Act 19:8 | KingComments | STEP | After his meeting with that special group of disciples, Paul goes to the synagogue in Ephesus. There he speaks and reasons and persuades people concerning the things of the kingdom of God, for that is present on earth, albeit in secret. So his subject is not so much the church. He does not preach the gospel of the kingdom . That was preached by John the baptist ( ) and then by the Lord Jesus ( ), because that has to do with the public reign of the Lord Jesus. Because the Lord Jesus was rejected, the public form of the kingdom of God has been postponed. In another sense, the kingdom of God is also now the subject of preaching, not as imminent, but as present. The things of the kingdom of God are in fact all things that have to do with the authority of Him Who rules over the kingdom of God, that is the Lord Jesus. Although He is not visible as King on earth, He is already present and active in the hearts of believers. The teaching concerning the kingdom of God is therefore of great importance because it concerns the discipleship of all those who acknowledge Him as their Lord. This message encounters increasing resistance from some Jews, which manifests itself in hardening, disobedience, and speaking evil of “the Way” before the people. “The Way” is the new doctrine, the new direction of faith that we call Christendom. It encounters opposition from the Jews, which only serves to separate the true disciples of that Way from the Jews. There is a break with the Jews. Paul moves his location of teaching from the synagogue to the school of Tyrannus. This change is also a symbolic indication for the new that is being formed, the church. Here we see how the church forms a separated community, separate from the Gentiles and separate from the Jews. It is a new group that consists of Gentiles and Jews who together form the church. This makes the church in Ephesus the prototype of the church. There is no letter in which Paul so clearly explains what the church is than in the one sent to the church in Ephesus. There is also talk of “disciples”, which indicates that the characteristics of the kingdom are also present in this company. Both the church and the kingdom belong to the sphere of power of the Lord Jesus. This sphere of power expands through the daily teaching of Paul, no longer in the synagogue, but in the school of Tyrannus. ‘Tyrannus’ is derived from ‘tyrant’. A tyrant is someone who exercises power over others without compassion. In that school, where satan exercises his power as a tyrant, the power of the Lord is unfolded opposite to the power of satan. Paul has thoroughly trained the disciples in the principles of the kingdom of God. Even longer than in Corinth he has worked and taught in Ephesus and has done so every day. This also proves the importance of the church in Ephesus. The disciples did not only receive teaching, but they also spread the Word in Asia. All who live in Asia have been reached with the Word of the Lord. All people have heard the Word concerning Him Who has authority over the kingdom. The spreading of the Word will not only have been done by Paul, but also by the disciples. Teaching leads to activity. Thus, separating the disciples in the school of Tyrannus did not mean isolation. Paul teaches in separation, but the testimony goes out to all Jews and Greeks.

‏ Acts 19:8

The Synagogue and the School of Tyrannus

After his meeting with that special group of disciples, Paul goes to the synagogue in Ephesus. There he speaks and reasons and persuades people concerning the things of the kingdom of God, for that is present on earth, albeit in secret. So his subject is not so much the church. He does not preach the gospel of the kingdom. That was preached by John the baptist (Mt 3:2) and then by the Lord Jesus (Mt 4:23), because that has to do with the public reign of the Lord Jesus. Because the Lord Jesus was rejected, the public form of the kingdom of God has been postponed.

In another sense, the kingdom of God is also now the subject of preaching, not as imminent, but as present. The things of the kingdom of God are in fact all things that have to do with the authority of Him Who rules over the kingdom of God, that is the Lord Jesus. Although He is not visible as King on earth, He is already present and active in the hearts of believers. The teaching concerning the kingdom of God is therefore of great importance because it concerns the discipleship of all those who acknowledge Him as their Lord.

This message encounters increasing resistance from some Jews, which manifests itself in hardening, disobedience, and speaking evil of “the Way” before the people. “The Way” is the new doctrine, the new direction of faith that we call Christendom. It encounters opposition from the Jews, which only serves to separate the true disciples of that Way from the Jews. There is a break with the Jews.

Paul moves his location of teaching from the synagogue to the school of Tyrannus. This change is also a symbolic indication for the new that is being formed, the church. Here we see how the church forms a separated community, separate from the Gentiles and separate from the Jews. It is a new group that consists of Gentiles and Jews who together form the church. This makes the church in Ephesus the prototype of the church. There is no letter in which Paul so clearly explains what the church is than in the one sent to the church in Ephesus. There is also talk of “disciples”, which indicates that the characteristics of the kingdom are also present in this company.

Both the church and the kingdom belong to the sphere of power of the Lord Jesus. This sphere of power expands through the daily teaching of Paul, no longer in the synagogue, but in the school of Tyrannus. ‘Tyrannus’ is derived from ‘tyrant’. A tyrant is someone who exercises power over others without compassion. In that school, where satan exercises his power as a tyrant, the power of the Lord is unfolded opposite to the power of satan.

Paul has thoroughly trained the disciples in the principles of the kingdom of God. Even longer than in Corinth he has worked and taught in Ephesus and has done so every day. This also proves the importance of the church in Ephesus.

The disciples did not only receive teaching, but they also spread the Word in Asia. All who live in Asia have been reached with the Word of the Lord. All people have heard the Word concerning Him Who has authority over the kingdom. The spreading of the Word will not only have been done by Paul, but also by the disciples. Teaching leads to activity. Thus, separating the disciples in the school of Tyrannus did not mean isolation. Paul teaches in separation, but the testimony goes out to all Jews and Greeks.