Acts 18 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Acts 18:1-6

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Paul encounter in Corinth? v.2
2. Why did he stay with them? v.3
3. What did he do every Sabbath? v.4
4. What did he subsequently do when the others arrived? v.5
5. Yet what happened? v.6a
6. So what was Paul’s response? v.6b

B. Think:

1. How was Paul’s first Jewish contact here fortuitous?
2. Read 2 Cor 11:9 How did Silas’s arrival release Paul?
3. How did that subsequently cause upset?

C. Comment:

Paul moves on from Athens to the even larger town of Corinth , known for its commerce and its immorality. On his arrival he appears to encounter a Jew who has the same trade as him (for Rabbis such as Paul would have had a trade) and so goes and stays with him. We aren’t told at this point whether Aquila and Priscilla are Christians, but they certainly become Christians later, possibly through Paul. While staying with them, working with them, he would go to the synagogue each Sabbath and argue the Gospel.

This situation was only changed when Silas and Timothy arrived with financial support from the churches in Macedonia and this enabled Paul to spend more time preaching the Gospel and less time working. However, his preaching upset the Jews to such a degree that they strongly opposed him and in such a measure that he eventually released himself from any responsibility to them. As we watch Paul’s ministry, we see this happened again and again. He sought to go to his fellow countrymen but eventually after they had clearly rejected him, he left them and went to the Gentiles only.

D. Application:

1. Christian leadership needs financial support to enable it to be whole    hearted in giving itself to the ministry. Do we give to it?
2. Go to those nearest to you first, and if they reject you, then go to those further away, but keep on going

Passage: Acts 18:7-11

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshipper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

A. Find Out:

1. So what did Paul do? v.7
2. Who believed the message? v.8
3. How did the Lord speak to Paul? v.9a
4. What instruction did He give Paul? v.9b
5. What encouragement did He give him? v.10
6. So what did Paul do? v.11

B. Think:

1. How might Paul have just been discouraged?
2. Now, how might he have been encouraged by circumstances?
3. How would he have been encouraged by the Lord?

C. Comment:

So far in Paul’s travels we have seen a familiar order of events: Paul preaches the Gospel, people believe, the Jews rise up in opposition, persecution follows and the apostles retreat and move on. This time the Lord has other plans, for Corinth is a large city.

The Jewish opposition has just come again and Paul has left the synagogue, but continues preaching in a house next door. Despite the general rejection by the Jews a number of them including the synagogue leader become believers. The church in Corinth grows rapidly, a real encouragement.

Yet Paul must have been wondering about moving on, fearful of the opposition, for the Lord speaks to him in a vision, telling him not to be afraid. Keep going, comes the word of the Lord, I’m with you to protect you, because there are many in this big city who are mine. The Lord knew there were many there who were yet to become Christians.

Remember we said this city was known for its commerce and its immorality. With our natural eyes we might have thought it was a hard place for the Gospel, yet the Lord knows that there are many hungry and responsive people there who will receive the Gospel if Paul will only keep on bringing it. We need to hear the Lord!

D. Application:

1. We should not go on outward appearances of a place.
2. The Lord knows if people will be responsive. We need to hear Him.

Passage: Acts 18:12-17

12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 ‘This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.’

14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, ‘If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanour or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.’ 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

A. Find Out:

1. How did the enemy attack? v.12
2. With what did they charge Paul? v.13
3. What did the proconsul say a reasonable charge would be? v.14
4. But what did he decide? v.15
5. What did he do? v.16
6. What did the Jews do in their anger? v.17

B. Think:

1. To what were the Jews appealing?
2. What was the verdict on the Christian faith?
3. How might this help the Gospel, do you think?

C. Comment:

Some time during Paul’s year and a half stay in Corinth, the enemy came against him in the form of the religious Jews, who had already been upset by him (v.6), but who now sought to bring a legal case against him. If they could have the court rule against him it would, once and for ever, shut him up.

In that light, it was a very serious case. They maintained that the way Paul advocated worship violated the law. Now Roman law permitted the Jewish religion, and the proconsul, even before Paul could speak, rules that the dispute was merely one of interpretation of beliefs within their own religion, and that was outside the jurisdiction of the court. The court was there to preside over criminal disputes, not religious ones, and so he stopped them in their tracks and would hear no more of the matter. In other words the court legitimized the Christian faith and declared its beliefs outside the jurisdiction of the courts of Rome. The decision allows the Gospel to proceed without fear of further legal action.

At this the crowd turn on the synagogue ruler who was a believer and supporter of Paul and beat him. Why him and not Paul? It may be simply that he was one of the first to come out of the court and caught the brunt of the Jewish crowd’s anger

D. Application:

1. The enemy will seek to attack through various means.
2. We need not be ashamed of the Gospel truth.

Passage: Acts 18:18-22

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, ‘I will come back if it is God’s will.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

A. Find Out:

1. Who went with Paul when he left? v.18a
2. What did he do before he moved on? v.18b
3. What first happened at Ephesus? v.19a
4. But what did Paul do there? v.19b
5. What was asked of him but what did he answer? 20,21
6. When did he then do? v.22

B. Think:

1. How was Paul’s stay in Corinth seen to be different from some of the previous places he had been to according to this passage?
2. How was his stay at Ephesus also different from previous times?
3. If he landed at Caesarea where would he have gone to the church?

C. Comment:

Having received opposition there in Corinth, Paul stays on, unlike his leaving many of the previous places he had been to, because he had had the word from the Lord (v.9,10). Why he cuts his hair after having made a vow we are not told; we simply have to assume that the Lord led him at some point to make a commitment that was signified by growing his hair long, or having it cut short. Having done this, he leaves together with Priscilla and Aquila and sails back to the Asia mainland, arriving at Ephesus where the couple find their own house (see v.26) and Paul goes off to the synagogue.

There again his stay is quite different from previous places. Yes, he goes to the synagogue and reasons with the Jews but this time:

• a) they invite him to stay longer and
• b) he declined and
• c) left of his own will, not being chased out.

From Ephesus he sails to Caesarea, goes up to the church at Jerusalem (almost certainly), presumably to report on this last trip, and then makes his way home to Antioch to report back to the home church. It has been a long second journey and he has much to tell.

D. Application:

1. Christian ministry can take us far and wide and can be lonely and tiring.  Such ministers need much support.
2. Such ministry needs a welcoming home base to support them.

Passage: Acts 18:23-28

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and travelled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

A. Find Out:

1. Where did Paul go next, doing what? v.23
2. Who did he meet where and how was he described? v.24
3. What was the extent of his experience? v.25
4. Who befriended him and did what for him? v.26
5. What did he want to do? v.27a
6. So what happened? v.27b,28

B. Think:

1. What picture are we getting about Ephesus ?
2. List the good things about Apollos?
3. How was he a blessing to the church

C. Comment:

While Paul had returned home, Aquila and Priscilla had settled in Ephesus where the church was obviously established. After remaining in Antioch for some time, Paul eventually starts off again going up through Galatia again to strengthen the churches he had previously established.

Meanwhile back in Ephesus, a new believer, Apollos, arrives on the scene. Although he clearly IS a believer the extent of his teaching was a little limited, not knowing about the baptism of the Spirit, but there he encounters Aquila and Priscilla who take him under their wing and teach him further. This lovely couple appear almost as spiritual parents, looking after anyone who needed help. Apollus himself is quite a remarkable man who wanted to go on encouraging the church wherever and however he can.

The picture that we are given here is of an established church with some very mobile ministries. Priscilla and Aquila & Apollos are all people serving God far from their original homes. They are those whose first call in life is to build and bless the church. These are the sort of people, together with Paul, Silas, Timothy, Barnabus etc., who established the church, laying down of their lives, forsaking comfort.

D. Application:

1. The church is built on sacrificial lives.
2. Can we be said to be the same today?