In the 1957 movie, “Twelve Angry Men”, one jurist (Henry Fonda) tries to convince the other eleven  that the accused isn’t guilty of murder. (They’re all certain evidence proves he is.) Tempers flare and hidden characters are revealed.  The drama provides fascinating insight into the hearts and minds of  these twelve men!

In Ephesus, the apostle Paul comes upon twelve “empty” men.  Here we get a fascinating insight into the working of the Holy Spirit . . .

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions (of Asia, today’s Turkey) and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—altogether there were about twelve of them. (Acts 19:1-7, NRSV).

Image result for map of Paul's 3rd missionary journey

Why did author Luke (inspired by the Holy Spirit) include this unusual incident?  Not only because it happened.  But because Luke intended to tell us something.  (Author’s intent is a critical question for interpreting most any Scripture.)  In discovering Luke’s intent we’ll discover how this event applies to us.

Let’s start our answer-search with Paul’s question to the twelve “disciples”: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”  Now why would Paul ask that?  Dr. Gordon Fee’s (theologian and author who currently serves as Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada) view of the Spirit in Paul’s theology hints at an answer . . .

Any careful reading of Paul’s letters makes it abundantly clear that the Spirit (for Paul) is the key element . . . of all Christian life and experience.  To put that in theological perspective, it needs to be noted that, contrary to historic Protestantism, “justification by faith” is not the central theme of Pauline theology (Listening to the Spirit in the Text, p. 37).

If  true, Paul’s question to the twelve is perfectly reasonable.  They are “disciples” of John the Baptist.  They haven’t heard that Messiah (Jesus) has come and with him the Spirit-riches of last days’ salvation.

So Paul announces the good news and the twelve believe, are baptized in Jesus’ name and receive the Holy Spirit.  We understand, then, why Paul asked the twelve about the Spirit.  But, why did Luke include this incident?

Pentecostals (and some Charismatics) point to this passage as a proof-text for “baptism in the Holy Spirit” as an experience subsequent to salvation.   They argue that, since these twelve are called “disciples” they must have been Christians, but without this “second blessing” of Spirit-baptism.  Clearly, though, these men are disciples of John (the Baptist).  Furthermore, how could they be Christians if they’ve never even heard of “a Holy Spirit”?   In the saving work of Messiah Jesus, and in the Pauline theology of it, the Spirit is the key element . . .

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7, ESV).

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9, ESV).
Therefore, these “disciples” were of John, not Jesus.  Pentecostals, though, aren’t alone in misusing this passage.  Some non-Pentecostals seem fixated on bludgeoning Pentecostals with this text.  No (as I’ve argued), this doesn’t prove a “second blessing”!  By misusing this text, they miss the bigger word-picture Paul paints.
 I think Dr. Gordon Fee gets it right:  “The key to understanding Acts seems to be in Luke’s interest in the movement, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit, of the Gospel from its Jerusalem-based, Judaism-oriented beginnings to its becoming a worldwide Gentile-predominant phenomenon.”   (How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth).   Luke intends to show us this movement, this Holy Spirit-orchestrated stream flowing from Jerusalem Jews to the Gentile world.
But why include “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied”?  When the Holy Spirit was initially poured out on the Day of Pentecost, Luke describes the phenomenon of speaking in other tongues (Acts 2:1-4).  Then, later while Peter preached the gospel to the Gentile Cornelius, ” . . . the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God” (Acts 10:44-46).  Now, here in the great Gentile city Ephesus Luke reports how the Holy Spirit came upon (the twelve) and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

Luke is showing us movement—the movement of the Gospel, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit from its Jerusalem-based Judaism beginnings (Pentecost, Acts 2) to its becoming a worldwide Gentile predominant phenomenon (Cornelius in Acts 10, the twelve in Ephesus in Acts 19).

We 21st century Americans see that movement bottled up.  Evangelical Christian percentage of the country’s population is slowly shrinking.  Yet, in places like Africa and South America, the movement continues.   We mustn’t be complacent about stagnant movement here.  But we can be encouraged that the Holy Spirit’s orchestration of the Gospel movement continues despite the obstacles.  God will see to it that his will is done!

Finally, this incident reminds us of a very personal application of the Spirit-filled Gospel.  I’ve called these twelve men “empty”.   Even though they believed John the Baptist’s preaching and looked forward to the coming Messiah and showed their repentance from sin and to the coming Savior by being baptized in John’s name.  But inside they were “natural” men—men without the living, transforming presence of God the Holy Spirit, men still dominated by the sinful nature.

Then Paul, returning to Ephesus according to God’s will (see https://theoldpreacher.com/if-god-wills/), finds them.  He announces what John prophesied Jesus fulfilled.  They believed, were baptized and were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Their “emptiness” overflowed with the regenerating, sanctifying, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

Luke wants us to know that this “movement” is available to us, too.  His concern isn’t speaking in tongues or prophesying.  It isn’t whether we call ourselves Pentecostals, Charismatics or something else.  It’s that we understand a movement of the Gospel is still sweeping through the world.

And that we welcome whatever God the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives.  So that we are no longer empty, but filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name to the glory of God the Father.