Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 10, Ahad 02 September 2018

Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 10
Ahad 02 September  2018

Efesus : Bahagian 1

Dalam Kisah 18:24-28 mencatatkan bahawa sementara Paulus masih berada dalam perjalanan ke Efesus, seorang orang percaya Yahudi bernama Apolos tiba ke kota itu. Dia adalah seorang yang lancar berkata-kata dan banyak pengetahuan tentang ayat-ayat Alkitab. Apolos ini adalah seorang pengikut Yesus, jelas daripada cara Lukas menghuraikan dia: “Ia telah menerima pengajaran dalam Jalan Tuhan. Dengan bersemangat ia berbicara dan dengan teliti ia mengajar tentang Yesus” (Kisah 18:25). Tetapi ia hanya mengetahui baptisan Yohanes. Selepas dibaptis oleh Yohanes Pembaptis, Apolos telah mengenali Yesus semasa kehidupan Yesus di atas bumi, tetapi dia mesti telah berpindah jauh daripada kawasan itu-barangkali kembali ke Alexandria-sebelum peristiwa Pentakosta.

Ini menjelaskan mengapa Akwila dan Priskila telah berikan dia petunjuk lanjutan. Sekalipun boleh menunjukkan di dalam Alkitab bahawa Yesus adalah Mesias orang Israel (Kisah 18:28), Apolos masih perlu diperbaharui seperti mana perkembangan Kekristianan sejak pelayanan Yesus. Bagaimanapun, Akwila dan Priskila melakukan lebih bagi Apolos: bersama orang percaya yang lain di Efesus, mereka berikan dia suratrekomendasi ditujukan kepada gereja-gereja di Akhaya (Kisah 18:27), yang membenarkan dia untuk melayani lebih efektif di Korintus (1 Korintus 3:4-6; 4:6; 16:12).

Sila baca Kisah 19:1-7. Apakah yang berlaku kepada Paulus setibanya dia di Efesus?

Cerita Apolos ada kaitan dengan tujuan dua belas orang Paulus jumpa di Efesus sebaik sahaja dia tiba di kota itu, oleh kerana keadaan mereka sangat serupa. Gambaaran mereka sebagai “murid-murid” (Kisah 19:1) dan pertanyaan Paulus kepada mereka (Kisah 19:2) jelas sekali menunjukkan bahawa mereka telahpun menjadi orang percaya kepada Yesus. Pada masa sama, jawapan mereka kepada Paulus menunjukkan bahawa, serupa dengan apolos, mereka juga adalah bekas murid Yohanes Pembaptis yang menjadi pengikut Yesus tanpa pengalaman mengikuti Pentakosta. Mereka mempunyai peluang mendalami pengalaman sukacita bersama TUHAN.

“Apabila Paulus tiba di Efesus, dia mendapati dua belas saudara, seperti Apolos, telah menjadi murid Yohanes pembaptis, dan seperti dia telah mendapat beberapa pengetahuan tentang misi Kristus. Mereka tidak memiliki kebolehan seperti Apolos, tetapi dengan ketulusan dan iman yang sama, mereka berusaha untuk menyebarkan ke seluruh dunia pengetahuan yang mereka telah terima.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, ms. 282.

Kita harus melihat baptisan mereka yang baru sama penting dengan keadaan unik ini. Mereka bukannya datang daripada denominasi Kristian yang lain, mereka juga tidak mengalami peralehan agama. Mereka hanya diintegrasi menerusi haluan utama Kekristianan. Bahawa mereka menerima Roh Kudus dan bercakap dengan lidah mungkin bererti bahawa mereka adalah misionari Kristian, sebagaimana Apolos, sekarang ini dipenuhi kuasa untuk bersaksi tentang Yesus Kristus kemanapun mereka pergi.

Sabbath School Lesson 10
Sunday September 2

Ephesus: Part I

Acts 18:24-28 records that while Paul was still on his way to Ephesus, a Jewish believer named Apollos came to that city. He was an eloquent man and well-versed in the Scriptures. That Apollos was a follower of Jesus is clear from the way Luke describes him: “he had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately” (Acts 18:25, NIV). Yet, he knew only John’s baptism. Having been baptized by John the Baptist, Apollos became acquainted with Jesus during Jesus’ earthy life, but he must have moved away from the area—probably back to Alexandria—before the Passion/Pentecost events.

This explains why Aquila and Priscilla would give him further instruction. Though being able to show from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel (Acts 18:28), Apollos needed to be updated as to the developments of Christianity since Jesus’ ministry. However, Aquila and Priscilla did more for Apollos: with the other believers in Ephesus, they gave him a recommendation letter addressed to the churches in Achaia (Acts 18:27), which allowed him to have an effective ministry in Corinth (1 Cor. 3:4-6, 4:6, 16:12).

Read Acts 19:1-7. What happened to Paul when he arrived in Ephesus?

Apollos’s story is connected to the account of the twelve men Paul met in Ephesus upon his arrival in that city, because their situation was very similar. Their description as “disciples” (Acts 19:1) and Paul’s question to them (Acts 19:2) clearly indicate that they were already believers in Jesus. At the same time, their answer to Paul shows that, similarly to Apollos, they were also former disciples of John the Baptist who had become followers of Jesus without having experienced Pentecost. They were to have an opportunity to enjoy a deeper experience with the Lord.

“On his arrival at Ephesus, Paul found twelve brethren, who, like Apollos, had been disciples of John the Baptist, and like him had gained some knowledge of the mission of Christ. They had not the ability of Apollos, but with the same sincerity and faith they were seeking to spread abroad the knowledge they had received.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 282.

We should view their new baptism in light of this unique situation. They were not coming from another Christian denomination, nor were they experiencing conversion. They were only being integrated into mainstream Christianity. That they received the Spirit and spoke in tongues probably means they were Christian missionaries, as Apollos was, who were now being fully empowered to witness about Jesus Christ wherever they went.