SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY (CONCLUDED)
1-18. St. Paul at Corinth. Corinth was the capital of the Roman
province of Achaia. The ancient town had been entirely destroyed in
146 b.c. by the Roman general Mummius, but it had been refounded as a
Roman colony in 46 b.c. by Julius Cæsar. Situated on the Cor... [ Continue Reading ]
ST PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, 49, 50 A.D. (ACTS 15:36 TO ACTS
18:22)
Having secured the formal recognition by the Twelve of Gentile
Christianity, St. Paul was free to resume his missionary labours. He
first revisited the Churches founded on the First Journey, and then
carried the gospel to E... [ Continue Reading ]
AQUILA.. PRISCILLA] As Aquila and Priscilla (Prisca) are not said to
have been converted by Paul, they were probably already Christians.
The edict of the emperor Claudius (about 52 a.d.) which expelled the
Jews from Rome, was. caused by tumults which arose in the Jewish
quarter, when the faith of Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
TENTMAKERS] All Jews, however wealthy, were taught a trade.... [ Continue Reading ]
SILAS AND TIMOTHEUS] see Acts 17:15. They brought money with them, so
that Paul no longer worked with his hands, but gave himself entirely
to preaching (2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:15).
WAS PRESSED IN THE SPIRIT] RV 'was constrained by the word,' i.e.
devoted himself continually to preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
BLASPHEMED] They said 'Jesus is anathema' (1 Corinthians 12:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
JUSTUS] RV 'Titus Justus.' Probably a Roman colonist of the Roman
colony Corinth.... [ Continue Reading ]
CRISPUS] St. Paul baptised this important convert with his own hands,
as also Gaius, and the household of Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:15).
From 1 Corinthians 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:17 we learn that Stephanas
was the first convert made in Achaia.... [ Continue Reading ]
GALLIO] the brother of Nero's tutor Seneca, and uncle of the poet
Lucan, was a well-educated, amiable, and accomplished man, who, having
filled the office of consul, was sent out as proconsul of Achaia about
52 a.d.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Greeks hated and despised the Jews, and seeing that their contempt
was shared by Gallio, they ventured to insult the Jews in his presence
by assaulting Sosthenes. GALLIO CARED, etc.] This may either mean that
Gallio pretended not to see the assault on Sosthenes, or else that he
cared nothing abo... [ Continue Reading ]
A VOW] After delivery from danger or recovery from sickness, the Jews
were accustomed to take upon themselves a modified form of the
Nazirite vow (see Numbers 6). As the special consecration of this
state forbade intercourse with Gentiles, St. Paul deferred it till his
work at Corinth was finished.... [ Continue Reading ]
EPHESUS] The prohibition to preach the word in Asia (Acts 16:6) had
now apparently been removed. Aquila and Priscilla were left in Ephesus
to prepare the way for the great missionary effort that he desired to
make in this important centre.... [ Continue Reading ]
VISIT TO JERUSALEM. Paul probably sailed in a ship specially chartered
to convey Jews to Palestine to keep the Passover.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS FEAST] i.e. Pentecost (or possibly Passover) 52 a.d. Clearly St.
Paul had vowed to make his Nazirite offering at this feast. The RV
omits the words referring to the feast altogether, but they are
strongly attested.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GONE UP] viz. to Jerusalem. We may suppose that St. Paul spent
some time at Jerusalem, before going to Antioch.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY, AUG. 52 A.D. TO PENTECOST 56 A.D. (ACTS
18:23 TO ACTS 21:16)
23. Visit to Galatia. St. Paul revisits Antioch in Syria and the
Churches of Galatia and Phrygia, founded in the First Missionary
Journey (i.e. Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe).... [ Continue Reading ]
Apollos at Ephesus.
24. Apollos] The name is a contraction of Apollonius. He is mentioned
again Acts 19:1; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:4.; 1 Corinthians
4:6; 1 Corinthians 16:12; Titus 3:13. He had been instructed and
baptised by the disciples of the Baptist, and therefore regarded Jesus
as... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SYNAGOGUE] We infer that Priscilla and Aquila, though Christians,
still attended the synagogue.... [ Continue Reading ]
WROTE.. THE DISCIPLES] Christians travelling received 'letters of
commendation 'to other Christian Churches, which secured them
hospitality and admission to communion (cp. 2 Corinthians 3:1). HELPED
THEM MUCH] RM 'helped much through grace them which had believed.'
Apollos was so popular at Corinth,... [ Continue Reading ]
CONVINCED] RV 'confuted,'... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFIRMING THE CHURCHES] see Acts 16:5, and op. Acts 14:22.... [ Continue Reading ]