Acts 18:1-17 Corinth

Acts 18:1-4 Paul travels to Corinth and preaches at the synagogue. The trip overland is a little more than 80 km, along the coast. Upon arrival, he stayed with some Jews, Aquila and Priscilla, who themselves had recently come to Corinth from Rome, because the emperor, Claudius, had told all the Jews to leave. Whether they first became believers in Christ upon meeting Paul, or he simply stayed with them because they were tentmakers is not entirely clear. That they became believers is evident from later discussion in this chapter, and their mention in three of Paul's epistles (Romans 16:3, I Cor 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19). As was his custom by now, Paul presented the gospel in the synagogue and attempted to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

          Claudius ruled from 41 to 54 AD. He was previously mentioned in Acts 11:28, but that was in connection with a famine that was prophesied and later came to pass. According to secular history, he was seen as vulnerable throughout his reign, which led to his need to take action to shore up his power. During his reign the Roman Empire was expanded, including the annexation of Judea and several other provinces, and the conquest of Britannia. The expulsion of the Jews from Rome seems to have been a minor event, and may have been largely due to his rejection of proselytizing within the city.

Acts 18:5-11 Most Jews in the synagogue rejected the gospel but Paul ministers to those who do believe. Paul had requested that Silas and Timothy join him in Athens (Acts 17:15) but apparently they didn't catch up to him until after he had gone to Corinth. It appears that Silas and Timothy must have worked to support their basic needs after arriving in Corinth, so Paul could evangelize full time, focusing on the Gentiles.  The gospel was not well-received. However, since some believed, including the leader of the synagogue, he was able to continue ministering to the Jews (one suspects) although he turned his focus to the gentiles. He spent eighteen months teaching there. In view of the persecution he had previously experienced in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, perhaps he needed such assurance as The Lord evidently wanted Paul to stay in Corinth for a while. The time was fruitful for both evangelization and teaching.

          In this story of the initial founding of the church in Corinth, there is no suggestion of the later problems that will surface, that Paul had to deal with in the letters he later sent to them. No doubt, these surfaced after he left. Crispus is mentioned in I Cor 1:14 incidentally, as being one of the two people Paul personally baptized.

Acts 18:12-17 The Jews in the synagogue attempt to persecute Paul in court, but the Roman proconsul rejects their charges. When the Jews who had rejected Paul's presentation of the gospel brought Paul into court, he did not even need to present a defense. The charges were of course based on religious disputes, and perhaps the Jews thought they could make common cause with the pagans because Paul attacked both of their belief systems and religious practices. The proconsul took the very secular position that it wasn't the government's job to sort out such things. There was a new leader of the synagogue who apparently instigated the complaint. It is not clear who took hold of him and began beating him in front of the judge. Perhaps the judge should not have been so disinterested in this aspect of the proceedings, but one has to suspect he may well have been annoyed by the Jews, who could have been a nuisance on occasions before this.