Verses 1-3 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 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. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
Unfortunately, Luke does not give any time lines as his purpose in writing this book was not to provide a history lesson but an informational document to the lawyer who was to defend the Apostle Paul at his trial in Rome. So how long the Apostle Paul stayed in Athens or in any city is open to speculation most of the time. But leaving Athens he arrived in Corinth which was an ancient Greek city about 40 miles west of Athens and a city totally given to sinful practices. Here he established the Corinthian church and it is to that church that the epistles of 1 and 2 Corinthians were written which became part of the New Testament Scripture. In Corinth he finds and lives with a husband and wife evangelistic team and they become part of the ministry of the Apostle Paul and his fellow missionaries, Silas and Timothy. The name Aquila means “an eagle” and the name Priscilla means “ancient”. Claudius Caesar was the fourth Roman emperor who came to power in 41 AD. His name means “lame”.
Verses 4-5 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
The Greek word translated as “pressed” is “sunecho” and it has many meanings and applications such as constrained, to hold together, to hold together with constraint, to press on every side, and to hold fast. Apparently the Apostle Paul was feeling pressure from the Holy Ghost/Spirit to testify more fervently to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jews could accept Jesus as a prophet or a teacher or a good man, but they continued to reject the idea that Jesus was the promised Messiah and therefore God, very God. So the Apostle Paul was going to focus on this truth when trying to reason with them in the synagogue.
Verses 6-7 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. 7 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.
The Greek word translated as “opposed” is “antitassomai” and it means resist, oppose, to range in battle against, or to oppose one’s self. So it seems that the Apostle Paul’s message was firmly rejected and the Jews got nasty in their response to him and to his preaching, and so the Apostle Paul decided that he was through trying to reach the souls of these hard-hearted Jews with the message of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. He was going to the Gentiles. Now he had said this before and he did go to the Gentiles of the town he was in when this statement was made previously, but he had continued to go to the synagogues in every new town he came to in order to save his countrymen from sin, death, and Hell.
Application: By saying, “Your blood be upon your own heads,” the Apostle Paul was telling the Jews that they were responsible for their actions and attitudes and that he had done all he could do. The consequences for them and for any man or woman that rejects Jesus as LORD is eternal life in the Lake of Fire. Since Scripture teaches that the physical life is in the blood and that the spiritual life is in the shed blood of Jesus, the rejecting Jews that persecuted the Apostle Paul were literally causing both physical and spiritual death by their response to the Gospel. They were rejecting the One who could heal both the body and the soul.
Verse 8 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.
Application: God always has a remnant of believers and in this case, after the men of the synagogue rejected both Jesus and the Apostle Paul, the LORD provided salvation to the chief ruler of the synagogue and to his entire family. When this happened, other Corinthians hearing of this family’s conversion and hearing the Gospel became converted Christian believers and were baptized.
Verses 9-11 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
One can only wonder at the tenacity, strength, and forbearance of the Apostle Paul and of all the apostles for that matter. Scripture does not record any times that the apostles experienced depression or fear, yet they must have had times or emotional turmoil as they spread the Gospel to the known world. Perhaps the Apostle Paul was exhausted by all the opposition he had encountered on his missionary journeys and that is why the LORD gave him a vision that he would be protected and kept safe by the power of the Holy Ghost/Spirit and so he was not to be afraid to speak.
Application: The LORD told the Apostle Paul, “For I am with thee. . .”. Every converted, born again Christian believer can also claim that statement. The LORD is always with every one who calls upon Him and who claims Him as their Lord and Saviour. Jesus said He would never leave or forsake His children and He doesn’t because He sent His Holy Ghost/Spirit to indwell every believer, and it is His Spirit that guides each believer through this life and through this wicked world to eternity in Heaven. The true child of God is never alone, no not ever.
Application: The LORD also told the Apostle Paul, “I have much people in this city.” How could that be when the Apostle Paul had just begun to share the Gospel in Corinth? Because the LORD transcends time and can see the past, the present, and the future all at one time, He knew that there would be many people converting when they had the opportunity to hear the Apostle Paul’s preaching and teaching. He knew who would accept the Gospel and who would not, and He was letting Paul know that his efforts in the city of Corinth would bear much fruit and many people would be saved. This appeared to have encouraged the Apostle Paul as he stayed in Corinth for a year and a half.
Verses 12-13 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
Application: Verse 11 above states that the Apostle Paul was in Corinth for 1 year and 1/2 or 18 months. The number 18 is three 6’s and that is the number of the beast as recorded in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The beast system is antichrist and attempts to destroy God’s people and His Church. Wherever the Gospel is preached devils come forth to steal the Word of life from those who hear it. Read the parable of the sower in the Gospel of Luke chapter 8. So it stands to reason that the Jews would conspire and plot to derail the Apostle Paul so that the preaching of the Gospel could be stopped. Jesus accused the Jews of serving their father, the Devil, and so these Jews were doing the biding of their spiritual father, Satan.
The law that the Jews were referring to was more than likely that of their Babylonian Talmud. Mosaic law at this point in history was secondary to their Talmudic religion which they brought with them from Babylon when some of them returned to Palestine and to Jerusalem and Judah. Notice that the Jews made the insurrection and that they were united in their effort. This indicates conspiracy. It was not just something that came about but was a planned effort to kill or at least imprison the Apostle Paul. They were using the same plan that was used on the LORD Jesus Christ: false accusations presented before government officials.
Verses 14-16 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: 15 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. 16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
The Jewish nation had always been one that was difficult for Rome to control. Constant rebellion against Roman rule was a source of frustration that eventually lead to Rome sending an army to surround the city of Jerusalem. But this had not happened yet, and Roman officials like Gallio were apparently becoming increasingly intolerant of the Jews and their complaints. So he refused to hear them. Court was cancelled that day and the Jews were literally driven out from Gallio’s presence. This treatment of them did not sit well as their plans were thwarted.
Verse 17 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.
And the Greeks, in turn, were not happy with the Jews and the turmoil that they were creating in their city and so they attacked a Jewish religious ruler in the court which made Gallio even less pleased.
Verse 18 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.
The Apostle Paul was unscathed in the insurrection just as the LORD had promised him in the vision. No man was able to set on him and hurt him. So he just continued what he did best, preach and teach the Gospel.
Verses 19-21 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; 21 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.
Returning to Ephesus the Apostle Paul again witnessed to the Jews in the synagogue and then hurried on his journey towards Jerusalem. Scripture does not record what feast the Apostle Paul was trying to get to and why it was important to him at this time in his ministry. He had spent years away from the city of Jerusalem and so had missed many celebrations over the years.
Verses 22-23 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 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.
Caesarea means “severed”. Here the Apostle Paul visited briefly the Church established there and then proceeded back to Antioch which had served as a home base throughout his missionary journeys. He continued towards Jerusalem, stopping wherever there was a Church in order to encourage them.
Verses 24-25 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 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.
The name, Apollos, means “given by Apollo”. Apparently this man had been born in Alexandria Egypt but had come to know and worship the LORD through the teachings and baptism of John the Baptist, and he was teaching others about the LORD. But he did not know about Jesus being the Christ or Messiah and about the baptism of the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verses 26-28 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. 27 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: 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. (Acts 18)
The LORD made sure that Apollos would find Aquila and Priscilla who cleared up any misunderstanding or incorrect teaching he may have had. Apollos became a Christian teacher of the Word of God and helped the Church wherever he went.