Acts 18:15

ζητήματα with אABDE. Vulg. ‘quaestiones.’

γὰρ after κριτὴς omitted with אABD. Not represented in Vulg.

15. εἰ δὲ ζητήματά ἐστιν περὶ λόγου καὶ ὀσνομάτων, but if they are questions about words and names. The use of the indicative ἐστίν shews that Gallio considers this is what they are.

There would no doubt be many points brought forward from St Paul’s teaching to which the Jews would object. And whether Jesus was the Christ or not would seem to the Roman a matter entirely of definition, and on which the law had no bearing. If he had heard the name of ‘Christus’ at Rome (see on Acts 18:2), it would make Gallio the more ready to imitate his royal master, and get rid of the disputants as fast and as far as possible.

καὶ νόμου τοῦ καθ' ὑμᾶς, and of your own law. On this circumlocution see Acts 17:28 note. The accusers had without doubt been striving to make out that in teaching a different manner of worship (Acts 18:13) Paul was bringing forward a religion not enjoying toleration by the Roman government. But Gallio sees through their intention, and counting them all for Jews, he will not be drawn into their questions.

ὄψεσθε αὐτοί, look to it yourselves. The pronoun is very emphatic. For the form ὄψεσθε used as an imperative, cf. LXX. Numbers 13:19, καὶ ὄψεσθε τὴν γῆν τίς ἐστι, καὶ τὸν λαόν. Also Judges 7:17; Judges 21:21; 1 Samuel 6:9; &c.

κριτὴς ἐγὼ τούτων οὐ βούλομαι εἶναι, I am not minded to be a judge of these matters. Gallio knows his own business and will only look to that. It is not a case where his jurisdiction can interfere, and so he leaves the whole untouched. There is no question here about his own regard and disregard of enquiries about religion. He sits to administer Roman law, and this dispute among the Jews at Corinth lies outside his cognizance altogether.