The book of Acts
Paul in Corinth
Chapter 18: 1 to 17
Leaving Athens, Paul went to Corinth, the capital of the province of Achaia, which at that time was the political and commercial centre of Greece. It is estimated that it was at this point, about the year 52, that Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians.
Corinth had a bad reputation for immorality, resulting from the existence of a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and war, built on a hill behind the town. The temple was little more than a large brothel, institutionalized by the idolatrous religion of the people. There were also two large theatres in town.
Undoubtedly, it represented a major challenge to the Gospel that Paul would preach there.
Upon arriving, Paul met a Jewish couple - Aquila and Priscila – who were tentmakers. They came from Rome, having left because of a decree of the Emperor Claudius that expelled the Jews from there. We do not know if they were already Christians when Paul met them, but there is that possibility.
It was part of the Jewish education to learn a trade, regardless of social position. Paul had learned to make tents and joined Aquila and Priscilla to work with them and to provide his own support. It was not lack of faith in the supply of God, but Paul had as a rule "not to be burdensome" to those who were converted through his preaching (2 Corinthians 12:14). He now worked with his own hands as the support from the church who sent him had not yet arrived (1 Corinthians 4:12).
Again, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbaths, and reasoned that Jesus was the Messiah of the Scriptures to the Jews and Greeks who gathered there and persuaded them to receive Him as Lord and Saviour. Silas and Timothy arrived in due course with the supplies, and Paul then “was compelled by the Spirit to testify to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ” (2 Corinthians 11: 9).
Paul, however, suffered increasing opposition from the Jews of Corinth, and they began to revile him. They wanted to harm him but, instead, they were hurting themselves because by rejecting Christ, they remained under the condemnation of God (Mark 16:16).
Upon such obstinacy, Paul shook his garments, a gesture that represented separation and made a statement meaning he was no longer to be blamed for their spiritual death: having done what he had to, they would now bear the consequences of their sin. After a believer has warned the ignorant of their sin and announced the Gospel to give them an opportunity to repent and be saved through faith in Christ, he is no more responsible for their unbelief and rejection.
God had determined that the Gospel should be preached to the Jews first (Romans 1:16), and this is what Paul did wherever he went. He wished them all to be saved (Romans 10:1), but in the end admitted that, although they had a zeal for God, their zeal was not based on knowledge, and they were not aware of the righteousness of God but sought to establish their own , based on the works of the law of Moses.
Paul added, "from now on I will go to the Gentiles": - he did not mean by this that he would never more preach to the Jews, but he was referring to those who had rejected the Gospel: shortly after he went to Ephesus, where he began his preaching again in the synagogue. Like those Jews, once a person rejects salvation that is offered through faith in Christ, it is a waste of time to continue to insist on it. He is callous in his own concepts, whether he be a religious person, a humanist or an atheist, and will face the eternal condemnation of God.
Paul, however, had the pleasure of witnessing the conversion of Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, with his household and many others, Jews and Gentiles. It is remarkable that Paul himself only baptised Crispus and Gaius and let others do the remaining baptisms, explaining that Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:14). Later, when partisanship arose in the church, Paul gave thanks to God because he remembers having baptized there only Crispus, Gaius (a Macedonian) and the household of Stephanas (firstfruits of Achaia), so that no one could say he had been baptized in Paul’s own name.
The Lord was with Paul in a vision at night and encouraged him to keep speaking, assuring him that no one would attack or hurt him, because He had many people in that city. Having been persecuted by the Jews and suffered in their hands in other cities, probably Paul had been considering leaving Corinth. In view of this assurance, he stayed there for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God.
During that time, there was an attempt of the Jews to incriminate Paul before the Roman authority, in the person of the newly appointed proconsul of Achaia, called Gallio. They probably thought that the novice would be willing to serve them to maintain a good relationship. So they took Paul to the court and accused him of persuading the people to worship God in an illegal way.
After submitting their complaint, the accused, Paul, had the right to respond and to defend himself from the accusation. However, Gallio realized that it was "only" a religious issue of the Jews, and not “a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes”, so they should deal with it themselves, he did not want to get involved and drove them out from the judgement seat. In the street, everyone turned against the chief of the synagogue, called Sosthenes, and beat him before the court, because he was responsible for the turmoil that could have had serious consequences for them. Gallio showed no concern with this.
R David Jones
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;
10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."
11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Act 18:12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 saying, "This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law."
14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.
15 But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters."
16 And he drove them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.
Book of Acts, chapter 18, verses 1 to 17