Act 18:27, 1Cor 3:10 | JFB | STEP | 27, 28. And when he was disposed —"minded," "resolved." to pass into Achaia —of which Corinth, on the opposite coast (see on ), was the capital; there to proclaim that Gospel which he now more fully comprehended. the brethren —We had not before heard of such gathered at Ephesus. But the desire of the Jews to whom Paul preached to retain him among them for some time ( ), and his promise to return to them ( ), seem to indicate some drawing towards the Gospel, which, no doubt, the zealous private labors of Priscilla and Aquila would ripen into discipleship. wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him —a beautiful specimen of "letters of recommendation" (as , and see ); by which, as well as by interchange of deputations, &c., the early churches maintained active Christian fellowship with each other. when he was come, helped them much —was a great acquisition to the Achaian brethren. which believed through grace —one of those incidental expressions which show that faith's being a production of God's grace in the heart was so current and recognized a truth that it was taken for granted, as a necessary consequence of the general system of grace, rather than expressly insisted on. (It is against the natural order of the words to read them, as BENGEL , MEYER , and others, do, "helped through grace those who believed").

Acts 18:27

27, 28. And when he was disposed—"minded," "resolved."

to pass into Achaia—of which Corinth, on the opposite coast (see on Ac 18:1), was the capital; there to proclaim that Gospel which he now more fully comprehended.

the brethren—We had not before heard of such gathered at Ephesus. But the desire of the Jews to whom Paul preached to retain him among them for some time (Ac 18:20), and his promise to return to them (Ac 18:21), seem to indicate some drawing towards the Gospel, which, no doubt, the zealous private labors of Priscilla and Aquila would ripen into discipleship.

wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him—a beautiful specimen of "letters of recommendation" (as Ac 15:23, 25-27, and see 2Co 3:1); by which, as well as by interchange of deputations, &c., the early churches maintained active Christian fellowship with each other.

when he was come, helped them much—was a great acquisition to the Achaian brethren.

which believed through grace—one of those incidental expressions which show that faith's being a production of God's grace in the heart was so current and recognized a truth that it was taken for granted, as a necessary consequence of the general system of grace, rather than expressly insisted on. (It is against the natural order of the words to read them, as BENGEL, MEYER, and others, do, "helped through grace those who believed").

1 Corinthians 3:10

10. grace . . . given unto me—Paul puts this first, to guard against seeming to want humility, in pronouncing himself "a WISE master builder," in the clause following [CHRYSOSTOM]. The "grace" is that "given" to him in common with all Christians (1Co 3:5), only proportioned to the work which God had for him to do [ALFORD].

wise—that is, skilful. His skill is shown in his laying a foundation. The unskilful builder lays none (Lu 6:49). Christ is the foundation (1Co 3:11).

another—who ever comes after me. He does not name Apollos; for he speaks generally of all successors, whoever they be. His warning, "Let every man (every teacher) take heed how," &c., refers to other successors rather than Apollos, who doubtless did not, as they, build wood, hay, &c., on the foundation (compare 1Co 4:15). "I have done my part, let them who follow me see (so the Greek for 'take heed') to theirs" [BENGEL].

how—with what material [ALFORD]. How far wisely, and in builder-like style (1Pe 4:11).

buildeth thereupon—Here the building or superstructure raised on Christ the "foundation," laid by Paul (1Co 2:2) is not, as in Eph 2:20, 21, the Christian Church made up of believers, the "lively stones" (1Pe 2:5), but the doctrinal and practical teaching which the teachers who succeeded Paul, superadded to his first teaching; not that they taught what was false, but their teaching was subtle and speculative reasoning, rather than solid and simple truth.