"Something's Missing!"

Acts 19:1  While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.  There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"

"John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "Joph's baptism was a baptism of repentance.  He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is , in Jesus Christ."  On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

There were about twelve men in all.

(Note: Acts 19:1) Apollos was at Corinth.  Apollos was introduced at Ephesus (18:24) in the absence of Paul; he moved to Corinth before Paul returned to Ephesus.  But later Apollos came back to Ephesus during Paul's ministry there (I Corinthians 16:12).  "Through the interior" not the lower direct route down the Lycus and Meander valleys, but the upper Phrygian route approaching Ephesus from a more northerly direction.  If Paul got to northern Galatia, which is unlikely, it must have been on of these trips through the interior (16:6; 18:23).

Ephesus, (Acts 18:19) "Some Disciples" seem to have been followers of Jesus, but indirectly through John the Baptist or some of his followers.  Or perhaps they had received their teaching from Apollos himself in his earlier state of partial understanding (Acts 18:26) Like Apollos, they had a limited understanding of the gospel (Acts 18:25).

(Note: Acts 19:2)  "Receive The Holy Spirit"  Paul finds that they were not informed about the Holy Spirit at all (Acts 19:3-6)

(Note: Acts 19:4)  "John's Baptism"  The Baptism of Repentance" (Matthew 3:11-15).  A summation of John's teachings.  It was preparatory and provisional, stressing man's sinfulness and thus creating a sense of need for the gospel.  John's baptism indeed forward to Jesus, who by his death would make possible the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).

(Note: Acts 19:6)  "Placed His Hands On Them"  The Holy Spirit Came On Them . . . Spoke In Tongues And Prophesied.  The same experience the Gentiles had in Caesarea (Acts 10:46).

The Question Now Becomes . . . "Where Is Your Holy Ghost?"