Acts 18:1
Outline:
I. \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ God’s Work in Jerusalem
A. \\#1:1-3\\ The Introduction
B. \\#1:4-26\\ Jesus’ Departure
C. \\#2:1-8:4\\ The Holy Ghost’s Coming
II. \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\ God’s Work in Judea and Samaria
III. \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\ God’s Work in Uttermost Parts of the World
A. \\#13:1-14:28\\ The First Missionary Journey
1. \\#13:1-3\\ The Calling
2. \\#13:4\\ Seleucia
3. \\#13:5-12\\ Cyprus
4. \\#13:13\\ Perga in Pamphylia
5. \\#13:14-52\\ Antioch of Pisidia
6. \\#14:1-5\\ Iconium
7. \\#14:6-19\\ Lystra
8. \\#14:21\\ Debra
9. \\#14:22-25\\ Retracing the Journey
10. \\#14:25\\ Attalia
11. \\#14:26-28\\ Antioch of Syria
B. \\#15:1-35\\ Judaism or Grace
1. \\#15:1-3\\ The Issue
2. \\#15:4-29\\ The Council At Jerusalem
3. \\#15:30-35\\ The return to Antioch
C. \\#15:36-18:22\\ Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
1. \\#15:36-40\\ Problems in Preparation
2. \\#15:41\\ Syria and Cilicia
3. \\#16:1-5\\ Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium
4. \\#16:6-9\\ "they had gone throughout"
5. \\#16:11-40\\ On to Philippi
6. \\#17:1-9\\ Thessalonica
7. \\#17:10-14\\ Berea
8. \\#17:15-34\\ Athens
9. \\#18:1-18\\ Corinth
10. \\#18:19-21\\ Ephesus
11. \\#18:22\\ Caesarea
D. \\#Acts 18:23-21:17\\ Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
1. \\#18:23\\ Galatia and Phrygia
2. \\#18:24-28\\ Apollos in Ephesus
I. \\#Acts 15:36-18:22\\ Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
A. \\#18:1\\ The Journey - Apparently there was no major discord
surrounding Paul’s ministry or departure from Athens.
B. \\#18:2-18\\ Corinth - Corinth was located on a narrow strip
of land between the Aegean and Adriatic Seas, having ports
in both. The city was five times the size of Athens and was
grossly immoral as indicated the expression, "to live like a
Corinthian." Corinth Map
1. \\#18:2-3\\ Paul’s Craft
a. \\#2\\ "Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy, and his wife Priscilla"
(1) "found a certain Jew" - It sounds as though Paul
was just meeting this family.
(2) Pontus was north and east of Galatia, along the
Black Sea.
(3) Italy was west of Macedonia.
(4) These two were Jews who had been expelled from
Rome by Emperor Claudius who ruled from 41-54
AD.
(a) This expulsion is thought to have occurred in
49 AD due to the Jews "constant rioting."
(b) Of course, this does not pinpoint a date as
the event is simply being described as
having occurred in the past.
(c) 40,000 to 50,000 Jews were expelled.
(d) Jews were allowed back into Rome under Nero,
five years later.
http://www.orthodoxyouth.org/romans/print/introexpulsionjews.htm
(5) The last sure date we had was in 44 AD, when
Herod died \\#Acts 12:23\\.
b. \\#3\\ "he was of the same craft …tentmakers" - Paul
had been a Pharisee who was brought up at the feet
of Gamaliel \\#Acts 22:3\\. I find it hard to
believe it was taught this craft as a youth. It is
probably something he learned to help pay his was
AFTER his conversion.
c. "he abode with them, and wrought" - Paul made his home
with them until he joined with Justin \\#7\\.
2. \\#18:4-6\\ The Ministry to the Jews
a. \\#4\\ "he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath"
(1) This was Paul’s custom and it is repeated often
in the book of Acts.
(2) "persuaded the Jews and the Greeks"
(a) Paul was successful with some.
(b) Since Paul "will go unto the Gentiles" in
\\#6\\, it is likely that these were
Gentile proselytes.
b. \\#5\\ "when Silas and Timotheus were come"
(1) Paul had left them to minister in and around
Berea \\#Acts 17:13-14\\ when things started to
heat up.
(2) He had sent word for them to come to him in
\\#Acts 17:15\\, but they are just now arriving.
(3) An interesting note, this is the last time Silas
is mentioned in the book of Acts. From this
point on, it appears that although others may
have accompanied Paul for a time, he ministered
primarily alone.
(4) This indicates both how fast the disciples moved
and how long it took to travel.
(5) "Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified"
It would appear that when Silas and Timothy
came, Paul felt the need to step up his witness
to the Jews, pressing the fact "that Jesus was
Christ."
c. \\#6\\ "And when they opposed themselves"
(1) The idea is that the Jews were against their own
best interest, meaning that they rejected Jesus
as Christ.
(2) "Your blood be upon your own heads" - Paul took
their rejection to heart and charged them that
they were condemning themselves.
(3) "I will go unto the Gentiles" - It may be that
Paul had not preached solely to the Jews as of
yet; but was working to win the Jews first.
3. \\#18:7-17\\ The Ministry to the Gentiles
a. \\#7\\ "entered into a certain man’s house, named
Justus"
(1) Most believe that Justus was a Gentile Christian.
(2) And again, it is believed that Paul did not leave
Aquila and Priscilla’s house due to discontent,
but to align himself more with the Gentiles.
(3) "whose house joined hard to the synagogue"- Even
so, Paul’s was still physically attached to the
Jewish house of worship.
b. \\#8\\ The results of the ministry were good.
(1) "Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue,
believed on the Lord with all his house"
(a) Crispus would be an influential man in the
city and should have remained so with the
Jews.
(b) We remember that becoming a Christian does
not make a Jew any less of a Jew, but
completes him/her!
(c) For the third time in this book, we see that
when one in the household accepted Jesus as
Savior, all did.
(2) "many of the Corinthians" - Many of those in the
city likewise accepted Jesus as Savior.
c. \\#9-11\\ The Duration of Time
(1) \\#9-10\\ The Lord spake to Paul in a vision.
(a) "hold not thy peace" - Preach boldly.
(b) \\#10\\ "no man shall set on thee to hurt
thee" - God was encouraging Paul that he
would be physically safe there.
(c) "I have much people in this city" - God has
many followers in this very pagan city.
(2) \\#11\\ "he continued there a year and six
months" - This was probably one of the longest
stays by Paul in one place and may have
accounted for as much as half of this missionary
journey.
d. \\#12-17\\ "When Gallio was the deputy of Achaia"
(1) The Romans had divided Greece into two countries,
Macedonia and Achaia. Gallio was not the ruler
but related to him and assigned a position of
authority in Corinth.
(2) \\#12\\ It was at that time "the Jews made
insurrection …against Paul" - Perhaps the Jews
thought Gallio would want to gather points with
the Jews so they choose his appointment as the
time to try to eliminate Paul.
(3) \\#13\\ "persuadeth men to worship God contrary
to the law" - The charge was that Paul was
violating the Jewish law in worship.
(4) \\#14-17\\ Before Paul could speak for himself,
Gallio refused to judge the case, saying it was
a Jewish matter.
(a) \\#16\\ "he drave them from the judgment
seat" - He then threw the Jews out.
(b) \\#17\\ "the Greeks took Sosthenes, the
chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him"
Then Gallio watched while the Gentiles beat
the Jewish rule who had brought the
charges.
(c) "Gallio cared for none of those things." And
Gallio didn’t care.
(d) It may have taken awhile, but this is likely
the same Sosthenes mentioned by Paul as
"our brother" \\#1Cor 1:1\\.
(e) Sosthenes would be the new chief ruler,
having replaced Crispus who had gotten
saved \\#Acts 18:8\\.
e. \\#18\\ "Paul …tarried …a good while" - And Paul
stayed awhile longer but felt it time to return to
Antioch.
(1) "with …Priscilla and Aquila" - His new friends
joined him on the journey.
(2) "having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a
vow."
(a) Some think it was Aquila that made the vow
and not Paul, Aquila being the last one
named in the verse.
(b) Cenchrea was a name for the region around
Corinth.
(c) Most Jews made a vow not by shaving their
head but by letting their hear grow
\\#Nu 6:5, 1Sam 1:11\\.
(d) No more details of the vow are given, but
being that both Paul and Aquila were Jews,
fulfilling it might have required
whichever man that made it to take a trip
to Jerusalem. Perhaps that was why Paul
was so determined to make it by "the
feast" \\#21\\. It seems unlikely to me
that Aquila made the vow since it appears
he stayed in Ephesus, not traveling
on to Jerusalem where the vow was most
likely to be fulfilled \\#Acts 18:26\\.
C. \\#18:19-21\\ Ephesus - This was Paul’s first recorded trip to
Ephesus. Ehpesians Map
1. \\#19\\ "left them there" - Apparently, Aquila and Paul
separated company when they arrived at Ephesus.
2. "he himself entered into the synagogue" - And Paul spent
some time witnessing in the Jewish synagogue.
3. \\#20\\ "When they desired him to tarry longer …he
consented not" - But Paul’s stay was very brief, perhaps
only as long as one Sabbath.
4. \\#21\\ "saying I must …keep the feast that cometh in
Jerusalem" - It may be that it was Paul who taken the vow
\\#18\\ and perhaps the vow was to keep the upcoming
feast. Regardless, he was determined to do so.
5. "I will return …if God will" - But he promised to return
if God would let him.
II. \\#Acts 18:22-23\\ Paul’s Layover Antioch Map
A. \\#22\\ "he landed at Caesarea - This would be Caesarea by the
sea, a major port city near Jerusalem.
B. "gone up" - This means Paul went to Jerusalem which was built
on a hill requiring travelers to go "up" to reach it. It
would appear that Paul made it to the city in time to keep
"the feast," although we do not know which feast it was.
C. "saluted the church" - The church which was at Jerusalem.
D. "he went down to Antioch" - Because Jerusalem was on a hill,
one had to go down to get anywhere else. That is why even
though Antioch was north, it is here referred to as being
"down."
E. \\#23\\ "after he had spent some time there" - We are not told
how long but some suppose it was no longer than a year and
perhaps considerably less.
F. "he departed" - Paul departed to begin his third journey.
III. \\#Acts 18:23-21:17\\ Paul’s Third Missionary Journey Third Journey Begins
A. \\#23\\ "Galatia and Phrygia IN ORDER" - It appears that Paul
retraced his early steps from his first journey, visiting the
churches and encouraging them.
B. \\#24-28\\ Meanwhile, back in Ephesus - During the time that
Paul had been in Antioch and traveled thus far in his third
journey, Aquila and Priscilla had been busy in Ephesus. This
is a summary of what they HAD done for Apollos had already
left Ephesus by this time \\#27\\.
1. \\#24-25\\ "Apollos"
a. Apollos is a Greek name, although he had to be Jewish
either by birth or choice for he entered in the
Ephesian synagogue \\#26\\ to teach John the
Baptist’s message.
b. He was raised in Alexandria of Egypt and was very
"eloquent," probably meaning that he had a good
education and was skilled in communicating.
c. "mighty in the scriptures" - He was a Christian in as
much as he knew.
d. \\#25\\ "being fervent" - He was bold, loved God, and
spoke openly of Him.
e. "taught diligently, knowing only the baptism of John"
(1) Here we see the gradual progression of
revelation. This man knew nothing of Jesus for
as Jesus emerged John’s ministry subsided, at
least as far as baptizing. After Jesus stepped
onto the scene, John pointed men to Him, but
Apollos knew nothing of that.
(2) Yet Apollos "taught diligently" what he knew;
that being that men must repent for God’s
kingdom was soon to come.
(3) Apollos probably heard this message from another,
but he was about 20 years behind!
(4) It would seem that such educated and traveled
man would have heard of Jesus by that time!
(a) Had he not heard at all?
(b) Had he not made the connection between John
the Baptist and Jesus?
2. \\#26\\ "whom …Aquila and Priscilla …took him …and
expounded …the way of God more perfectly" - Paul’s
friends from Corinth helped Apollos to know the full
truth of the gospel.
3. \\#27\\ "pass unto Achaia" - Achaia is the region in which
Corinth rested. Apollos had left Ephesus before Paul
arrived, being sent on with letters from the Ephesian
Christians.
4. \\#28\\ "For he mightily convinced the Jews" - Perhaps the
reason this was being shared was because of the great
impact Apollos had while in Ephesus. He would also have
a great impact in Corinth \\#1Cor 3:4\\.
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