Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 18]
(_Claudius_ C. 25), because "the Jews were in a state of constant
tumult at the instigation of one Chrestus" (probably among the
Jews about Christ so pronounced). At any rate Jews were unpopular
in Rome for Tiberius had deported 4,000 to Sardinia. There were
20,000 Jews in Rome. Probably mainly those implicated in the
riots actually left.
18:3 {Because he was of the same trade} (\dia to homotechnon
einai\). Same construction with \dia\ as above. \Homotechnon\ is
an old word (\homos, techn•\), though here alone in N.T. Rabbi
Judah says: "He that teacheth not his son a trade, doth the same
as if he taught him to be a thief." So it was easy for Paul to
find a home with these "tentmakers by trade" (\sk•noipoioi t•i
techn•i\). Late word from \sk•n•\ and \poie•\, here only in the
N.T. They made portable tents of leather or of cloth of goat's
hair. So Paul lived in this home with this noble man and his
wife, all the more congenial if already Christians which they
soon became at any rate. They worked as partners in the common
trade. Paul worked for his support elsewhere, already in
Thessalonica (1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:8) and later at Ephesus with
Aquila and Priscilla (Ac 18:18,26; 20:34; 1Co 16:19). They
moved again to Rome (Ro 16:3) and were evidently a couple of
considerable wealth and generosity. It was a blessing to Paul to
find himself with these people. So he "abode" (\emenen\,
imperfect active) with them and "they wrought" (\•rgazonto\,
imperfect middle), happy and busy during week days.
18:4 {He reasoned} (\dielegeto\). Imperfect middle, same form as
in 17:17 about Paul's work in Athens, here only on the
Sabbaths. {Persuaded} (\epeithen\). Imperfect active, conative,
he tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks (God-fearers who alone
would come).
18:5 {Was constrained by the word} (\suneicheto t•i log•i\). This
is undoubtedly the correct text and not \t•i pneumati\ of the
Textus Receptus, but \suneicheto\ is in my opinion the direct
middle imperfect indicative, not the imperfect passive as the
translations have it (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 808). Paul held
himself together or completely to the preaching instead of just
on Sabbaths in the synagogue (verse 4). The coming of Silas and
Timothy with the gifts from Macedonia (1Th 3:6; 2Co 11:9; Php
4:15) set Paul free from tent-making for a while so that he
began to devote himself (inchoative imperfect) with fresh
consecration to preaching. See the active in 2Co 5:14. He was
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC18.RWP.html (2 of 14) [28/08/2004 09:07:08 a.m.]