Acts 19:8,9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He—spake boldly for the space of three months,— Lord Barrington supposes, that after St. Paul had been some time at Ephesus, he visited the neighbouring towns of Asia, and then returned to Ephesus again; and it seems not improbable, that the foundation of some others of the seven churches in Asia, so particularly favoured by the epistles of our Lord, might now be laid. Comp. Acts 19:10, St. Paul frequented the synagogue of the Jews for three months; but, when several of the leading men among them were hardened beyond all conviction, and not only refused to believe themselves, but even cast wicked and injurious reflections upon the Christian religion before the multitude, and did all that they could to deter others from believing;—the apostle left the synagogue, and taking with him the converts whom through divine grace he had made, he went and taught daily in the school of one Tyrannus, or Turnus; who probably was a converted Jew; and his school, perhaps, what the Jews call Bethmidrash, or a divinity school; in which they used to handle intricate questions and difficult doctrines. There St. Paul kept his assembly for two years together; and, according to two ancient manuscripts he taught five hours a day; that is to say, fromeleven o'clock in the morning to four in the after-noon. By his indefatigable diligence for so long a time, Christianity spread very much; for all the inhabitants of proconsular Asia, whether Jews or Gentiles, had thereby an opportunity to learn the true Christian doctrine, and to see it confirmed by mighty and convincing attestations. See Acts 19:11.