Untitled Sermon (2)

God Keeps His Promise to Paul (v. 12-16)

Acts 18:12–16 KJV 1900

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.

God works through unusual circumstances (v. 17; cf. 1 Cor. 1:1)

Acts 18:17 KJV 1900

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.

1 Corinthians 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

The Differences between the Judgment of Men and Christ

A Right Judgment (18:14-15)

Acts 18:14–15 KJV 1900

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.

Gallio was correct on several counts. This was indeed a question of words: the word logos is one of Christ’s titles given in John 1:1, names: the name of Jesus Christ and of His Father whom the Jews claimed to worship, and of course this discussion had much to do with the Jewish Law.

Gallio was tragically disinterested in spiritual matters and Biblical matters. He viewed religion as a waste of energy and religious disputes as a waste of time.

The Judgment seat described in this chapter was a seat of indifference and later of injustice. Christ’s judgment seat will be neither of these things.