The Acts of The Apostles

Acts was taught by Dr. James Modlish

 

Chapter Eighteen
(18:1-28)

Vs. 1-6

Paul leaves Athens where he has dealt with the intellectuals and scholars heading towards Corinth, which was the land bridge connecting the Peloponnese with Northern Greece This is the city to which Paul wrote First and Second Corinthians. What happens here should be kept in mind while reading Corinthians.

Vs. 2

Aquila and Priscilla - (Acts 18:18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19) They were raised in Eastern Asia Minor (Acts 2:9; 1 Peter 1:1) and later had been driven out of Rome under Claudius Caesar around (49 A.D.); Anti-Semitism has always been a common thing.

Vs. 3

(1 Cor. 4:12) Paul's ministry continues to both Jews of the dispersion and, Gentiles. He reasoned, persuaded and testified that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 17:3). Again the Jews get upset (vs. 6).

"Pressed in the spirit" - Paul was driven by the Spirit of God and his own desire to reach his kinsman according to the flesh for Jesus Christ.

Here another major event in the evangelization of the Jew takes place.

[1]. The gospel has been rejected in Jerusalem (Acts 7).

[2]. The gospel has been rejected in Asia Minor (Acts 13:45,46).

[3]. Now on the European mainland.

Vs. 6

(Romans 10:1-4) "They have a zeal of God"...."being ignorant of God righteousness." (See Acts 20:26; Eze. 3:18, 33:8; Neh. 5:12, 13; Ps. 40:10; 51:14; Acts 13:46, 47; 28:28)

Vs. 7-11

Justus distinguished from one in Rome (Col. 4:11) and one in Jerusalem (Acts 1:23).

In spite of the majority of Jews rejecting Paul's message, Justus, Crispus and his family (Acts 16:31 and notes) believe and are baptized. Some make issue of baptism being dispensationally not for today. Although Paul was not sent primarily to baptize, he did baptize some of his converts personally....after they were saved.

Vs. 9,10

Paul gets an inspirational, motivational preaching message straight from the Lord. Paul must have been very discouraged at this point and needed a pep talk. The much people of (vs. 10) are the believers of (vs. 8).

Vs. 11

The verse is significant in light of all the material in 1 and 2 Corinthians. Paul spent a year and a half of his own personal ministry teaching the word of God and they still had many, many problems. Notice the converts of (Acts 18:8) don't talk in tongues.

The Corinthian church has time to get gifts (1 Cor. 12) and exercise them in dealing with the unbelieving Jews (1 Cor. 14:22). This explains the tongues which are discussed in (1 Cor. 14). The Jew is here (vs. 2, 4,8,12).

Vs. 12-17

Paul is hauled up to the judgment seat This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the “LAW." (See Matt. 22:17-20; Dan. 6).

Gallio is a wise man. He does not see any issue. He doesn't see "worshipping God contrary to the Law" an offense. Gallio keeps his noise out of business he is not paid to stick it into... "cared for none of these things" (vs. 17).

The crowd of Greek bystanders lay hold of Sosthenes and beat him. It seems (Rom. 8:28 and Rom. 2:4) led to Sosthenes salvation. (1 Cor. 1:1)

Vs. 18-23

Paul leaves Corinth after almost two years of work (Acts 18:11,18).

Paul shears his hair off according to the vow of a Nazarite. (Num. 6:13,18,21) But why? Up to this time Paul's desire to participate in the Jewish feasts and vows has seemingly been ignored or been nonexistent. Paul had been in Jerusalem three times before with no mention of anything like this. (Acts 9:28; Gal. 1:18; Acts 15 - See Acts 21:26). Paul knew that his was no longer necessary .... but why?

In (Acts 18:19) he entered and taught in the synagogue. He was received well (vs. 20.) He had just spent two years in Corinth where according to the New Testament, the signs were most abundantly used, meaning a large population of unbelieving Jews. Paul must have had an overwhelming desire to reach his people with the message of salvation.

Something has happened to Paul's heart:

[1]. Two synagogue rulers were just converted under his ministry (vs. 8,17). This renewed his burden (Rom. 9:13). The shaving of his head is becoming all things to all men. He shaves his head as a testimony to the Jews (1 Cor. 9:20).

[2]. The fact that the Jews desired Paul to tarry with them shows that Paul had had a good testimony with the Jews at Ephesus.

[3]. (Vs. 21) - "I will return.... If God will." (Jas. 4:15-17)

Paul has "'plotted" (2 Cor. 12:16) to win the next bunch of Jews he meets. It is instructive to notice that not once again does Paul meet any serious persecution from the Jews in Asia Minor. It is the Jews in Palestine that starts the beginning of the end.

The third missionary journey is found in (Acts 18:23-Acts 19:21).

Vs. 24-28

Apollos-Apollyon-Destroyer (Apollo Space Mission)

Apollos was saved in the sense of (Lk. 22:32 before Jn. 20:22). This accounts for the strange scene that follows (Acts 19:1-6). Apollos was not born again, he had not yet gotten past (Matt. 3:11) - (vs. 25,26).

The man is preaching according to the truth that has been revealed to him. Again we remind ourselves of the important fact that the book of Acts is an historical account of the way God moved in the Jewish people and their general rejection of the gospel of the grace of God as revealed to Paul. Acts records the progressive revelation of God; stopping in (Acts 2) is spiritual insanity.

Apollos had not heard the gospel as we have heard it, but preached John's baptism of repentance preparing the way for the Lord (who had already come and gone.)

Vs. 24

Apollos was eloquent and mighty in the scriptures. This is a rare combination.

Vs. 25

Note:

Fervent in spirit - (Acts 18:25)

Pressed in the spirit - (Acts 19:5)

Fervent in the spirit - (Acts 19:21)

Bound in the spirit - (Acts 20:22)

Vs. 26

Aquila and Priscilla (Jews) go to the synagogue to do some witnessing and there they find Apollos preaching righteousness to the Jews. They take him aside and share (Isa. 53; Ps. 22; Ex. 12; Acts 8,10,16) with him. (Vs. 26) shows that even a woman can teach Bible to a man as long as her husband is along.

Apollos has passed through Achaia before Paul came through that way going East; he runs into some of Apollos' disciples who had come up from Corinth following a "John the Baptist" gospel.

Now Apollos is equipped to preach to the Jews for as a Jew himself he mightily convinces men that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Apollos is a street preacher (vs. 28) publicly.

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