Acts 18:12-22 – Paul before Gallio, the Proconsul

The Proconsul Gallio became the Roman governor of Achaia around A.D. 51. During his rule, the Jews ganged together and unitedly came against Paul. Seizing him, they took him to the governor to be judged. The accusation was that Paul was persuading the people to worship God that was contrary to the law. They meant that Paul’s preaching of Christ was not granted a legal status by the Roman government.  

Before Paul could open his mouth to make his defense, Gallio indicated that he refused to indulge in their case. He felt that what they brought before him was merely their Jewish religious squabbles. He told the Jews that if what they brought before him involved a wrong or an evil crime then it would be reasonable to expect him to listen patiently. And he concluded that they were merely disputing words and name regarding their own Jewish law. Refusing to be involved, he told them to deal with it and to decide for themselves. So he forced them out of the court.

At this point the people laid hold of Sosthenes, who was the leader of the synagogue, and beat him up before Gallio, but the latter was unconcerned.  Who was this Sosthenes? Was he the same person mentioned by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians? If he was, then he could be the one whom the Jews had beaten before Gallio. But if he was not, then he could possibly be one of Jews who opposed Paul and was beaten by the Gentiles, who were on Paul’s side. It could well be that this synagogue leader later became a believer in Christ and a member of the Christian community. So Paul mentioned him in his letter to the Corinthians.

From verses 18-23, we are told that Paul spent many days at Corinth, after that he took leave from them. He, together with Priscilla and Aquila, set sail to return to Antioch in Syria. But at Cenchrea, a seaport of Corinth, Paul had his hair cut. He kept his hair because of a vow. And when they came to Ephesus, Paul alone went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews - most certainly about Christ. In saying that the Jews asked him to stay a little longer, the author implied that they accepted Paul and his message. But he did not consent to stay. Instead he took leave and told them if God’s willing, he would return to them. So he set sail from Ephesus, on reaching Caesarea, he went up to greet the church, meaning the church in Jerusalem before he returned to Antioch.    

Like Paul, we should not be intimidated. Don’t use problems and difficulty as an excuse to stop serving. We should abandon ourselves to God, trust Him and keep on ministering. We will find God’s promise, to be with us, is a reality, and we shall bear fruit in Him.