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Kent Hughes · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 18
Hughes - The greatest description of Christian zeal that I know of was given by the famous nineteenth-century Anglican bishop J. C. Ryle in his book Practical Religion. A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, through-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies, whether he has health, or whether he has sickness, whether he is rich, or whether he is poor, whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offence, whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish, whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise, whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame, for all this the zealous mans cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it; he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him... This is what I mean when I speak of "zeal" in religion. (p. 130) (See Ryle related pithy, convicting article "Be Zealous") Paul was such a man, and he made a brilliant contrast to the pagan philosophers of Athens with their studied, philosophical detachment. For a man like Paul, burning with prophetic unction, smug complacency in his hearers was too much to bear. So he left Athens in search of more receptive fields. So eager was Paul to get out of Athens that he did not even wait for Silas and Timothy, then en route. Paul must have felt at least a little dejected as he walked the fifty miles to Corinth. Since coming to Europe, he had suffered a terrible beating in Philippi, civil rejection in Thessalonica and Berea, and indifference in Athens. (See Acts: The Church Afire) If you are not yet a zealous man, I pray that God may make you one. If you are, I pray that your zeal may increase more and more to your life's end. -- J C Ryle He left Athens and went to Corinth - After preaching a sermon to the philosophical elite of Athens with mixed results, Paul departed for Corinth which was about 50 miles directly west of Athens (click map above). Merida notes that "Between the years 49 and 52 Paul traveled approximately two thousand miles by foot and about a thousand miles by boat (Schreiner, “A God-Glorifying Ministry”). That means this nearly fifty-year-old man walked the equivalent of the distance between Raleigh, North Carolina, and Denver, Colorado, just to tell people about Jesus." (Exalting Jesus in Acts) The People's Bible Commentary writes "The cold, mocking tone of the Athenian philosophers was as discouraging to Paul as the scourgings, stonings and imprisonments of the Jewish mobs; so he withdrew to Corinth." Left (parted) (5563)(chorizo) means to be separated from (with preposition ek = out of), to depart from a place (cf Acts 1:4). Herschel Ford wrote, “Corinth was a wonderful commercial center and it was also the sports center of the ancient world. Boxing, foot races, discus throwing and many other games were indulged in by hundreds of people and watched by thousands of others. Of course, all forms of gambling flourished. Venus, the goddess of love, was worshiped by the Corinthians. In her name they engaged in the vilest religious rites. Sodom and Gomorrah at their worst were no worse than Corinth. Sailors coming from the West brought to Corinth the vilest Roman customs; travelers from the East brought the vilest Oriental customs. The Roman Empire was rotten, yet all Rome looked down upon Corinth as a place of the greatest evil." So corrupt was Corinth that it was actually made into a verb so that to be "Corinthianized" meant to be morally corrupt in the extreme.
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Hughes writes "Sometimes I recite to myself the comforting words of Hildebert of Lavardin: "God is over all things; outside all; within but not enclosed; without but not excluded; above but not raised up; below but not depressed; wholly above, presiding; wholly beneath, sustaining; wholly within, filling." This truth bears unending practical applications. He is here! He is under me! He is over me! He is inside me! But he is not shut in! God says, “Do not fear—keep going—I am with you!” John Wesley’s dying words, his very last words, were: “The best of all is, God is with us!”...In Corinth nothing and no one could do ultimate harm to the Apostle Paul, and it is the same with us. God’s protection does not mean we will be free from difficulties, but God will never allow us to face more than we can bear. Not only that, but no eternal damage can befall us. (See Acts (ESV Edition): The Church Afire) Warren
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Hughes adds "Weakness is the secret strength of God’s most effective servants and the indispensable element of potent preaching. If you are feeling weak and fearful, praise God! Now is the time to speak and not be silent, relying on him to make his power perfect in your weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9–10). Then whatever you do, whatever is accomplished for Christ, all the glory will go to God." (See Acts (ESV Edition): The Church Afire) Teaching (present tense - his habitual practice) (1321)(didasko from dáo= know or teach; English = didactic) means to provide instruction or information in a formal or informal setting. It is notable that didasko focused on content, with the purpose of discovering the truth-contrary to the forums so popular among Greeks, where discussion and the bantering about of various ideas and opinions was the primary concern (see Acts 17:21+). Didasko was the word that is used to refer to a choir director who trains a choir over a long period of rehearsals until they are able to perform. In Scripture to teach means to pass on the truth about the Word of God, the God of the Word and the faith of the saints, with the goal of influencing the understanding and stimulating obedience to the truth taught and resultant Spirit energized transformation and Christ-likeness. The essence of a disciple (mathetes) in fact is that he or she is a learner. The teacher teaches and the disciple hears and processes what is heard so that this truth affects his or her innermost being. Ultimately the purpose of didasko is to shape the will of the one taught. In sum, Paul remained in the wicked city of Corinth to make disciples of Jesus, men and women who were first converted by the Gospel and then those who grew in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and who could serve as salt and light in the midst of the crooked and perverse generation in Corinth (cf Mt 5:13-16, Php 2:14-16). In short, Paul was fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus to "make disciples" (matheteuo in aorist imperative = "Just Do It!" "No excuses!" "Quit procrastinating!") (Mt 28:19+). Don Fortner - Having his orders from God, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months. He remained there seeking the Lord’s sheep (John 10:16) and establishing the church in the doctrine of Christ (Eph. 4:11–16). Though he was a resident preacher at Corinth, the Apostle continued to serve the church of God at large. Both I and II Thessalonians were written while Paul was at Corinth. Let all who worship God pray for, support, and be obedient to their faithful, God ordained pastors (Read 1 Thess. 5:12–13 and Heb. 13:7, 17). John G. Butler said, “One of the most obvious ways we show our commitment to God’s work is in steadfastly teaching and preaching God’s Word. This was Paul’s practice as we noted at the beginning of this section. But it is not an easy thing to do, for God’s Word is not readily received today even in many of our churches. Hence, the tendency is to not preach the Word faithfully or to deemphasize it in one’s work. But that is unfaithfulness to one’s calling. We are to preach and teach the Word whether people want it or not.” Jack Andrews quotes Tony Evans who said that “People want salvation but don’t want to put in the time to be strong disciples of Jesus Christ. What many Christians want to do is to audit the Christian life. An audit is where a person goes to class to get information, but is not required to do any of the work. They don’t have to take a test or do any homework. They are only attending for informational purposes. They want the data without the responsibility. That’s an audit. That’s what some folks do every Sunday. They audit Jesus.” (Ed: That is a somewhat disconcerting analogy as those who go through just auditing do not graduate! In the spiritual context graduation is called glorification. Do you see the potential problem?) The word of God - In context ultimately this refers to the Gospel. All the NT uses of this phrase. Note prominence in Acts. (See The Power of God's Word) Matt. 15:6; Mk. 7:13; Lk. 3:2; Lk. 5:1; Lk. 8:11; Lk. 8:21; Lk. 11:28; Jn. 10:35; Acts 4:31; Acts 6:2; Acts 6:7; Acts 8:14; Acts 11:1; Acts 13:5; Acts 13:7; Acts 13:46; Acts 17:13; Acts 18:11; Rom. 9:6; 1 Co. 14:36; 2 Co. 2:17; 2 Co. 4:2; Eph. 6:17; Phil. 1:14; Col. 1:25; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Tim. 4:5; 2 Tim. 2:9; Tit. 2:5; Heb. 4:12; Heb. 6:5; Heb. 11:3; Heb. 13:7; 1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Pet. 3:5; 1 Jn. 2:14; Rev. 1:2; Rev. 1:9; Rev. 6:9; Rev. 19:13; Rev. 20:4 Word (message, utterance) (3056)(logos from légō = to speak with words; English = logic, logical) means something said and describes a communication whereby the mind finds expression in words. In this context it speaks of God's direct communication with men, His special revelation! Paul was faithful with the result he was fruitful. (cf "many people" - Acts 18:10) Jesus is calling you and I dear reader to be faithful to give our the Word of God, not words about the Word or words of our only clever imagination, but the pure Word of God, for it is only to the giving out of the Word of God that God Himself gives the following promise... So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) Related Resources: The Word of God - Quotations and Illustrations What is general revelation and special revelation? What is natural revelation? How did people know about God before the Bible? Acts 18:12 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat KJV Acts 18:12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, allio was proconsul Acts 13:7,12 Achaia Acts 18:27; Ro 15:26; 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15; 2 Cor 1:1; 9:2; 11:10; 1 Th 1:7,8 the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul Acts 13:50; 14:2,19; 17:5,13; 21:27-36 brought him before the judgment seat Acts 16,17; 25:10; Mt 27:19; John 19:13; James 2:6 Acts 18 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE ATTACK AGAINST PAUL But (de) introduces a contrast, but in another sense it is more of a result than a contrast. In other words, Luke has just recorded that Paul was teaching the Word of God. And now he records the antagonistic reaction to the one who is teaching the Word of God. The attack is ostensibly against a man (Paul), but ultimately in reality it is an attach against the Word fo God (and the God of the Word!) Beloved, times have not changed. If you preach the Word, the pure Word and nothing but the Word, you are swimming upstream against the flow of most of humanity which is floating downstream toward hell and they resent your preaching about hell and even resent your narrow minded message of how to escape eternal punishment. In short, preach the Word and "Duck!" The attack is coming in some form. So do not be surprised when it comes! While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia - Gallio's full name is Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus (see below). Gallio's name, as proconsul of Achaia, has actually been found on an inscription at Delphi in Central Greece. Beloved, archaeology does not confirm the historicity of the Bible, the Bible confirms archaeology, for it is God's Word of Truth about this world from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. You can stake your life on it! Longenecker points out that the specific detail "while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia" underscores the accuracy of his record - That Luke distinguishes correctly between senatorial and imperial provinces and has the former governed by a proconsul on behalf of the senate and the latter governed by a propraetor representing the emperor says much for his accuracy, for the status of provinces changed with the times. Achaia was a senatorial province from 27 B.C. to A.D. 15 and then again from A.D. 44 onwards (as were Cyprus from 22 B.C. and Asia from 84 B.C.; cf. comments on Acts 13:4+ and on Acts 19:1+). It was therefore governed by a proconsul (as were also Cyprus and Asia during this time; cf. comments on 13:7 and on 19:38). Macedonia, however, was an imperial province, and therefore Luke rightly called the magistrates at Philippi praetors (praetores or strategoi; cf. Acts 16:12+, and on Acts 16:22-24+) while he called those at Thessalonica by the special designation of politarchs (cf. Acts 17:6+). (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Volume 10) Gallio in Wikipedia - the son of the rhetorician Seneca the Elder and the elder brother of Seneca the Younger, was born in Corduba (Cordova) c. 5 BC. He was adopted by Lucius Junius Gallio, a rhetorician of some repute, from whom he took the name of Junius Gallio. His brother Seneca, who dedicated to him the treatises De Ira and De Vita Beata, speaks of the charm of his disposition, also alluded to by the poet Statius (Silvae, ii.7, 32). It is probable that he was banished to Corsica with his brother, and that they returned together to Rome when Agrippina selected Seneca to be tutor to Nero. Towards the close of the reign of Claudius, Gallio was proconsul of the newly-constituted senatorial province of Achaea, but seems to have been compelled by ill-health to resign the post within a few years. He was referred to by Claudius as "my friend and proconsul" in the Delphi Inscription, circa 52. Gallio was a suffect consul in the mid-50s[1] and Cassius Dio records that he introduced Nero's performances.[2] Not long after the death of his brother, Seneca, Gallio (according to Tacitus, Ann. 15.73) was attacked in the Senate by Salienus Clemens, who accused him of being a "parricide and public enemy", though the Senate unanimously appealed to Salienus not to profit "from public misfortunes to satisfy a private animosity".[3] He did not survive this reprieve long. When his second brother, Annaeus Mela, opened his veins after being accused of involvement in a conspiracy (Tacitus, Ann. 16.17), Gallio seems to have committed suicide, perhaps under instruction in 65 AD at the age of 64.[4] Ryrie - Gallio was proconsul of Achaia in A.D. 51. He was characterized by contemporaries as an amiable, witty, and lovable person. Gallio's name, as proconsul of Achaia, has actually been found on an inscription at Delphi in Central Greece. He was a son of the famous rhetorician Lucius Junius Gallio and brother of the equally famous philosopher Seneca, and was appointed proconsul of Achaia by the emperor Claudius about A.D. 51. Corinth was the capital of Achaia, which included southern Greece, south of Macedonia. Kistemaker on Gallio - Gallio was born in Cordoba, Spain, the son of Seneca, whose eldest son bore the same name. Gallio's given name was Marcus Annaeus Novatus, but when he eventually arrived in Rome, he was adopted by Lucius Junius Gallio and thus assumed the latter's family name. Gallio soon entered government service and served first as praeter for a period of five years. He then went to Achaia as proconsul for one year, and afterward attained the rank of consul. When his brother Seneca, who was the tutor and adviser of Nero, committed suicide by order of the emperor, Gallio asked that his own life might be spared. Yet a short time later he, too, was killed. Seneca mentions Gallio a number of times. He notes that Gallio had health problems, was an intelligent person who hated flattery, and was blessed with an "unaffectedly pleasant personality." (Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles)