Acts 18:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Although the preaching of the Gospel in the synagogue of Corinth was not well received by most of the Jews, Paul did not cease to testify to them about Jesus Christ. He did this especially when Timothy and Silas also came to him. But seeing no further success, he turned with his preaching to the Gentiles. A new Church was formed mostly from the Gentiles, and very few Jews joined them. In these labors he was strengthened by a divine vision, which revealed to him that many people there were ready to receive the preaching.

But the apostle had not even managed to pronounce the name of the Savior of the world when his speech stirred such hostile excitement among his hearers that it was immediately interrupted. His words that the Man appointed by God to accomplish the universal judgment of the world had risen from the dead provoked laughter among the representatives of pagan wisdom. This was especially, it seems, among the followers of Epicurean philosophy. His words seemed laughable and senseless to them. Some openly and directly laughed at these words. Others, while preserving a serious expression, said mockingly, "We will hear you again concerning this." Thus the apostle was forced to break off his speech and leave the Areopagus, apparently without any fruit from his preaching there.

Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia; see Acts 17:14 and the note. "Constrained in spirit": this expression points to Paul's spiritual tension at that time. His own spirit pressed him, in the company of his most devoted disciples and companions, to testify to the Jews.

This means proving and assuring them that Jesus, precisely He and no other, is the Christ. He is the Messiah of the Jews and of all mankind, promised by God from of old and foretold by the prophets.

The force of the expression shows the stubborn opposition of the Corinthian Jews to this teaching of Paul. In resistance to their obstinacy, it also shows the tense state of Paul's own spirit.

The arrival of his fellow workers in Corinth strengthened Paul. Gradually preparing his hearers to receive the teaching of the faith, he evidently first explained various passages of Holy Scripture that referred to Christ. Now he spoke more directly and positively about Jesus as the Messiah and Savior.

Yet many of them remained unbelieving. Then he used a decisive measure. He warned his Jewish hearers that a fearful responsibility for their unbelief would fall upon them. He would no longer preach to them, but would turn exclusively to the Gentiles.

As a sign that every relation was being broken off, he shook out his garments. He said that he had fulfilled his duty, and therefore his conscience was clean concerning them before God.