Acts 18

Chap. XVIII. Ver. 1—28. » Paul preaches at Corinth, and were full, and then fulfilled at once his threatenings against them, and his promises to Abraham. See (Genesis 15:16). A Ver. 31. Given assurance—i. e. evidence to support our faith; namely, the evidence of Christ’s resurrection. Ver. 34. Dionysius the Areopagite.—A member of the tribunal Areopagus, the supreme tribunal of justice at Athens. There are two volumes, folio, of writings preserved under his name, supposed to be written by him after his conversion but Dr. A. Clarke pronounces them to be “a mere and foolish ory of the 5th or 6th century.”; prtkes XVIII. Ver. 1.. Corinth—[The capital of Achaia, and the ornament of Greece, was situated on the middle of the isthmus which connects Peloponnesus with Attica, at the distance of 60 stadia from the Ægean and Ionian seas, on each side.

It was celebrated for its extensive commerce, wealth, and luxury; for its magnitude and grandeur, its elegant and magnificent temples, palaces, theatres, and other public buildings; and for the learning and pride of its inhabitants and the number of its seminaries, where Philosophy was richly taught, ]—Bagster. wn d Pea nr 2, Claudius had commanded, &c.—This is mentioned by Suetonius in the life of Claudius, and Christians were at this time considered only as a Jewish sect. See Lardner’s Cred. 1219 ment, with an intimation that he was free from the blood of his own nation, who had refused his message, he immediately devoted his whole attention to the idolatrous Corinthians. Crispus, however, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, as did also Justus, at whose house he lodged, adjoining to the synagogue.

Many also of the idolatrous Corinthians believed, and were baptized, and it is possible that he might now be ready to think his work here completed; but, in a vision of the night, he was animated and encouraged to persevere by the assurance of his heavenly Master: ‘‘Be not afraid; but speak and hold not thy peace for I have much people in this city.” He accordingly continued a full year and a half, “‘ teaching the word of God among them. It was to be expected that the Jews would be exasperated by his success among the Gentiles, and they made zealous attempts to hinder him. ‘‘But the moderate spirit of the Roman government (says the excellent church historian above cited) prevented them from raising any serious persecution.

Gallio, the proconsul, brother to the famous Seneca, was perfectly indifferent concerning the progress of Christianity, and refused to pay the least attention to their complaints against St. Paul, of his countrymen, remained in Corinth some considerable time longer than the above-mentioned year and a half. The Romans evidently, and indeed justly, considered the Jews as a factious, quarrelsome, and superstitious people; and it was upon this principle that Gallio refused to listen to their complaints; and, indeed, afterwards, when the Greeks took Sosthenes, who was a ringleader against the Christians, and beat him before the judgment seat, he refused to interfere; for which, however, we cannot commend him, for he ought to have kept the peace: but ‘‘Gallio cared for none of those.’’ From Corinth Paul came to Ephesus, another celebrated Greek city, whither Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him.

Here he addressed the Jews with better acceptance, for they wished him to tarry with them; but, having determined to attend the next feast at Jerusalem, he proceeded on his journey, promising shortly to return. After Paul had left this city, Apollos came, an Alexandrian Jew, who is described as ‘‘an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, and fervent in spirit,’’ but as yet but partially acquainted with Christianity, ‘‘knowing only the baptism of John.” Aquila and Priscilla, however, when they heard his admirable talents and slender information, took him to their house and instructed him more fully in the peculiar truths of the gospel, and gave him letters of commendation to the brethren whither he travelled, to whom he became very useful, especially in preaching to the Jews, whom “he mightily convinced, and that publicly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ,”

the true Messiah, promised to their fathers.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 3. Tent-makers.—A very important trade at that time, when tents were much in use; and ranking probably with our trunk-making. ‘The early Rabbies made no secret of their trades. One was surnamed the shoemaker, another the baker, &c. (See Doddridge.) Paul’s motive was evidently that he might not be burdensome to the churches for support. See (1 Corinthians 4:12). (2 Corinthians 12:14). Ver. 5. Pressed in the Spirit, Leena “borne away by (his) spirit.” Heinsius and others, “by the spirit,” meaning the Holy Ghost. But some ancient copies read, “was earnestly employed in the word;” i. e. in preaching. See Griesbach. *y employed in the word;” i. e. in preaching. Ver. 6. Shook his raiment.—As signifying, as he said, that he was clean, “pure,”

or “clear” of their blood. Compare (Acts 20:26). A like ceremony is (see. nied in pe. See Orient. Lit. No. 1425. 5 Ver. 7. Justus, one that worshipped God—i. e. a Jew. Ver. 10. Set on thee.—Doddridge, “fall on thee.” owien panes Ver. 12. Gallio—{Was the eldest brother of the celebrated philosopher L. A. Seneca, who describes him as a most mild and amiable man. ]—Bagster.—— Deputy—i. e. Proconsul of Achaia, or Greece. —Achaia.—{Achaia proper, was a province of Peloponnesus, bounded on the north by the gulf of Corinth, on the south by Elis and Arcadia, on the east by Sicyon, and on the west by the Ionian sea; but in its largest sense, it comprehended all Greece. —B. Ver. 14. Wrong—i. e.

injustice. y Ver. 17. Sosthenes, the chief ruler.—Probably the successor of Crispus, who had been converted, (ver. 8.) and of course of an opposite spirit, and in this case the prosecutor. 4 Ver. 18. Cenchrea—{Now Kenchri, was the port of Corinth, on the east side of the isthmus, and about nine miles from the city.]—Bagster.—For he had vow.—This appears to have been the vow of the Nazarite, for it is said, he had “shaved his head at Cenchrea.” By the original law, it appears that Nazarites were to shave their heads “at the door of the tabernacle,” (Numbers 6:18); but this must have been dispensed with, in the instance of persons residing in foreign countries, as well as that of going up to the three great feasts; the Rabbies, however, considered such persons as bound to come to Jerusalem to complete their vows; and this is supposed to be the reason that Paul was so anxious to go up and keep the approaching feast, ver.

21. It should not be concealed, however, that Grotius, Hammond, Witsius, and others, consider Aquila (and not Paul) as the person who had made the vow; and the naming Aquila after Priscilla, (contrary to every other instance,) favours this interpretation. If this be adopted, the word there, in ver. 19, must refer, not to Ephesus, but to Cenchrea. Ver. 24. Mighty in the scriptures—Namely of the Old Testament, the New not being yet written. CuHap. XIX. Ver. 1. The upper coasts—i. e. The upper parts of Asia Minor, which were more remote from the Mediterranean sea.— Ephesus—| A much celebrated city of Ionia in Asia Minor, and the metropolis of Proconsular Asia, was situated on the river Cayster, and on the side of a hill, about 35 miles north of Miletus, 40 south of Smyrna, 100 west of Laodicea, and 5 miles from the Ægean sea.

It was particularly famous for a magnificent temple of Diana, 425 feet long, and 220 broad; which was supported by 127 columns 70 feet high. It had become a ruinous place when the emperor Justinian filled Constantinople with its statues, and raised the church of St. Sophia on its columns, A. D. 528—566; and all that remains of this once splendid city, about half a mile from the village of Aiasaluck, when visited by Dr. Chandler, was inhabited by “‘a few Greek peasants, living in extreme wretchedness, dependence, and insensibility.” An American clergyman who visited it in 1821, says, “not a human being lives in Ephesus; and at Aiasaluck there are merely a few Turkish huts.” The candlestick has now been removed out of its place.

(Revelation 2:5).|—B. Ver. 2. Whether there be any Holy Ghost—That is, whether it be yet given. A parallel ellipsis occurs (John 7:39): ‘* The Holy Ghost was not yet;” i. e. “not yet given,” as our translators supply the word. So here, they “had not heard whether the Holy Ghost were yet given.” This is the sense we believe generally given to the passage; and it is difficult to believe that any of John’s disciples should not have heard of the Holy Ghost, for he said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me…. he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.’’ (Matthew 3:11), (John 1:33), Ver. 5. Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.—This seems clearly to indicate, that John’s was not Christian baptism, or it would not have been re-: Ver.

6. The Holy Ghost came on them.—Namely, his miraculous powers; for, it is added, “They spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Ver. 10. All they which dwelt in Asia.—This term (Asia) was used to very different extents in different periods. Paley says, “Asia, throughout the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St. Paul, does not mean the whole of Asia Minor, or Anatolia, nor even the whole of the Proconsular Asia; but a district in the anterior part of that country, called Lydian Asia, divided from the rest, as Portugal is from Spain, and of which district Ephesus was the capital.’ Ver. 12. Handkerchiefs or aprons.—The former the Asiatics usually carry in their hands to wipe off perspiration, as, we are informed by Comenius and Harmer, was the case both formerly and is to this day; the latter resembled napkins tied before them, (or ‘‘half round,”

as the original imports, see (John 13:4),) to preserve their garments, when doing any thing that might soil them —as, perhaps, tent-making. Even these were made the instruments of curing diseases and ejecting demons. Ver. 13. Exorcists.—The original term literally means those who cast out demons, by adjuring them in God’s name. That some of the Jews made this profession, even in our Lord’s time, is certain from (Matthew 12:26-28). (Mark 9:38). (Luke 9:49), &c. The Jewish exorcists certainly used the name of the God of Abraham, but finding the name of Jesus, as they supposed, a more potent charm, were willing, as Dr. Hammond remarks, (on (Matthew 12:27),) to exchange it for that of Jesus. Ver. 19.

Curious arts—The principal of these were, 1. Astrology, or the prediction of events by the configuration of the planets. 2. Necromancy, or conferring (whether really or in pretence) with the souls of dead men, or with infernal spirits. The witch of Endor was a pretender to this art. 1 Sam. xxviii, 3. Magic, the power of producing wonderful effects by secret arts, or spiritual agency: but it is often used in a sense so extensive, as to include both the preceding: 4. A science peculiar to this people, was that of the Ephesian Letters, or mystic characters, of which some account may be found both in Hammond and Doddridge, but which, as we do not pretend to understand, we shall not attempt to explain. They were, however, used as magical spells, or charms, by these people.—Fifty thousand

pieces of silver.—Probably about £8000. The Earl of Rochester, of whom it has been said, that he was “a great wit, a great scholar, a great poet, a great sinner, and a great penitent,” left a strict charge to the person in whose custody his papers were, to burn all his profane and lewd writings, as being only fit to promote vice and immorality, by which he had so highly offended God, and shamed and blasphemed that holy religion into which he had been pt oe