College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Acts 18:1-17
IN CORINTH. Acts 18:1-17.
After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.
And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and he came unto them;
and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought; for by their trade they were tentmakers.
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ,
And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man named Titus Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace:
for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this city.
And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat,
saying, This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villany, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.
And he drove them from the judgment-seat.
And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
Acts 18:1 As we have said, Paul left Athens as he had entered, alone. One could go either by land or by sea from Athens to Corinth. The distance by land was about forty miles. It was a five hour voyage by sea. Since the sea would afford the least difficulty and since there were a number of towns through which Paul would have passed going by land, we believe he sailed across the brief span of water that separated the two towns.
674.
How far was it from Athens to Corinth by land? By sea?
Acts 18:2-3 When Paul arrived in Corinth he was practically without funds, nor would he take aught from the Corinthians. It was only after quite a stay in this place that Silas and Timothy came to him with an offering from Philippi. During the intervening time Paul worked at his trade as tentmaker. He was fortunate enough to find lodging with a couple of the same trade, Aquila and Priscilla. Aquila was born in Pontus (one of the many provinces of what has come to be known as Asia Minor). He moved from his native home to Rome. He had but lately been evicted from this place along with all other Jews by a decree issued by the Emperor Claudius. It seemed that some stir had been caused in the Jewish quarter by one Chrestus (a corruption of the name Christ). Rather than investigate the uprising the Emperor, who had no particular liking for the Jews, blamed them all and sent them all from the city. This decree soon became a dead letter however, for all the Jews did not leave and many of them soon returned. Aquila and wife were among those who left. They found in Corinth a ready opportunity for their work.
Corinth is situated on a peninsula and has two seaports. The town had been populated through the efforts of Julius Caesar with a great many retired soldiers and freedom. These were placed here to protect and maintain the city in keeping with the desires of its founder. Being situated strategically as a coast town, there were people of all nations to be found on its streets and trading in its shops. Add to this the fact that the religion of Corinth had fallen into the deification of lust and you can see that it would be small wonder that Paul needed encouragement from the Lord. (Cf. Acts 18:9.)
675.
What was the first difficulty that faced the Apostle upon arriving in Corinth?
676.
Who helped Paul in a financial way while in Corinth?
677.
Tell two facts about this man Aquila.
678.
Why were the Jews forced to leave Rome?
679.
Why would it be likely that tentmakers could find a job in Corinth?
680.
Why would encouragement be needed to preach the gospel in Corinth?
Acts 18:4 Aquila and Priscilla were evidently Christians when Paul met them. At least no word is given of their conversion and we do find them later laboring for Christ in Ephesus. (Cf. Acts 18:19). No real adequate knowledge of Paul's two years labor here can be obtained without a careful reading of his two epistles to the Corinthian church. Even though Luke is very brief in his comments on the work, his description is none the less very complete. While laboring night and day in this town Paul spoke to all that came unto him and of course, once a week he reasoned in the synagogue. While in Corinth he later stated he was determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. As he thus preached in the Jewish assemblies he attracted a number of Gentiles and some Jews to his new message.
Lest we hurry over these verses and others which describe Paul's labors in the word, let me pause to reflect on the real physical, moral and spiritual effort that was here put forth by this man of faith and prayer. What an example for us that we, too, might spend and be spent for the same gospel.
681.
Describe briefly the labors of Paul in Corinth. How could you obtain a complete knowledge of his work there?
Acts 18:5 When one day Paul was joined by the welcome presence of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia, he was even better able to labor for the Lord. It would seem that as Paul searched the Old Testament scriptures in light of the need of the Jews and the obvious fulfillment of these scriptures he was constrained to testify to the Jews that Jesus was their anointed one or Christ.
682.
What is meant by the little phrase constrained by the word? (Acts 18:5)
Acts 18:6 As the Jews were thus pressed to face the issue, they opposed themselves and blasphemed. What a descriptive sentence: They opposed themselves and blasphemed. Their objection in reality was not to Paul nor to the scripture, but a contradiction of their own true belief. Their railing and words of opposition were only a rejection of that which they really needed and wanted. But unto this day.. a veil lieth upon their heart. (1 Corinthians 3:15)
Paul made a public declaration of his response to these Jews. It probably happened in the synagogue. He shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. It was not that Paul was never again to preach to the Jews, for we find him later so doing, but his mission to them first was finished. He was now to turn his ministry unto the uncircumcised. At least this was so in Corinth.
683.
What is the meaning of opposed themselves and blasphemed?
684.
Why shake out his raiment?
685.
Did Paul ever preach to the Jews again? If so, why say: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles?
Acts 18:7-8 But note the irony of it all. Paul left the synagogue, but to go where? Next door! And what influence did this message have on the synagogue? Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. This man, Paul baptized personally (1 Corinthians 1:14). Relations must have been exceedingly delicate between the two groupsthose who met so close together. The wisdom of such action would have to be determined by its fruits. (Cf. Matthew 11:19). The conversion of the Corinthians described in Acts 18:8 b was surely not without opposition from these Jews.
To be called a Corinthian in Paul's day would be equaled today by calling a man a drunkard or a woman a prostitute. Such was the reputation of this town. So when we read that Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized it was a real victory for the gospel. At the same time there was potentially present a great problem, yea, today's problem. backsliding.
686.
Show the irony of his decision. Was this a wise thing to do? What does Matthew 11:19 say about it?
687.
Why is it such a victory for the gospel to read that many of the Corinthians became Christian?
Acts 18:9-10 The Lord of the harvest had a real plan for this wild, wicked city. There were many potential children of God in the markets, shops, the houses of this place. If Paul's stay in Corinth was going to be like his previous efforts he would be about ready to depart now that Timothy and Silas had arrived. They could stay here with the brethren as they had in Thessalonica, Berea and Athens. But one night the Lord altered this program.
It would seem from what the Lord told him that Paul's decision to move on was not only because his two helpers had arrived, but because of the Jews-' intense hatred for him and lest they harm him physically. The Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee; for I have much people in this city.
688.
In what sense did God have people in Corinth?
Acts 18:11 For one year and six months the word of God sounded forth from the house hard against the synagogue. How we can glory in this little phrase teaching the word of God among them. We do not know just how he did it, but that he did we are certain. In this is the salvation of the world and the church: no teaching, no salvation. It is the task of every preacher and Christian worker to be more than a mere public proclaimer. He must be a preacher both publicly and privately.
689.
What were Paul's original plans and how were they altered?
690.
What is needed today for the salvation of the world and the church?
Acts 18:12-16 And how is it that Paul came finally to leave Corinth? Well, it happened this way: A new proconsul named Gallio came into office and the Jews felt that by taking advantage of his inexperience they could turn the public opinion against Paul. For some reason they never tried this plan on the proconsul who preceded Gallio, possibly because they knew they had no real cause. According to history, Gallio was a very good and wise man. He was the brother of Senca who referred to him as sweet Gallio and said: No mortal man is so sweet to any single person as he is to all mankind. The Jews had not reckoned with the wisdom of this man for he no sooner heard their charges than he saw through their subtle plan. They would have no case with this man unless some law of Rome had been violated, hence the Jew's cry: To worship God contrary to the law. This was only a half truth. The insinuation was the law of Rome, but they knew, and so did Gallio, that it was their law that troubled them. He told them as much, and further stated that he had no interest whatsoever in these matters. So, before the apostle could say a word, or the Jews could speak further, the governor commanded his soldiers to clear the court. Out from the presence of the judge went the chagrined and infuriated Jews.
691.
How did the Jews plan through Gallio to rid themselves of Paul?
692.
What was the insinuation of the Jews? What was their real objection?
693.
How did Gallio rid himself of the Jews?
Acts 18:17 Remember Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue? Well, here is mention made of his successor, Sosthenes. The soldiers had no sooner cleared the court than they took hold of this one who evidently was the leader in this wicked farce and gave him the beating he so rightly deserved. These Greek soldiers knew that the whole thing was unjust; they were exasperated beyond control. Gallio looked on while the incident took place, but it made little difference to him how his soldiers chose to amuse themselves.
694.
Why beat Sosthenes? Why didn-'t Gallio stop them?