Acts, Chapter 18
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

The first verse is a transitional verse. After the encounter at Mar’s Hill, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

Acts 18:2-4
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.

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

In Corinth Paul found a man/wife team Aquila and Priscilla. They had recently come from Rome where all the Jews, both orthodox and Christian had been ordered deported by Emperor Claudius.

They happened to be in the same craft as Paul. Many Christians today do not realize that Paul did not operate on the weekly tithe system that many espouse today. Paul, Aquila and Priscilla were “tentmakers.”

That translation is accurate, but has come under some discussion, because many Jews lived in cities and had no use for tents. However, the local herdsmen always used small tents when out with the sheep and other herds of animals. Herdsmen/shepherds were quite numerous.

Some teach that the term “tentmaker” when used in reference to Paul, Aquila and Priscilla meant that they made Jewish prayer shawls. That may be a stretch, but may also hold some truth.

The three of them went into the local Synagogue each Sabbath, and discussed the Messiah with both the Jews and Greeks in attendance.

Acts 18:5-6
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.
6 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.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the teaching of the gospel. He continually spoke to the Jews telling them that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah.

When they resisted the Word of the Lord and blasphemed Christ, he shook the dust off his clothing, and told them, “Your blood is upon your own heads! I am clean! From this point on I will go to the Gentiles.”

That powerful statement is the beginning of Paul’s ministry almost exclusively to the Gentiles!

Acts 18:7-11
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.
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.
9 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.

Paul went to Justus’ home. He was one who truly worshipped God. His home was adjacent to the local Synagogue.

Crispus was the head of the local Synagogue. He loved Christ, and along with many others in Corinth believed and was baptized.

In a vision, the Lord told Paul to not be afraid. He was told to speak boldly and not to keep silent

God told Paul, “I am with you, and no man shall attack or hurt you here, because I have many people in this city.”

Paul stayed there for a year and six months. During that time, he did as God instructed teaching the word of God.

Acts 18:12-17
12 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.
14 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.
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.

At a time when Gallio was the Roman Proconsul in Achaia (the tip of southern Greece), the Orthodox Jews united and rose up against Paul. They brought him before the Roman seat of judgment.

Their charge was, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

As Paul was about to open his mouth in defense, Gallio told the Jews, “If this were a matter of some wrong or some wicked lewdness, you Jews would be within your rights to demand a hearing. However, if this is just a question of words and names, and your law, see to it yourselves. I will be not judge of such menial matters. And, with that he sent them away.

Then, the Greeks took Sosthenes, the head of the local synagogue, and began beating him in front of Gallio and the judgment seat. But, Gallio did not seem concerned for any of those things. Society was quite different in those days.

Acts 18:18-21
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.
19 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.

Paul remained there for several days, and then sailed to Syria. Priscilla and Aquila sailed with him. Aquila shaved his head while in Cenchrea to indicate that he had made a vow.

When they came to Ephesus, Paul left them there. During that time, he went into a synagogue, and presented Christ to the Jews.

Priscilla and Aquila wanted Paul to stay longer time with them. Instead, they said goodbye, and Paul told them that he had every intention of keeping the upcoming feast in Jerusalem (Shavuot or Pentecost), and he told them, “But, I will return to you again, if God wills.” And, with that, Paul sailed from Ephesus.

Acts 18:22-28
22 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.
24 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.
26 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.

Later, he landed at Caesarea and went the local Church, and then to the Church in Antioch. After spending some time there, he left and went to the area of Galatia and Phrygia in order to help the disciples in those places.

In the mean time, a man named Apollos began to preach Christ in Ephesus. He was a strong preacher, but limited in his understanding. There are many Preachers today that are strong in what they know, but limited in understanding God’s grace.

The problem was that all he knew and preached concerned the baptism of John. The baptism was equivalent to the ancient “mikvah” washing of the Jews. John the baptizer knew nothing concerning the doctrine of grace..

Apollos taught and practiced regenerational baptism. Such a bogus baptism is still, to this day, practiced in some quasi-Christian, works-oriented Churches. In those Churches, grace is an unfamiliar subject.

When Aquila and Priscilla heard about him, they took him in and instructed him in the “way of God,” bringing him to a more accurate understanding. In turn, he went to the Achaia region, and helped many there gain a better understanding.

Apollos’ forte was speaking to Jews, and that he did well, showing them through the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah.

Chapter 19

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