Hello Giuseppe --
I'm going to create a little minor mischief here - I'm even going to ask Huller to contribute and we all know how highly he thinks of anything I compose - but what follows looks to another understanding.
Acts 18: 28 (RSV):
[28] for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
This is absolutely non-controversial for most of the Translations.
What about this next one?
Acts 18: 28 (
Aramaic Bible in Plain English:
https://www.biblehub.com/aramaic-plain- ... cts/18.htm ):
He was powerfully instructing contrary to the Jews before the crowds while showing from the Scripture concerning Yeshua, that he is The Messiah.
WAYDAMINNIT!
"That
WHO was the Messiah?"
"...while showing from the Scripture concerning Yeshua,
that he is The Messiah".
Perhaps this Apollo guy was making a different Claim. Let's expand this by quoting the verses immediately preceding this one:
[24] Now a Jew named Apol'los, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.
[25] He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
[26] He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aq'uila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately.
[27] And when he wished to cross to Acha'ia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,
[28] for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
When rewriting stories, we may or may not have reason to accept the entire introduction. Here, the name is given. It may or may not be the "correct" name, given that it might be a rewrite of some Historical Event.
1. He was eloquent, a good speaker.
2. He knows Scripture, i.e. the "Old Testament". If he knew the "New Testament", what follows in later verses would not have made sense.
Verse 25 may be Deconstructed in a variety of ways in terms of "...being instructed in the way of the Lord..." with "...being fervent in spirit..." being a modifier with some baggage associated with it.
"...
though he only knew the baptism of John."
Uh-Oh!!! Here is the surprise in the diaper.
Acts tells us of the replacement of the Baptism of John with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This Religious Ceremony of John is replaced BEFORE MANY HAVE EVEN HEARD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!
Didn't they get the Message? Didn't the "Jesus" character tell them of the coming of the Holy Spirit? Wasn't it in all the newspapers?
So this Apollo guy knows what he's talking about but NOT THE LATEST NEWS, which must be explained by 2 people, one apparently a Lady and one with the strange name of "Aquila". He doesn't doubt when it is all explained "more accurately".
He then hops a Shuttle Service Flight to Achaia and almost immediately begins helping disseminate the "More Complete" Gospel.
'N then he shows "...by the Scriptures,
concerning Yeshua, that he IS the Messiah."
Something is very wrong here. The Replacement of the Baptism of John so quickly with Baptism of the Holy Spirit points to Historical Events. This New Religion appears to have had a Particular Form that needed to have a Replacement Part installed before the New Model could be released.
Is there a Candidate Historical Moment? Did I have to even ask?
Josephus,
War..., 4, 9, 2:
"...Wherefore Vespasian put off at first his expedition against Jerusalem, and stood waiting whither the empire would be transferred after the death of Nero. Moreover, when he heard that Galba was made emperor, he attempted nothing till he also should send him some directions about the war: however, he sent his son Titus to him, to salute him, and to receive his commands about the Jews.
Upon the very same errand did king Agrippa sail along with Titus to Galba; but as they were sailing in their long ships by the coasts of Achaia, for it was winter time, they heard that Galba was slain, before they could get to him, after he had reigned seven months and as many days. After whom Otho took the government, and undertook the management of public affairs.
So Agrippa resolved to go on to Rome without any terror; on account of the change in the government; but Titus, by a Divine impulse, sailed back from Greece to Syria, and came in great haste to Cesarea, to his father. And now they were both in suspense about the public affairs, the Roman empire being then in a fluctuating condition, and did not go on with their expedition against the Jews, but thought that to make any attack upon foreigners was now unseasonable, on account of the solicitude they were in for their own country..."
Who is this "Agrippa" character? One person on this Site knows.
I respectfully request one Stephan Huller step up and tell us a bit of what he knows about this "King Agrippa". More specifically Stephan, does this sound like your Agrippa, the "Real Messiah"?
Inquiring minds want to know.
CW