Supporting Roles: Priscilla & Aquila
CCEA
School of Discipleship
March
1, 2026
Introduction
Welcome to our eighth class in our “Supporting Roles” series. This week we will look at
Priscilla and Aquila.
Homework
Read: Romaine: Finish the book (Senior Pastors, Personal,
From-Because-Through, Others May You Cannot – total 9 pgs)
Was there anything that stood out to you in Romaine’s book this week?
I particularly have always loved that part, “Others may, you cannot”.
We need to be careful about comparing ourselves and our ministry with
others.
Others may have the liberty to do certain things, but it’s important that
you have your guidance from the Holy Spirit, and not what you see others doing.
The Final is due this week. You should have received a copy to print out in
your email.
You need to find a person or persons outside of
this class and recite your verses to them.
You don’t have to do all three verses at the same time,
you can do them one at a time.
You don’t have to be perfect.
After each verse that you recite, have your witness sign their name and
date.
When you are done, you can email me a picture of it.
You’ll get 20 points just for trying, and 10 points for each verse you are
able to recite.
All finals and makeup quizzes are due the Sunday
after our last class, or, March 8.
Priscilla and Aquila
Play Athens map video
On Paul’s second missionary journey, he had come south from Macedonia and was
staying in Athens, where he was preaching at the Areopagus, where the men of
Athens like to gather and debate (Acts 17:21)
(Acts 17:21 NKJV) For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their
time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
It was there that Paul used a statue dedicated “To the Unknown God” to
launch into a sermon, and he even quoted Greek philosophers like the Cretan Epimenides,
(Acts 17:28 NKJV) for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of
your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
Paul didn’t have his largest “altar call”, but some people did come to
faith in Athens.
(Acts 17:32–34
NKJV) —32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked,
while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However,
some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman
named Damaris, and others with them.
Keep in mind, for part of his time in Athens, Paul was pretty much “alone”.
He had sent Silas and Timothy back into Macedonia to help the churches –
they had experienced a bit of persecution when Paul had come through.
(1 Thessalonians
3:1–3 NKJV) —1 Therefore, when we could no longer
endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent
Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel
of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you
yourselves know that we are appointed to this.
Acts 18
:1 After these things
Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
:1 went to Corinth
Corinth is about 50 miles southwest of Athens.
It was located on a narrow strip of land that connected the northern part
of Greece with the peninsula called the Peloponnesus. All land commerce going north and south had
to pass through Corinth. Because sea
travel around the southern end of the Peloponnesus was dangerous, all sea
commerce traveling from the east and west also passed inland through
Corinth.
While Athens was cultured and dignified, Corinth was known for commerce and
low morals. It was something like a
cross between San Francisco and Las Vegas.
There was a tall hill that overlooked the city, and on top of the hill
was a temple for Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Every night 1,000 temple prostitutes would
come down from the hill and raise money for the temple.
It’s here that Paul will make some new friends.
The Greeks even had a term Korinthiazomai (lit.,
to act the Corinthian) which came to mean “to practice fornication.” In the
Greek plays, the part of a “Corinthian” was always that of a drunk.
Corinth was the capital of Achaia (all of southern
Greece).
:2 And he found a certain
Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his
wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from
Rome); and he came to them.
:2 a certain Jew named Aquila
His name is interesting. It has a meaning in three different languages.
In Hebrew: “I shall be nourished”
In Latin: “Eagle”
In Greek: “Immovable”
Aquila was born in Pontus, in northeastern Turkey.
He and his wife had recently been in Rome, but
were now in Corinth.
They are quite the world travelers like Paul.
So Paul had from Athens to
Corinth.
They had come to Corinth from Rome.
:2 Claudius had commanded …
Emperor Claudius had an edict evicting the Jews somewhere around 49 or 50
A.D.
Suetonius (a.d.
69?=140), a biographer of Roman emperors, talked about
(Life of Claudius, 25. 4) the constant riots of the Jews at the
instigation of Chrestus.
One suggestion is that the name Chrestus is a
reference to Christ. Perhaps the Jews
were causing trouble with the Christians?
:2 with his wife Priscilla
Her proper name would have been “Prisca” (she’s called that in 2Tim. 4:19),
perhaps call her that in heaven when you meet her.
“Priscilla” is a “diminutive” form, (like calling me “Richie” instead of
“Richard”, or calling her “Prissy” in English.
“Priscilla” means “Ancient” or “Little old woman”
Quiz Alert
Lesson
1. Ministry as a couple
They are always mentioned together.
You will find their names mentioned six times, and in all six places they
are always mentioned together.
They are going to be very involved in Paul’s ministry.
Paul at times will lean heavily on them.
They both had a part of the ministry.
It seems to me that the church often gives this image that ministry is done
by a person, married or unmarried, and if they are married, the spouse plays a
silent role in the background.
I’m not saying that there’s something wrong with doing things that way –
that may be exactly how God has designed your marriage.
But it doesn’t have to always be done that way.
When I was a youth pastor, one of the couples that were
the bedrock of my early years of ministry were John and Marge Santos.
They had been doing Youth long ministry before me, and
their three kids were all around my age.
Their middle son Steve, is a
Calvary Chapel pastor in Maui, and when Marge passed away, she had been
attending here at Calvary East Anaheim.
And though John would teach the High School Sunday School
class from time to time, his wife Marge taught more than he did.
They had an impact on Deb and I.
When we got married, I had been running
the High School group for two years.
I remember Marge pulling me aside one evening and saying, “Make
sure that ministry doesn’t consume all your time so that you neglect each
other”. She told me, “Make sure you have a date night at least once a week”.
It is interesting to note that even though the expected order of listing a
couple’s names would be the husband first, then the wife, that is not always
the case with these two.
Half the time Aquila is mentioned first (Acts 18:2, 26; 1Cor. 16:19)
(Acts 18:2 NKJV) And he found a certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife
Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome);
and he came to them.
(Acts 18:26 NKJV) So he began to speak boldly in the
synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and
explained to him the way of God more accurately.
(1 Corinthians 16:19 NKJV) The churches of Asia greet you.
Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in
their house.
Half the time Priscilla was named first (Acts 18:18; Rom. 16:3; 2Tim. 4:19)
(Acts 18:18 NKJV) So Paul still
remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for
Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair
cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
(Romans 16:3 NKJV) Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my
fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
(2 Timothy 4:19 NKJV) Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the
household of Onesiphorus.
That would suggest that Priscilla had just as prominent role in their
ministry as did her husband.
This couple wasn’t known as “Aquila and his silent partner
Priscilla”.
I have this notion that Priscilla was as
much involved and used as Aquila.
A week ago I had the opportunity to talk to Scott
Wiedensohler, the new pastor who is going to be developing a marriage ministry.
I imagine he will be needing some couples who, like Aquila and Priscilla,
will work with him to help strengthen marriages in the church.
We are living in a day when it seems like there’s an epidemic of divorce.
The church needs couples who will model what it is to
follow and serve Jesus together.
:3 So, because he was of
the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation
they were tentmakers.
:3 they were tentmakers
Both Paul and Aquila had the same secular job
background. They made tents.
Quiz Alert
Lesson
2. Work is good
From time to time Paul had to fall back on his
trade to make ends meet. He wasn’t too
proud to work a secular job. Even while Paul was in Thessalonica
he apparently had been working a job at the same time:
(2 Thessalonians
3:7–9 NKJV) —7 For you yourselves know how you
ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we
eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and
day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because
we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should
follow us.
Paul wrote this because there were some people in Thessalonica who thought
the world owed them a living…and they become “busybodies”
(2 Thessalonians
3:10–12 NKJV) —10 For even when we were with you, we
commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly
manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those
who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work
in quietness and eat their own bread.
Speaking of busybodies…
Illustration
High Seas Parrot
There was this magician who was working a
cruise ship on the high seas. His audience was always different, so
he took advantage, allowing himself to do the same tricks over and over again.
There was only one problem... the Captain’s’
Parrot! The Captain’s Parrot saw the show week
after week after week! Soon the parrot began to understand how the
magician did every trick, and once he understood... he began to shout in the
middle of the magician’s act. “Look... different hat...
different hat!” “Hiding the flowers... hiding the flowers, in his
coat... in his coat!” “Hello, ALL aces... ALL
aces... Look... All aces!”
The magician became absolutely livid with
the parrot and secretly wanted to make soup of him... however since he was
the Captain’s Parrot, there was nothing he could do.
One day the ship had an unfortunate accident, broke up, and
sank! As luck would have it... the magician found himself in the
same lifeboat as the parrot. There they floated... the middle of the
ocean... staring at one another in complete silence... the magician still
filled with anger.
They spoke not a word to one another, and this continued for a day, and another, and another, and another. After
a week the parrot broke the silence with... “OK, I give up... where’s the
boat?!”
Some people would be way better off just getting a job instead of poking
their nose into everyone’s business.
Some of those people need to grow up and get a job.
Amen?
Keep in mind, Paul was writing those things to the Thessalonians from
Corinth (around Acts 18:11), and Paul had been working a job while doing
ministry in Corinth.
Paul doesn’t stop his day job until Silas and Timothy come back from
Macedonia.
:4 And he reasoned in the
synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and
Greeks.
:4 in the synagogue every Sabbath
So Paul is making tents during the week and on
Saturday he preaches in the synagogue.
Paul is following his practice of preaching the gospel first to the Jews,
and then to the Gentiles.
And in the background, working with him, are Priscilla and Aquila.
Silas and Timothy will join Paul in Corinth, and the ministry will go on
for a year and a half (Acts 18:11)
(Acts 18:11 NKJV) And he
continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among
them.
Up to this point, this will be the longest time Paul has spent in a single
church.
The church in Corinth had a very good start.
Let’s skip to…
18:18-28 Corinth to Ephesus
:18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the
brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him.
He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
:18 at Cenchrea
Play Cenchrea to Ephesus map video
Cenchrea is the eastern port city for Corinth on the Aegean Sea.
Paul and his friends are going to take a boat from Cenchrea to Ephesus.
:18 sailed for Syria
Paul’s home church in Antioch is in Syria. He won’t go directly to Antioch,
but he’ll get there eventually – it’s his main destination.
Paul is going to take his fellow tentmakers on the first leg of the journey
to Ephesus
:18 hair cut …he had taken a vow
Illustration
On his sixteenth birthday a son approached his father and said, “Dad, I’m
sixteen now. When I get my license, can I drive the family car?” His dad looked
at him and said, “Son, driving the car takes maturity, and first, you must
prove that you are responsible enough. And one way you must do that is to bring up your grades. They are not acceptable. Second, you
must read the Bible every day. And finally, you must get that hair cut; it
looks outrageous.” The son began the task of fulfilling his father’s requirements,
knowing that the last one might be impossible. When his grades came out he went to his dad with a big smile. “Look, Dad, all A’s
on my report card. Now can I drive the family car?” “Very good, son. You are
one-third of the way there, but have you been reading the Bible?” the father
replied. “Yes, Dad, every day,” said the son. “Very good son. You are
two-thirds of the way there. Now when are you going to get that hair cut?” The
son, thinking that he could outsmart the father, responded, “Well, I don’t see
why I should get my hair cut to drive the car. Jesus had long hair, didn’t he?”
The father looked at his boy and said, “That’s right, son and Jesus walked
everywhere he went.”
Paul got his haircut.
It seems that Paul had taken the vow of a Nazirite (Num. 6), dedicating
himself to God for a season of time.
The most famous Nazirite was Samson.
The vow of a Nazirite involved letting your hair grow, but it also involved
abstaining from wine or anything made of grapes, as well as not touching any
dead things.
The Nazirite vow didn’t have to be for a lifetime, but just a period of time.
“Nazir” means “consecrated” or “devoted”, someone who has been “separated”
for God’s use.
This is very similar to the concept of “holiness”, being
set apart for God’s use.
When did Paul take this vow? It’s
possible he took it in Corinth, perhaps he had struggled with being afraid to
speak up (Acts 18:9-10)
(Acts 18:9–10 NKJV)
—9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be
afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am
with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in
this city.”
Paul’s “devotion” may have been his commitment to Corinth.
Paul might be getting his hair cut because his current ministry in Corinth
is ending.
Quiz Alert
Lesson
3. A committed life
It’s good to commit yourself to a good thing.
I think there’s a sense in which power or fruitfulness can be related to a
person’s commitment.
You see it in other places in Paul’s life, such as when he
was told he shouldn’t go to Jerusalem because it was “dangerous”. Paul replied,
(Acts 20:24 NKJV) But none of these things move me;
nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy,
and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel
of the grace of God.
I found an excerpt
from a book by R.A.Torry
that talked about D.L.Moody.
Torrey knew and had worked with Moody.
He talked about Moody’s commitment to God was. He wrote,
“Henry Varley, a very intimate friend of Mr. Moody in the earlier days of
his work, loved to tell how he once said to him: “It remains to be seen what
God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him.” I am told that when
Mr. Henry Varley said that, Mr. Moody said to himself:
“Well, I will be that man.” And I, for my part, do not think “it remains to be
seen” what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him. I think
it has been seen already in D.L. Moody.
If you and I are to be used in our sphere as D.L. Moody was used in his, we
must put all that we have and all that we are in the hands of God, for Him to
use as He will, to send us where He will, for God to do with us what He will,
and we, on our part, to do everything God bids us do.”
I wonder if Paul’s year and a half season of
fruitfulness in Corinth didn’t come out of this time of special commitment.
We often make the mistake of thinking that Samson’s strength came from his
lack of haircut. It came from his
commitment to God.
One thing about a Nazirite – their commitment was obvious.
You could tell by the long hair.
Can people tell you are committed to God?
Can they see it?
There is supposed to be something public about our belief in Jesus.
(Matthew 10:32–33
NKJV) —32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess
before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever
denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the
synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
:20 When they asked him
to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent,
:21 but took leave of
them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I
will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
:19 left them there
So Paul has left Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus,
and this is before Paul actually establishes a church
in Ephesus (Acts 19)
Earlier in his ministry, Paul had tried to go to “Asia” (which
includes Ephesus)
(Acts 16:6 NKJV) Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia,
they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
Now Paul makes a short stop in Ephesus, only to leave Priscilla and Aquila
there.
Eventually, when Paul makes his way back to Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila
are still there, and he will spend more time in Ephesus than any other place –
three years.
I wonder if any of that is due to Aquila and Priscilla? They were at the
last place he had spent a long time at (Corinth).
:19 this coming feast
Possibly the Passover feast.
Paul was a good Jewish boy who tried to keep as many of the “feasts” as he
could, getting to Jerusalem whenever he could to celebrate.
:22 And when he had
landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to
Antioch.
Paul lands in Israel at Caesarea
Then he goes up to Jerusalem to
celebrate Passover, and then heads back north to his
home church in Antioch.
:23 After he had spent
some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and
Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
:23 the region of Galatia
This is where Paul’s third missionary journey will technically start.
But let’s head back to Ephesus to see what’s happening with Aquila and
Priscilla.
:24 Now a certain Jew
named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the
Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
:24 Apollos, born at Alexandria
Apollos is from Alexandria in northern Egypt.
Alexandria was one of the great cities of the ancient world. It was known for its great Jewish
scholars. This was where the Greek
translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, was made several hundred
years earlier.
:24 eloquent …mighty in the Scriptures
Apollos is good with his words (eloquent)
He is also well studied in the Old Testament Scriptures.
:25 This man had been
instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and
taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of
John.
:25 taught accurately the things of the Lord
I wish we had a little more detail from Luke as to what he means by this.
“Lord” here may very well be speaking of God the Father, especially in the
Old Testament, not Jesus
What Apollos knows about the Lord, he knows accurately.
But he doesn’t know everything.
:25 he knew only the baptism of John
I’d like to suggest that what Apollos knew only went as far as John the
Baptist doing his public ministry and telling people that the Messiah was
coming.
He may not have heard yet that the Messiah had come.
I think he apparently didn’t know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I think that the “disciples” that Paul meets in the beginning of Acts 19
may have been influenced by Apollos before he got straightened out by Aquila
and Priscilla.
:26 So he began to speak
boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him
aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
:26 they took him aside
The word Luke uses is proslambano
(“towards” + “receive”), and it’s in the “middle” voice, meaning they did this
towards themselves.
It can be translated “to take or lead off to oneself”, or even “receive
into one’s home”.
I kind of wonder if they didn’t do just that – take him into their home.
I find it interesting that Aquila and Priscilla were in the synagogue
listening to Apollos speak.
There was no separate “church” meeting in Ephesus yet.
Quiz Alert
Lesson
4. Quiet confrontation
Aquila and Priscilla could have rebuked Apollos publicly for his lack of
knowledge.
Instead, they take him aside and help complete his education.
Sometimes when we “confront” people, we don’t always give them the respect
they deserve.
Illustration
Harry, a new retiree greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn’t
seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he
was a good worker, really tidy, clean shaven,
sharp-minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their
‘Older Person Friendly’ policies. One day the boss called him into the office
for a talk. ‘Harry, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a
bang-up job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome.’ ‘Yes, I know, boss, and I am working on it.’
‘Well good, you are a team player. That’s what I like to hear. It’s odd though,
your coming in late. I know you’re retired from the Armed Forces.
What did they say if you came in late there?’
‘They said, ‘Good morning, General, coffee this morning, sir?”
Apollos may not have been a “general”, but he did deserve the respect that
Aquila and Priscilla seemed to show him.
As for Apollos, I imagine their “confrontation” included more teaching
about who Jesus was as well as the work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said,
(Matthew
18:15 NKJV) “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go
and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
I’m not sure that Apollos would fall into the category of
someone who has “offended”, but Jesus lays out a good principle.
Go to a person quietly first.
:26 explained …more accurately
explained – ektithemi – to convey
information by careful elaboration
more accurately – akribos –
accurately, carefully. Here it’s in the “comparative” form – not just
“accurately”, but more accurately.
Apollos had some things correct. But he just didn’t have all the facts.
So they did a little “school of discipleship”
class with Apollos.
:27 And when he desired
to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him;
and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
:28 for he vigorously
refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the
Christ.
:27 he desired to cross to Achaia
Perhaps Priscilla and Aquila told him some of the stories of things that
had happened in Corinth (Achaia), and now he’s got a desire to go help the
church in Corinth.
It seems that Aquila and Priscilla wrote a letter of introduction to the
Corinthian church (where they had been with Paul), letting them know that
Apollos was an OK guy.
Apollos is going to go on to become a well-known figure in the church in
Corinth.
When the carnal church in Corinth was dividing up into little “cliques”,
one of those groups was about Apollos.
(1
Corinthians 1:12 NKJV) Now I say this, that each of you
says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I
am of Christ.”
Paul will rebuke the church about
their immaturity in dividing into groups around their
favorite pastors.
BUT … Apollos got his “education” in the home of …
Priscilla and Aquila.
Paul will eventually make his way to Ephesus, where he will meet some
folks…
Acts 19
:1-10 Ephesus
:1 And it happened, while
Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions,
came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
:2 he said to them, “Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So
they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy
Spirit.”
:3 And he said to them,
“Into what then were you baptized?” So they said,
“Into John’s baptism.”
:4 Then Paul said, “John
indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they
should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
:5 When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
:6 And when Paul had laid
hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
:1 finding some disciples
I don’t think we can prove any of this, but I think these fellows (called
“disciples”) had only heard part of the truth about the Messiah.
They needed to hear the rest from Paul.
I think those partial truths may have come from Apollos before he met
Aquila and Priscilla.
It’s after this that the church in Ephesus begins to take off.
Paul will stay in Ephesus for three years. Miraculous things happened
during those days…
(Acts 19:11–12
NKJV) —11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to
the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
The people in Ephesus were changing…
(Acts 19:19 NKJV) Also, many
of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them
in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of
them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.
After three years, God begins to tell Paul that it might be getting time to
move on from Ephesus.
(Acts 19:21–22
NKJV) —21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit,
when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying,
“After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent
into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he
himself stayed in Asia for a time.
Note that he thinks he’s heading to Rome.
It’s during this time that Paul will write a letter to the Corinthians from
Ephesus, around the time of Acts 19:22. This is around AD 56.
You will see in the letter to the Corinthians many little historical bits
that parallel what’s happening here in Acts 19 (see 1Corinthians 16:5-12)
(1 Corinthians
16:5–12 NKJV) —5 Now I will come to you when I pass
through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). 6 And it may
be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me
on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now on
the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great
and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 And if
Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work
of the Lord, as I also do. 11 Therefore let no one despise him.
But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting
for him with the brethren. 12 Now
concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with
the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will
come when he has a convenient time.
Look who is still with Paul during these three years in Ephesus…
(1 Corinthians
16:19 NKJV) The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you
heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
I’d suggest that they will leave Ephesus when Paul does,
after the riot of Acts 19.
And just for curiosity’s sake, look who else is in Ephesus with Paul when
he writes to the Corinthians…
(1 Corinthians 16:12 NKJV) Now concerning our brother Apollos,
I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite
unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient
time.
It is quite humorous that some of the Corinthians were so
in love with Apollos, when Apollos didn’t seem to be too in love with them.
I imagine he learned a lot more from Paul.
Paul will leave Ephesus and head to Macedonia (Philippi), where he will
write 2Corinthians around AD 56 (or, Acts 20:1).
From there, Paul will head south to Corinth, where he will write to the
Romans, around the time of Acts 20:2 (or, AD 56)
While Paul has been making this trip from Ephesus
to Corinth, our friends Priscilla and Aquila have headed
on to Rome.
I wonder if they did this because of Paul’s original intent to head towards
Rome (Acts 19:21)
We are going to take a peek into Romans and find
them at the end of his epistle to the Romans.
Romans 16
:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
Paul doesn’t call them his “servants”, but his “fellow” workers.
He puts them on the same level as he is.
:4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks,
but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
:4 risked their own necks
We aren’t sure what Paul is referring to, but there is one possible
situation. When Paul was in Ephesus, the
silversmith Demetrius provoked the entire city to riot on account of Paul. He claimed that Paul was ruining Ephesus
because so many people were turning to Jesus and not buying Demetrius’ silver
idols. The entire city went into the
huge amphitheater and were crying for action.
(Acts 19:30 NKJV) And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples
would not allow him.
Perhaps Aquila and Priscilla stepped in and got Paul out of danger.
Whatever it was Paul was referring to, he was thankful for.
And so were all the Gentile churches.
It was because of Priscilla and Aquila that Paul was able to continue on in ministry.
:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my
beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits
of Achaia to Christ.
:5 the church that is in their house
We’ve seen this several times.
They’ve opened up their home to a regular
meeting of believers.
Quiz Alert
Lesson
5. Home groups
Home fellowships are a great place not only to learn about ministry, but
also to “do” ministry.
Researchers have found that the best size group to facilitate healthy
relationships between people are between 12 and 14 people.
It is kind of interesting to think that Jesus and His disciples fit
this. His “group” was perfect to form
relationships.
By the way, most living rooms are designed to hold
12-14 people.
I’d like to suggest that “discipleship”, the passing on from one person to
another what it means to follow Jesus, takes place in smaller groups, not the
large church service.
If you want to help someone grow in Christ, you need to
spend time with them.
They need to see you up close. They need to see how you live your life day to day.
They need to see your flaws, your failures. They need to see how you grab ahold of Jesus
and keep following Him.
Home fellowships can be an important part of Christian growth.
Gayle Erwin did a video series on Home Fellowships
Here’s a clip of Gayle talking about some of the value in Home Fellowship
The video comes from … Gayle Erwin teaching on Home Fellowships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQ7vthDLLo
I have to admit, whenever I think of Aquila and
Priscilla, I think of my friends Brian and Jeannie Webb.
They’ve made it a habit for many, many, many years to open their home for
others.
It may be that when the next round of “Home Groups” start at church, you
ought to think of either joining one, or hosting one.
Our last mention of Aquila and Priscilla is in 2Timothy…
2Timothy
At some point, Aquila and Priscilla will leave Rome and head back to
Ephesus. They will be there to support Timothy.
Paul’s last letter to Timothy at Ephesus mentions them:
(2 Timothy 4:19
NKJV) Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Quiz
From the lecture (10pts):
1. Ministry as a couple
2. Work is good
3. A committed life
4. Quiet confrontation
5. Home groups
Homework
No homework! This was our last class!
Just make sure you get caught up with any classes you’ve missed by emailing
me your quiz answers, and get your final turned in.
Everything is due by March 8
Blessing