The Assurance of God's Protection - Acts 18:1-17

Many of you have heard the insurance commercial that says, Like a good neighbor State Farm is there and You are in good hands with Allstate.

Insurance companies spend millions of dollars on marketing ads so people will have the confidence that in case of an accident, they will be taken care of.

As good as these insurance companies are, there certain things within their policies that they will not cover. But I know someone who can assure you in matters that they are incapable of. They cannot compare with the “Assurance of God’s Protection.

In this passage, Paul enters Corinth to spread the gospel, and he encounters conflict for doing so. But God encourages Paul to continue the work of the ministry and assures him that He will protect him. This message today about the assurance of God’s protection will encourage you to be faithful when uncertain conflict comes into your life.

Acts 18:1–3 “After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.”

After Paul left Athens Luke wrote that he came into contact with a Jew name Aquila and his wife Priscilla. Priscilla was also known as Prisca, the name Paul used once in 2 Tim 4:19.  Luke uses Priscilla, “her momma called her Priscilla, Imma call her Priscilla.

The expulsion of the Jews by the emperor Claudius is a historically documented by the Romans historian Suetonius. Suetonius mentions in his writing “Life of Claudius” that Claudius expelled all the Jews who created civil disturbances over the debate whether Jesus was the Christ. The later church historian O-ro-sius dated this event during the ninth year of Claudius, i.e., between Jan. 25, 49, and Jan. 24, 50.

If Orosius’s date is accurate, and many scholars do trust the date he gives, what this does it sets a date for when Paul arrived in Corinth. Since Aquila and Priscilla preceded him there, it is not likely Paul would have arrived in Corinth before the middle of A.D. 49. Why is this significant? Because this shows evidence that Christianity had already reached Rome by A.D. 50. Now the question is, how would Christianity have already been reached in Rome by A.D. 50? We have the perfect answer in this passage before us—by the Christian missionaries Priscilla and Aquila, who traveled the routes of trade and commerce and carried their faith wherever they went. Aquila and Priscilla were already Christians and were a part of the group of Jews who were expelled from Rome because of the edict of Claudius. Plus, Luke doesn’t mention that Paul witnessed the gospel to this couple. And so Paul stayed with them because they shared in the same trade as tentmakers, but more importantly, they were fellow Christians.

Acts 18:4 “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.”

Once again, as was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue to reason dialegomai to instruct/debate every Sabbath about Jesus, and persuaded peitho, try to convince both Jews and Greeks. Paul was driven by his obligation to Jesus Christ to share the gospel with the unsaved. This type of driven obligation to Jesus Christ to share the gospel with the unsaved has diminished in the hearts of many in the church today. I’m thankful that God continues to use laborers who are committed to reaching others with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Luke 10:2 “Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

We should be praying that the Lord will use this church as Laborers for the harvest. 

Acts 18:5–6 “When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled soonekho/devoted or absorbed by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, the long awaited Messiah. I hope that there would be more professing Christians who are devoted by the Spirit and testify to those who are need of salvation. But when they, the Jews, opposed him and blasphemed-slandered Paul and his message about Jesus. The Jews whom prided themselves in knowing the OT and the prophesies about the coming Messiah because of their unbelief and hardness of their heart they refused to believe that Jesus fulfilled all the OT prophesies. John wrote this about Jews unbelief and rejection of Jesus.

John 1:11 “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

Once Paul saw that they blasphemed his message about Jesus Christ, (v.6b) Luke says that, “he shook his garments, not the dust off his sandals, because Jews would not wear sandals in the house let alone synagogue the house of God, Paul was in the synagogue and in their face he shook his garments. This was a curse upon them for rejecting Jesus as Messiah. And the Jews knew that he had take that phrase from Nehemiah

Nehemiah 5:13“Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”

and Paul said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean.

“Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. This phrase has its origin In Ezk 3:18-19 when the Lord told Ezekiel what would happen to him if he didn’t warn Israel. 

Ezekiel 3:18–19 “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”

Paul’s final words to the Jews in the Synagogue. At the end of v.6.

“From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Paul was bold in presenting the Gospel to the Jews, and he was equally bold in rejecting the Jews for their rejection of the Gospel. He tried to go to the Jews first with the Gospel (Rom 1:16). But since they blasphemed the message about Christ he is clean, he can stop trying to persuade the Jews at Corinth, and he is free to go to the Gentiles and share the Gospel.

You should be bold in presenting the Gospel to sinners in need of salvation, but there will be times when they begin to blaspheme Jesus know that their blood is on their own heads, you are clean, guiltless, and turn away and share the gospel with someone else.

Acts 18:7–8 “And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.”

Paul goes next door to the synagogue to Justus house, a man who worshiped God. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, became a believer with all of his household (which generally means his wife, sons, daughters, relatives, and servants).

Some scholars identify him as Gaius who later became a believer who Paul writes his greeting to Gaius, his host, and host of the whole church in Rom. 16:23just before his benediction.

Romans 16:23 “Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you.”

1 Cor 1:14, Ithank God that I baptized  none of you except Crispus and  Gaius 

Paul’s efforts in Corinth were not in vain. His interaction with both of these men, by God’s grace, caused them and others, both Jews and Greeks, to become Christians in Corinth.

The assurance of God’s protection

Acts 18:9–11 “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”

After Paul had been opposed by the Jews and told them that their blood was upon their heads, and then left. He must have felt that his life was in danger. But God spoke to Paul at night by a vision, and told him that he didn’t need to be afraid to speak, and didn’t need to keep silent, for God assured him that He was with him, and no one was going to attack him or hurt him; for He hand many people in the city of Corinth. This word from the Lord strengthen Paul to keep teaching the word of God there for year and six months.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church these words.

1 Corinthians 2:3 “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” 

What kept Paul going despite having fear? He had the assurance of God’s protection.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

When God is for you, who can be against you? You have the assurance of God’s protection in whatever you might be facing.

Acts 18:12–14 “When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (capital o Corinth).

Gallio was a Roman senator and provincial governor (proconsul) who presided over the Apostle Paul’s trial in Corinth around ad 51 (Acts 18).

Life and Career

Gallio was the proconsul of the Roman senatorial province of Achaia (Acts 18:12). Proconsuls generally served two-year terms, and such appointments offered potentially great financial rewards. Achaia’s administrative center was Corinth, a newly rebuilt city at the time and a busy commercial and transportation center. The city had as many as 200,000 residents, and the province of Achaia might have had several million subjects.

     Gallio was born during the reign of Augustus Caesar to Seneca the Elder, a wealthy Roman citizen. Gallio’s brother, Seneca the Younger, was a famous teacher and author who served as tutor to Nero and committed suicide after being accused of conspiring to assassinate the emperor.

     Following his tenure as proconsul in Corinth, Gallio returned to Rome. He became a fixture in Roman high society, even serving as the master of ceremonies for one of Nero’s stage productions. Like his brother, Gallio committed suicide in his 70s to avoid charges and execution arising from another plot against Nero in AD 65.

Acts 18:12(a)–13 “the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

The Jews seeing the growth of the newly Corinthian church launched an all out assault against Paul and brought him to the judgment (bema) seat (an outdoor venue that can be seen today in the ancient city’s reconstructed ruins), the Jews began to make accusation about his teaching in hopes that the proconsul Gallio would put an end to the advancement of Christianity. They said that Paul persuades men to worship God (singular) contrary to the law. With that one word God in the singular, and not plural as in many pagan gods, the Jews didn’t realize in their zealous reactions they exposed that this was a Jewish legal matter and not a threat against Rome or their laws.

This is why Gallio interrupted their accusations against Paul

Acts 18:14–15 “And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.”

When Gallio says words, he meant words that pertain to the Scriptures, and names (Jesus as the Messiah), and your own law (the Torah). He determined that the Jews needed to handle that matter among themselves, because he didn’t see that it was necessary and a waste of time for him to judge such matters since these accusations were not against Roman law.

Acts 18:16–17“And he drove them from the judgment seat. Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.”

Sosthenes—means safe in strength, the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, he was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence of Gallio, the Roman governor, when he refused to proceed against Paul at the instigation of the Jews. The motives of this assault against Sosthenes are not recorded, nor is it mentioned why it was made. But according to 1 Cor 1:1 he to became a believer in Jesus Christ.

The assurance of God’s protection was true. Paul didn’t have to defend his actions. God turned this potential persecution around in Paul’s favor and turned it against those who were falsely accusing Paul. God had assured Paul that nothing would happen to him, and He did what He said He would do.

If anyone is listening to me, I want you to know that whatever trial or crisis that has come your way, just know that the assurance of God’s protection will see you through the toughest of times, the darkest times, the times of hurt, disappointments. If God is for you, who can be against you? Be encouraged in knowing that we serve a mighty God. Trust God by faith; He will never leave you or forsake you, and know that the assurance of God’s protection is stronger than anything that comes against you.