The connection of Corinth with the history, teaching, and writings of our apostle, is almost as intimate and important as either Jerusalem or Antioch. It may be considered as his European center. Here God had “much people;” and here Paul “continued a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” It was also when at Corinth that he wrote his first apostolic letters—THE TWO EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS.
Corinth, the Roman capital of Greece; was a large mercantile city, in immediate connection with Rome and the west of the Mediterranean, with Thessalonica and Ephesus on the Egean, with Antioch and Alexandria in the East. And by means of its two noted harbors, it received the ships of both the Eastern and Western Seas.
Paul appears to have traveled alone to Corinth. If Timotheus came to him when at Athens (1 Thess. 3:11Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; (1 Thessalonians 3:1)), he was sent back again to Thessalonica; winch place, as we shall soon see, was much on the apostle’s heart at this time. Soon after his arrival, he unexpectedly found two friends and fellow laborers in Aquila and his wife Priscilla. At this particular time there must have been a greater number of Jews in Corinth than usual; “ because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome.” The Lord thus used the banishment of Aquila and Priscilla to provide a lodging for His lonely servant. They were of his own country—of his own trade—of his own heart and spirit. And being “of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought; for by their occupation they were tent makers.” Acts 18.
Most gracious, and marvelous too, are the ways of the Lord with His servant. In a city of wealth and commerce—surrounded by native Greeks, Roman colonists, and Jews from all quarters, he quietly works at his own trade that he may be burdensome to none of them. Here we have at any rate one example of the deepest and loftiest spirituality, combined with diligent labor in the common things of this life. What an example!—and what a lesson! His daily toil was no hindrance to his communion with God. None ever knew so well, or felt so deeply, the value of the gospel he carried with him: the issues of life and death were bound up with it; and yet he could give himself up to ordinary labor. But this he did, as really as preaching, for the Lord and for His saints. He frequently refers to this in his epistles, and speaks of it as one of his privileges. “And in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you. and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.” 2 Cor. 9:7-127Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 12For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; (2 Corinthians 9:7‑12).
There is another tiling connected with this feature of the apostle’s course, which adds great interest to it. It is generally believed that he wrote his two epistles to the Thessalonians about this time; and some think the epistle to the Galatians also. These are still before us as the true witnesses of his nearness to God and communion with Him, while he labored, “working with his own hands.” But the sabbath of rest comes—the workshop is closed, and Paul goes to the synagogue. This was his habit. “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded both the Jews and the Greeks.” But while Paul was thus employed, week-day and sabbath-day, Silas and Timotheus arrived from Macedonia. It is evident that they brought some assistance with them, which would meet the apostle’s need at the time, and relieve him from such constant labor with his hands.
The coming of Silas and Timotheus seems to have encouraged and strengthened the apostle. His zeal and energy in the gospel are evidently increased. He “was pressed in the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ;” but they opposed his doctrine and blasphemed. This leads Paul to take his course with great boldness and decision. He shakes his raiment, in token of being pure from their blood, and declares that now he turns to the Gentiles. In all this, he was led of God, and acted according to His mind. So long as it was possible, he preached in the synagogue; but when he could no longer go there, he was compelled to use the most convenient place he could find. At Ephesus, he preached in the school of one Tyrannus; at Rome, he “dwelt two whole years in his own hired house;” and here, in Corinth, a proselyte, named Justus, opened his house to the rejected apostle.
At this particular crisis in the apostle’s history, he was favored with another special revelation from the Lord Himself. “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” But again his unrelenting enemies are astir. The great success of the gospel among the heathen excited the rage of the Jews against Paid: and they sought to use the coming of Gallio, a new governor, to accomplish their wicked intentions.
Gallio was the brother of Seneca the philosopher, and, like him, given to much learning. He was wise, fair, and tolerant as a governor, though contemptuous in his treatment of sacred things. But the Lord, who was with His servant as He had said, used the unbelieving indifference of Gallio to defeat the malicious designs of the Jews, and to turn their false accusations against themselves. Thus frustrated in their evil purposes, the apostle had greater liberty, and less annoyance, in carrying on the work of the gospel. Its blessed fruits were soon manifest throughout the whole province of Achaia. 1 Thess. 1:8, 98For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; (1 Thessalonians 1:8‑9).
Paul’s passing visit to Ephesus.
The time had now come when Paul thought it right to leave Corinth and revisit Jerusalem. He had a great desire to be at the coming feast. But before his departure, he took a solemn farewell of the young assembly; promising, the Lord willing, to return.
Accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla, he leaves Corinth in peace. But when at the harbor before sailing, a ceremony was performed which has given rise to much discussion. Paul, being under a vow, shaves his head at Cenchrea. In his own mind, and as led by the Spirit, we feel sure that he was far above and beyond a religion of feasts and vows; but he stooped in grace to the customs of his nation. To the Jew he becomes a Jew. Their constant opposition to his doctrine, and their violent persecution of himself, never weakened his affections for his beloved people: surely this was of God. While he sought in the energy of the Spirit to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, he never forgot, in faithfulness to the word of God, to preach to the Jews first. He thus stands before us, as the bright expression of God’s grace to the Gentiles, and of his lingering affections towards the Jews.
The missionary band land at Ephesus. Paul goes to the synagogue and reasons with the Jews. They seem inclined to hear him, but he has a strong desire to go up to Jerusalem, and keep the approaching feast. So he “bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem; but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”
Paul’s fourth visit to Jerusalem.
We are not supplied with any information by the sacred historian of what occurred in Jerusalem on this occasion. We are merely told, that when Paul had “gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.” But his intense desire to pay this visit may assure us of its great importance. He may have felt that the time had come, when the Jewish Christians, assembled at the feast, should hear a full account of the reception of the gospel among the Gentiles. Roman colonies and Greek capitals had been visited, and a great work of God had been accomplished. All this would be perfectly natural and right, but we need not seek to remove the veil which the Holy Ghost has drawn over this visit.
Paul goes down from Jerusalem to Antioch, visiting all the assemblies. he had first formed; and thus, as it were, binds all his work together—Antioch and Jerusalem. “So far as we know, Paul’s present visit to Antioch was his last. We have already seen how new centers of christian life had been established by him in the Greek cities of the Egean. The course of the gospel is further and further towards the West, and the inspired part of the apostle’s biography, after a short period of deep interest in Judea, finally centers in Rome.”
THE RETURN OF PAUL TO ANTIOCH.
After a journey which had extended over the space of three or four years, our apostle returns to Antioch. He had traveled over a wide circuit, and disseminated Christianity in many flourishing and populous cities, and almost entirely by his own exertions. If the reader would keep up his interest in Paul’s history, he must mark distinctly, and keep clearly before him, the great epochs in his life, and the main points in his different journeys. But before starting with Paul on his third missionary journey, it may be well to notice another great preacher of the gospel, who suddenly comes before us just at this time, and whose name, next to that of the apostle, is perhaps the most important in the early history of the Church.
Apollos was a Jew by birth—a native of Alexandria. He was “an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures; but knowing only the baptism of John.” He was devoted, earnest, upright, and publicly confessed and preached that which he knew; and the power of the Holy Ghost was manifested in him. It does not appear that he had received any appointment, ordination, or sanction of any kind, from either the twelve or Paul. But the Lord who is above all had called Him, and was acting in him and by him. We thus see in the case of Apollos, the manifestation of the power and liberty of the Holy Spirit, without human intervention. It is well to note this. The idea of an ex-elusive clericalism is the practical denial of the liberty of the Spirit, to act by whom He will. But though burning with zeal and a powerful speaker, Apollos knew only what John had taught his disciples. This the Lord knew and provided teachers for him. Among those who were listening to his earnest appeals, two of Paul’s well instructed disciples were led to take a special interest in him. And though he was both learned and, eloquent, he was humble enough to be instructed by Aquila and Priscilla. They invited him to their own house, and, no doubt in a humble spirit, “expounded unto Mm the way of God more perfectly.” How simple!—how natural!—how beautiful! All is of the Lord. He ordered that Aquila and Priscilla should be left in Ephesus—that Apollos should come and stir up the people at Ephesus before the arrival of Paid; and, after being instructed, should go on to Corinth, and help on the good work there, which Paul had begun. Apollos watered what Paul had planted, and God gave abundant increase. Such are the blessed ways of the Lord in His thoughtful love and tender care of all His servants, and of all His assemblies.