Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Crispus - "Mentioned in 1 Cor 1:14, as having been baptized by St. Paul himself. Though a Jew, his name is Latin. As he was 'the ruler of the synagogue', his conversion must have provoked the Jews more than ever. It justified the apostle's wisdom in keeping within easy reach of the synagogue. His was by no means the only conversion from the synagogue. 'The household of Stephanas' had previously become Christians (1 Cor 1:16), and Gaius was another convert (1 Cor 1:14). See also 1 Cor 1:11; 16:17; Rom 16:23." (Walker)
believed and were baptized - "Water baptism is clearly associated with the manifestation of Christ to Israel in John 1:31 and since He was still being made manifest to Israel water baptism was not out of order. Yet this rite had not been included in Paul's special commission; it could not be. He was not sent to baptize (as both John the Baptist and the twelve had been - Jn 1:33; Matt 28:19), but to preach the gospel, and that simply, 'lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect, for,' said he, 'the preaching of the cross...is the power of God (1 Cor 1:17-18). Thus it was, too, that Paul never baptized anyone 'for the remission of sins,' as John the Baptist and the twelve had done before him (Mk 1:4; Acts 2:38) ... This does not represent any failure in divine inspiration. Rather it is divine inspiration, demonstrating the fact that water baptism was becoming less and less important in the ministry of Paul and that it was not included in his special commission." (Stam)
Gallio - "Elder brother of Seneca, the famous philosopher, Nero's tutor and favourite, and uncle of Lucan the poet. He was born in Spain, his father being Marcus Annaeus Novatus, but he was adopted by Lucius Junius Gallio, whose name he assumed. That he held office in Achaia is corroborated by the statement of Seneca that he caught fever there had to leave for a sea-voyage. Since his brother Seneca was in disgrace from A.D. 41-9, when he again regained the emperor's favour, Gallio must have been governor of Achaia subsequent to that date. The most probably dates for his assuming that office are A.D. 52 and A.D. 53, most likely the former. Pliny mentions that he afterwards attained the dignity of consul at Rome. Contemporary evidence shews him to have been a man of a particularly amiable disposition." (Walker)
proconsul of Achaia - "Gallio was proconsul of Achaia in A.D. 51. He was characterized by contemporaries as an amiable, witty, and lovable person." (Ryrie)
"Achaia had been a senatorial province from 27 B.D.—A.D.15. It was then amalgamated with Macedonia and Mysia into an imperial province. From A.D. 44, however, Claudius had made it once more a senatorial province, under a proconsul. So St. Luke is again seen to be remarkably accurate in his terminology." (Walker)
"Greece, in a general way, was sometimes called Macedonia and sometimes Achaia, but properly speaking, Macedonia was the northern province of Greece and Achaia the southern, each governed by a proconsul." (Stam)
vss 14-16 - "Judaism was a 'licensed religion' under Roman law. Christianity could take advantage of this protection as long as it sheltered itself under the tent of Judaism. The Jews must have complained that these Christians were not a division or sect of Judaism, and Gallio refuses to see it their way. He says, in effect, 'Settle your own religious squabbles yourselves.'" (Ryrie)
"When Gallio was made proconsul of Achaia, the Jews were quick to take advantage of the change in administration to stir up a tumult and bring Paul before the 'judgment seat.' Gallio was the brother of Seneca, the famous statesman, philosopher and counsellor of Nero during his early days. Seneca wrote of Gallio with great affection and described him as an amiable and gracious character, easy to get along with. Doubtless the Jews knew of his reputation and hoped he would accede to their demand that Paul be punished. Their complaint was that Paul sought to persuade men to worship God 'contrary to the law.' They could, of course, have referred to their law (Cf. Ver 15) for the Hebrew religion was then protected by the Roman government. It seems more probably, however, that they meant that Paul was setting up an unlicensed relgion—one not included among those which were permitted under Roman law. When we consider the wicked and degrading religions which Roman law did permit, right here in Corinth, this charge against Paul was a shabby one in deed." (Stam)
I refuse to be a judge of these things. - "Some have supposed that a trial and verdict by Gallio in favor of Paul would have helped him more. Actually, however, Gallio's behavior must have proved a greater rebuff to Paul's accusers, and given him and the Corinthian church a better standing in the community than they otherwise would have had. At Philippi Paul's sagacity had helped gain the young church there recognition by involving his opponents in blame and putting them on the defensive. Here Gallio's response to Paul's accusers had done the same. The Lord was fulfilling His promise to His faithful apostle." (Stam)
Sosthenes - "...became the victim of the Greeks' anti-Jewish feelings. Obviously he was the head of the anti-Pauline faction in the synagogue and a Jew." (Ryrie)
"He is described as 'the ruler of the synagogue', and probably succeeded Crispus in office after the latter's conversion (v 8). Doubtless, he was the leader of the Jewish party in their prosecution of St. Paul, and the irritated Greeks seized on him as such. We do not know that he is the same person as is mentioned in 1 Cor 1:1. If so, he must have been converted after this event. Possibly, the beating which he now received induced serious reflections." (Walker)
Crispus - "Mentioned in 1 Cor 1:14, as having been baptized by St. Paul himself. Though a Jew, his name is Latin. As he was 'the ruler of the synagogue', his conversion must have provoked the Jews more than ever. It justified the apostle's wisdom in keeping within easy reach of the synagogue. His was by no means the only conversion from the synagogue. 'The household of Stephanas' had previously become Christians (1 Cor 1:16), and Gaius was another convert (1 Cor 1:14). See also 1 Cor 1:11; 16:17; Rom 16:23." (Walker)
believed and were baptized - "Water baptism is clearly associated with the manifestation of Christ to Israel in John 1:31 and since He was still being made manifest to Israel water baptism was not out of order. Yet this rite had not been included in Paul's special commission; it could not be. He was not sent to baptize (as both John the Baptist and the twelve had been - Jn 1:33; Matt 28:19), but to preach the gospel, and that simply, 'lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect, for,' said he, 'the preaching of the cross...is the power of God (1 Cor 1:17-18). Thus it was, too, that Paul never baptized anyone 'for the remission of sins,' as John the Baptist and the twelve had done before him (Mk 1:4; Acts 2:38) ... This does not represent any failure in divine inspiration. Rather it is divine inspiration, demonstrating the fact that water baptism was becoming less and less important in the ministry of Paul and that it was not included in his special commission." (Stam)
Gallio - "Elder brother of Seneca, the famous philosopher, Nero's tutor and favourite, and uncle of Lucan the poet. He was born in Spain, his father being Marcus Annaeus Novatus, but he was adopted by Lucius Junius Gallio, whose name he assumed. That he held office in Achaia is corroborated by the statement of Seneca that he caught fever there had to leave for a sea-voyage. Since his brother Seneca was in disgrace from A.D. 41-9, when he again regained the emperor's favour, Gallio must have been governor of Achaia subsequent to that date. The most probably dates for his assuming that office are A.D. 52 and A.D. 53, most likely the former. Pliny mentions that he afterwards attained the dignity of consul at Rome. Contemporary evidence shews him to have been a man of a particularly amiable disposition." (Walker)
proconsul of Achaia - "Gallio was proconsul of Achaia in A.D. 51. He was characterized by contemporaries as an amiable, witty, and lovable person." (Ryrie)
"Achaia had been a senatorial province from 27 B.D.—A.D.15. It was then amalgamated with Macedonia and Mysia into an imperial province. From A.D. 44, however, Claudius had made it once more a senatorial province, under a proconsul. So St. Luke is again seen to be remarkably accurate in his terminology." (Walker)
"Greece, in a general way, was sometimes called Macedonia and sometimes Achaia, but properly speaking, Macedonia was the northern province of Greece and Achaia the southern, each governed by a proconsul." (Stam)
vss 14-16 - "Judaism was a 'licensed religion' under Roman law. Christianity could take advantage of this protection as long as it sheltered itself under the tent of Judaism. The Jews must have complained that these Christians were not a division or sect of Judaism, and Gallio refuses to see it their way. He says, in effect, 'Settle your own religious squabbles yourselves.'" (Ryrie)
"When Gallio was made proconsul of Achaia, the Jews were quick to take advantage of the change in administration to stir up a tumult and bring Paul before the 'judgment seat.' Gallio was the brother of Seneca, the famous statesman, philosopher and counsellor of Nero during his early days. Seneca wrote of Gallio with great affection and described him as an amiable and gracious character, easy to get along with. Doubtless the Jews knew of his reputation and hoped he would accede to their demand that Paul be punished. Their complaint was that Paul sought to persuade men to worship God 'contrary to the law.' They could, of course, have referred to their law (Cf. Ver 15) for the Hebrew religion was then protected by the Roman government. It seems more probably, however, that they meant that Paul was setting up an unlicensed relgion—one not included among those which were permitted under Roman law. When we consider the wicked and degrading religions which Roman law did permit, right here in Corinth, this charge against Paul was a shabby one in deed." (Stam)
I refuse to be a judge of these things. - "Some have supposed that a trial and verdict by Gallio in favor of Paul would have helped him more. Actually, however, Gallio's behavior must have proved a greater rebuff to Paul's accusers, and given him and the Corinthian church a better standing in the community than they otherwise would have had. At Philippi Paul's sagacity had helped gain the young church there recognition by involving his opponents in blame and putting them on the defensive. Here Gallio's response to Paul's accusers had done the same. The Lord was fulfilling His promise to His faithful apostle." (Stam)
Sosthenes - "...became the victim of the Greeks' anti-Jewish feelings. Obviously he was the head of the anti-Pauline faction in the synagogue and a Jew." (Ryrie)
"He is described as 'the ruler of the synagogue', and probably succeeded Crispus in office after the latter's conversion (v 8). Doubtless, he was the leader of the Jewish party in their prosecution of St. Paul, and the irritated Greeks seized on him as such. We do not know that he is the same person as is mentioned in 1 Cor 1:1. If so, he must have been converted after this event. Possibly, the beating which he now received induced serious reflections." (Walker)
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