Acts 18:9-17
I sat gloomily in my small room at the home of Aquila and Priscilla. There was no light in the room, and the dark-ness matched my mood. A dim light from the great room cast a few rays through the open door. I was afraid to go forward with my appointed work, but I was afraid to stop. I had had so many close calls with the Jews. Sooner or later they might finish me. I didn’t know what to do. I slipped off the stool I sat on to my knees. “Guide me, Lord, I know not what to do,” I prayed. I remained there, silent, for a long time. I don’t know how long I stayed on my knees, but after a while I sensed a shadow fall across me. I slowly raised my head to see a dark Figure standing in the doorway, dimly outlined by the sparse light from the other room. Even my feeble eyes could perceive a silvery blue nimbus glowing about the Figure’s head. A voice spoke: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in the city.” As I comprehended the words the Figure vanished. God had answered my prayer and told me what to do and what to expect. “Fear not; continue your ministry; I am with you; I will allow no one to harm you,” He had told me. What better assurance could I have? But the statement about having many people in the city was somewhat confusing. There were many people who had come to Him, and I had no doubt there were many who would yet come to Him. But did He also mean that there were people in the city who would act as His instruments in achieving His will? I went back to the work of the Church with a renewed vigor. Aquila and Priscilla worked unceasingly in the Lord’s name. Each day they gained know-ledge, strength and faith. They would never be prophets or preachers, but they were magnificent teachers of the way of Jesus. Silas and Timothy were going out to start new congregations in Achaia. Men like Gaius and Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus came to know Jesus Christ with happy hearts, and busied themselves in the work of the Church. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, professed his faith.(6) I was proud to be a part of the mysterious works of God as He brought people unto Himself. And in Corinth, He brought them in droves. Notwithstanding God’s assurances to me, it happened. The stolid Jews had had enough. They had been sidelined too long, so they took action. They cooked up charges against me and had me summoned into court. I went to face these charges with confidence. I took no lawyer with me, but I took God’s word that I would be protected in Corinth. Court in Corinth was held in the agora. On the south side of the agora was a raised platform of blue marble that served as the béma or judgment seat of the Roman officials.(7) As I and a small group of disciples approached the béma I noticed that the Jews were present in a united front. They looked cocky and sure of themselves, as though confident of the outcome. Sosthenes, the new ruler of the synagogue after Crispus became a Christian, looked on with contempt. Activity about the béma also attracted the interest of curious local onlookers. In a moment the crowd was silenced and Gallio, the Roman proconsul, entered and seated himself on the judgment seat. He was a distinguished looking man and appeared thoroughly Roman. He surveyed the assembly, his eyes stopping a moment to study me, and then gave the Jewish complainant a glance that granted him the floor. The Jew stepped forward, pointed a finger at me, and rendered his indictment: “This fellow,” he said with a sneer, “persuades men to worship God contrary to law.” Satisfied with him-self, the Jew stepped back and looked for the approval of his kind. That’s it!?!, I thought. That’s all the Jews can muster up to charge me with? Just as another thought came into my mind, a disapproving murmur arose from the crowd. I wanted to question the Jew about what law I had broken, Roman law or Jewish law? But no matter how flimsy the charge, I needed to state my defense. I raised my hand for recognition from Gallio and began to marshal my thoughts for what I would say. But Gallio was not cognizant of the crowd about the béma. He sat with the knuckle of his index finger pressed to his pursed lips in obvious contem-plation. Then, before I could say anything, he shook his head disgustingly and said, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.” He gazed at the Jews to see if they were catching his drift, then continued, “But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.” Having said this, Gallio stood and swept his right arm away from his body as if pushing something away. This gesture signified that he was driving the Jews from the judgment seat. I was acquitted. A clamor arose in the agora. The Jews protested the decision among them-selves. My followers cheered the just victory. The Greek onlookers, no friends to the Jews to begin with, viewed the sordid matter as a Jewish attempt to misuse Roman law. Everyone present seemed to give raucous voice to his opinion. But amidst the tumult I stood quietly and studied Gallio.
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