Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 18:4
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
4. and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks ] There are no articles in the original and they are omitted in the Revised Version. No doubt, as in other Gentile cities, the religion of the Jews in Corinth gained the attention of many among the Gentiles, who as proselytes or inclining thereto would form part of the Sabbath audience in the synagogue. According to his rule St Paul addressed himself to the Jews first.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And he reasoned … – See the notes on Act 17:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath] Discoursed at large concerning Jesus as the Messiah, proving this point from their own Scriptures, collated with the facts of our Lord’s life, c.
And persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.] Many, both Jews and proselytes, were convinced of the truth of his doctrine. Among his converts was Epenetus, the first fruit of his labour in Achaia, Ro 16:5 and the family of Stephanas was the next; and then Crispus and Caius, or Gaius; all of whom the apostle himself baptized, 1Co 1:14-16. See Clarke on Ac 18:8.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He reasoned in the synagogue; or argued and disputed, giving his reasons out of Scripture, and answering their objections.
And persuaded the Jews; not only using cogent arguments, but, as some understand the verb, such as did prevail upon them.
And the Greeks; not such as were of the Jewish race, and after the dispersion used the Scripture in the Greek tongue; but such as were Gentile Greeks, Greeks by descent.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. the Greeksthat is, Gentileproselytes; for to the heathen, as usual, he only turned whenrejected by the Jews (Ac 18:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath,…. In Corinth there was a synagogue of the Jews, in which they met together for worship on the seventh day of the week, which was their sabbath; and hither Paul went, and took the opportunity of reasoning with them out of the Scriptures, concerning Christ, his person, and offices, his incarnation, obedience, sufferings, and death, and about redemption and salvation by him: we may observe the diligence, industry, and indefatigableness of the apostle; on the sabbath day he went to the synagogue, and preached Christ to those who there attended; and on the weekdays he laboured with his own hands. Beza’s most ancient copy, and the Vulgate Latin version add here, “interposing the name of the Lord Jesus”; frequently making mention of his name, or calling upon it, and doing miracles in it.
And persuaded the Jews and the Greeks; this was the effect of his reasoning, and the success that attended it; some, both of the Jews, who were so by birth, as well as religion, and of the Greeks, or Gentiles, who were Jewish proselytes, and attended synagogue worship, were convinced by his arguments, and were induced to believe the truth of his doctrine, and to embrace it; or at least he endeavoured to persuade them that they were lost sinners, and that there was salvation for them in Christ, and in him only.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He reasoned (). Imperfect middle, same form as in 17:17 about Paul’s work in Athens, here only on the Sabbaths.
Persuaded (). Imperfect active, conative, he tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers who alone would come).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
ESTABLISHING, CONFIRMING, THE-CORINTHIANS A YEAR AND SIX MONTHS V. 4-11
1) “And he reasoned in the synagogue,” (dielegeto de en te sunagoge) “And he lectured in the synagogue,” at Corinth; He discoursed constantly, or repeatedly, in the synagogue with much opposition, and little success.
2) “Every sabbath,” (kata pan sabbaton) “On every sabbath,” the sacred day of Hebrew worship, Act 13:5; Act 17:2; Act 19:8.
3) “And persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” (epeithen te loudaious kai Hellenas) “Then he persuaded both Jews and Greeks,” sought to persuade both. The Greeks had become (as Gentiles) proselytes to Judaism from idolatrous heathenism, Act 13:43; Act 14:1. Paul believed that the gospel was able to save both racial groups or classes, each being in a similar lost condition, though religious, Rom 1:11-13; Act 15:9.
Perhaps it was his teaching, lecturing, discoursing in the synagogue at Corinth, that he later wrote of “becoming all things to all men that he might by all means win some,” as regards customs, where no moral or ethical principle is concerned, 1Co 9:19-23.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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4. He disputed in the synagogue It is a wonder how that crept in which is in the Latin books, − (317) that Paul put in the name of Christ: unless it were because some reader would supply the want of the general sentence. For Luke setteth down two things in this place: to wit, that Paul disputed among the Jews; secondly, that he began more plainly to profess Christ after that Silas and Timotheus were come. And though it be likely that he began to speak of Christ even at the first entrance, because he could not omit the principal point of the heavenly doctrine, yet that doth not hinder but that he might use some other manner of disputation. Therefore I take [ πειθειν ] that is, to persuade, for to induce by little and little. For, in my judgment, Luke doth signify, that forasmuch as the Jews did handle the law coldly and foolishly, Paul spake of the corrupt and wicked nature of man, of the necessity of grace of the Redeemer which was promised, of the means to obtain salvation, that he might awake them; for this is a fit and brief − (318) preparation unto Christ. Again, when he saith that he was forced in spirit to teach that Jesus was Christ, his meaning is, that he was enforced with greater vehemency to intreat and speak of Christ freely and openly. So that we see that Paul did not utter all things at one time, but he tempered his doctrine as occasion did serve. −
And because like moderation is profitable at this day, it is convenient for faithful teachers wisely to consider where to begin, lest a preposterous and confused order do hinder the proceeding of doctrine. Furthermore, though there were ferventness enough in Paul, yet it is no inconvenient thing that he was made more courageous by some new help, not that he was encouraged by shame, or the hope which he reposed in his fellows, but because he considered that this help was sent him, as it were, from heaven. But this forcing in the spirit is not taken for a violent or external impulsion, (as they say, − (319)) as those which were called Phoebades and frantic men were wont to be carried away with devilish madness; but there was more ferventness added unto the wonted inspiration of the Spirit which was in Paul, so that he was moved with new power of God, and yet did he of his own accord follow the Spirit as his guide. Whereas Paul did testify that Jesus is Christ, I expound it thus: when he had thoroughly taught the Jews concerning the office of the Redeemer, he declared by testimonies of Scripture that this is he which was to be hoped for, because all those things agree to him which the law and the prophets attribute to Christ. Therefore, he did not simply affirm, but using a solemn testification, he proved Jesus, the Son of Mary, to be that Christ who should be the Mediator between God and men, that he might restore the world from destruction to life.
(317) −
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Mirum est unde repserit quod legitur in Latinis codicibus ,” it is strange how the reading crept into the Latin manuscripts.
(318) −
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Concinna,” appropriate.
(319) −
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Pro violento impulsu et extrinseco ut loquuntur,” for a violent and extrinsic impulse, as it is called.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) He persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.It is necessary to remind the reader that the latter word does not mean Greek-speaking Jews, or proselytes in the full sense of the word, but, as elsewhere (see Note on Act. 11:22), is used for those who were Gentiles by birth, and who, though worshipping in the synagogue, had not accepted circumcision.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(4) So far we have found reasons for the vow. But taken by itself, the vow would seem to have involved a continuous growth of hair rather than cropping it. How was that act connected with the vow? A probable answer to the question is found in the Apostles language as to social customs in matters of this kind, in 1Co. 11:14. He condemns long hair as effeminate. But the Nazarite vow led to long hair as its natural consequence, and there was, therefore, the risk that while practising a rigorous austerity, he might seem to outside observers to be adopting an unmanly refinement. At Corinth men would, perhaps, know what his act meant, but in the regions to which he was now going it was wise to guard against the suspicion by a modification of the vow, such as Jewish law allowed.
Cenchre was, as has been said, the eastern harbour of Corinth on the Saronic Gulf. Rom. 16:1 indicates the existence of an organised Church there. The warm language of gratitude in which St. Paul speaks of Phbe, the deaconess of the Church there, is best explained by supposing that she had ministered to him as such when he was suffering from bodily pain or infirmity, and this, in its turn, may afford another probable explanation of the vow.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Persuaded Fresh from his disheartening failure at Athens, and burdened with the uncertainty lest his first three Churches in Europe, namely, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, should also prove failures, and so his whole ministry turn out a failure, the apostle on his first entrance into the formidable city of Corinth is in spirit intimidated and lifeless. So he describes his own feelings to the Corinthians (1Co 2:1-4) and to the Thessalonians, (1Th 3:6-8.) Residing with Aquila, he goes to the synagogue and there, under depression and alone, rather persuades with gentle reserve, and conciliates the kindly feelings of the Jews.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.’
But however he was feeling, every Sabbath day he went to the synagogue, and ‘entered into dialogue’ with both Jews and God-fearers, ‘persuading both Jews and Greeks’. While not holding back we note how he is limiting his ministry to the original pattern. There was probably quite sufficient ‘material’ to work on in the synagogue.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 18:4. And he reasoned, &c. Philo informs us, that many Jews inhabited Corinth, and the chief and best parts of Peloponnesus. And St. Luke in this place, as well as St. Paul in his two epistles to the Corinthians, has given plain intimation that there were several Jews in that city; for they had a synagogue there, into which the apostle went, as usual, every sabbath-day, and there he discoursed concerning the Christian doctrine, and laboured to convince both the Jews and devout Gentiles that it was true, and infinitely worthy of their regard. Among them was Epenetus, who was the first convert in Achaia, Rom 16:5 as the household of Stephanus was the first family converted there. The whole family of Stephanus was baptized by the apostle himself, and he also afterwards baptized Crispus and Caius; but he himself baptized no other of the Corinthians; he left that to his assistants, or to some of the first converts of the place; for the business of an apostle was not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, 1Co 14:17 and to plant churches.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Ver. 4. Persuaded the Jews ] Men may speak persuasively, but God only can persuade. Gen 9:27 , Japheth’s children were to be won by persuasion. Therefore Christ sent forth to them not soldiers, but fishers, who might work upon them docendo non ducendo, monendo non minaudo, by informing them, not by enforcing them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 18:4 . : “and he used to discourse and tried to persuade,” so Ramsay, marking the imperfects, see also Hackett’s note. : proselytes, since they are represented as in the synagogue, cf. Act 14:1 . The heathen are not addressed until Act 18:6 . McGiffert considers that this notice of work in the synagogue is untrustworthy (p. 268) and at variance with the fact that in St. Paul’s own Epistles there is no hint of it, but cf. 1Co 9:20 , words which we may reasonably suppose had a special application to Corinth, or the Apostle would scarcely have so expressed himself. It would have been strange if in such a commercial centre there had been no Jewish synagogue.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
reasoned. Greek. dialegomai. See Act 17:2, Act 17:17.
synagogue. App-120. In the museum at Corinth is a fragment of a stone with the inscription, (suna) goge hebr (aion) = synagogue of the Hebrews. The letters in brackets are missing. Its date is said to be between 100 B.C. and A.D. 200.
every sabbath = sabbath by sabbath. Compare Act 15:21.
persuaded = was persuading, or sought to persuade. App-150.
the. Omit.
Greeks. Greek. Hellen. See Act 14:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he: Act 13:14-52, Act 14:1, Act 17:1-3, Act 17:11, Act 17:17, Act 19:8, Luk 4:16
persuaded: Act 18:13, Act 13:43, Act 19:26, Act 26:28, Act 28:23, Gen 9:27, 2Ch 32:11, Luk 16:31, 2Co 5:11
Reciprocal: Isa 1:18 – and let us Mat 4:23 – teaching Mar 1:21 – he entered Luk 4:31 – taught Act 3:26 – first Act 13:5 – in the Act 16:13 – on Act 17:2 – went Act 17:4 – the devout Act 18:19 – but Act 19:10 – both Act 20:21 – to the Jews 1Co 3:6 – I 1Co 4:15 – for 1Co 15:1 – I declare
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
Act 18:4. Reasoned is from the same word as “disputed” in chapter 17:17. Paul did this on the sabbath days because the Jews met then to read the law, and the Greeks often attended as spectators.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 18:4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath. According to his invariable custom, speaking the things of the kingdom, first to his own countrymen, and to the strangers who loved the God of the Jews, and worshipped with them in the synagogue. In the desert wanderings, when they came out from Egypt; in their own land, in the golden days of David and Solomon; in the captivity of Babylon; in the wide dispersion which immediately preceded and succeeded the fall of the city and temple; during the eighteen hundred years which have elapsed since that awful catastrophe; now, in our days, in almost every great city of the world, have this strange, unchanging race kept this solemn Sabbath rest, in accordance with the charge which the God of Israel delivered to His great servant, whom the Jews, in loving memory, still call Moses our Rabbi.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, How vehemently desirous the holy apostle was to plant a Christian church at Corinth, and to bring the Jews of Corinth to embrace the gospel: He was pressed in spirit, and testified, that is, reasoned with them with great vehemency and earnestness of affection, as well as with great judgment, concerning the Messias.
Observe, 2. That the Jewish synagogue at Corinth was the preaching place that St. Paul made choice of, hoping to gather the beginnings of his Christian church out of the converted Jews: He reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath-day. Still the apostle kept to his commission, to preach the gospel first to the Jews, and afterwards, upon their rejection, to the Gentiles.
Observe, 3. The blasphemous opposition which the Jews made to the doctrine of the gospel: They opposed themselves, and blasphemed; that is, they opposed his doctrine, reviled his person, and blasphemed Christ, whom that apostle preached.
Observe, 4. How the holy apostle clears himself of the blood of those Jews, whom he had now preached the gospel unto: He said, your blood be upon your own hands; I am clean.
The faithful ministers of Christ shall never have the blood of a perishing people laid to their charge; they having warned them of their damnable state, and discovered the way of life and salvation to them, deliver their own souls; whilst the people which they preached to, die in their sins, and for their sins.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Preaching in Corinth
Following his normal pattern, Paul first preached in the synagogue in Corinth. During that time, Silas and Timothy once again joined the apostle’s company. Silas may have come from Berea, while Timothy likely arrived from Thessalonica ( 1Th 3:1-2 ). Luke reported that about the time of their arrival Paul became fully immersed in telling the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. When the Jews rejected the truth and spoke against the Lord, Paul began to preach to the Gentiles.
Paul next did his preaching in the house of Justus, which was adjacent to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed and was baptized by the apostle’s own hands. Those in Crispus’ family and many other Corinthians also believed and were baptized ( Act 18:4-8 ; 1Co 1:14 ).
The Lord then reassured Paul, in a vision, and encouraged him to continue preaching in Corinth. He promised that Paul would not be harmed and assured the apostle that there were many more who would obey the gospel.
The Jews brought Paul to the judgment seat before Gallio when he was proconsul of Achaia. They accused Paul of preaching contrary to Moses’ law, but Gallio drove them out without trying the case because it did not have anything to do with Roman law. Some of the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the new ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before Gallio’s judgment seat without the proconsul taking any notice. So, Paul worked on in Corinth for some time before taking leave of the brethren and sailing for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila ( Act 18:9-18 ). Luke also reported that the apostle took a vow in Cenchrea and had his head shorn.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Act 18:4. And he reasoned in the synagogue, &c. The Jews being numerous in Corinth, Paul, according to his custom, began his ministry in the synagogue; and persuaded That is, endeavoured to persuade; the Jews and Greeks It is probable that most of these Greeks, since they attended the Jewish synagogue, were a kind of proselytes. It is possible, however, that some of them might not be such, but Gentiles, who were drawn out of curiosity to attend in the synagogue (though they did not commonly worship there) to hear such an extraordinary preacher as Paul was, especially considering the miracles which he wrought at Corinth, and to which he so often refers in the two epistles afterward written to the church formed there.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4, 5. Notwithstanding all the discouragements of his situation, he devoted the Sabbaths, and whatever portion of the week his manual labor would permit, to the great work. (4) “But he discoursed every Sabbath in the synagogue, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. (5) And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.” It will be recollected by the reader, that Silas and Timothy, whose arrival is here mentioned, had tarried in Berea, and that Paul had sent back word to them, by the brethren who conducted him to Athens, to rejoin him as soon as possible. He had also “waited for them in Athens,” before his speech in the Areopagus. We would suppose, from Luke’s narrative, that they failed to overtake him there, and now first rejoined him in Corinth. But Paul supplies an incident in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, which corrects this supposition. He says: “When we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left alone in Athens, and sent Timothy to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith.” This shows that Timothy, at least, had actually rejoined him in Athens, and had been sent back to learn the condition of the congregation in Thessalonica. His present arrival in Corinth, therefore, was not from his original stay in Berea; but from a recent visit to Thessalonica. Probably Silas had remained till now in Berea.
The arrival of Silas and Timothy brings us to a new period in the life of Paul, the period of his letter-writing. We have already made some use of his epistles to throw light upon the somewhat elliptical narrative before us; but we shall henceforth have them as cotemporary documents, and will be able to fill up from them many blanks in Paul’s personal history. The First Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Corinth soon after the arrival of Timothy, as is proved by the concurrence of the two facts, that, on the return of Silas and Timothy, as seen in the text, just quoted, they found Paul in Corinth, and that, in the epistle itself, Paul speaks of their arrival as having just taken place at the time of writing. Several statements in this epistle throw additional light upon the state of Paul’s feelings during his first labors in Corinth. He was not only “pressed in spirit,” as stated by Luke, “in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling,” as he himself says to the Corinthians but he was racked with uncontrollable anxiety concerning the brethren in Thessalonica, for whom he would have been willing to sacrifice his own life, and who were now suffering the severest persecution. The good report brought from them by Silas and Timothy gave him much joy, but it was joy in the midst of distress. He says: “When Timothy came to us from you, and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that you have remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you, therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.” It was, therefore, with a zeal newly kindled from almost utter despair, by their good report from Thessalonica and the arrival of his fellow-laborers, that he now so “earnestly testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.”
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
4. Felicitously, there is a large synagogue of Jews at Corinth, and it is too far from Northern Greece for his persecutors to follow him. So he works all the week and preaches every Sabbath in the synagogue.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
18:4 {2} And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and {b} persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
(2) The truth ought always to be freely uttered, yet nonetheless the doctrine may be moderated in accordance with the hearers, so that they are most profited.
(b) Exhorted so that he persuaded, and that is what the word signifies.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Paul continued his usual evangelistic strategy in Corinth. He reasoned with (Gr. dielegeto, Act 17:2; Act 17:17; Act 18:19; Act 19:8-9; Act 20:7; Act 20:9; Act 24:12; Act 24:25) and tried to persuade (epeithen, Act 13:43; Act 19:8; Act 19:26; Act 21:14; Act 26:28; Act 28:23) both Jews and Gentiles in the local synagogue.