Acts 18:2, commentary and pictures

Paul found in Corinth Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, newly come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Many of the expelled Jews settled in Corinth, a leading commercial city open to the whole empire yet given to idolatry, immorality and the pursuit of present pleasure. Aquila and Priscilla were makers of tents, the same trade Paul had learned in his youth, and he stayed with them and worked with his hands at their trade. By that labor he supported himself so as to be dependent on no one for food and clothing while he faithfully preached the gospel. Such manual work did not shame or lower his ministry, for while working he spoke the truth with undiminished fervor, instructed Aquila and Priscilla more perfectly, and made his daily labor itself preach the gospel.

Corinth and the Exiles

Corinth was a leading commercial city with access to the whole Roman Empire and a diverse population, which made it an important place to establish memorials for God and his truth. At the same time it was dominated by idolatry and the worship of Venus, whose degrading rites accompanied widespread immorality and a preoccupation with immediate pleasure. It was there that Paul met Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, who had lately come from Italy to Corinth with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Many of the expelled Jews settled in Corinth, and Aquila and Priscilla were among those who came there after leaving Rome, where Paul met them.

They had been driven from their home and settled in Corinth at a time of repeated seditions and insurrections, though they were innocent of wrongdoing and of the wrongs attributed to many of their people. About twenty years after the crucifixion there was in Rome a live, earnest, strong and zealous church for which the Lord worked. The envy and rage of the Jews stirred unbelieving residents to complain that the Christian Jews were disorderly and dangerous to the public good and kept setting strife in motion, so that the Christians were banished from Rome. Among those banished were Aquila and Priscilla, who went to Corinth and established a business as manufacturers of tents.

Those who hold this fuller account teach that Aquila and Priscilla were Christian Jews banished from Rome with other Christians because they preached that Jesus was the Messiah. The church in Rome was one for which the Lord worked and whose people angels protected, but the envy and rage of unbelieving Jews and residents, who complained that the Christian Jews were disorderly and dangerous to the public good and constantly stirred up strife, caused their expulsion. Aquila and Priscilla feared God and sought to avoid the corrupting influences around them. After living in Corinth as Jews they later became believers in Christ, earnest workers for Christ and distinguished believers, and Paul became acquainted with them and stayed with them.

Connected with this meeting, Paul labored in Corinth for a year and six months and raised up a flourishing church composed of Jews and Gentiles. The Gentile converts were more numerous than the Jewish converts, and many were truly converted, brought from darkness into the light of the gospel. This was because they were in a more favorable condition than the Jews to receive the truth, not being walled in by the maxims and traditions of priests and elders. The lesson is that workers today are to make the world their field of labor rather than to work for the churches only.

Tentmaking and Gospel Ministry

Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers by trade, the same trade as Paul, and when Paul met them in Corinth he stayed with them and worked with them at that trade, having solicited work from Aquila and joined them in manufacturing tents. Alongside them he supported himself by tentmaking while faithfully preaching the gospel. Paul had learned tentmaking in his youth, even though he was educated and a diligent student at the feet of Gamaliel and able to match eloquence with eloquence and philosophy with philosophy. This followed the Jewish custom, among wealthy and poor alike, of training sons and daughters to some useful employment and craft as an indispensable part of education alongside literary instruction, so that if adverse circumstances came they would not be dependent on others but would have ability to provide for their own necessities.

By working at tentmaking Paul and his companions obtained means for support and were not dependent on anyone for food and clothing, while the gospel was still preached with faithfulness. Earning a livelihood in this way did not lessen their honor, and labor with the hands was not shameful or lowering to the work of ministry. This continued the practice in Israel, where self-support by tilling the soil or mechanical employment was not thought strange or degrading, where it was regarded a crime to let children grow up in ignorance of useful labor, and where every child was taught some trade by the command of God even if he was to be educated for holy office. Manual work and preaching the Scriptures went together.

While working with his hands Paul communicated the great truth of the gospel with undiminished fervor and ability in speech, instructed Aquila and Priscilla more perfectly in the truth, and by working while preaching gave hearers a more thorough knowledge of Christ. The time spent making tents was not lost time but time kept in fellowship with Christ, used to give needed instruction in spiritual things and to educate believers in unity. With Aquila and Priscilla he held praise and prayer meetings with fellow tentmakers associated with them in the work, so that their labor testified to the value of the truth and preached the gospel with hands as well as voice. In tentmaking Paul was ingenious in designs and brought fresh methods into the work, and he set an example of diligence and thoroughness, diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. That example of self-support brought many to a knowledge of the truth.

The tentmakers at Corinth were chosen as co-laborers with Christ in the work of salvation, sturdy toilers and humble working people from whom went forth a power that will be felt through all eternity. Their example reproves dividing religion from business, and teaches that working men and women who bear responsibilities with faith and hope find that which is great and good in life. It teaches ministers to engage in useful, profitable manual labor and to use ingenuity in planning and business to win souls and keep all their faculties healthy for thorough service to God. It teaches also that ordinary daily duties and small common work are not to be set aside in longing to do the impossible or something great, but faithfulness in little things prepares for usefulness in larger responsibilities, with the ladder climbed round after round from the lowest round and success coming through diligent, cheerful effort.