Acts 18:1-18

I. Paul in Corinth Acts 18:1-18.

A. Meets Aquila and Priscilla Acts 18:2-3.

Aquila and Priscilla expelled from Rome.

Claudius Caesar ordered ALL jews out of Rome sometime between 49-51AD

“He banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus”. C. Suetonius Tranquillus, Divus Claudius Chap. 25

Chrestus is thought to be a reference to Christ

So the unbelieving Jews stirring up trouble with the believing Jews as well as their opposition to the teaching that Christ was “The Christ” the “Anointed One”.

Claudius made no distinction among the Jews as too who where peaceful and who where the causing the trouble-His just made them ALL leave.

Aquila was in the same trade as Paul-tentmakers

B. Paul visits the synagogue in Corinth Acts 18:4-6.

On the Sabbath

Reasoning from the scriptures

Both to Jews and Greeks(gentiles)

Highlighting Paul’s message to the Jews Luke says he “tesitified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ”

C. The Jews opposed Paul and blasphemed Acts 18:6.

Meaning to slander, speak evil about and attempt to destroy his reputation. But Luke could be meaning here that they where speaking evil of Jesus being the Christ.

Paul shakes his garments- would be the same as shaking the dust off your shoes or acting out the washing of the hands. Meaning I tried to warn you and I am innocent and now you are without excuse and will be responsible for your judgement i.e “Your blood be upon your own heads”. We have the echos of things Pilate said Matt 27:24-25. Or Jesus Luke 13:34-35, Matt 23:32-39.

From here Paul declares to them he will go directly to the Gentiles now.

I think the best way to understand Paul when he says “from now on I will go to the Gentiles”. He is meaning that he will not be teaching or seeing them in the synagogue anymore. He had already been teaching Gentiles in the synagogues with the Jews. So it’s not going to Gentiles exclusively and never teaching Jews again. “I will go to the Gentiles” is multifaceted-#1) a declaration of their rejection #2) a declaration of their judgement to come as a result #3) and that God is not only found in the synagogue-The Jews thought they held the keys to the God of Abraham.....To have your sins forgiven you had to become like a a Jew and be circumcised and keep the law. #4) but that God will be found among Gentiles apart from these Jewish practices and places. See Acts 13:44-46, Acts 19:8-9.

D. Paul teaches from a Gentiles house Acts 18:7-8.

One named Justus-a Gentile who worshiped God

His house was next door to the synagogue

Crispus, a ruler of the synagogue believes along with all in his house.

I Cor 1:14 Paul baptized him

Many other Corinthians believed.

E. Paul is to remain in Corinth teaching the Word of God Acts 18:9-11

The Lord appeared to Paul in a vision

Don’t be afraid

Speak and don’t be silent

I am with you!

No one will hurt you here

I have many people in this city

He continues for a year and half. Which up to this point is the longest Paul remained in one place. Only Ephesus on his 3rd trip will be longer.

F. The Jews rise up against Paul Acts 18:12-16.

When Gallio was ruler over Achaia-date 51AD.

They bring Paul to the judgement seat(greek “bema”) In the early 1900’s this platform was believed to have been found.

His crime? Persuades men to worship God contrary to the law...

Gallio believed them to be speaking of their own Jewish Laws vs 15 “questions of words and names and your own law”. He rejects their case against Paul

Before Paul even needed to make his defense

Gallio orders them from his court

The word “drove” can have the meaning of being forced out. It sounds like Gallio had no patience for this.

G. Sosthenes is beaten by the Greeks Acts 18:17.

This is a difficult verse to fully know for sure the details.

If Sosthenes is the ruler of the synagogue of the Jews who bring this charge against Paul, then the greeks who beat him are probably related to Gallio’s court in someway and Sosthenes being the leader suffers for bringing these charges that Gallio did not seem to have the patience for.

If Sosthenes is Paul’s companion(see I Cor 1:1) than the greeks who beat him could be men put up to it by the Jews as has happen in other cities like Antioch Acts 13:50, Iconium Acts 14:2-5, Derby Acts 14:19, Thessalonica Acts 17:5.

If Sosthenes is Paul’s companion then the reference to him being “the ruler of the synagogue” is probably only used here to know which Sosthenes Luke is mentioning and not that Sosthenes is the current ruler of the synagogue. Similarly like Crispus in Acts 18:8. Paul had already pronounced his apostolic judgement on the synagogue in Corinth Acts 18:6-7.

It’s probably worth noting that Paul was not the one beaten. Remember in Acts 18:10 the Lord told Paul no one will attack him or hurt him.

H. After this Paul remains in Corinth for a short time. Acts 18:18.

“a good while” is the greek word for “many days”. Many days contrasted with a year and half is a short period of time.

Paul will depart for Jerusalem and Syria and will make a brief stop at Ephesus.