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Acts 18:15
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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 aquestion 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 Then1 all the Greeks took aSosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.  

Paul Returns to Antioch

18 So Paul still remained1 a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. aHe had his hair cut off at bCenchrea, for he had taken a vow.  
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
<< Acts 18:14   Acts 18:16 >>


Acts 18:15

Questions (zhthmata). Plural, contemptuous, "a parcel of questions" (Knowling).

About words (peri logou). Word, singular, talk, not deed or fact (ergon, factum).

And names (kai onomatwn). As to whether "Jesus" should also be called "Christ" or "Messiah." The Jews, Gallio knew, split hairs over words and names.

And your own law (kai nomou tou kaq umav) Literally, "And law that according to you." Gallio had not been caught in the trap set for him. What they had said concerned Jewish law, not Roman law at all.

Look to it yourselves (oyesqe autoi). The volitive future middle indicative of oraw often used (cf. Matthew 27:4) where an imperative could be employed (Robertson, Grammar, p. 874). The use of autoi (yourselves) turns it all over to them.

I am not minded (ou boulomai). I am not willing, I do not wish. An absolute refusal to allow a religious question to be brought before a Roman civil court. This decision of Gallio does not establish Christianity in preference to Judaism. It simply means that the case was plainly that Christianity was a form of Judaism and as such was not opposed to Roman law. This decision opened the door for Paul's preaching all over the Roman Empire. Later Paul himself argues (Romans 9:11) that in fact Christianity is the true, the spiritual Judaism.




Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 18:15:

Acts 16:21
Acts 20:3
Acts 21:27

 

<< Acts 18:14   Acts 18:16 >>

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