Charles Spurgeon Commentary Acts 18:16-17

"And he drove them from the judgment-seat. And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things." — Acts 18:16-17 (ASV)

Perhaps Gallio liked it. "You came here," he said, "to accuse Paul, to get him beaten: now the mob is beating you, and serve you right. I shall not interfere. Why did you come here at all to plague me with your questions? Why did you interfere with Paul?"

But I should think that this ruler of the synagogue must have opened his eyes when he found himself being beaten, instead of the persons whom he desired to have beaten.

It is singular that this name Sosthenes should be used, when earlier in the account we find another ruler of the synagogue, Crispus, who becomes a believer in Christ. "This was no doubt one they had set up instead of Crispus, having rejected Crispus for accepting Christ." And yet this man, Sosthenes, bears the same name as one that is spoken of as a brother in Christ afterwards.

I wonder whether that beating did him good—whether, in the providence of God, he was led to recognize the hand of providence in this beating falling upon him, instead of Paul; and whether this ruler of the synagogue, who ousted a better man, did himself become a Christian. Let us hope it was so.