Arriving in Corinth (v 1)

“After these events Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” (1) While Paul was in Athens, Silas and Timothy arrived later from Berea. Paul then sent Silas to encourage the Philippian church and Timothy to the Thessalonian church. Left alone, Paul carried out his ministry in Athens, but the results were not as he had hoped. (2) Paul then departed from Athens and traveled alone to Corinth. We must not overlook that God’s guidance was at work here also. (3) At this time, Paul was undoubtedly experiencing fear and anxiety. In 1 Corinthians 2:3, he writes, “I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling.” Acts 18:9 records his fear: “And the Lord said to Paul by a vision at night, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent.” Despite his fear, Paul recognized the strategic importance of Corinth and knew he could not avoid evangelizing in such a critical city.

Meeting new fellow-workers (v 2-3a)

“And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla…”  (1) Since Paul lacked financial supporters, he needed to engage in self-supporting ministry (It was common for rabbis to have a trade while teaching the Hebrew Scriptures). Paul likely sought out the tentmakers’ guild. (2) God had prepared the meeting with Aquila and his wife Priscilla for Paul. (a) Aquila, a Jew from Pontus, was a believer in Jesus. Pontus was a Roman province in Asia Minor, located east of Bithynia. (b) Priscilla, also called Prisca (Prisca being the more formal name), was his wife. (c) While the details of how they came to faith are not recorded, it is likely that they had been believers for some years. (d) They had recently arrived in Corinth after being expelled from Rome due to Emperor Claudius’s decree (reigned 41–54 AD), which banished Jews. The historian Suetonius (69-140 AD) notes that this decree was issued around AD 49-50. God encouraged Paul in his weakness. Through meeting Aquila and Priscilla, he has gained life-long friends. Aquila and Priscilla, having been expelled from Rome, were likely experiencing their own sense of weakness. However, without Emperor Claudius’s decree, this meeting would not have occurred. We can praise God concerning all things. This is true even today.