God at Work Through Ordinary People

In Corinth, Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla, a married couple who had left Italy because Emperor Claudius ordered the Jews to leave Rome. They share Paul’s trade of tentmaking, so he stays and works with them. Each Sabbath, Paul speaks in the synagogue, the Jewish place of worship, seeking to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrive, Paul gives his time fully to preaching that Jesus is the Christ, God’s promised King. Some strongly oppose him and speak against his message. Paul shakes out his clothes as a sign that they are responsible for rejecting what they have heard. His decision to turn to the Gentiles, people who are not Jewish, concerns this local setting; he will still speak in other synagogues. I notice how ordinary work and faithful witness belong together here. God’s work grows through both shared labor and clear words about Jesus.

Paul leaves the synagogue and begins teaching next door in the home of Titius Justus, a man who worships God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, believes in the Lord with his household. Many other Corinthians also hear, believe, and are baptized. Opposition has not stopped the message from reaching people. Then the Lord speaks to Paul in a night vision. Jesus tells him not to fear or stop speaking. He promises his presence and protection, explaining that many people in the city belong to him. Paul stays for a year and a half, teaching God’s word. These words are a specific promise to Paul in Corinth, not a promise that every Christian will escape harm. Still, they show us the Lord’s loving care for his servant. I find it comforting that faithful service does not mean we never need courage renewed.

When Gallio becomes the Roman governor of Achaia, Paul’s opponents bring him before the judgment seat. They claim he is leading people to worship God against the law. Before Paul can defend himself, Gallio refuses to hear the case. He sees it as a dispute about Jewish teaching, names, and law, rather than a crime that needs Roman judgment. He sends the accusers away. Then Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, is beaten in front of the judgment seat, and Gallio does nothing. Luke does not clearly identify who carries out the beating or explain their motive. We should not add details he leaves out. Gallio’s lack of concern is not held up as kindness or justice. Yet the effort to use Roman power against Paul fails. In the flow of the chapter, we see the Lord’s promise of protection holding firm despite strong opposition.

After staying longer in Corinth, Paul sails toward Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. Before leaving the region, he has his hair cut at Cenchreae because of a vow. Luke gives no further details about that promise to God, so we should not build a story around it. At Ephesus, Paul speaks with the Jews in the synagogue. They ask him to stay, but he declines, leaving open a return if God wills. Priscilla and Aquila remain there. Paul lands at Caesarea and goes up to greet the church, most likely in Jerusalem, before returning to Antioch. This brings his second major journey to a close. After some time, he travels again through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples. Paul cares about more than reaching new places. Believers also need steady help to grow. His plans show purpose, but they remain open to God’s direction.

Apollos arrives in Ephesus from Alexandria, a major city in Egypt. He is a gifted speaker who knows the Scriptures well. He teaches about Jesus accurately and with great energy, but his knowledge is not complete. He knows only John’s baptism, which called people to turn from sin and prepared them for Jesus. Luke does not list every gap in his understanding. Priscilla and Aquila hear him, take him aside, and explain God’s way more fully. They do not treat his gifts as useless because he still needs help. When Apollos wants to go to Achaia, the believers encourage him and send a letter asking the disciples there to welcome him. He becomes a great help to those who have believed through grace, God’s freely given kindness. Using the Scriptures, he shows publicly that Jesus is the Christ. God grows his church through gifted teaching and humble learning.