The Word of God is a bridge that connects Earth with Heaven and Heaven with Earth.- Joseph Elon Lillie
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Here is today’s topic for discussion from the next segment of the Book of Acts:
Acts 18:1-17
Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. 3 Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.
4 Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. 5 And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”
7 Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
12 But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. 13 They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.”
14 But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case. 15 But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.”16 And he threw them out of the courtroom.
17 The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.
What does Paul seem to do with the conflict here?
What does the church do?
Would you have reacted differently? How?
Lillie-Put 
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Ken
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Thanks Ken. I am no longer confused.
Paul does nothing I’m assuming because he shook the dust from his shoes over a year ago and he had already concluded that their blood is on their own heads now. Maybe the church beats the leader of the synagogue for making the church look foolish with bringing such a charge to Gallio’s courtroom. As I am here and now in today’s world I would have to find someone to help me stop them from beating Sosthenes. But If I am to think as Paul did in that time then I may have stood by and done nothing because I did shake the dust from my feet leaving me innocent of their blood for Jesus said the fate of those who reject the good news would be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah on judgment day. (Matt 10:14-15)
Hmm interesting take. I had never noticed who it is that is doing the beating. The word says it is just “the crowd”. I always took that to be the crowd of Jews who had come to see Paul judged by the Romans. I assumed the Jews were beating Sosthenes because he failed them in court.
The story plays out much differently if it is the Christian church beating Sosthenes. I find it hard to believe Paul would not have called off his own church people from beating a man however much he may have opposed them. Perhaps though this is not the Jews or the Christians beating Sosthenes but the crowd of Gentiles in the city who are unsaved and sick of the Jews. Perhaps this power play by the Jews is the last straw for the Gentiles and this frivolous law suit back fires and causes a Jewish persecution. In which case Paul can only stand helplessly by and watch as his own people are wounded.
It does give me something to think about.
Actually, Pastor J I assumed the “church” here was the Jewish synagogue congregation because there is no mention of the “Church(believers)” after Paul is brought into the courtroom. I guess I didn’t explain myself well enough, sorry about that. Does kind of help explain my point of view?
Thanks for the clarification Deb. But it really did get me thinking and I do wonder now if the crowd were not Gentiles beating the Jews for their arrogance.