Why did Claudius expel the Jews from Rome? Study Acts 18 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · Acts 18
Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome around AD 49 because of disturbances instigated by a certain Chrestus, likely a reference to Christ. The Roman historian Suetonius mentions this event. The disturbances were likely disputes between Jews and Christians about whether Jesus was the Messiah. The expulsion brought Aquila and Priscilla to Corinth, where they met Paul. The King uses political events to advance His kingdom.
Paul worked as a tentmaker because he did not want to be a burden to the churches. He supported himself and his companions through his trade. He also used his trade as a means of connecting with Aquila and Priscilla. The King provides for His servants through ordinary means.
Paul shook out his garments as a symbolic gesture of rejection. It was a sign that he was innocent of their blood. He had preached the gospel to them, and they had rejected it. The gesture echoes Jesus' instruction to shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against those who reject the gospel. The King holds rejectors accountable.
The Lord told Paul not to be afraid because Paul was facing opposition and was in danger. The Lord encouraged him with the promise of His presence and protection. He also told him that He had many people in Corinth. The King encourages His servants with His presence and the assurance of fruitfulness.
Gallio dismissed the charge because he saw that it was a dispute about Jewish law, not a matter of Roman law. He refused to be a judge of Jewish religious disputes. His dismissal was a legal victory for Paul and established a precedent for the protection of the church. The King uses the indifference of the state to protect His church.
Sosthenes was likely the ruler of the synagogue after Crispus believed. He may have been a believer or a sympathizer. The crowd beat him in front of the tribunal, but Gallio did not intervene. He is mentioned again in 1 Corinthians 1:1 as a co-sender with Paul, suggesting that he later became a believer. The King saves even those who are beaten for the gospel.
Paul took a vow, likely a Nazirite-like vow, which required cutting his hair at the end of the vow period. This shows Paul's continued Jewish piety. He did not abandon his Jewish heritage. He became all things to all people. The King honors the vows of His servants.
Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside because his knowledge of the gospel was incomplete. He knew only the baptism of John. They explained the way of God more accurately to him. They did not publicly humiliate him; they gently corrected him. The King uses mature believers to instruct new leaders.
Yes, Apollos was a believer. He was instructed in the way of the Lord and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus. But his knowledge was incomplete. He needed to hear about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the full gospel. After Priscilla and Aquila instructed him, he became a powerful preacher. The King completes what is lacking in our knowledge.
Chapter 17 ended with Paul in Athens, where some mocked, some delayed, and some believed. Now Paul leaves Athens and goes to Corinth, a major commercial city and the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. Corinth was known for its wealth, its commerce, and its immorality. The setting moves from Athens to Corinth to Ephesus to Antioch. The chapter concludes the second missionary journey and introduces Apollos, who will become a significant figure in the early church. The King directs His missionary, protects him through a legal trial, and raises up new workers for the harvest.
Some critics argue that the account of Gallio is a legendary embellishment. But the Gallio inscription found at Delphi confirms that Gallio was proconsul of Achaia around AD 51-52. This provides a fixed date for Paul's time in Corinth and confirms the historicity of the narrative. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. The expulsion of the Jews from Rome under Claudius is also historically significant. Suetonius mentions the expulsion, and the detail of Aquila and Priscilla coming from Italy to Corinth is consistent with the historical record. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. The account of Apollos is also historically significant. Alexandria was a center of Jewish learning, and Apollos was a learned man, mighty in the Scriptures. The detail of his incomplete knowledge and his instruction by Priscilla and Aquila is vivid and specific. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory.
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.