Acts 19:9

‘But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.'

Such continual efforts could only result in some being ‘hardened' because they refused to accept the message. Note that this is also described as being ‘disobedient. For ‘hardening' compare Romans 9:18; Hebrews 3:8; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7. When used in the New Testament the word is always used of Israel/Jews. In the Old Testament it was used of Pharaoh in his attitude towards God during his battles with Moses, and elsewhere in the Old Testament of Israel, with this significance of a heart that is gradually hardened because of a refusal to submit to God. The idea in the New Testament is that those who had the Scriptures hardened their hearts against its message.

The result was that they spoke evil of ‘the Way' before the whole congregation. That this is to be seen as more than simply disagreeing comes out in the consequences. It was on open and determined attack, no doubt including blasphemy against Jesus Christ. It presumably made further teaching in the synagogue impossible. These may well have been the ‘wild beasts at Ephesus' (1 Corinthians 15:32). If so it suggests that Luke is toning the situation down.

‘The Way.' A regular description of the new teaching (Acts 9:2; Acts 19:23; Acts 22:4; Acts 24:14; Acts 24:22) indicating that those who followed it lived in a special way, the way of holiness. It may well have been a name that they gave to themselves. If so it would be because they were saw themselves as walking in God's new way, and following a way of life different from all others, although it may also have connection with Jesus' claim to be ‘The Way' in John 14:6. Alternately it may be a title applied to them by observers, who noted their punctilious way of life, a title which they then took over for themselves.

The idea of ‘the way of holiness' can be found in the Old Testament, especially in Isaiah 35:8; compare Isaiah 26:7; Isaiah 30:21; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 43:19; Isaiah 48:17 The idea that it represents is that of walking before the Lord in cleanness and purity, and in following God's Instruction (Torah), in this case in terms of the teaching of Jesus (compare Isaiah 2:3), steadfastly and truly. Those who walk in that way desire only to please Him. It was thus a very suitable title. It was ‘the way of God'.

‘He departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.' Realising that the synagogue could no longer be a suitable place for speaking of Christ Paul moved the disciples in their entirety to the School of Tyrannus. There could now be no true worship in the atmosphere of the synagogue. From now on the church would meet in the School of Tyrannus, and it was there that the future evangelistic activity would take place, and where Paul established his own outreach. It would make him more accessible to Gentiles. We can compare the similar response in Corinth in Acts 18:7.

It was possibly partly with regard to this situation that he wrote to the Corinthians, ‘a great door and effectual is opened to me, and there are many adversaries' (1 Corinthians 16:9).

‘The School of Tyrannus.' Tyrannus was presumably a philosopher who had set up a school in Ephesus. He may have hired out the building during the periods when he was not teaching (the Western text has an addition which says that Paul preached there ‘from the fifth to the tenth hour',that is from 11:00 to 16:00 indicating the period of siesta). Or he may have become a Christian and have gladly shared his building with Paul. In view of the length of time in which Paul ministered there we can be almost certain that he was friendly disposed towards him.