Paul’s Ministry in Corinth
October 20, 2022
Commentary
Paul traveled from Athens to Corinth (v. 1) where he quickly found friends, Aquila and his wife Priscilla, a Jewish couple (v. 2). They were fellow tentmakers who invited Paul to come and stay with them (v. 3). They became steadfast ministry partners for Paul, serving faithfully and even risking their lives for him (Rom. 16:3). Paul visited the synagogue weekly to reason with the Jews and Greeks about Christ Jesus (vv. 4-5). Once Silas and Timothy arrived in Corinth, Paul was able to fully focus on the ministry. Paul made tents to get by, but he much preferred full-time ministry.
As opportunities increased, the opposition increased as well. Paul had left Thessalonica and Berea to avoid Jewish opposition, but in Corinth opposition only made him more determined to stay. Paul left the synagogue (v. 6) and moved next door to the house of Justus (likely a Gentile believer) (v. 7). Surprisingly, Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, joined Paul in leaving the synagogue, having also become a follower of Christ (v. 8a). Many people responded to Paul’s gospel message, believed, and were baptized (v. 8b). Amid all this success and opposition, Paul received a vision at night (vv. 9-10). The Lord told Paul: (1) to not be afraid, (2) to go on speaking, and (3) to not be silent, because (1) the Lord was with Paul, (2) the Lord would protect Paul, and (3) the Lord had many people in Corinth who needed to hear Paul’s message. With this encouragement, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months and taught the Scriptures to them (v. 11).
During his time in Corinth, the Jews tried to use Roman law against Paul, accusing him of spreading illegal religion (vv. 12-13). Judaism was a recognized religion of the empire and was given the protection of the courts. The Romans, however, couldn’t distinguish the teachings of Jesus from Judaism (at least, not at first). Gallio, the Roman proconsul, refused to try the case, believing it was a matter of semantics, not an actual legal matter (vv. 14-15). There is a BIG difference between Judaism and Christianity, but God in His sovereignty allowed the early church to avoid legal persecution from the Romans. The Jews were driven from the court (v. 16), and Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, was beaten by some of the anti-Semitic Gentiles in the crowd. Gallio intentionally ignored all of this (v. 17).
Application
It is just like our Lord to speak peace to us when we need Him. Whenever I feel alone or defeated, I need to think on Hebrews 13:5 and Isaiah 41:10 since these verses comfort and encourage me.
Acts 18:1– 17 (NET)
1 After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them, 3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them (for they were tentmakers by trade). 4 He addressed both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade them.
5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized. 9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, 10 because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 Now while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews attacked Paul together and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law!” 14 But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, I would have been justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews, 15 but since it concerns points of disagreement about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I will not be a judge of these things!” 16 Then he had them forced away from the judgment seat. 17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and began to beat him in front of the judgment seat. Yet none of these things were of any concern to Gallio.