After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; Ver. 1. _And came to Corinth_] A city very rich, but very loose and luxurious. _Magna cognatio ut rei sic nominis, divitiis et vitiis._ The Corinthians had within their city the temple of Isis, and without it the temple of Venus, to... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _Had commanded all Jews, &c._] Wicked men are sick of the saints, and long to be rid of them, not co... [ Continue Reading ]
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. Ver. 3. _He abode with them and wrought_] Being no less busy in his shop among his tents than in his study among his books and parchments, 2 Timothy 4:13. So Musculus, persecuted and... [ Continue Reading ]
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Ver. 4. _Persuaded the Jews_] Men may speak persuasively, but God only can persuade. Genesis 9:27, Japheth's children were to be won by persuasion. Therefore Christ sent forth to them not soldiers, but fishers, w... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews _that_ Jesus _was_ Christ. Ver. 5. _And when Silas and Timothy_] Good people one kindle another. Paul was much heated with the zeal of God by the company of these two good men. Two flint... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 6. _And when they opposed_] Gr. Αντιτασσομενων, And when they bade him battle. A military term. _ Your... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 7. _Whose house joined hard to the synagogue_] _Quo magis pungeret Iudaeos; _ for this Justus was (likely) a Gentile. But they were _toties punct... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 8. _And many of the Corinthians_] When Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue believed, many of the Corinthians believed also. Great men ar... [ Continue Reading ]
Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: Ver. 9. _But speak, and hold not thy peace_] _i.e._ Speak out the whole truth plainly and plentifully, be not for any self-respects found guilty of a sinful silence. _Inveniar sane superbus, &c.,... [ Continue Reading ]
For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. Ver. 10. _For I am with thee_] As to behold thy behaviour (_Cave, spectat Deus_), so to support, defend, and deliver thee. If a child be in the dark, yet, having his father by the hand, he fears noth... [ Continue Reading ]
And he continued _there_ a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Ver. 11. _And he continued there_] Gr. εκαθισε, He sat down there a great while, though he met with many discouragements and little love, with loss of love,2 Corinthians 12:15, and unworthy usage, being forced to l... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Ver. 12. _And when Gallio was_] This Gallio was brother to Seneca, who being a great courtier, obtained for him of Claudius the emperor to be made deputy of Achai... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, This _fellow_ persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. Ver. 13. _Contrary to the law_] That is, contrary to our law. For the Romans had granted liberty to the Jews to worship God as their own law prescribed.... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 14. _Or wicked lewdness_] The Greek word, ραδιουργημα, doth elegantly set forth the disposition of a lewd man; whi... [ Continue Reading ]
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_. Ver. 15. _A question of words or names_] Gallio esteemed no better of divine doctrine than vain words, and airy discourses. His brother Seneca jeereth the Jews for casting away... [ Continue Reading ]
And he drave them from the judgment seat. Ver. 16. _And he drave them from the tribunal_] As so many _Vitilitigatores, qui de lana saepe caprina rixantur, _ that contended for trifles, and such as deserved the whipping post, which is the punishment that the Turks put such among them to as are litig... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 17. _Took Sosthenes_] A beloved brother of St Paul's, 1 Corinthians 1:1 ;... [ Continue Reading ]
And Paul _after this_ tarried _there_ yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn _his_ head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. Ver. 18. _In Cenchrea_] A haven of the Corinthians. Here he was shorn, as a Nazari... [ Continue Reading ]
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. Ver. 19. _And reasoned with the Jews_] Whose salvation he dearly desired, Romans 9:3, and therefore never gave them over, though he had small thanks for his labour. His love to them w... [ Continue Reading ]
When they desired _him_ to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; Ver. 20. _He consented not_] Though lovingly invited, and otherwise easy to be entreated. There was therefore something in it more than ordinary. Θεω επου, follow God whithersoever he leadeth thee, was a maxim among heathens.... [ Continue Reading ]
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus. Ver. 21. _Keep this feast_] As waiting an occasion, by that solemn meeting, of winning many to Christ. Paul was _insatiabilis Dei... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. Ver. 22. _And gone up_] _sc._ To Jerusalem, which stood on high in respect of Coelesyria and the seacoasts.... [ Continue Reading ]
And after he had spent some time _there_, he departed, and went over _all_ the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Ver. 23. _Strengthening all the disciples_] For as natural life needs nourishing, and young plants watering; so do the saints need confirmation, a... [ Continue Reading ]
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, _and_ mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. Ver. 24. _An eloquent man_] _Et eruditum sonat et prudentem, _ saith Erasmus. It imports, 1. skill in the words; he could expound well: 2. good locution; he could well express his... [ Continue Reading ]
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Ver. 25. _Taught diligently_] According to that skill he had. Of Lactantius, Jerome passeth this judgment. _Lactantius quasi quid... [ Continue Reading ]
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto _them_, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Ver. 26. _And expounded unto him_] A humble man will be glad to learn of the meanest that is. "A little child shall lead him," Is... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: Ver. 27. _Helped them much, who had believed through grace_] For faith is a fruit of free grace. We can glory in nothin... [ Continue Reading ]
For he mightily convinced the Jews, _and that_ publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. Ver. 28. _Convinced the Jews_] Who might have been convinced out of their own Cabala, that Christ was come: but that seeing they saw, but perceived not.... [ Continue Reading ]