Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it was some crime or wicked villainy, O Jews, I would have been justified in accepting your complaint. But if it is questions concerning a word and names and your own law, see to it yourselves! I do not wish to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them away from the judgment seat. So they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. And none of these things was a concern to Gallio.” (Acts 18:14-17)

Chapter 18 has Paul leaving Athens and arriving in Corinth. There he met Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who were refugees from Rome. Caesar Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome – which the Roman historian Suetonius (A.D. 69-122) wrote about in his “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars” (Claudius 25.4). Since they were tentmakers like he was, he lived and worked with them while he was in the city. He also went to the synagogue every Sabbath, and both Jews and Gentiles came to believe in Jesus. Silas and Timothy joined Paul there. Pressured by Holy Spirit, Paul testified to the Jews that Jesus was Messiah. They did NOT accept that. they opposed him and blasphemed. Paul lost his temper. He shook his garments and declared that from then on he would minister to the Gentiles. So Paul changed homes to a man named Justus, who lived next door to the synagogue. The leader of the synagogue, Crispus, believed in Jesus too. Many of the Corinthians heard Paul’s message, believed, and got baptized.

Paul must have been getting nervous, based on what had happened in other cities, but the Lord spoke to him in a vision and told him not to worry. So when the Jews attacked Paul and dragged him before the proconsul, he didn’t worry. As it played out, the proconsul Gallio refused to hear the charges against Paul. He said it was Jewish religious business and no business of the Roman government. He sent them off. Paul stayed there many days, continuing his work. Eventually he left and went to Ephesus. He preached in the synagogue there and they welcomed him, inviting him to stay with them, but he was determined to attend the next Feast in Jerusalem (there were four major Feasts a year). He sailed from Ephesus and landed in Caesarea. He stayed there a bit, went to Antioch and stayed there, and then passed through Galatia and Phyrgia, going to each and every church he knew about. Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a believer in Jesus and a powerful speaker. He also spoke boldly in the synagogue, but he only knew the revelation of John the Baptizer, not of the Holy Spirit. Priscilla heard him speak, took him back to her home, and taught him about Holy Spirit. He also left and went to Achaia, strengthening the brothers in Jesus and proving to many from the scriptures (the Old Testament) that Jesus was the Messiah.

Chapter nineteen shows Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. He came across some believers (twelve in all) who believed in Jesus, but hadn’t received Holy Spirit yet. He laid his hands on them and they received Him. Paul stayed in Ephesus three months giving lectures and persuading many of them. But others resisted heavily and spoke evilly of the Way before the crowds. So Paul stopped teaching in the synagogue. He took the believers and went up to the school of Tyrannus and lectured there daily for two years. In that time, they spread the gospel message to all Asia – both Jews and Greeks. It was so prevalant that other people who didn’t really believe tried to pick it up and go with it (probably to be popular). Seven particular people, all sons of a Jewish high priest, tried to cast out a demon in Jesus name (even though they did not believe in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God). The demon possessed man looked at them and said that he (the demon) knew who Paul was and knew who Jesus was, but had no idea who these men were (they had NO authority in or from Jesus). He attacked them, overpowered them, and they only escaped by running away. When THAT story was spread, real reverence for the Name of Jesus rose up and much glory was given to the Lord. Many of those involved in the occult got together and burnt their books, rejecting the ‘ancient wisdom’ they had learned was false and crippling.

After all of that, Paul decided he was going to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and end in Jerusalem. After that he planned to go and see Rome itself. Paul sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia ahead of him, but he stayed in Asia for a time. Around then, a great riot broke out in Ephesus. A silversmith named Demetrius who made idols of Artemis, realised that if everyone turned to the Way, they would be out of business. He stirred up other craftsmen and persuaded them to his point of view. The framed the leaders of the Way as people seeking to overthrow the economic system of the city and their way of life. They seized Paul’s travelling companions (Gaius and Aristarchus) and rushed into the theater rioting and screaming about Artemis. Paul wanted to go in and speak to them, but he was prevented by the believers. The riot lasted for HOURS – most of those swept up in it having no idea what was going on. Finally the city clerk quieted them down, pointing out they were in danger of being charged with rioting by the Romans (not a small thing). He told them if they had a proper grievance to bring it through the courts. Then he dismissed the crowds.

After the uproar ceased, Paul started chapter twenty and his journey by embracing all the believers and departing for Macedonia. He went through the whole area and then went to Greece. He stayed there for three months. He was going to sail to Syria, but learned of plots against him by some Jews who disagreed with him. So he returned through Macedonia. It was around this time that Luke (writer of Acts) joined Paul’s group. They ended up in Troas and stayed there for seven days. He preached to them at the end of the visit for over a day. During the meeting a boy fell asleep on the window sill and fell out. Paul rushed down along with everyone. He prayed for the boy and told them not to worry. The boy wasn’t dead. Then Paul went back up and continued preaching until dawn. He left them there – with the boy who was alive – and sailed to Mitylene. Then they went to Chios, Samos, Trogyllium, and ended in Miletus.

Miletus wasn’t far from Ephesus, so Paul sent word for the elders to come and meet him. They did and Paul spoke to them about all they had shared together. He encouraged them and spoke of his love for them. It really was a parting word for them. They embraced, grieved about the departure, and escorted him to his ship.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Saul, Silas, Timothy, Priscilla, Apollos, Jews, Gentiles

Key Verse(s): Acts 18:24-28; 19:1-10; 20:17-38