---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Acts 18"
description: "CHAPTER 18   :-. PAUL"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18"
---

CHAPTER 18

. PAUL'S
ARRIVAL AND LABORS
AT CORINTH, WHERE
HE IS
REJOINED BY SILAS
AND TIMOTHY, AND, UNDER
DIVINE ENCOURAGEMENT,
MAKES A LONG
STAY—AT
LENGTH, RETRACING
HIS STEPS,
BY EPHESUS,
CÆSAREA, AND JERUSALEM,
HE RETURNS
FOR THE LAST TIME
TO ANTIOCH, THUS
COMPLETING HIS
SECOND MISSIONARY
JOURNEY.

**1-4. came to Corinth**—rebuilt
by Julius Cæsar on the isthmus between the Ægean and Ionian Seas;
the capital of the Roman province of Achaia, and the residence of the
proconsul; a large and populous mercantile city, and the center of
commerce alike for East and West; having a considerable Jewish
population, larger, probably, at this time than usual, owing to the
banishment of the Jews from Rome by Claudius Cæsar (). Such a city was a noble field for the Gospel, which, once
established there, would naturally diffuse itself far and wide.

**2. a Jew . . . Aquila . . . with his
wife Priscilla**—From these *Latin* names one would conclude
that they had resided so long in Rome as to lose their Jewish family
names.
**born in Pontus**—the most
easterly province of Asia Minor, stretching along the southern shore
of the Black Sea. From this province there were Jews at Jerusalem on
the great Pentecost ([Acts 2:9](../../../kjv/acts/2/9)),
and the Christians of it are included among "the strangers of
the dispersion," to whom Peter addressed his first Epistle ([Acts 2:9](../../../kjv/acts/2/9)). Whether this couple were converted before Paul made their
acquaintance, commentators are much divided. They may have brought
their Christianity with them from Rome [OLSHAUSEN],
or Paul may have been drawn to them merely by like occupation, and,
lodging with them, have been the instrument of their conversion
[MEYER]. They appear to
have been in good circumstances, and after travelling much, to have
eventually settled at Ephesus. The Christian friendship now first
formed continued warm and unbroken, and the highest testimony is once
and again borne to them by the apostle.
**Claudius,** &c.—This
edict is almost certainly that mentioned by SUETONIUS,
in his life of this emperor [*Lives of the Cæsars,* "Claudius,"
25].

**3. tentmakers**—manufacturers,
probably, of those hair-cloth tents supplied by the goats of the
apostle's native province, and hence, as sold in the markets of the
Levant, called *cilicium.* Every Jewish youth, whatever the
pecuniary circumstances of his parents, was taught some trade (see on
), and Paul made it a point
of conscience to work at that which he had probably been bred to,
partly that he might not be burdensome to the churches, and partly
that his motives as a minister of Christ might not be liable to
misconstruction. To both these he makes frequent reference in his
Epistles.

**4. the Greeks**—that is, Gentile
proselytes; for to the heathen, as usual, he only turned when
rejected by the Jews ([Acts 18:6](../../../kjv/acts/18/6)).

**5, 6. And when Silas and Timotheus
were come from Macedonia**—that is, from Thessalonica, whither
Silas had probably accompanied Timothy when sent back from Athens
(see on [Acts 18:1](../../../kjv/acts/18/1)).
**Paul was pressed in the
spirit**—rather (according to what is certainly the true reading)
"was pressed with the word"; expressing not only his zeal
and assiduity in preaching it, but some inward *pressure* which
at this time he experienced in the work (to convey which more clearly
was probably the origin of the common reading). What that pressure
was we happen to know, with singular minuteness and vividness of
description, from the apostle himself, in his first Epistles to the
Corinthians and Thessalonians ([1 Corinthians 2:1-5](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/2/1-5);
[1 Thessalonians 3:1-10](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/1-10)). He had come
away from Athens, as he remained there, in a depressed and anxious
state of mind, having there met, for the first time, with unwilling
Gentile ears. He continued, apparently for some time, laboring alone
in the synagogue of Corinth, full of deep and anxious solicitude for
his Thessalonian converts. His early ministry at Corinth was colored
by these feelings. Himself deeply humbled, his power as a preacher
was more than ever felt to lie in demonstration of the Spirit. At
length Silas and Timotheus arrived with exhilarating tidings of the
faith and love of his Thessalonian children, and of their earnest
longing again to see their father in Christ; bringing with them also,
in token of their love and duty, a pecuniary contribution for the
supply of his wants. This seems to have so lifted him as to put new
life and vigor into his ministry. *He now wrote his* FIRST
EPISTLE TO THE
THESSALONIANS, in which
the "pressure" which resulted from all this strikingly
appears. (See [1 Thessalonians 3:1-52](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/3/1-52) to First
Thessalonians). Such emotions are known only to the ministers of
Christ, and, even of them, only to such as "travail in birth
until Christ be formed in" their hearers.

**6. Your blood be upon your own
heads,** c.—See [Ezekiel 33:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/33/4)
[Ezekiel 33:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/33/9).
**from henceforth I will go
unto the Gentiles**—Compare [Ezekiel 33:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/33/9).

**7, 8. he departed thence, and
entered into a certain man's house, named Justus**—not changing
his lodging, as if Aquila and Priscilla up to this time were with the
opponents of the apostle [ALFORD],
but merely ceasing any more to testify in the synagogue, and
henceforth carrying on his labors in this house of Justus, which
"joining hard to the synagogue," would be easily accessible
to such of its worshippers as were still open to light. Justus, too,
being probably a proselyte, would more easily draw a mixed audience
than the synagogue. From this time forth conversions rapidly
increased.

**8. Crispus, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house**—an event
felt to be so important that the apostle deviated from his usual
practice ([1 Corinthians 1:14-16](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/1/14-16))
and baptized him, as well as Caius (Gaius) and the household of
Stephanas, with his own hand [HOWSON].
**many of the Corinthians . . .
believed and were baptized**—The beginning of the church gathered
there.

**9-11. Then spake the Lord to Paul .
. . by a vision, Be not afraid . . . no man shall set on thee to hurt
thee,** &c.—From this it would seem that these signal
successes were stirring up the wrath of the unbelieving Jews, and
probably the apostle feared being driven by violence, as before, from
this scene of such promising labor. He is reassured, however, from
above.

**10. I have much people in this
city**—"whom in virtue of their election to eternal life He
already designates as His" (compare ) [BAUMGARTEN].

**11. continued there a year and six
months**—the whole period of this stay at Corinth, and not merely
up to what is next recorded. *During some part of this period he
wrote his* SECOND
EPISTLE TO THE
THESSALONIANS. (See
 to Second
Thessalonians.)

**12-17. when Gallio was the
deputy**—"the proconsul." See on . He was brother to the celebrated philosopher SENECA,
the tutor of Nero, who passed sentence of death on both.

**13. contrary to the**—Jewish
**law**—probably in not
requiring the Gentiles to be circumcised.

**14. If it were a matter of wrong or
wicked lewdness**—any offense punishable by the magistrate.

**15. if it be a question of words and
names, and of your law . . . I will be no judge,** &c.—in
this only laying down the proper limits of his office.

**16. drave them,** &c.—annoyed
at such a case.

**17. all the Greeks**—the Gentile
spectators.
**took Sosthenes**—perhaps
the successor of Crispus, and certainly the head of the accusing
party. It is very improbable that this was the same Sosthenes as the
apostle afterwards calls "his brother" ().
**and beat him before the
judgment-seat**—under the very eye of the judge.
**And Gallio cared for none of
those things**—nothing loath, perhaps, to see these turbulent
Jews, for whom probably he felt contempt, themselves getting what
they hoped to inflict on another, and indifferent to whatever was
beyond the range of his office and case. His brother eulogizes his
loving and lovable manners. Religious indifference, under the
influence of an easy and amiable temper, reappears from age to age.

**18. Paul . . . tarried . . . yet a
good while**—During his long residence at Corinth, Paul planted
other churches in Achaia ([2 Corinthians 1:1](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/1)).
**then took . . . leave of the
brethren, and sailed . . . into**—rather, "for"
**Syria**—to Antioch, the
starting-point of all the missions to the Gentiles, which he feels to
be for the present concluded.
**with him Priscilla and
Aquila**—In this order the names also occur in [2 Corinthians 1:1](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/1) (according to the true reading); compare [Romans 16:3](../../../kjv/romans/16/3);
[2 Timothy 4:19](../../../kjv/2-timothy/4/19), which seem to imply
that the wife was the more prominent and helpful to the Church. Silas
and Timotheus doubtless accompanied the apostle, as also Erastus,
Gaius, and Aristarchus ([Acts 19:22](../../../kjv/acts/19/22);
[Acts 19:29](../../../kjv/acts/19/29)). Of Silas, as Paul's
associate, we read no more. His name occurs last in connection with
Peter and the churches of Asia Minor [WEBSTER
and WILKINSON].
**having shorn*****his*****head in Cenchrea**—the eastern harbor of Corinth, about ten miles
distant, where a church had been formed ([Acts 19:29](../../../kjv/acts/19/29)).
**for he**—Paul.
**had a vow**—That it was
the Nazarite vow ([Numbers 6:1-27](../../../kjv/numbers/6/1-27))
is not likely. It was probably one made in one of his seasons of
difficulty or danger, in prosecution of which he cuts off his hair
and hastens to Jerusalem to offer the requisite sacrifice within the
prescribed thirty days [JOSEPHUS,
*Wars of the Jews,* 2.15.1]. This explains the haste with which
he leaves Ephesus ([Acts 18:21](../../../kjv/acts/18/21)),
and the subsequent observance, on the recommendation of the brethren,
of a similar vow ([Acts 21:24](../../../kjv/acts/21/24)).
This one at Corinth was voluntary, and shows that even in heathen
countries he systematically studied the prejudices of his Jewish
brethren.

**19. he came to Ephesus**—the
capital of the Roman province of Asia. (See 
to Ephesians). It was a sail, right across from the west to the east
side of the Ægean Sea, of some eight or ten days, with a fair wind.
**left them there**—Aquila
and Priscilla.
**but he himself entered into
the synagogue**—merely taking advantage of the vessel putting in
there.
**and reasoned with the
Jews**—the *tense* here not being the usual one denoting
*continuous* action (as in [Acts 17:2](../../../kjv/acts/17/2);
[Acts 18:4](../../../kjv/acts/18/4)), but that expressing *a
transient act.* He had been forbidden to preach the word in Asia
([Acts 16:6](../../../kjv/acts/16/6)), but he would not
consider that as precluding this passing exercise of his ministry
when Providence brought him to its capital; nor did it follow that
the prohibition was still in force.

**20. when they desired him to
tarry**—The Jews seldom rose against the Gospel till the
successful preaching of it stirred them up, and there was no time for
that here.

**21. I must . . . keep this
feast**—probably Pentecost, presenting a noble opportunity of
preaching the Gospel.
**but I will return**—the
fulfilment of which promise is recorded in .

**22. And when he had landed at
Cæsarea**—where he left the vessel.
**and gone up**—that is, to
Jerusalem.
**and saluted the church**—In
these few words does the historian despatch the apostle's FOURTH
VISIT TO JERUSALEM
after his conversion. The expression "going *up*" is
invariably used of a journey to the metropolis; and thence he
naturally "went *down* to Antioch." Perhaps the vessel
reached too late for the feast, as he seems to have done nothing in
Jerusalem beyond "saluting the Church," and privately
offering the sacrifice with which his vow () would conclude. It is left to be understood, as on his
arrival from his first missionary tour, that "when he was come,
and had gathered the church together, he rehearsed all that God had
done with him" ([Acts 14:27](../../../kjv/acts/14/27))
on this his *second missionary journey.*
[Acts 14:27](../../../kjv/acts/14/27). PAUL'S
THIRD AND LAST
MISSIONARY JOURNEY—HE
VISITS THE CHURCHES
OF GALATIA AND
PHRYGIA.

**23. And after he had spent some time
there**—but probably not long.
**he departed**—little
thinking, probably, he was never more to return to Antioch.
**went over all . . . Galatia
and Phrygia in order**—visiting the several churches in
succession. See on [Acts 18:1](../../../kjv/acts/18/1).
Galatia is mentioned first here, as he would come to it first from
Antioch. It was on this visitation that he ordained the weekly
collection ([1 Corinthians 16:1](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/16/1); [1 Corinthians 16:2](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/16/2)),
which has been since adopted generally, and converted into a public
usage throughout Christendom. Timotheus and Erastus, Gaius and
Aristarchus, appear to have accompanied him on this journey ([Acts 19:22](../../../kjv/acts/19/22);
[Acts 19:29](../../../kjv/acts/19/29); [2 Corinthians 1:1](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/1)),
and from Second Corinthians we may presume, Titus also. The details
of this visit, as of the former ([2 Corinthians 1:1](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/1)), are not given.
[2 Corinthians 1:1](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/1/1). EPISODE
CONCERNING APOLLOS
AT EPHESUS AND IN
ACHAIA.
This is one of the most
interesting and suggestive incidental narratives in this precious
history.

**24, 25. a . . . Jew named Apollos**—a
contraction from Apollonius.
**born at Alexandria**—the
celebrated city of Egypt on the southeastern shore of the
Mediterranean, called after its founder, Alexander the Great. Nowhere
was there such a fusion of Greek, Jewish, and Oriental peculiarities,
and an intelligent Jew educated in that city could hardly fail to
manifest all these elements in his mental character.
**eloquent**—turning his
Alexandrian culture to high account.
**and mighty in the
scriptures**—his eloquence enabling him to express clearly and
enforce skilfully what, as a Jew, he had gathered from a diligent
study of the Old Testament Scriptures.
**came to Ephesus**—on what
errand is not known.

**25. This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord . . . knowing only the baptism of John**—He was
instructed, probably, by some disciple of the Baptist, in the whole
circle of John's teaching concerning Jesus, but no more: he had yet
to learn the new light which the outpouring of the Spirit at
Pentecost had thrown upon the Redeemer's death and resurrection; as
appears from [Acts 19:2](../../../kjv/acts/19/2); [Acts 19:3](../../../kjv/acts/19/3).
**being fervent in the
spirit**—His heart warm, and conscious, probably, of his gifts
and attainments, he burned to impart to others the truth he had
himself received.
**he spake and taught
diligently**—rather, "accurately" (it is the same word
as is rendered "perfectly" in [Acts 19:3](../../../kjv/acts/19/3)).

**26. speak boldly in the synagogue,
whom when Aquila and Priscilla heard**—joying to observe the
extent of Scripture knowledge and evangelical truth which he
displayed, and the fervency, courage, and eloquence with which he
preached the truth.
**they took him unto
them**—privately.
**and expounded unto him the
way of God more perfectly**—opening up those truths, to him as
yet unknown, on which the Spirit had shed such glorious light. (In
what appears to be the true reading of this verse, Priscilla is put
before Aquila, as in [Acts 18:18](../../../kjv/acts/18/18)
[see on [Acts 18:1](../../../kjv/acts/18/1)]; she being
probably the more intelligent and devoted of the two). One cannot but
observe how providential it was that this couple should have been
left at Ephesus when Paul sailed thence for Syria; and no doubt it
was chiefly to pave the way for the better understanding of this
episode that the fact is expressly mentioned by the historian in [Acts 18:1](../../../kjv/acts/18/1). We see here also an example of not only *lay* agency
(as it is called), but *female* agency of the highest kind and
with the most admirable fruit. Nor can one help admiring the humility
and teachableness of so gifted a teacher in sitting at the feet of a
Christian woman and her husband.

**27, 28. And when he was
disposed**—"minded," "resolved."
**to pass into Achaia**—of
which Corinth, on the opposite coast (see on ), was the capital; there to proclaim that Gospel which he
now more fully comprehended.
**the brethren**—We had not
before heard of such gathered at Ephesus. But the desire of the Jews
to whom Paul preached to retain him among them for some time (), and his promise to return to them (), seem to indicate some drawing towards the Gospel, which,
no doubt, the zealous private labors of Priscilla and Aquila would
ripen into discipleship.
**wrote, exhorting the
disciples to receive him**—a beautiful specimen of "letters
of recommendation" (as [Acts 15:23](../../../kjv/acts/15/23);
[Acts 15:25-27](../../../kjv/acts/15/25-27), and see [Acts 15:25-44](../../../kjv/acts/15/25-44)); by which, as well as by interchange of deputations, &c.,
the early churches maintained active Christian fellowship with each
other.
**when he was come, helped them
much**—was a great acquisition to the Achaian brethren.
**which believed through
grace**—one of those incidental expressions which show that
*faith's being a production of God's grace in the heart* was so
current and recognized a truth that it was taken for granted, as a
necessary consequence of the general system of grace, rather than
expressly insisted on. (It is against the natural order of the words
to read them, as BENGEL,
MEYER, and others, do,
"helped through grace those who believed").

**28. For he mightily convinced the
Jews**—The word is very strong: "stoutly bore them down in
argument," "vigorously argued them down," and the
*tense* in that he *continued* to do it, or that this was
the characteristic of his ministry.
**showing by the scriptures
that Jesus was Christ**—Rather, "that the Christ (or
Messiah) was Jesus." This expression, when compared with , seems to imply a richer testimony than with his partial
knowledge he was at first able to bear; and the power with which he
bore down all opposition in argument is that which made him such an
acquisition to the brethren. Thus his ministry would be as good as
another visitation to the Achaian churches by the apostle himself
(see [1 Corinthians 3:6](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/3/6)) and the more as,
in so far as he was indebted for it to Priscilla and Aquila, it would
have a decidedly *Pauline* cast.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Acts 18"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Acts 18","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"CHAPTER 18   :-. PAUL'S\nARRIVAL AND LABORS\nAT CORINTH, WHERE\nHE IS\nREJOINED BY SILAS\nAND TIMOTHY, AND, UNDER\nDIVINE ENCOURAGEMENT,\nMAKES A LONG\nSTAY—AT\nLE","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts","name":"Acts"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/acts/18","name":"18"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```