Paul In Corinth
Notes
Transcript
(vs. 1) - Paul leaves Athens and goes to Corinth:
Exploring Acts: An Expository Commentary (1) The Place (18:1)
In Paul’s day Corinth was the political capital of Greece and the seat of a Roman proconsul. It occupied a strategic location on an isthmus, a natural land-bridge connecting the Peloponnesus with northern Greece. It had harbors facing two seas, east and west. Sea routes and land routes converged on Corinth so that it was the chief market city between Asia and Italy.
Exploring Acts: An Expository Commentary (1) The Place (18:1)
In 146 B.C. the Romans had destroyed Corinth in revenge for a revolt, and it had remained in ruins for a hundred years, until Julius Caesar revived the city as a Roman colony in 46 B.C.
Exploring Acts: An Expository Commentary (1) The Place (18:1)
Corinth was the Vanity Fair of the Roman Empire, famous for the licentious worship of Venus (the Aphrodite of the Greeks and the Ashtoreth of the Phoenicians). That worship was centered on the temple of Venus on the Corinthian Acropolis. Most seaports have their seamy side, but Corinth outdid them all. The temple of Venus alone housed a thousand sacred courtesans. From time to time the Isthmian games were held in the stadium that was attached to the temple of Neptune, a short distance from the city. So dissolute was Corinth that the name of the city became a synonym for licentiousness. In classical Greek the word Korinthiazomai (“to act the Corinthian”) meant to practice fornication.
(vs. 2) - Paul runs into a Aquila and Priscilla, which were Jews living in the region. They had preciously lived in Italy, but Claudius commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome.
You can see in this that the Jews as a whole, regardless of their own division, were facing much persecution from the Roman government. Many of the Roman officials hated the Jewish people. So Paul has enemies of the state, but he is also facing enemies within his own people, which are the religious leaders of his day who refuse to accept that Jesus was the Messiah.
Remember this animosity amongst them because it will play heavily into what happens at the end of our lesson.
(vs. 3) - Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla hit it off because they all practiced the same trade; they were all tent makers. I am sure that this provided a means for the relationship to take shape. Not only were they able to discuss spiritual things at night, once the work for the day was complete, but they were also able to work together during the day, since they all worked on the same thing.
(vs. 4) - As always, Paul goes to the synagogue every Sabbath to speak to them concerning Jesus. Also, as always, many of those who came to listen to what he had to say were persuaded that Jesus was indeed the Christ.
Vs. 5 tells us that when Silas and Timothy showed up, his boldness in the Spirit grew even more, allowing him to be very direct concerning Jesus being the Christ.
Vs. 6 - As with all the times before, there was a group there who opposed what he taught. How did Paul react?
He shook his garments…??
This statement is very similar to what Christ told his disciples to do in the Gospels when a town did not receive them. “Shake the dust from your feet....”, He told them. Paul is signifying that they have to live with their choices, but he would not condone or support them in it. He disagreed, and therefore wanted no part with the road they chose to travel. Shaking his garments represented him shaking the dust of their Synagogue from him so that he would not be tainted by their bad decisions.
“Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go the Gentiles.”
This is where we see Paul make a transition in the focus of his ministry. He did not stop loving the Jews at this point, but his focus switched to that of the Gentiles, because of their consistent opposition to everything he said and did.
1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;
5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Vs. 7 - Paul now moves to live with another man by the name of Justus. He worshipped God and lived next door to the synagogue, both things of which were advantageous to Paul.
We see in vs. 8 that it doesn’t take long for the leader of the synagogue, Crispus, to get converted. It was through this conversion that the door to taking Paul’s claims seriously was opened. Many then were converted through Paul’s teachings and were baptized.
Sometimes, it just takes the right person. Unfortunately, we do not know who the right person is, so it is not up to us to determine who is worth our time. If we simply remain faithful in sharing Christ, God will work out the rest.
Vs. 9-10 - Paul now receives word from God through a vision telling him to speak with boldness. God also tells him that he has nothing to fear, for he will not be harmed be anyone.
How might this affect a person? If God reached out to you and told you to do something, and told you that you had no reason to worry for He was going to take care of you, how would it determine your next steps?
(Vs. 11) - This added fuel to the fire and Paul ended up staying there for a year and a half!
Vs. 12 - The Jews finally band together and take Paul by force. They bring him to Gallio, who was serving as the proconsul of Achaia at the time.
A proconsul is a local ruler. He is in charge of keeping order within a certain region. He has authority over most things within that region, but he is still liable to those in power in over him.
(Vs. 13) - The Jews think that Gallio will help them get rid of Paul, after all, they hate Jews and need only but a reason to make one disappear permanently.
(Vs. 14-16) - Paul starts to explain his position, but Gallio cuts him off. He explains that his job is to maintain order within the realm of Roman interest. He makes it clear that their own personal laws, rituals, or religious preferences are not worthy of his time. As long as Paul has not broken any Roman laws, this matter is not worth his time.
Remember earlier when we said that Rome wanted nothing to do with the Jews? Here is a prime example. The Jewish leaders thought this disdain for them would work in their favor, but it actually worked against them. Gallio wanted nothing to do with their problems, because it had nothing to do with him.
Vs. 17 - The Jewish leaders took this as an opportunity to enact their own judgment. They take Sosthenes, who was a fellow Christian serving alongside Paul, and beat him right before the judgment seat.
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
They wanted to make an example of someone, but why not Paul?
Paul was a freeborn Roman, so they could not touch him or then they themselves would have to answer to Gallio. They already knew that, which is why they turn to Sosthenes instead.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”
27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”
29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
So are we to learn from this text?
God’s word is sure! When He says He will do something, He will do it.
We are to be faithful in our witness, knowing that God will bless our efforts and bring increase to the church through our faithfulness.
We do not know who the most influential people for Christ will be, but He does. It is not up to us to determine who is worth our time or not. We are to be faithful in witnessing to all people, regardless of who they are or what they have done, and we are to let God determine the course of each person’s walk with Him.
We should take time to fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul on several occasions, as we see here in this text, does not go sleep in a field, but rather finds someone who is a believer to stay with. During that time, he uses his opportunities wisely to teach them concerning Christ. What a beautiful example unto us on what it looks like to disciple others in Christ.
