Paul in Corinth (4)

Pray Psalm 52.1-4.
Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness.
Selah
You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

Sing Psalm 52.1-4.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Why do the mighty boast in sin? God’s love endures, it knows no end!
They with their tongues vain boasts repeat, and like a razor, work deceit.

Men more than good in evil delight, and lies prefer to what is right.
They utter words both harsh and strong with their devouring, deceitful tongue.

Read Acts 18.1-18; meditate on verses 12-18.

Preparation
1. What did the Jews try to do?

2. What happened to Sosthenes as a result?

Meditation
Too often, when debate and persuasion fail, people turn to violence. The Jewish religious leaders could not withstand Paul’s proclamation of Jesus and the Kingdom. He was far too Biblical; they could not rebut his preaching (v. 5). So they blasphemed (v. 6). Did they suspect that would cause Paul to remove himself from the synagogue (v. 7)?

Their blaspheming seems to have contributed to driving the ruler of their synagogue into the arms of Jesus (v. 8). No problem. They’d just appoint another, Sosthenes (v. 17). But Sosthenes, who would come to believe in Jesus and become Paul’s companion in ministry (1 Cor. 1.1), was probably already leaning toward conversion. He may have been trying to calm his fellow religious leaders, encouraging them to be more open to Paul. Which might explain why “they all” (v. 17) turned to beat him when the proconsul would not judge their case against Paul (vv. 12-15).

The NKJV translates verse 17, “Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat.” The editors correctly note that “the Greeks” is an interpretation; the phrase does not appear in the Greek New Testament. What I think happened here is that the Jews themselves turned on Sosthenes, whom they may have suspected was open to Paul, if not already a believer. If they could not beat Paul, they’d make a punching-bag out of one his sympathizers.

With the same result as occurred with Crispus (v. 8). What about us? When others sneer at our faith or try to shout us down, do we slink away and sulk? Or are we driven ever more deeply into the arms of Jesus? God is at work for the Gospel, even amid opposition, uproar, and persecution.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Persecution is a promise from God. It is the way things roll in the Kingdom; and our job, as believers, is to pray for others and ourselves for strength to bear up under it. As God said to Ezekiel: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted” (Ezek. 3.4-7). Ezekiel’s people didn’t like God or him.

And as Jesus taught us: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me” (Jn. 15.18-21). Many people in Jesus’ day did not like Him or His followers. They will also not like us.

The upside? “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble” (Jn. 15.26-16.1).

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, dwells in all those who ask the Father for Him (Lk. 11.13). He will keep us from stumbling. “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is. 40.31).

When the uproars come, and they will, we know that we are merely facing the same things that our forebears in the faith did; and we have the same Father in heaven who knows our travails, who cares, and who will strengthen us to endure…to glorify Him and praise Him forever. “The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” (Deut. 33.27). This Triune God loves us in, during, and through the uproar. “Happy are you…” For “who is like you, a people saved by the LORD” (Deut. 33.29)!

For reflection
1. How should you prepare each day for the possibility of “uproar”?

2. “Uproar” offers an opportunity to grow in the Lord and for the Kingdom to make progress. Explain.

3. Whom will you encourage today to be firm in the face of “uproar”?

And those who see and hear of the sufferings of God’s people, and have no feeling with them, or care for them, who do not pity and pray for them, are of the same spirit as Gallio, who cared for none of these things. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Acts 18.12-18

Pray Psalm 52.5-9.
Thank the Lord for His sovereign, protecting grace. Ask Him to give you boldness in the face of opposition to the Gospel. Pray for Christians the world over who are experiencing persecution.

Sing Psalm 52.5-9.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
God will forever break them down, uproot, and cast them to the ground!
He from their safety tears them away, no more to know the light of day.

The righteous see and laugh and fear, and say, “Behold, what have we here?
Such are all who at God conspire, and wealth and evil ways desire.”

But as for me may I be seen in God an olive ever green!
Ever in God, most kind and just, shall I with joy and gladness trust!

Thanks evermore to our Savior be raised! His faithfulness be ever praised!
Here with Your people, loving God, I wait upon Your Name, so good!

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth needed revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today needs revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available free by clicking here.