Devotional Acts 18: Paul in Corinth and the Example of Priscilla Reflection on Acts 18: Paul's ministry in Corinth, the support of Priscilla and Aquila, and the value of women in biblical teaching. Read more! Topics: Devotional, New Testament.

Devotional Acts 18: Paul in Corinth and the Example of Priscilla

Today’s devotional is found in the book of Acts, chapter 18, and this is what happened.

Synopsis: In this chapter, Paul arrives in Corinth and stays at the home of Aquila (a Jew) and Priscilla (his wife), who had arrived from Italy after Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. Paul arrived in Corinth alone and helped them make tents, as Paul also shared this trade. Only when his companions (Silas and Timothy) arrived did he dedicate himself exclusively to preaching and discussing the gospel. As always, Paul preached boldly, debating the Jews in the synagogues and helping convert many people. Nevertheless, there were still Jews who insulted and mocked him. So Paul shook out his clothes in protest against them and dedicated himself to preaching exclusively to the Gentiles in Corinth. However, the Jews were not content with letting Paul persuade the Gentiles, so they brought him before Gallio’s tribunal. But Gallio saw no motive or crimes to judge Paul, since their accusations were related to religious doctrines. Therefore, Gallio drove all the Jews and Paul out of the court. After this, Paul returned to the home of Aquila and Priscilla and then headed back to the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch. However, he separated from Aquila and Priscilla, and they stayed in Ephesus teaching a learned young man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria who was powerful in his use of the Scriptures. Finally, Apollos went to Achaia (in Corinth), where he publicly refuted the Jews and demonstrated through the Scriptures that Jesus was indeed the Christ.

Observations

These were my observations:

1. As Christians, we must help our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for spreading the gospel. Jesus said that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself, right after loving God (Matthew 22:36–40 NIV). When we help those most in need and vulnerable, it is as if we were helping Him Himself (Matthew 25:35–40 NIV). Furthermore, Jesus reinforced with the parable of the Good Samaritan that anyone who needs our help is our neighbor, regardless of their origin (Luke 10:25–37 NIV). In this chapter, we see Aquila and Priscilla helping Paul escape Jewish persecution by hosting and feeding him in their home. The risk and courage they showed to protect their brother in Christ from the enemy’s persecution is an example to follow. As I mentioned in the previous devotional regarding cancel culture, many Christians are persecuted on social media with the goal of silencing them, causing them to lose their jobs, defaming their character, etc. Therefore, we must view helping them as our responsibility. Everyone who is attacked for their faith in Jesus Christ is, metaphorically, Jesus Christ Himself. We must help in any way we can, just as Jesus Christ would, and just as we would do for Him.
2. Women play an important role in Christian teaching. This is a very controversial topic for many who believe that women should not usurp rights and teach a man—arguing that a woman’s ministry should be exclusively focused on teaching other women and children. They tend to use Paul’s words to justify their positions: “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.” (1 Timothy 2:11–14 NIV). However, while a woman should indeed be submissive to her husband in the home and take care not to influence others or herself to sin—remaining in faith with good sense, loving her neighbor, and walking in holiness—she can also play a fundamental role in teaching Christianity. What Paul said to Timothy about women not teaching was based on a context where the women of Ephesus were straying from their purpose: teaching false doctrines and worshipping mythological gods. That is to say, instead of drawing people closer to God, they were driving them away (1 Timothy 1:3–7 NIV). It was for this reason that Paul forbade the women who were teaching false laws in Ephesus from doing so. Yet, in this chapter, we see that no one objected to the instruction that Aquila, along with his wife Priscilla, gave to Apollos regarding Christianity. They were teaching Apollos in the ways of Jesus and helped instruct a very eloquent preacher and great leader of the early church. Therefore, we should not underestimate or reject the contributions that godly, compassionate, wise, and truly faithful women in Jesus can bring to teaching Christianity. As men, we must help them instruct others in solid Christian doctrine—provided they know the true doctrine and possess the wisdom to teach it correctly.