I Have Many in This City

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,” Acts 18:9

Acts 18:1–17 – The Story of the Church: Living Into This Drama in the 21st Century
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost – October 10, 2021 (am)

 
We come to a place in Luke’s narrative of Paul’s second journey today that has some unique elements in it. Here’s where we learn of Paul’s profession by which he supported himself. Here’s where we meet Aquila and Priscilla who became life-long friends. God speaks here with a unique and timely message to his servant Paul and, in a number of ways, through him, to each of us today. God speaks to Paul to reassure him in the midst of some hard, fearful circumstances. We should listen in.  And we should hear three distinct things.

An Old Precedent Experienced in the Corinthian Synagogue – 1-8

It is uncertain why 1 … Paul left Athens and went to Corinth (1), and that initially appears to have happened before Silas and Timothy rejoined him (cf. 17:14). Yet, 1Th.3:1-2 suggests that both of them did rejoin him in Athens but shortly thereafter were sent right back to Macedonia. He mentions only Timothy there (1Th.3:2), but he does say that he was left behind at Athens alone (1Th.3:1), so we must assume Silas was dispatched somewhere as well (Thomas 401), and we think it may have been to Philippi (cf. Marshall 1980 297), or elsewhere in Macedonia.

Regardless, it may have been at this point that Paul left Athens [for] Corinth (1). He met Aquila and his wife Priscilla (2) in this new city, two people who became dear friends for life (Rom.16:3; 1Co.16:9; 2Ti.4:19). Luke uses Priscilla’s familiar name while Paul used her more formal name, Prisca (Rom.16:3; 1Co.16:19; 2Ti.4:19), quite possibly from a family known to be Roman nobility (Bruce 347-8). These two came to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius [expelled] all Jews from Rome (2), and we know at least Aquila was of Jewish descent (2). According to the historian Suetonius, this edict (~ad 49 [Bruce 347 f.n. 9]) was caused by the Jews’ constant riots at the instigation of Chrestus (Bruce 347), which quite likely is a reference to Jesus Christ. So, Seutonius was misidentifying Jesus as the direct instigator of the riots, but he was rightly recognizing that the disturbances had been caused by the gospel (Stott 296).

Corinth became the capital of Achaia in 27 bc. It had been a wild and proud city before its destruction in 146 bc. Then Julius Caesar rebuilt it in 44 bc and honored himself in the full name (Bruce 345, Laus Iulia Corinthus—Corinth, the praise of Julius). Given its strategic location at the crossroads of north/south land trade and east/west sea trade, it was a thriving city. But, the Temple of Aphrodite was there, the goddess of love…, so Corinth, in verb form, came to mean fornication (Bruce 346).

Back to Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila, they not only had faith in common with Paul, but trade also; they were tentmakers (3). Paul needed to work. Yet even without his companions, he also continued his pattern of witnessing in the synagogue every Sabbath (4). 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus (esv); he devoted himself exclusively to preaching (5 niv). The way this is stated, especially in the niv, makes it sound like he began preaching with greater focus and fewer distractions. This may have been due to the fact that he was reunited with his helpers, but it could also have resulted from financial aid that came from the Macedonian churches (cf. 2Co.11:9; Phi.4:15) making it possible for him to work a bit less.

His spirit was also definitely lifted by the news that the church in that volatile city of Thessalonica was actually doing well (1Th.3:6-8). Remember, he had only ministered in that synagogue for three weeks (17:2) before trouble started and he was forced out of town (17:9-10). And it didn’t take long for him to wear out his welcome among these [Corinthian] Jews either. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Wow! And sometime during this process the synagogue [leader], Crispus (8), and his entire household were converted—they all believed in the Lord and were baptized. And the same was true of many others among the Corinthians (8).

A New Precedent Established in the Roman Court – 9-17

Interestingly, though, immediately after this, Paul received another of those direct interventions of God. He later wrote to the Corinthians that he was with (them) in weakness and in fear and much trembling (1Co.2:3)—quite likely due to his experiences in Thessalonica and Berea, then to the fact that he was alone there in Corinth for a while (5, cf. 1Th.3:1). But we can also see right here that Paul had a response to the [Corinthian] Jews that we haven’t seen or heard from him in any city prior—6 … he shook out his garments and said…, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. …”

These things taken together make it seem like Paul was having a uniquely difficult time here in Corinth. Yes, he saw the ruler of the synagogue [believe] in the Lord, together with his entire household (8). But still, tensions were rising such that, shortly thereafter, 12 … the Jews made a united attack on [him] and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” The whole situation just had to be unsettling, just as it had to seem troublingly familiar. And, again, our confirmation of that comes right from the text, and an unusual—in fact, unprecedented—expression from God during Paul’s missionary travels: 9 … the Lord said to [him] one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” That should bring comfort! So, the team stayed in Corinth for a year and [a half] (11), second in length only to their three years in Ephesus on the third journey (20:31).

Still, I wonder if Paul doubted Jesus’ words when the Jews made a united attack on [him] and brought him before the tribunal (12), before Gallio, the procousul of Achaia? (12) Once again he was charged with persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law (13), evidently this time referring to Roman law because Gallio surely had no interest in the Jewish law. And that is just the case. Rome did not permit the propagation of new religions. Judaism was an accepted and established belief (collegium licitum, Bruce 353). These Jews were saying in effect that Christianity was a new and different cult, distinct from Judaism (Toussaint 407). But Gallio said, no, this case has to do with your own law (15).

However, because it was tried before a Roman proconsul, any judgment by him would become a legal precedent in that province, and perhaps have influence Empire-wide (Bruce 352). Remember, proconsuls were appointed by the senate to govern a district. They were given wide-ranging powers (procurators were appointed by the Emperor and served as his agents in different areas).

So, this was a serious trial. 15 But, as Gallio said, since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. He just didn’t consider Christianity a new religion, but essentially a new sect within Judaism (17). So, he threw the case out of court (16). Now the important matter here is not so much whether Gallio was technically right, but that now there was legal precedent in a Roman Province connecting Christianity with Judaism and thus offering it the same protected status as any other approved religion! Persecution of various sorts continued on for decades, even centuries, after this—indeed, it stepped up mightily just a few years later under Nero—but this was one of the first legal opinions in line with the eventual full acceptance of Christianity under Constantine in 313 ad.

But in the wake of the trial there was more violence: 17 … they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. Now, it’s unclear to whom they refers here (17). One possibility is that Greeks who’d watched the proceedings seized the opportunity to express their own anti-Jewish feelings immediately upon seeing that Gallio was unwilling to get involved in Jewish affairs (Marshall 360).

The only slightly redeeming aspect of this scenario is that groundless prosecution was a serious problem in the Roman world at this time, and during Paul’s lifetime laws were being passed to discourage the practice of accusing enemies in order to have them locked up for a time when one had no real case against them (Gempf 1095). So, this may’ve been a step back from that. But if this were the case, allowing the ruler of the synagogue to be [beaten] publicly seems an odd way for Gallio to reinforce his new legal precedent.

A better possibility is that the Jews turned on Sosthenes, following the conversion of Crispus (8), perhaps for taking this issue before the Roman court and, in effect, forcing such an unfortunate ruling on a matter of such deep conviction for them—Christianity was now linked with Judaism in the eyes of Rome!

And perhaps it just got worse from there for the Jews. Paul’s first letter to Corinth is co-authored by one named Sosthenes (1Co.1:1). It’s quite possible that a second ruler of the synagogue in a row had converted to Christianity!

Three Practical Implications for Us Today (three ways of saying the same thing)

1. The message and the messengers were under God’s sovereign care even as He used them to accomplish His sovereign purpose. And we can see this here in several noticeable ways. (1) Paul’s rhythms in money-making vs gospel-witness were unique in Luke’s account of his time here in Corinth as compared to the other cities. Is this God’s provision of rest? (2) He made new friends in this money-making pursuit (2-4), but also new enemies in his gospel work (6, 12-13). Yet (3) we still see God’s sovereign hand in both. His new friends became significant ministry partners (3, 26). Then the uprising of the Jews who opposed and reviled him (6) resulted in the positive decision of Gallio. Beyond that (4) Paul received God’s reassurance (9) both of his personal safety and of the importance and coming fruit of his work. And through it all (5) significant conversions took place (8)—always God’s work. And, friends, this same God is sovereign over us and our work still today! Our lives and times are in His hands! And we can trust Him!

2. God’s sovereign care was operating even when it could have seemed notably absent. If Paul hadn’t felt this [opposition] from the Jews (6, 12), he may not’ve received this word from the Lord (10-11), which has brought encouragement to every generation of the church since then! And if he hadn’t been dragged into court, Gallio’s verdict would’ve never been delivered. If we recoil from the tough experiences in life while taking a stand for Christ, or if we take them personally, we risk missing out on the joy of observing the climax of what God is doing at that given moment. God is not against us!

3. Our confidence in God’s sovereign care is well-placed even when we haven’t yet seen the outcome! We should take confidence in God from Paul’s experience, not needing his vision to be repeated in our lives. God is in control even when all observable appearance is to the contrary. Here in Acts 18, we see just a snippet view of this truth. But in the Book of Job, we see a clearer, more developed, much more extended view of it. The curtain is drawn back on heaven there in Job 1-2, as we read in our service last Sunday, and we see that there is always much more going on in the presence of God—in the purpose and plan of God—than we’re able to see here and now. But the net result, the undeniable outcome and the unavoidable conclusion, is that all things are in God’s hands and He is worthy of our trust, worthy of our confidence, even when things can seem like they’re going terribly wrong! Fixing our confidence in Him at such times is still our best move. He is for us! (10) And He is working for our good (Rom.8:28), even still in our day!

Conclusion

Where do you need to trust God today? Where do you need to exercise your confidence in Him, and trust Him with the outcome? In what hard circumstances do you need remember that God is for you, and has demonstrated that in Christ?

Perhaps that’s it, do you need to trust Christ as Savior in order to enter into God’s favor?

But for those of you who are already trusting Christ for your eternal salvation, where do you need to trust Him for today’s provision, guidance, protection, deliverance? Where?

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Resources

Beale, G. K. and D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Acts, by I. Howard Marshall, 513-606. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Beveridge, Henry, ed. Commentary upon the Acts of the apostles, vol. 1, by John Calvin. Translated by Christopher Featherstone.

Bruce, F. F., ed. 1988. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The book of Acts, revised, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Acts, by Conrad Gempf, 1066-1114. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Dockery, David S, ed. 1992. New American Commentary. Vol. 26, Acts, by John B. Polhill. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Acts, 2073-2156, by John B. Polhill. Wheaton: Crossway.

Longman III, Tremper and David E. Garland, eds. 2007. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 10, Acts, by Richard N. Longenecker, 665-1102. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

            , eds. 2006. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 12, 1 Thessalonians, by Robert L. Thomas, 361-439. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, ed. 1980. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 5 Acts, by I. Howard Marshall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Stott, John, ed. 1990. The Bible Speaks Today. The Message of Acts, by John Stott. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

NEXT WEEK: And Paul Came to Ephesus, Acts 18:18–19:7