How do Corinth’s opposition and Apollo’s instruction develop?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Paul works and preaches in Corinth, receives a local promise and faces a rejected complaint; Apollo later receives fuller explanation.

Chapter breakdown

Leaving Athens, Paul comes to Corinth and finds Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, recently arrived from Italy with Priscilla because Claudius ordered Jews out of Rome. Sharing the trade of tentmaking, Paul stays and works with them. Each sabbath he reasons in the synagogue, bringing in the Lord Jesus’s name and persuading Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia, he earnestly testifies that Jesus is Christ. Opponents gainsay and blaspheme, so he shakes his garments, places their blood on their own heads, declares himself clean and turns to the Gentiles. He enters the God-worshipper Titus Justus’s house adjoining the synagogue. Crispus, its ruler, believes with his whole house, and many Corinthians hear, believe and are baptized.

In a night vision the Lord tells Paul not to fear or be silent: he is with him, no one will set upon him to hurt him, and he has much people in the city. Paul stays a year and six months teaching. When Gallio is Achaia’s proconsul, Jews unite against Paul and bring him to the judgment seat, alleging worship contrary to law. As Paul begins to speak, Gallio says injustice or a heinous deed would reasonably warrant a hearing, but words, names and their law are their own concern; he will not judge. He drives them out. All seize Sosthenes, the synagogue ruler, and beat him before the judgment seat, while Gallio cares for none of these things.

After remaining many days Paul leaves the brethren and sails toward Syria with Priscilla and Aquila, having his head shorn at Cenchrae because of a vow. At Ephesus he leaves them and disputes in the synagogue. Asked to stay longer, he refuses but promises to return if God wills. He goes to Cæsarea, greets the church at Jerusalem and reaches Antioch. After some time he travels in order through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples.

Apollo, an Alexandrian Jew eloquent and mighty in the scriptures, comes to Ephesus. Instructed in the Lord’s way and fervent in spirit, he diligently teaches Jesus’s things while knowing only John’s baptism. Priscilla and Aquila hear him speaking boldly in the synagogue, take him to them and explain the Lord’s way more diligently. When he wishes to go to Achaia, the brethren exhort him and write to the disciples to receive him. There he greatly helps those who believe, vigorously convincing Jews publicly through the scriptures that Jesus is Christ.

The story inside

Gallio distinguishes injustice or heinous deed from words, names and their law, refuses adjudication and ignores a subsequent beating. Apollo’s prior knowledge and diligent teaching are preserved alongside further explanation.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Titus Justus is a God-worshipper without a specified national identity here.
2
Gallio’s conduct is a narrated instance, not an established general legal boundary.
3
Much people does not specify a hidden-election mechanism.

Test your recall

What does Gallio say he would hear?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 125961–125968
18:1. After these things, departing from Athens, he came to Corinth. 18:2. And finding a certain Jew, named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with Priscilla his wife (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome), he came to them. 18:3. And because he was of the same trade, he remained with them and wrought. (Now they were tentmakers by trade.)
Lines 125988–125995
18:9. And the Lord said to Paul in the night, by a vision: Do not fear, but speak. And hold not thy peace, 18:10. Because I am with thee and no man shall set upon thee, to hurt thee. For I have much people in this city. 18:11. And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching among them the word of God.
Lines 125997–126010
18:12. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, 18:13. Saying: This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 18:14. And when Paul was beginning to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews: If it were some matter of injustice or an heinous deed, O Jews, I should with reason bear with you. 18:15. But if they be questions of word and names and of your law, look you to it. I will not be judge of such things. 18:16. And he drove them from the judgment seat.
Lines 126036–126052
18:24. Now a certain Jew, named Apollo, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus, one mighty in the scriptures. 18:25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord: and being fervent in spirit, spoke and taught diligently the things that are of Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. 18:26. This man therefore began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Whom when Priscilla and Aquila had heard, they took him to them and expounded to him the way of the Lord more diligently. 18:27. And whereas he was desirous to go to Achaia, the brethren exhorting wrote to the disciples to receive him. Who, when he was come, helped them much who had believed. 18:28. For with much vigour he convinced the Jews openly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.