Acts 19:9

Monday, 31 July 2023

But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. Acts 19:9

The verbs are not well translated. It should more closely read, “And when some were hardened and disbelieving, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, having departed from them, he separated the disciples, everyday reasoning in the school of Tyrannus” (CG).

In the previous verse, Paul was noted to have spent three months reasoning and persuading those in the synagogue in Ephesus about the kingdom of God. As is usual in Acts, his efforts eventually are rejected by some or all of his audience. Such was the case in Ephesus as well. Luke next records, “And when some were hardened.”

The word signifies to make hard or be stubborn. This does not mean it is a hardening initiated by God in the active sense. Rather, their predispositions about what the kingdom meant would not allow them to accept that a spiritual kingdom was currently what was going on. They were anticipating a Messiah who would place Israel as chief among the nations and exalt them because of their heritage. This hardened state led to the next thought, “and disbelieving.”

As has happened consistently, the Jews began to oppose the teachings of Paul, rejecting the concept of a Messiah who would fulfill the law and then set aside that law for a New Covenant, even though this is exactly what their own Scriptures speak of in Jeremiah 31. Thus, their hardening led to a rejection of this teaching. They failed to obey the things laid out in their own Scriptures because of their own presuppositions and biases. That then led to their “speaking evil of the Way before the multitude.”

Rather than accept the teachings of Paul, which were clearly laid out in their own Scriptures, even if misunderstood in the past, some began to speak evil of this new Way. Mentioning the multitude in this verse follows as the standard operating procedure for them. When they could not refute his teachings with reason, they stirred up the masses. Because of this, Paul acted. As it next says, “having departed from them.”

There was no point in going back to the synagogue where the boisterous miscreants would simply argue and contradict him. Paul understood that a person is to state his case, defend what he believes, and then move on if the opposition was intolerant. This is exactly what he did. And when he did, “he separated the disciples.”

This would probably have included those who were mentioned in verses 19:1-7, along with any others who were convinced by his words. As these people had received the Spirit in an outward manifestation, they would have been fully convinced of the reliability of Paul’s words. Therefore, Paul separated those who believed and was “everyday reasoning in the school of Tyrannus.”

The word translated as school is found only here in Scripture, scholé. It is obviously etymologically connected to our modern word. It denotes a place where there is leisure or freedom from labor. Thus, by extension, it speaks of a school.

The name Tyrannus is a provincial form of the derivative of the base of kurios, a master or lord. Thus, it means a tyrant. However, the word would not have carried the negative sense that it now does.

Some believe that this school was a beith ha’midrash, or “House of the Midrash.” Midrash is an interpretive act, seeking the answers to religious questions (both practical and theological) by plumbing the meaning of the words of the Torah.

This would assume that Tyrannus was a Jew, but that is not stated. As both Jews and Greeks are mentioned in the next verse, it could go either way. The fact that Tyrannus is mentioned by name seems to give the sense that he was a well-known person. Luke probably specifically included the name to help confirm his words to those who were interested in checking out whether his account was accurate or not.

Life application: The church is a body of believers, not a place where those believers meet. Whoever Tyrannus was, and wherever his school was, it was an acceptable place for the believers to gather.

In our world today, we get far too caught up in the building where the fellowship meets, as if it is the central point of focus. Such is not the case. Jesus is. If a church meets in a storefront, a movie theater, a gymnasium, or on the beach, it makes no difference. As long as the Lord is being exalted, the meeting will be considered a success.

Don’t get too caught up in the externals. Have a heart for the Lord and for those who gather to worship Him and hear His word taught.

Heavenly Father, help us to have a heart for serving You above all else. May we not get caught up in flashy stuff that distracts our attention away from the word being rightly taught and of worship that is directed to You! May our hearts and minds be directed to what is right, honorable, and proper as we meet and fellowship in Your presence. Amen.