Chapter One
Paul in Corinth
18:1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Paul left Athens and began his fifty-plus mile walk towards Corinth, a city that was at that time a major political and commercial center. The popularity was primarily due to the city being located on the isthmus that connected the Peloponnesian peninsula to the mainland making it an ideal trading hub and a hotbed for traveler hospitality and entertainment.
18:2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
In Corinth Paul met a Jew by the name of Aquila, a native of the region of Pontus (south shore of the Black Sea) and his wife Priscilla (later referred to by her formal name Prisca by Paul in his epistles, see Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). Luke tells us that they had recently left Italy after Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews (He banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus).[1] Both Aquila and Paul were tentmakers by trade (likely a trade Paul learned from his father) so Paul stayed and worked with them. But on each Sabbath, he went to the synagogue to reason with the attempt to persuade both Jews and the Greeks regarding the gospel.
18:5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.
The wording of this verse is somewhat awkward, as Paul was already occupied with teaching the Word of God and testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the the Christ, that was not the result of Silas’ and Timothy’s arrival. But due to Silas and Timothy bringing gifts (see 2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:9) Paul could now devote himself full time to teaching, spending all of his time testifying to the Jews.
18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
But when the Jews opposed (Greek antitassomenōn, to arrange in battle order, organized effort against) and reviled (Greek, ‘blasphēmountōn, hurt with words, speak evil of) him, Paul shook out his garments (a gesture of rejection, similar to shaking dust off sandals, see Luke 9:5; Acts 13:51). He proclaimed to them that their blood is on their own heads, and that he is innocent of their guilt. The phrase “your blood be on your heads” would have been understood as it can be found in God’s Word several times (see Joshua 2:19; 2 Samuel 1:16; 1 Kings 2:37; Ezekiel 18:13; 33:4; and was said during Jesus’ trial, see Matthew 27:25). Paul announced that from that moment on he will go and teach the Gentiles.
18:7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.
Upon leaving the Jews, Paul didn’t go very far, he went to a house owned by Titius Justice, a worshiper of God, which was located next door to the synagogue. Since both names are common in the New Testament there is a lot of speculation as to who he was, he was likely a Gentile that responded to Paul’s teaching.
18:8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
In what would have undoubtedly flustered and disturbed the Jews, we read that Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue was a believer in Jesus, as well as his whole family. Using the literary device called telescoping, Luke informs us that many in the city of Corinth heard Paul and believed and were baptized.
18: 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision that he should not be afraid to continue presenting the gospel for He will be with him and that he will not be attacked or harmed. He further states that He has many in this city who are His people. God knows who will accept His offer of salvation even before the people hear the gospel. Paul, now rooted in these promises, stayed in Corinth for one and a half years teaching the Word of God.
18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.”
History records Gallio was proconsul of Achaia for one year, he was the brother of Seneca an advisor to Nero, and that “Gallio had health problems, was an intelligent person who hated flattery, and was blessed with an “unaffectedly pleasant personality.”[2] The Jews made a united attack (Greek katepestēsan, to stand against, implying in a hostile way) to eradicate Paul by taking him before Gallio and the tribunal. They claimed that Paul was persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.
18:14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal.
Realizing the the case against Paul had nothing to do with Roman law, Gallio refused to judge in the matter of “words and names.” He tells them that they will need to judge Paul per their own law themselves. There may have been some emotional-related resistance from the crowd hearing Gallio’s decision, as Luke notes that he “drove them” out from the tribunal.
18:17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
There is some debate as to who seized Sosthenes and beat him in front of the tribunal. Most believe that the Jews were so angry that they attacked their own ruler, who was likely the spokesperson for them. Others believe that Sosthenes was beat by the Romans as a ‘lesson’. Looking at the fact that they had to be driven out and that Gallio wasn’t concerned about what was going on, it appears that the Jews were frustrated enough to punish their own leader. Another point of view is that when Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth he mentions Sosthenes’ name as a believer (see 1 Corinthians 1:1) and if he was a believer during this time, he may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time and took the brunt of the crowd’s anger.
Paul Returns to Antioch
18:18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
After spending a year and a half in Corinth (see verse eleven) Paul prepares to depart Corinth, but before he sailed away with Priscilla and Aquila, he had his hair cut in Cenchreae a town approximately seven miles east of Corinth. Apparently a church was planted there too (see Romans 16:1). Luke then tells us that Paul was under a vow, we are not informed as to when he made that vow or what the vow was about, but it appears that Paul took a Nazarite vow. In the book of Numbers, God presents the rules for a Nazarite vow, which is a voluntary promise to God, but still a commitment to do something for God. While the purpose and the substance of the vow is undefined by God (that’s determined by the vow maker), He does list conditions that need to be complied with during the entire period of the vow, including: abstaining from any alcoholic beverage, consuming or drinking of grapes, the drinking of vinegar, and the cutting of their hair (see Numbers 6:2-5, click here to read more about the vow). Some wonder why Paul, who had repeatedly stated how legalism or any act of seeking righteousness are worthless efforts since true righteousness can only come through Jesus, would engage in such a vow. Paul likely took the vow as a love offering to God in honor of him being chosen to teach and preach the gospel.
18:19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
They sailed to Ephesus where Paul went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews, and like the people of Berea, they accepted what he was teaching and asked him to stay longer. He told them as he was leaving that he would return if that was God’s will. He left Priscilla and Aquila there in Ephesus, possibly to reestablish their business. We do see later that the church meets at their home there in Ephesus (see 1 Corinthians 16:19).
18:22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Paul sailed from Ephesus to Caesarea (Caesarea Maritima, a coastal city on the Mediterranean Sea south of Mount Hermon, which served as the primary seaport for Jerusalem) he greeted the church in Jerusalem (remember going up is south and down is north) and then traveled north to Antioch ending his second missionary journey. Luke tells us that after spending some time in Antioch, he began his third missionary journey heading north back towards the regions of Galatia and Phrygia to assist and strengthen the churches he planted.
Apollos in Ephesus
18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.
Luke temporarily focuses on Apollos who was a native of Alexandria in Egypt, which at that time had a sizable Jewish population. Luke describes him as an eloquent man (Greek logios, a learned person), one who was competent (Greek dynamos, able, strong, powerful) in the Scriptures which would make him a convincing debater.
18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
With great enthusiasm Apollos spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, but Luke calls our attention to the fact that he knew only the baptism of John (the baptizer). He spoke boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard what he had to say, they privately spoke to him and explained the way of God “more accurately.” This can be confusing as we are told that Apollos accurately spoke about Jesus, but at the same time we are told that he only knew of John’s baptism. What was different? It wasn’t the baptism per se that was different, it was that his information was incomplete, John taught that Jesus the Lamb of God, long before Jesus suffered, died, and came back to life again. In other words he did not know of Jesus’ resurrection, His victory over death, the forgiveness of sins, and His invite to believe in Him for salvation. He knew Jesus was the Messiah, but did not know all that He did on the cross. Priscilla and Aquila were able to “fill in” the gaps for Apollos.
18:27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Now equipped with the complete gospel message, Apollos was encouraged to go and pursue his desires to cross over the Aegean Sea to Achaia, they even wrote fellow believers in Corinth to welcome him (see Acts 19:1). He did go, and while there, he helped “those who through grace had believed,” referring to all believers as we are all saved by grace (receiving something we do not deserve). Luke reports that Apollos powerfully (Greek eutonōs, vehemently, intensely) successfully refuted (Greek diakatēlencheto, to overcome thoroughly) the Jews in public, and like Paul, he did so by using the Scriptures to point out that the Christ is Jesus.
[1] C. Suetonius Tranquillus. (1889). Suetonius: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars; An English Translation, Augmented with the Biographies of Contemporary Statesmen, Orators, Poets, and Other Associates (A. Thomson, Ed.). Gebbie & Co.
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[2] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol. 17, pp. 658–659). Baker Book House.