This is the Paul who said, “Be imitators of me,18 as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Someone might object, “But Paul had special powers that don’t apply to me.” Certainly Paul had unusual gifts and powers, all the signs of an apostle.19 God gave Paul direct revelations that are fundamental – actually foundational – to Christianity.20 God gave “extraordinary miracles” through Paul to confirm21 the divine origin of the foundation he laid. You may not do everything Paul did, but the truth established and illustrated by his miracles certainly applies to you. As an example, think about the bedrock truth that events in Ephesus helped to reveal and confirm.
And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.22 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily (Acts 19:17-20).
During His time on earth, Jesus had often healed people and cast out evil spirits.23 These miracles proved His “authority and power” to defeat Satan and his forces.24 Jesus gave similar power to His apostles and their helpers.25 Their amazing displays showed earthly eyes what Jesus saw with heavenly vision: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). The miraculous signs announced both Satan’s downfall and the triumphant reign of God: “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).
Later, in Ephesus, Paul continued to persuade people about God’s reign in Christ (Acts 19:8; 20:25). God visibly demonstrated the spiritual reality that demons, spirits, magical arts, charms, sorcery and spells count for nothing compared with the power of Jesus. His name outranks every other name! He rules “far above” all other powers and names (Ephesians 1:20-21). That truth remains truer than ever, especially for today’s Christian who has gifts different from the apostles.26
18. Research Subject – Imitate Paul and similar leaders: 1 Corinthians 4:16; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; Titus 2:7; Hebrews 6:12; 13:7; 1 Peter 5:3; 2 Corinthians 8:1-8; 9:2 cf. Ephesians 5:1 and 1 Peter 2:21 with 1 Corinthians 11:1; John 13:15.
19. Signs of an apostle: 2 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 15:18-19 cf. Acts 9:11-12; 20:9-10; 1 Corinthians 9:1
20. Revelations to Paul: Ephesians 3:1-9; Galatians 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 2 Corinthians 12:1; Colossians 1:25
21. Confirming: Mark 16:20; Acts 14:3; 1 Corinthians 1:5-7; Hebrews 2:3 cf. John 20:30-31; Exodus 4:1-8; 1 Samuel 3:19-20
22. Lit. 50,000 silver coins, most likely Greek coins called drachmae. The equivalent Roman coin was the denarius, valued at that time as about a day’s wage for an average worker, Matthew 20:2. The “scrolls” were probably papers (papyri) worn in special necklaces and bracelets. Written on such scrolls were magical sayings and secrets believed to give power to protect and enrich wearers. These scrolls were so common in Ephesus that records from that time call them Ephesia grammata (Ephesian writings). Burning many books, especially charmed writings, involved great financial loss. This shows the meaning of repentance in the willingness to change, Acts 3:19, to sacrifice, Luke 14:33, and publicly to reject former beliefs, 1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 10:26-27; 23:6.
23. Luke 4:33-41; 8:2,27-39; 9:37-42; 11:14; 13:32
26. The force of the Greek wording in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30 is that members were not all apostles, not all prophets, not all miracle workers and healers, not all speakers in tongues, etc. This was the situation even in the formative days of the church when many were miraculously gifted, Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 cf. Acts 8:13-19; 1 Corinthians 1:5-7. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 also shows that certain gifts gave “part” of God’s message, but that such gifts would cease, while faith, hope and love would remain.
Picture: Many believers were killed for Christ in Rome’s Coliseum. They were not gifted to be apostles, but they imitated the faith, and confidence of the apostles.