April 3, 2005

Chap.18, verses 5-11- In Corinth, Paul is proclaiming Jesus is the Christ,

perhaps indicating a different way to present the gospel—note 17:3—here,

emphasizing the historical Jesus matched the OT Messiah.

  The reaction is negative; opposed themselves (attitude) and blasphemed

(action).  Paul then shakes his garments in a gesture of disassociation (13:51) adding “Your blood be upon your own heads”—see Ezk.3:18-19.

“From now own I will go to the Gentiles”—Paul is indicating the movement of the ministry of the Kingdom of God being given (by preaching) to Gentiles.

See 20:28.  Paul will continue to proclaim the gospel to Jews.

   Paul then moves to the house of Justus, who worshipped God—indicating a Gentile convert and likely a Roman citizen.  Some manuscripts add “Titius” and perhaps he is the same as Gaius in I Cor.1:14.  Another convert is the Jewish leader, Crispus, also in I Cor.1:14.  Then, Luke adds “many of the Corinthians, hearing believed and were baptized.”

  Then Luke records an appearance of the Lord Jesus in a vision to Paul.

It may be that with the hostility seen at Philippi (16:20-24), Paul is growing fearful of another beating, possibly at Corinth.  Thus, the Lord, in His mercy,

gives a word of encouragement to the apostle.  “I am with you and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee” is spoken to calm Paul’s anxiety. Luke then adds that Paul’s ministry in Corinth continues 18 months.  Simply put, Paul does not leave Corinth despite opposition and in view of Christ’s comforting words continues his ministry.

Chap.18, verses 12-17- now the opposition acts—Luke tells us of Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia.  Here we have an excellent illustration of Luke’s historical accuracy.   The provinces of the Roman Empire were divided into those ruled by the Senate (with a proconsul) and those under the rule of the Emperor (with a

propraetor).  These circumstances could change quickly and often.  Luke speaks of strategoi (Greek for propraetor) at Philippi (under the Emperor) in 16:22-24 and then of a proconsul  here at Corinth (under the Senate).

   Gallio was the son of Marcus Seneca (rhetorician) and younger brother of

Lucius Seneca, the Stoic philosopher, politician and dramatist.  Gallio would later die under Nero’s suspicions about 65 AD.

   The judgment seat of Gallio is called the bema—same word for Judgment Seat of Christ in II Cor.5.  Here, the Jews accuse Paul of “persuading men to worship God contrary to the law.”  The Jews, no doubt, mean the “law of Moses” and hope to have Gallio act on their behalf to stop Paul.

   What follows is Gallio dismissing their case immediately and thereby making the Christian faith a legal religion.  The importance of this incident is that Gallio’s action as a proconsul would become a legal precedent for other rulers to consider.  Luke includes as an essential apologetic for the Christian faith in

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Acts of the Apostles.   Oddly enough, immediately the Greeks of Corinth reveal a only slightly hidden anti-semitism by beating Sosthenes, another ruler of the synagogue.  This may be the Sosthenes of I Cor.1:1 but we do not know.

Gallio is indifferent to their brutality against the Jewish leader.

Chap.18, verse 18-23 - And Paul tarried there a good  while…- it is believed that during this time (summer of 51 AD) that Paul would write both I Thessalonians and II Thessalonians—dealing with matters related to the

imminent return of Christ for the Church.  In I Thess. 2:17-18, Paul indicates his intense desire to return to see them again.  The Luke records “he took leave of the brethren and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila”.  While Syria (Antioch vs22) is his long term goal, he will first go to

Cenchrea where his hair is cut in view of a vow.

  This “vow and haircut” incident is not clear—most connect with with a sort of

Nazarite practice and often expressed thanksgiving with the shaven hair burned at Jerusalem as an act of dedication.  Why the apostle of grace would do such here must be placed under his I Cor.9:20 “unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews”.  We know Paul’s passion for the conversion of Israel was very strong- Romans 9:1-3.

  From Cenchrea, he sails on to Ephesus, remaining only a short time and indicating his desire to “keep this feast that is coming in Jerusalem”.

Likely, this is referring to the Passover of the spring of 52 AD.

  His next movement is landing at Caesaria  and on to Jerusalem (expressed under “gone up and saluted the church”.  After this, he goes to Antioch

where he had begun back in 15:41.   This ends his 2^nd missionary journey.