciples" believed in a Messiah, least of all in Jesus. They were wholly unprepared for the baptism of John. Paul does not mean to say that John's baptism was inadequate, but he simply explains what John really taught and so what his baptism signified.

The name of the Lord Jesus (το ονομα τον κυριου Ιησου). Apollos was not rebaptized. The twelve apostles were not rebaptized. Jesus received no other baptism than that of John. The point here is simply that these twelve men were grossly ignorant of the meaning of John's baptism as regards repentance, the Messiahship of Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Hence Paul had them baptized, not so much again, as really baptized this time, in the name or on the authority of the Lord Jesus as he had himself commanded (Matthew 28:19) and as was the universal apostolic custom. Proper understanding of "Jesus" involved all the rest including the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Luke does not give a formula, but simply explains that now these men had a proper object of faith (Jesus) and were now really baptized.