Bible Study on Acts 18, verses 1 to 16, Paul in Corinth

 

Acts 18:1 ¶  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3  And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5  And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

 

I already spoke about Corinth’s predominant sexual sins in the worship of Aphrodite/Venus. Corinth had been an ancient city-state in Greece well-known in antiquity. Then, upon its conquest by the Romans in 146BC it was completely destroyed, the men killed and the women and children sold into slavery. It became a rebuilt colony of Rome in 44BC because of Julius Caesar and prospered as a trading and administrative center, becoming the capital of the Roman province of Achaea. It was mainly populated by Romans, Greeks, and Jews.

 

The expulsion of the Jews from Rome is also mentioned by the Roman historians Suetonius and Cassius Dio and a later Christian historian, Paulus Orosius. Jews had been expelled twice previous to this for their aggressive missionary efforts to gain proselytes among the pagans. However, it is clear that many returned each time. No expulsion efforts were ever watertight and foolproof.

 

Here is proof that Paul supported himself not by offerings, although he was allowed to and would insist on that point in 1Corinthians 9, but as a tentmaker, a skilled craftsman. He found kindred spirits in Aquila and Priscilla, a husband and wife team. Paul also admonished Christians to;

 

1Thessalonians 4:11  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

 

Paul again argues with the Jews on every sabbath gaining converts among Jew and Gentile but eventually the stubbornness of his people, the Jews, causes him to declare that from then on he will go to the Gentiles, implying that he is not going to preach to the Jews anymore. Of course, we know he does not follow this declaration to the letter as he has a great burden for the Jewish people.

 

Romans 9:1 ¶  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3  For I could wish

that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

 

Acts 18:7 ¶  And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

 

Here is the beginning of the Corinthian church to which two letters were written that are found in the New Testament with problems and issues that still face the church in America today. The Lord tells Paul that He has many people that will be saved in Corinth so for a year and a half Paul teaches and establishes the church in Corinth.

 

Acts 18:12 ¶  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 16  And he drave them from the judgment seat. 17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

 

Remember, Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. Gallio, according to sources, was the elder brother of the Roman philosopher, Seneca the Younger, who became the tutor of the future emperor, Nero, under whom Paul will be executed according to tradition. Gallio was born Lucius Annaetus Novatus but was later adopted by a Roman Senator named Junius Gallio as a protégé changing his name to Junius Gallio. He became deputy or proconsul of Achaia in AD51 according to these sources.

 

Gallio was apparently not a confrontationalist and did not want to get involved in this dispute between the Jews and Paul. John Gill noted in his commentary that Seneca said of his brother that, “he was a very modest man, of a sweet disposition, and greatly beloved.” Gill also quotes another Roman writer who called him, “mild and gentle in his speech.” Gill’s commentary is free online so you can verify my quotes if you like.