RSV ~ Acts 18 Notes

Acts 18:1 | ISB Notes

Corinth: The capital of the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece) and one of the leading commercial and tourist centers of the Mediterranean world. It was home to numerous Greco-Roman religious cults and at least one Jewish synagogue. The Corinthians had a tarnished reputation for sexual impurity and ruthless business tactics. Paul arrived in the city around A.D. 51 and would later address several letters to the community: 1 and 2 Corinthians, and at least one letter that has not survived (1 Cor 5:9).

Acts 18:2 | ISB Notes

Aquila: He and his wife were Jewish Christians recently come from Rome. The couple worked closely with Paul in Corinth (18:3), moved on from there to Ephesus (18:18-19), and eventually made it back to Rome (Rom 16:3-5). They were longtime supporters of his apostolic work (1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19).

Claudius: The Roman Caesar from A.D. 41 to 54. He expelled the Jewish population of Rome from the capital in A.D. 49 because of disturbances instigated by a certain “Chrestus”. Many scholars take this as a reference to Christ (Lat. Christus) and suggest the commotion was caused by disputes over the messiahship of Jesus in the synagogue communities of the city.

Acts 18:5 | ISB Notes

Silas and Timothy: Arrived from Beroea (17:14). It was about this time that Paul wrote his NT letters to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1).

Acts 18:6 | ISB Notes

shook out his garments: Paul symbolically refused to bear responsibility for the rejection of the gospel by Corinthian Jews (13:51). Their refusal called down a curse of bloodguilt upon themselves. See note on Acts 5:28.

Acts 18:7 | ISB Notes

a worshiper of God: Titius was a righteous Gentile or “God-fearer” attracted to Judaism. See note on Acts 10:2.

Acts 18:8 | ISB Notes

Crispus: The leading synagogue elder who was personally baptized by Paul (1 Cor 1:14).

Acts 18:10 | ISB Notes

I am with you: The Lord assures Paul of divine protection and success during his Corinthian ministry.

• Paul is comforted with words spoken many times to the patriarchs and prophets of the OT (Gen 26:24; 28:15; Ex 3:12; Judg 6:12; Jer 1:8).

Acts 18:12 | ISB Notes

Gallio: An archeological discovery in Greece (Delphi) indicates he was proconsul of Achaia from A.D. 51 to 52. He was the older brother of the famous Roman philosopher Seneca.

Acts 18:13 | ISB Notes

contrary to the law: Roman law recognized and protected numerous religions in the empire, including Judaism. The Jews, attempting to discredit the Christian message and disassociate the budding Church from Judaism, accused Paul of promoting a new religion that was neither recognized nor authorized by Rome. Gallio dismissed the charge because he considered the matter an intramural debate among the Jews to be settled in the synagogue (18:15).

Acts 18:17 | ISB Notes

Sosthenes: Possibly the associate of Paul mentioned in 1 Cor 1:1. If so, he was the second synagogue ruler, after Crispus (18:8), to become a Christian in Corinth.

Acts 18:18 | ISB Notes

Cenchre-ae: An eastern seaport on the isthmus near Corinth. A Church was eventually founded there as well (Rom 16:1).

he had a vow: A temporary commitment to abstain from cutting the hair (Num 6:5). The vow was probably a gesture of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance (18:10), and its completion involved shaving the head. For another example of Paul performing Jewish ceremonial rites, see 21:23-26 (CCC 2102).

Acts 18:22 | ISB Notes

he went up: Suggests Paul made a short visit to Jerusalem, which sits 2,500 feet above sea level.

Acts 18:23-21 | ISB Notes

Paul’s third missionary journey, from A.D. 53 to 58. He began his overland travel through southern Galatia (18:23), spent much of his time in Ephesus (20:31), and ended the tour in Jerusalem (21:17).

Acts 18:24 | ISB Notes

Apollos: A convert from Judaism whose extensive knowledge of the OT made him an effective Christian apologist (18:28). After a ministry in Ephesus, where his own understanding of the faith was deepened and refined (18:26), he moved on to Corinth to follow up on the work that Paul had begun (19:1; 1 Cor 3:6).

Alexandria: A port city on the northern coast of Egypt. It was home to a large settlement of Jews and was the second largest city in the Mediterranean world after Rome.

Acts 18:26 | ISB Notes

the way: A code name for the early Christian movement. See note on Acts 9:2.