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Acts 18:2
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Ministering at Corinth

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
2 And he found a certain Jew named aAquila, 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 aand worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.  
4 aAnd he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.  
5 aWhen Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was bcompelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.  
6 But awhen they opposed him and blasphemed, bhe shook his garments and said to them, c“Your blood be upon your own heads; dI am clean. eFrom now on I will go to the Gentiles.”  
7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named1 Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.  
8 aThen 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 athe Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;  
10 afor 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.
12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the1 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 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.
20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent,
Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
<< Acts 18:1   Acts 18:3 >>


Acts 18:2

And found a certain Jew - Aquila is mentioned elsewhere as the friend of Paul, Romans 16:3; II Timothy 4:19; I Corinthians 16:19. Though a Jew by birth, yet it is evident that he became a convert to the Christian faith.

Born in Pontus - See the notes on Acts 2:9.

Lately come from Italy - Though the command of Claudius extended only to Rome, yet it was probably deemed not safe to remain, or it might have been difficult to procure occupation in any part of Italy.

Because that Claudius - Claudius was the Roman emperor. He commenced his reign 41 a.d., and was poisoned 54 a.d. At what time in his reign this command was issued is not certainly known.

Had commanded ... - This command is not mentioned by Josephus, but it is recorded by Suetonius, a Roman historian ("Life of Claudius," chapter 25), who says that "he expelled the Jews from Rome, who were constantly exciting tumults under their leader, Chrestus." Who this Chrestus was is not known. It might have been a foreign Jew, who raised tumults on some occasion of which we have no knowledge, as the Jews in all pagan cities were greatly prone to excitements and insurrections. Or it may be that Suetonius, little acquainted with Jewish affairs, mistook this for the name Christ, and supposed that he was the leader of the Jews. This explanation has much plausibility; for:

(1) Suetonius could scarcely be supposed to be intimately acquainted with the affairs of the Jews.

(2) There is every reason to believe that, before this, the Christian religion was preached at Rome.

(3) It would produce there, as everywhere else, great tumult and contention among the Jews.

(4) Claudius, the emperor, might suppose that such tumults endangered the peace of the city, and resolve to remove the cause at once by the dispersion of the Jews.

(5) A Roman historian might easily mistake the true state of the case; and while they were contending about Christ, he might suppose that it was under him, as a leader, that these tumults were excited. All that is material, however, here, is the fact, in which Luke and Suetonius agree, that the Jews were expelled from Rome during his reign.




Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Acts 18:2:

Acts 2:9
Acts 28:30
Romans 16:3
Romans 16:3
1 Corinthians 1:2
2 Timothy 4:19

 

<< Acts 18:1   Acts 18:3 >>

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