Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 18

CHAPTER 18

After these things. After what occurred at Athens, as recorded in the previous chapter.

Came to Corinth. Corinth was the capital of Achaia, anciently called Ephyra, and was situated on the isthmus that divides the Peloponnesus from Attica. The city itself stood on a little island; it had two ports, Lechaeum on the west and Cenchrea on the east. It was one of the most populous and wealthy cities of Greece and, at the same time, one of the most luxurious, effeminate, proud, ostentatious, and dissolute.

Lasciviousness here was not only practised and allowed, but was consecrated by the worship of Venus; and no small part of the wealth and splendour of the city arose from the offerings made by licentious passion in the very temples of this goddess. No city of ancient times was more profligate.

It was the Paris of antiquity; the seat of splendour, and show, and corruption. Yet even here, notwithstanding all the disadvantages of splendour, gaiety, and dissoluteness, Paul entered on the work of establishing a church; and here he was eminently successful. The two epistles he later wrote to this church show the extent of his success; and the well-known character and propensities of the people will account for the general drift of the admonitions and arguments in those epistles.

Corinth was destroyed by the Romans 146 years before Christ; and during the conflagration, several metals in a fused state, running together, produced the composition known as Corinthian brass. It was later restored by Julius Caesar, who planted in it a Roman colony. It soon regained its ancient splendour and soon relapsed into its former dissipation and licentiousness. Paul arrived there in A.D. 52 or 53.

And found a certain Jew. This refers to Aquila, who is mentioned elsewhere as a friend of Paul (Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Though a Jew by birth, it is evident that he became a convert to the Christian faith.

Born in Pontus. (See the notes on Acts 2:9).

Lately come from Italy. Though the command of Claudius extended only to Rome, yet it was probably considered unsafe to remain, or it might have been difficult to find work in any part of Italy.

Because that Claudius. Claudius was the Roman emperor. He began his reign in A.D. 41 and was poisoned in A.D. 54. It is not certainly known at what time in his reign this command was issued.

Had commanded, etc. This command is not mentioned by Josephus; but it is recorded by Suetonius, a Roman historian (Life of Claudius, chapter 26), who says that "he expelled the Jews from Rome, who were constantly exciting tumults under their leader, Chrestus." Who this Chrestus was is not known. It might have been a foreign Jew who raised tumults on some occasion of which we have no knowledge—as the Jews in all pagan cities were greatly prone to unrest and insurrections. Or it may be that Suetonius, little acquainted with Jewish affairs, mistook this for the name Christ and supposed that he was the leader of the Jews. This explanation has much plausibility, for:

1. Suetonius could scarcely be supposed to be intimately acquainted with the affairs of the Jews.
2. There is every reason to believe that, before this, the Christian religion had been preached at Rome.
3. It would produce there, as everywhere else, great tumult and contention among the Jews.
4. Claudius, the emperor, might suppose that such tumults endangered the peace of the city, and resolve to remove the cause at once by the dispersion of all the Jews.
5. A Roman historian might easily mistake the true state of the case; and while they were contending about Christ, he might suppose that it was under him, as a leader, that these tumults were excited. However, all that is material here is the fact on which Luke and Suetonius agree: that the Jews were expelled from Rome during his reign.

The same craft. Of the same trade, or occupation.

And wrought. And worked at that occupation. Why he did it, the historian does not state, but it seems quite evident that it was because he had no other means of support. He also labored for his own support in Ephesus (Acts 20:34) and also at Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 3:9–10). The apostle was not ashamed of honest industry for a livelihood, nor did he consider it any discredit that a minister of the gospel should labor with his own hands.

For by their occupation. By their trade; that is, they had been brought up in this business. Paul had been originally intended to be a lawyer and had been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. But it was a regular custom among the Jews to train their sons in some useful employment, so that they might have the means of an honest livelihood.

Even though they were trained in the liberal sciences, they still considered a handicraft trade, or some honorable occupation, an indispensable part of education. Thus Maimonides (in the Tract Talmud. Tors, c. i. & 9) says that "the wise generally practice some of the arts, so that they might not be dependent on the charity of others." (See Grotius.)

The wisdom of this is obvious; and it is equally clear that a custom of this kind now might preserve the health and lives of many professional men, and save from ignoble dependence or vice, in future years, many who are raised in the lap of indulgence and wealth.

They were tentmakers. skhnopoioi. There have been various opinions about the meaning of this word. Many have supposed that it denotes a weaver of tapestry. Luther translated it this way. But it is probable that it denotes, as in our translation, a manufacturer of tents, made of skin or cloth. In eastern countries, where there was much travel, where there were no inns, and where many were shepherds, such a business could be useful and a profitable source of income. It was an honorable occupation, and Paul was not ashamed to be employed in it.

And he reasoned. See Barnes on Acts 17:2.

"Reasoned": alternatively, "discoursed." Regarding the synagogue, compare Acts 17:2.

And when Silas and Timothy, etc. They came to Paul according to his request, which he had sent by the brothers who accompanied him from Thessalonica (Acts 17:16).

Paul was pressed. He was urged; he was borne away by an unusual impulse. It was deeply impressed on him as his duty.

In spirit. In his mind, in his feelings. His love for Christ was so great, and his conviction of the truth so strong, that he laboured to make known to them the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.

That Jesus was Christ. That is, Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. . The presence of Silas and Timothy animated him, and the certainty of aid in his work urged him to zeal in making known the Saviour.