Acts 18:18

Acts 18:18. And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while. Some months' additional work is covered by this expression. During this period, after the Proconsul Gallio's dismissal of the complaint, Paul no doubt worked unhindered by his Jewish enemies, and was able to lay the foundations of one of the most flourishing churches of the first days at Corinth. The publicity attending on the arrest of St. Paul, and his trial before the court of Gallio, no doubt assisted him in his efforts to gain a hearing in that wicked and licentious city.

And sailed thence into Syria. Antioch in Syria was his ultimate destination. He embarked in the first instance for Ephesus in Asia Minor (see Acts 18:19).

Priscilla and Aquila. See note on Acts 18:2 of this chapter. In other passages (Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19) are these two intimate friends of the apostle named in this unusual order, the woman coming first. There is no doubt that it was her influence and powers, not her husband's, which gave the couple so prominent a position in the early Christian Church. She was a distinguished instance of one of those bright earnest women whose powers were called into action by the work and teaching of Jesus Christ and His chosen friends, one of the pioneers of that devoted band of women-workers who have now for eighteen hundred years done such splendid work for their Lord's cause in all climes and among all peoples.

Having shorn his head in Cenchrea. Kenchrea was the harbour on the eastern side of Corinth, distant about ten miles from the city. It served the commerce of Asia. There was, on the other side of the city and isthmus, another port, Lechæum, for the Italian and western trade. A Christian Church was very early planted at Kenchrea (see Romans 16:1), no doubt by St. Paul during his lengthened Corinthian residence.

For he had a vow. Our knowledge of the exact nature of ‘vows' among the Jews at this period is not sufficient for us to describe with any detail the circumstances which attended the carrying out this ‘vow' of St. Paul. It was certainly not a strict Nazarite vow, which would have required the shaving of the head in Jerusalem; and the hair cut off would in that case have been burnt as an offering in the Temple. There were, however, probably modifications of the original rules in the case of foreign Jews residing at a distance from the Holy Land.

The ‘vow' was probably an expression of gratitude to the Eternal of hosts for having preserved him from evil, and for having prospered his work during his long stay at Corinth. It involved, of course, a lengthened period of abstinence and special prayer. It has been asked why such an one as St. Paul, by his own example, stamped with approval such an observance, which seems to belong to the old worn-out Jewish customs. To this we answer (1) St. Paul's early association and training had familiarised him with these old cherished practices, and in such seasons of fasting and prayer for long years he had found special refreshment and help; and (2) he was always glad when, without injury to the great questions of Gentile liberty, and the perfect independence from the old Mosaic law of the Gentile peoples, he could show his loved brethren of the Jews that he did not despise the law. Nor did he ever teach other Jews to despise it; on the contrary, he was only too glad on solemn occasions to show his reverence for it, his love for its ancient precepts. We find Paul always seizing opportunities of devoting himself to win the Jews whenever he could do so without injuring his own especial work among the isles of the Gentiles: ‘To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews... to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).