Chapter Eighteen –
Second Journey of Paul Continued
ACTS 18:1-5:
We began
this journey with Paul and Silas in
Antioch of Syria;
they then traveled through the rest of
Syria
and through the region of
Cilicia
strengthening the Bodies of Christ along the way. When they came to the area
of the two cities of
Lystra and Derbe,
they will pick up young Timothy to travel with them. They delivered the
decrees to these cities which strengthened them to a productive unity. From
here they will travel to two new areas of Asia Minor;
Phrygia and Galatia.
Luke does not record anything about these visits and Paul will not return to
these regions until
Chapter 19.
Passing
through the region of Mysia (having been forbidden by the Spirit of God to
go into Asia and Bithynia at this time), Paul and his group have come to
Troas.
Here at Troas, Paul will have a vision encouraging him to go to Macedonia
and bring the Gospel. As they determine to go to Macedonia, we learn that
Luke joins them.
They set
out across the Aegean Sea and cross with relative ease, stopping at the
island of
Samothrace,
and the next day arriving at
Neapolis,
the sea port town for Philippi. From Neapolis they head straight to
Philippi,
the chief city of this region. While here, Paul would live the very words
that he would later instruct the Philippian Christians to practice after him
(Philippians
4:8-9). He would go on to bring the Gospel to already religious
people, produce good works in the face of adversity, and never allow an
opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ to pass. There would
be great success in the power of the Gospel at Philippi.
From
Philippi, Paul will travel to
Thessalonica
and preached to the Jews and devout Greeks in the synagogue with much
success. The unbelieving Jews would stir up a mob and attempt to bring Paul
and his traveling companions out to the people. This would be unsuccessful;
however, it forced the brethren to send Paul and Silas away by night to
Berea.
Paul would enter the synagogue and bring the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ
to these Jews with a much different universal result. They searched, proved,
and readily accepted Paul’s evidence and teaching; however, Jews from
Thessalonica came to Berea and stirred up trouble there. The brethren sent
Paul away by ship to
Athens.
Upon arrival in Athens, and while he is waiting for Silas and Timothy, he
begins to speak in the cities synagogue and market place (Paul is uniquely
moved by the city being given over to idolatry); his preaching soon gains
him an audience with the cities philosophers. Paul’s sermon to these
philosophers finds some limited success and from Athens he will now come to
Corinth.
Please use
the map provided: http://www.plvcc.org/index.html?/articles_live_by_faith/image2/CNM19-Pauls2ndJourney.gif
Text #1:
Acts 18:1-5
“After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
2 And
he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come
from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the
Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
3 So,
because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by
occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And
he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and
Greeks.
5 When
Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit,
and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.”
Having
covered the background and introduction to Corinth in the previous lesson,
let’s move on and begin to engage in the events surrounding Paul’s stay in
the Roman capital of Achaia.
Aquila and
Priscilla:
Paul is
going to cling to this Jewish couple, not because they were already
Christians, but because they were of the same trade. They would convert to
the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him with Paul. Paul could support himself
here in Corinth as he engages in sharing the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ
(this would also give him access to many in the market place as he and this
couple sold their merchandise).
This couple
is originally from Pontus, which is a province in Asia Minor; they have come
to Corinth from Rome, having been forced to leave by Claudius, as he
expelled all the Jews from Rome.
Their
conversion was not a dormant service to the Lord, but an active passionate
service that they were able and willing to offer even though they had jobs.
We will see this at the end of this chapter, and we will additionally see
the Apostle Paul approve of this couple, virtually right up to the point of
his own death (Romans
16:3;
1
Corinthians 16:19;
2
Timothy 4:19).
Reasoned in
the Synagogue:
Paul went,
as was his custom to where he knew the Jews would be, and reasoned with them
concerning the O. T. teaching of the Christ and His coming. It seems evident
by the statement in
Verse 5, that this reasoning was all foundation; however, without
actually naming the Christ as Jesus. This obviously allowed the Jews to
acknowledge the instruction without prejudice and anger, as was the case in
many places (which allowed many to be founded in this knowledge, both
natural born Jews and proselytes).
However,
when Silas and Timothy final arrive in Corinth (remembering that they were
actually supposed to come to Paul in Athens –
Acts
17:6); the Spirit is going to compel Paul to boldly state the
name of the Christ of God.
Silas and
Timothy:
We will
talk more about the results of Paul’s preaching Jesus as the Christ in the
next lesson; however, we want to take this moment and the remainder of this
lesson to note the importance of the coming of Silas and Timothy.
When Paul
was forced to leave Berea, because the Jews that had come from Thessalonica
(Acts
17:13); he left behind Silas and Timothy. We learn from the first
letter that Paul writes to the Thessalonian Christians, that Timothy
actually stayed behind in Thessalonica (1
Thessalonians 3:1-10).
As these
two actually arrived in Corinth to find Paul, they would report to him
concerning the brethren in Macedonia that they were left with to found and
assist. It would be at the report of Timothy concerning the brethren in
Thessalonica, which would now have Paul write his very first letter –
1
Thessalonians.
Take
this moment to make a note in your Bible, that during the events of
verses 5-10; Paul will write this letter.
1 Thessalonians:
Problems
Reported:
First,
these brethren had come under attack by their own countrymen who had not
obeyed the Gospel, and took this opportunity to begin to persecute them –
2:13-16.
Second,
while Paul was with them, he had spoken of the return of the Lord. They had
taken his words in such a way as to worry without cause concerning the time
of His coming. They were anxious in understanding about what would happen if
they died prior to His coming –
4:13.
They were anxious about the order of the events at His return –
4:14-15; and finally they struggled in anxiety over when He would
return –
5:1-2.
Theme:
The theme
to this first letter of Paul is also the solution for all the problems that
the Thessalonians are experiencing –
“Walk Properly!” See:
1
Thessalonians 2:12;
4:41;
strategically placed within the doctrine of each problem!
Just to
make sure; when the Lord or His Apostles talk about a
“Walk”, they are not talking
about a certain stride in our locomotion, they are talking about
‘How we live!’ This properly
guided and occupied life is educated and practiced by a single source of
information –
“The Word of God”;
2:13,
which is effective in the hearts of those who trust it. This is something
that Paul will share with Christians in all of His letters:
Romans 1:16-17
“For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the
Greek.
17 For
in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith;
as it is written,
“The just
shall live by faith.””
Romans 10:17
“So
then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Colossians 1:9-10
“For
this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for
you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that
you may walk worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing
in the knowledge of God”
These are
just a few of the examples of internal commentary concerning the universal
understanding that the truth of God’s word brings one to the blessings of
God’s grace; and that one cannot hope to achieve it any other way! God only
speaks to us now through Jesus Christ (Hebrews
1:1-3); thus, everything written to us through the Apostles and
prophets in the doctrine of Christ Jesus, is the grace of God (commands to
be obeyed, promises to keep, warnings to heed, etc…). These brethren had not
just heard the word, but additionally received it (1:5-6),
and most importantly must stand firm in it, in order to be able to overcome
their anxieties (brought on by ignorance –
3:2;
4:13).
Outline:
Chapters 1-3
– Very Personal Matters:
Intro –
1:1
Men are
watching them –
1:2-10
How Paul
demonstrated the Christian walk, while there –
2:1-12
Their
suffering and fellowship in it with other saints –
2:13-16
His longing
to see them again –
2:17-20
Paul’s
concern for their growth in faith –
3:1-5
Timothy’s
report actually encouraged Paul –
3:6-10
Paul’s
prayer for them shared –
3:11-13
Chapters 4-5
– Conduct in Relation to the Second Coming:
The universal benefits of a pure and orderly Christian life –
4:1-12
Trying to dispel ignorance concerning the coming of the Lord –
4:13-18
Not too be concerned with when –
5:1-2
Instead focus on how you live and it does not matter –
5:3-11
Exhortations to the training of Christ that keeps them walking correctly –
5:12-22
Farewell blessing and admonition –
5:23-28
Paul will
send this letter back to these brethren by the hand of Timothy and Silas,
with the expectation that it be shared with them and with all the brethren
(possibly all the brethren in Macedonia) –
1
Thessalonians 5:27; and that
they return to him in Corinth and report concerning how the instruction is
received –
2
Thessalonians 1:1.
Next: “Do Not Be Afraid!”