CHAPTER XVIII. _Paul, leaving Athens, comes to Corinth, meets with Aquila and_ _Priscilla, and labours with them at tent-making_, 1-3. _He preaches, and proves that Jesus was the Christ_, 4, 5. _The Jews oppose and blaspheme; and he purposes to go to the_ _Gentiles_, 6. _Justus, Crispus, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:2. _A CERTAIN JEW NAMED AQUILA_] Some have supposed that this Aquila was the same with the Onkelos, mentioned by the Jews. See the article in Wolfius, Bibl. Hebr. vol. ii. p. 1147. We have no evidence that this Jew and his wife were at this time converted to the Christian religion. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:3. _HE ABODE WITH THEM, AND WROUGHT_] Bp. Pearce observes that it was a custom among the Jews, even of such as had a better education than ordinary, which was Paul's case, Acts 22:3, to learn a trade, that, wherever they were, they might provide for themselves in case of necessity. An... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:4. _HE REASONED IN THE SYNAGOGUE EVERY SABBATH_] Discoursed at large concerning Jesus as the Messiah, proving this point from their own Scriptures, collated with the facts of our Lord's life, c. _AND PERSUADED THE JEWS AND THE GREEKS._] Many, both Jews and proselytes, were convinced o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:5. _WHEN SILAS AND TIMOTHEUS WERE COME_] We have seen, Acts 17:13, that when Paul was obliged to leave Berea, because of the persecution raised up against him in that place, he left Silas and Timotheus behind; to whom he afterwards sent word to rejoin him at Athens with all speed. It... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:6. _WHEN THEY OPPOSED_] αντιτασσομενων, Systematically opposing, putting themselves in _warlike order_ against him: so the word implies. _AND BLASPHEMED_] This is precisely the way in which they still act. They have no arguments against Jesus being the Messiah; but, having made a cove... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:7. _AND HE DEPARTED THENCE_] From his former lodging, or that quarter of the city where he had dwelt before with Aquila and Priscilla; and went to lodge with _Justus_, apparently a proselyte of the gate. This person is called _Titus_, and _Titus Justus_, in several MSS. and _versions_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:8. _CRISPUS THE CHIEF RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE_] This person held an office of considerable consequence; and therefore his conversion to Christianity must have been very galling to the Jews. It belonged to the chief or ruler of the synagogue to preside in all the assemblies, interpret th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:9. _THEN SPAKE THE LORD TO PAUL IN THE NIGHT BY A VISION_] It is likely that Paul was at this time much discouraged by the violent opposition of the Jews, and probably was in danger of his life; see Acts 18:10; and might have been entertaining serious thoughts of ceasing to preach, or... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:10. _NO MAN SHALL SET ON THEE_] Και ουδεις επιθησεται σοι, No man shall be permitted to _lay violent hands_ upon thee. It is very likely that the Jews had conspired his death; and his preservation was an act of the especial interposition of Divine Providence. _I HAVE MUCH PEOPLE IN TH... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:11. _HE CONTINUED THERE A YEAR AND SIX MONTHS_] He was now confident that he was under the _especial_ protection of God, and therefore continued _teaching the word_, τον λογον, the doctrine _of_ _God_. It is very likely, that it was during his stay here that he wrote his _first_ epistl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:12. _WHEN GALLIO WAS THE DEPUTY OF ACHAIA_] The Romans comprehended, under the name of Achaia, all that part of Greece which lay between Thessaly and the southernmost coasts of Peloponnesus. _Pausanias_, in _Attic_. vii. 16, says that the Romans were accustomed to send a governor into... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:13. _PERSUADED MEN TO WORSHIP GOD CONTRARY TO THE LAW._] This accusation was very insidious. The _Jews_ had permission by the Romans to worship their own God in their own way: this the _laws_ _allowed_. The _Roman_ worship was also _established_ by the _law_. The Jews probably intended... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:14. _PAUL WAS NOW ABOUT TO OPEN_ HIS _MOUTH_] He was about to enter on his defense; but Gallio, perceiving that the prosecution was through envy and malice, would not put Paul to any farther trouble, but determined the matter as follows. _IF IT WERE A MATTER OF WRONG_] αδικημα, Of _in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:15. _BUT IF IT BE A QUESTION OF WORDS_] περι λογου, Concerning _doctrine and names_ - whether the person called _Jesus_ be the person you call the _Messiah_. _And_ of _your law_ - any particular nicety, concerning that _law_ which is _peculiar_ to _yourselves: Look_ _ye_ to it - settl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:16. _AND HE DRAVE THEM FROM THE JUDGMENT SEAT._] He saw that their accusation was both _frivolous_ and _vexatious_, and he ordered them to depart, and the assembly to disperse. The word απηλασεν, which we translate _he drave_, does not signify here any act of violence on the part of Ga... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:17. _THEN ALL THE GREEKS TOOK SOSTHENES_] As this man is termed the chief ruler of the synagogue, it is probable that he had lately succeeded Crispus in that office; see Acts 18:8; and that he was known either to have embraced Christianity, or to have favoured the cause of St. Paul. H... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:18. _AND PAUL - TARRIED_ THERE _YET A GOOD WHILE_] The persecuting Jews plainly saw, from the manner in which the proconsul had conducted this business, that they could have no hope of raising a _state persecution_ against the apostles; and the laws provided so amply for the _personal_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:19. _HE CAME TO EPHESUS_] Where it appears he spent but one Sabbath. It is supposed that Paul left Aquila and Priscilla at this place, and that he went on alone to Jerusalem; for it is certain they were at Ephesus when Apollos arrived there. See Acts 18:24; Acts 18:26. EPHESUS was at... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:21. _I MUST - KEEP THIS FEAST_] Most likely the _passover_, at which he wished to attend for the purpose of seeing many of his friends, and having the most favourable opportunity to preach the Gospel to thousands who would attend at Jerusalem on that occasion. The whole of this clause... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:22. _LANDED AT CAESAREA_] This must have been Caesarea in Palestine. _GONE UP_] To _Jerusalem_, though the name is not mentioned: but this is a common form of speech in the evangelists, Jerusalem being always meant when this expression was used; for the word αναβαινω, _to go up_, is... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:23. _WENT OVER_ ALL _THE COUNTRY OF GALATIA AND PHRYGIA_] Both were provinces of Asia Minor: Acts 2:10. _IN ORDER_] καθεξης, A word peculiar to St. Luke; see his Gospel, Luke 1:3; Luke 8:1; and his history of the Acts, Acts 3:24; Acts 11:4, and the place above; the only places where... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:24. _A CERTAIN JEW NAMED APOLLOS_] One MS., with the _Coptic_ and _Armenian_, calls him _Apelles_; and the _Codex Bezae, Apollonius_. It is strange that we should find a Jew, not only with a Roman name, as _Aquila_, an _eagle_; but with the name of one of the _false_ gods, as _Apollos_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:25. _THIS MAN WAS INSTRUCTED IN THE WAY OF THE LORD_] κατηχημενος; He was _catechized, initiated_, in _the way_, the _doctrine_, of Jesus as the Christ. _BEING FERVENT IN THE SPIRIT_] Being full of _zeal_ to propagate the truth of God, he taught _diligently_, ακριβως _accurately_, (s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:26. _THEY TOOK HIM UNTO_ THEM] This eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, who was even a public teacher, was not ashamed to be indebted to the instructions of a Christian _woman_, in matters that not only concerned his own salvation, but also the _work of the ministry_, in which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:27. _WHEN HE WAS DISPOSED TO PASS INTO ACHAIA_] There is a very long and important _addition_ here in the _Codex Bezae_, of which the following is a translation: _But certain Corinthians, who_ _sojourned at Ephesus, and heard him, entreated him to pass over_ _with them to their own cou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 18:28. _HE MIGHTILY CONVINCED THE JEWS_] ευτονως διακατηλεγχετο; _He vehemently confuted_ the Jews; and that _publicly_, not in private conferences, but in his public preaching: _showing by the scriptures_ of the _Old Testament_, which the Jews received as divinely inspired, _that Jesus_,... [ Continue Reading ]