Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
At Corinth the unbelieving Jews rose in a body against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat of Gallio with the charge that he persuaded men to worship contrary to the law. By contrary to the law they meant contrary to the laws of the Jewish religion. The accusation struck at his teaching that Jews were released from its distinctive observances and that Gentiles could share equally in the privileges of the children of Abraham. The Jews pressed it before the Roman deputy in hope that Rome's protection of their religion would deliver Paul into their hands for punishment, even death. Gallio refused to be made their tool and dismissed the case as a dispute about Jewish law outside Roman justice, giving Christianity a signal victory in Corinth.
Setting and Accusation in Corinth
Paul's work that drew this accusation was in Corinth, a busy travel center largely devoted to idolatry. Venus was its favored goddess, and her worship involved demoralizing rites. The Corinthians were known for gross immorality and for caring little beyond immediate pleasure.
The accusers were the unbelieving Jews at Corinth, roused to more determined opposition by his increased success in presenting Christ. They arose in a body with great tumult and brought him before the judgment seat of Gallio, deputy of Achaia. They did so expecting, as on former similar occasions, to have the authorities on their side. With loud and angry voices they accused him of persuading men to worship God contrary to the law.
The charge was that he was persuading men to worship God contrary to the law, meaning contrary to the laws of the Jewish religion. It reflected his teaching that Jews were released from distinctive observances and that Gentiles could share equally in the privileges of Abraham's children, which his enemies treated as blasphemy and sought to silence. It expressed the prejudice and opposition he faced over his work among the Gentiles. It also belonged to his defending of Christianity at Jerusalem and Antioch against the narrow restrictions of Judaism.
The Jews used the charge to bring him before the Roman authorities, hoping Rome's protection of the Jewish religion would lead to his trial and sentence. By presenting his preaching as a violation of a religion protected by Roman power, they hoped Gallio would give him into their hands for whatever punishment they chose. In this way they hoped to bring about his death.
Gallio's Ruling and Its Significance
Gallio heard the accusation that Paul was persuading men to worship God contrary to the law and treated it as an internal dispute about Jewish law, not a matter for his judgment. He dismissed the case as having no bearing on the public interest. He was a man of integrity who would not become the dupe of the jealous and intriguing Jews and would not sacrifice justice to gain popularity with them. Unlike Pilate he refused to do injustice to one he knew to be innocent, and unlike Felix who perverted justice for favor and bribes.
The charge did not establish Paul's guilt, for a heathen magistrate proclaimed him innocent. By contrast Jewish tribunals condemned him without proving their accusations. His dismissal baffled and enraged the Jews and gave Christianity a signal victory in Corinth. If Paul had then been driven out by Jewish malice, the whole community of converts to Christ would have been placed in great danger, for the Jews would have followed up the advantage after their custom even to the extermination of Christianity in that region. That earlier attempt to have him condemned before Gallio failed, and the accusers were unable to turn the people or rulers against him.
Gallio is likened to Festus, who also faced Jewish accusations against Paul. Festus saw through the Jews' motive in demanding that Paul be sent to Jerusalem and refused to grant it. Both rulers did not simply yield to the accusers' pressure.
At Corinth the unbelieving Jews rose in a body against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat of Gallio with the charge that he persuaded men to worship contrary to the law. By contrary to the law they meant contrary to the laws of the Jewish religion. The accusation struck at his teaching that Jews were released from its distinctive observances and that Gentiles could share equally in the privileges of the children of Abraham. The Jews pressed it before the Roman deputy in hope that Rome's protection of their religion would deliver Paul into their hands for punishment, even death. Gallio refused to be made their tool and dismissed the case as a dispute about Jewish law outside Roman justice, giving Christianity a signal victory in Corinth.
Setting and Accusation in Corinth
Paul's work that drew this accusation was in Corinth, a busy travel center largely devoted to idolatry. Venus was its favored goddess, and her worship involved demoralizing rites. The Corinthians were known for gross immorality and for caring little beyond immediate pleasure.
The accusers were the unbelieving Jews at Corinth, roused to more determined opposition by his increased success in presenting Christ. They arose in a body with great tumult and brought him before the judgment seat of Gallio, deputy of Achaia. They did so expecting, as on former similar occasions, to have the authorities on their side. With loud and angry voices they accused him of persuading men to worship God contrary to the law.
The charge was that he was persuading men to worship God contrary to the law, meaning contrary to the laws of the Jewish religion. It reflected his teaching that Jews were released from distinctive observances and that Gentiles could share equally in the privileges of Abraham's children, which his enemies treated as blasphemy and sought to silence. It expressed the prejudice and opposition he faced over his work among the Gentiles. It also belonged to his defending of Christianity at Jerusalem and Antioch against the narrow restrictions of Judaism.
The Jews used the charge to bring him before the Roman authorities, hoping Rome's protection of the Jewish religion would lead to his trial and sentence. By presenting his preaching as a violation of a religion protected by Roman power, they hoped Gallio would give him into their hands for whatever punishment they chose. In this way they hoped to bring about his death.
Gallio's Ruling and Its Significance
Gallio heard the accusation that Paul was persuading men to worship God contrary to the law and treated it as an internal dispute about Jewish law, not a matter for his judgment. He dismissed the case as having no bearing on the public interest. He was a man of integrity who would not become the dupe of the jealous and intriguing Jews and would not sacrifice justice to gain popularity with them. Unlike Pilate he refused to do injustice to one he knew to be innocent, and unlike Felix who perverted justice for favor and bribes.
The charge did not establish Paul's guilt, for a heathen magistrate proclaimed him innocent. By contrast Jewish tribunals condemned him without proving their accusations. His dismissal baffled and enraged the Jews and gave Christianity a signal victory in Corinth. If Paul had then been driven out by Jewish malice, the whole community of converts to Christ would have been placed in great danger, for the Jews would have followed up the advantage after their custom even to the extermination of Christianity in that region. That earlier attempt to have him condemned before Gallio failed, and the accusers were unable to turn the people or rulers against him.
Gallio is likened to Festus, who also faced Jewish accusations against Paul. Festus saw through the Jews' motive in demanding that Paul be sent to Jerusalem and refused to grant it. Both rulers did not simply yield to the accusers' pressure.