A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 18

To Corinth (εις Κορινθον). Mummius had captured and destroyed Corinth B.C. 146. It was restored by Julius Caesar B.C. 46 as a boom town and made a colony. It was now the capital of the province of Achaia and the chief commercial city of Greece with a cosmopolitan population. It was only fifty miles from Athens. The summit of Acrocorinthus was 1,800 feet high and the ports of Cenchreae and Lechaeum and the Isthmus across which ships were hauled gave it command of the trade routes between Asia and Rome. The temple of Aphrodite on the Acrocorinthus had a thousand consecrated prostitutes and the very name to Corinthianize meant immorality. Not the Parthenon with Athene faced Paul in Corinth, but a worse situation. Naturally many Jews were in such a mart of trade. Philippi, Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens, all had brought anxiety to Paul. What could he expect in licentious Corinth?

Aquila (Ακυλαν). Luke calls him a Jew from Pontus, apparently not yet a disciple, though there were Jews from Pontus at the great Pentecost who were converted (2:9). Aquila who made the famous A.D. translation of the O.T. was also from Pontus. Paul "found" (ευρων, second aorist active participle of ευρισκω) though we do not know how. Edersheim says that a Jewish guild always kept together whether in street or synagogue so that by this bond they probably met.

Lately come from Italy (προσφατως εληλυθοτα απο της Ιταλιας). Second perfect participle of ερχομα. Koine adverb, here only in the N.T., from adjective προσφατος (προ, σφαω or σφαζω, to kill), lately slaughtered and so fresh or recent (Hebrews 10:20).

With his wife Priscilla (κα Πρισκιλλαν γυναικα αυτου). Diminutive of Πρισκα (Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Prisca is a name in the Acilian family and the Prisci was the name of another noble clan. Aquila may have been a freedman like many Jews in Rome. Her name comes before his in verses 18,26; Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:9.

Because Claudius had commanded (δια το διατεταχενα Κλαυδιον). Perfect active articular infinitive of διατασσω, old verb to dispose, arrange, here with accusative of general reference. Δια here is causal sense, "because of the having ordered as to Claudius." This was about A.D. 49, done, Suetonius says (Claudius C. 25), because "the Jews were in a state of constant tumult at the instigation of one Chrestus" (probably among the Jews about Christ so pronounced). At any rate Jews were unpopular in Rome for Tiberius had deported 4,000 to Sardinia. There were 20,000 Jews in Rome. Probably mainly those implicated in the riots actually left.

Because he was of the same trade (δια το ομοτεχνον εινα). Same construction with δια as above. Hομοτεχνον is an old word (ομοσ, τεχνη), though here alone in N.T. Rabbi Judah says: "He that teacheth not his son a trade, doth the same as if he taught him to be a thief." So it was easy for Paul to find a home with these "tentmakers by trade" (σκηνοιποιο τη τεχνη). Late word from σκηνη and ποιεω, here only in the N.T. They made portable tents of leather or of cloth of goat's hair. So Paul lived in this home with this noble man and his wife, all the more congenial if already Christians which they soon became at any rate. They worked as partners in the common trade. Paul worked for his support elsewhere, already in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8) and later at Ephesus with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:18,26; 20:34; 1 Corinthians 16:19). They moved again to Rome (Romans 16:3) and were evidently a couple of considerable wealth and generosity. It was a blessing to Paul to find himself with these people. So he "abode" (εμενεν, imperfect active) with them and "they wrought" (ηργαζοντο, imperfect middle), happy and busy during week days.

He reasoned (διελεγετο). Imperfect middle, same form as in 17:17 about Paul's work in Athens, here only on the Sabbaths.

Persuaded (επειθεν). Imperfect active, conative, he tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers who alone would come).

Was constrained by the word (συνειχετο τω λογω). This is undoubtedly the correct text and not τω πνευματ of the Textus Receptus, but συνειχετο is in my opinion the direct middle imperfect indicative, not the imperfect passive as the translations have it (Robertson, Grammar, p. 808). Paul held himself together or completely to the preaching instead of just on Sabbaths in the synagogue (verse 4). The coming of Silas and Timothy with the gifts from Macedonia (1 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 11:9) set Paul free from tent-making for a while so that he began to devote himself (inchoative imperfect) with fresh consecration to preaching. See the active in 2 Corinthians 5:14. He was now also assisted by Silas and Timothy (2 Corinthians 1:19).

Testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ (διαμαρτυρομενος τοις Ιουδαιοις εινα τον Χριστον Ιησουν). Paul's witness everywhere (9:22; 17:3). This verb διαμαρτυρομενος occurs in 2:40 (which see) for Peter's earnest witness. Perhaps daily now in the synagogue he spoke to the Jews who came. Εινα is the infinitive in indirect discourse (assertion) with the accusative of general reference. By τον Χριστον Paul means "the Messiah." His witness is to show to the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.