Acts 18:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore he remained there for a long time. The multitude of believers urged him to this, but the good pleasure of Christ urged him more. Great danger was impending, since many had believed, even the ruler of the synagogue himself. "Do not be afraid," He says. This was enough to encourage him. He is accused of fear, or rather, he is not accused, but encouraged lest this happen to him. God did not allow the apostles to suffer afflictions constantly, lest they grow weak. Nothing grieved Paul so much as unbelievers and opponents. This was harder for him than the dangers themselves.

"Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent." At last the Lord says to Paul what he especially needed. For nothing grieved him so much as unbelievers.

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.

Encouraged by a special vision of the Lord, who commanded him to continue acting fearlessly in Corinth and promised him His divine help, Paul preached the Gospel to the Corinthian Gentiles for a year and a half. During this stay in Corinth, the Apostle Paul wrote the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians.

The hostile attitude of the Jews for a time brought the Apostle into despondency, and he wanted to stop his preaching. But his spirit was strengthened by a night vision of the Lord, who said to him: "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city." This vision calmed and encouraged the Apostle, and he remained in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching its inhabitants the word of God.

"The Lord in a vision," and so forth: despite the consolation brought to Paul's spirit, grieved by the obstinacy of the Jews, through the conversion of the ruler of the synagogue and many Corinthians, the great apostle's state of soul was evidently still heavy.

This heaviness seems to have been increased by fear of calamities. Probably the apostle foresaw the coming uprising of the Jews against him, an open uprising that could threaten him with danger, and which actually occurred. See verse 12 and following.

To encourage His faithful servant, the Lord Himself, in a vision by night, not in sleep but in a vision, said to Paul: "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent." That is, in this city. See the note on Acts 16:9.

The Lord's strengthening of Paul in a vision clearly shows how far the work of Gospel preaching surpassed human strength. It also shows where the chief power in the success of apostolic preaching lay. "I am with you," the Lord said to Paul.

"Therefore he remained there, in Corinth, for a long time," says Saint John Chrysostom. "The multitude of believers also moved him to this, but Christ's good pleasure did so still more. For great danger was impending, since many had believed, even the ruler of the synagogue himself.

"'Do not be afraid,' He says. This was sufficient to encourage him. He is convicted of fear, or rather, he is not convicted, but encouraged, so that this would not happen to him. For God did not allow the apostles constantly to suffer calamities, lest they grow faint.

The Lord, appearing in a vision to the apostle in Corinth, urges him not to fear speaking the word of teaching. He shows the reason why he must not be silent, but speak. The reason is this: in that city there are many people whom the Lord Himself knows will receive the teaching being proclaimed.

For it was natural that Paul, being a man, feared plots against him, since almost everyone at that time served idols. The Lord encourages and prepares His disciple for courageous deeds, saying: "I am with you, to hinder all who have resolved to do you harm, so that no one will lay hands on you."

The special presence of God among His chosen ones is often the source of their strength. Compare Deut 31:6, Josh 1:6-7, The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9, and so forth.