Acts 18:7

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) And entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus.—On the name, see Note on Acts 1:23. It may be added here that it occurs also in early Christian inscriptions in the Vatican Museum, in one case at the bottom of a glass cup, in the Museo Christiano, in conjunction with the name of Timotheus. In some of the better MSS. the name Titus is prefixed to Justus, and it will be noted that both in Acts 1:23, and Colossians 4:11, the latter is used as an epithet after the names of Joseph and of Jesus. It is found by itself in the Jewish cemetery above referred to. (See Note on Acts 18:1.) It would be rash to infer from this the identity of this Titus Justus with the Titus of Galatians 2:3, as the disciple left in Crete. The name Titus was, like Gaius or Gains, one of the commonest Roman names, and, if the reading be genuine, we may think of the epithet as added to distinguish the Titus of Corinth from his namesake. On the other hand, to state the evidence on both sides fairly, the Titus who appears in 2Corinthians 2:12; 2Corinthians 7:14; 2Corinthians 8:16; 2Corinthians 8:23, was obviously very closely connected with the Church of Corinth, and was not unlikely to be sent to Crete to exercise a mission analogous to that which he had been entrusted with at Corinth, and the combination of the names Timotheus and Justus, above referred to, as equally entitled to reverence, is more intelligible if we assume that the latter name belonged to Titus, and that both stood therefore in the same relation to St. Paul as disciples and friends. In any case the Justus who is here named was, like Titus, an uncircumcised Gentile, attending the synagogue as a proselyte of the gate. Up to this time apparently, St. Paul had been lodging in the house of a Jew, in some region of Corinth analogous to the Ghetto of modern Rome, in the hope of conciliating his brethren according to the flesh. Now, in sight of the wild frenzied fanatics, he goes into a house which they would have shrunk from entering, even though it was next door to the synagogue, and though the man who lived in it was a devout worshipper.

Benson Commentary

Acts 18:7-8. He entered into a man’s house, named Justus — A Gentile, but a worshipper of the true God: and he preached there, though probably he still lodged with Aquila. He the rather chose to preach in the house of this religious proselyte, because, as it was near the synagogue, such of the Jews as were of a teachable disposition, had thereby an opportunity of hearing him. Accordingly, when he preached in this house, Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed — Whom Paul baptized; with all his house. And many of the Corinthians — The formerly idolatrous inhabitants of the city; hearing — The conversion of Crispus, and the preaching of Paul; believed and were baptized — Namely, by Silas and Timothy; for the apostle affirms that he baptized none of the Corinthians but Crispus and Gaius, and the household of Stephanus, 1 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Corinthians 1:16.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:7-11 The Lord knows those that are his, yea, and those that shall be his; for it is by his work upon them that they become his. Let us not despair concerning any place, when even in wicked Corinth Christ had much people. He will gather in his chosen flock from the places where they are scattered Thus encouraged, the apostle continued at Corinth, and a numerous and flourishing church grew up.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A certain man's house - Probably he had become a convert to the Christian faith.

Joined hard - Was near to the synagogue.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7, 8. he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus—not changing his lodging, as if Aquila and Priscilla up to this time were with the opponents of the apostle [Alford], but merely ceasing any more to testify in the synagogue, and henceforth carrying on his labors in this house of Justus, which "joining hard to the synagogue," would be easily accessible to such of its worshippers as were still open to light. Justus, too, being probably a proselyte, would more easily draw a mixed audience than the synagogue. From this time forth conversions rapidly increased.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Justus; some read Titus, some both Titus and Justus, making Justus a surname, as Acts 1:23 Colossians 4:11; after the manner of the Romans.

One that worshipped God; had forsaken the polytheism of the heathen.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he departed thence,..... Not from Corinth, but from the synagogue:

and entered into a certain man's house named Justus; he did not return to Aquila and Priscilla, because they were Jews, lest he should be thought not to abide by his words, that he would henceforth go to the Gentiles; wherefore as he came out of the synagogue, he turned into a house adjoining to it, which belonged to one Justus: in one copy of Beza's, and in some others, and in the Vulgate Latin version, he is called "Titus Justus"; and in the Arabic version, "Titus the son of Justus"; the Syriac version only reads "Titus": whether this is not the same Titus, who afterwards was a companion of the apostle, and to whom he wrote an epistle, may be inquired.

One that worshipped God; a Gentile, but a religious man, such an one as Cornelius: he might be a proselyte either of the gate, or of righteousness; though if he was the same with Titus, he could not be the latter, because he was not circumcised, Galatians 2:3 whose house joined hard to the synagogue; had this man been a Jew, his house might very well have been taken for the house which was , "near to the synagogue", in which travellers were entertained, and ate, and drank, and lodged (i); and that he was the person appointed to take care of them, and so a very suitable house for Paul, a stranger, to take up his lodging in. The Ethiopic version adds, very wrongly, taking it from the beginning of the next verse, "because he was the ruler of the synagogue"; as if Justus was the ruler of the synagogue; and this the reason why his house was so near; whereas not he, but Crispus, was the ruler, as follows.

(i) Vid. Maggid Misna in Maimon. Hilchot Sabbat, c. 29. sect. 3. & Gloss. in T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 10. 1. & in Bava Bathra, fol. 3. 2.

Geneva Study Bible

And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Acts 18:7. Paul immediately gave practical proof of this solemn renunciation of the Jews by departing from the synagogue (ἐκεῖθεν, which Heinrichs and Alford after Calvin explain, contrary to the context, ex domo Aguilae), and went, not into the house of a Jew, but into that of a proselyte, the otherwise unknown Justus, who is not to be identified with Titus (Wieseler). That Paul betook himself to the non-Jewish house nearest to the synagogue, is entirely in keeping with the profoundly excited emotion under which he acted, and with his decision of character.

συνομορεῖν] to border upon, is not found elsewhere; the Greeks use ὁμορεῖν in that sense. Observe, moreover, that a change of lodging is not mentioned.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 18:7. μεταβὰς ἐκεῖθεν, i.e., from the synagogue, cf. Luke 10:7, “he removed,” Rendall; “he changed his place from the synagogue,” Ramsay: the verb is found three times with ἐκεῖθεν in St. Matthew, and in each place “departed” R.V., this gives perfectly good sense: cf. Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire, p. 158, and critical note.—Ἰούστου: if the addition Τίτου or Τιτίου is correct, there is no need to discuss the possible identification with the companion of St. Paul in Galatians 2:1, etc.; see Alford and Page, in loco, and critical note. The identification was adopted by Chrysostom and Grotius, and for a statement of the evidence on either side see Plumptre, in loco. It should be remembered that we have Barsabbas Justus, Acts 1:23, and Jesus Justus, Colossians 4:11, see also Lightfoot “Acts of the Apostles,” B.D.2, i., 32. The house of a proselyte may have been chosen because it offered easy access to those who wished to come, whether Greeks or Hebrews (see Chrysostom’s comment), but in Paul’s thus going into the house of a proselyte hard by the synagogue we may see how his spirit had been stirred. But further: this Titus Justus was evidently a Roman citizen, one of the coloni in Corinth, and thus St. Paul would gain access through him to the more educated class in the city, Ramsay, St. Paul, p. 256, and “Corinth,” Hastings’ B.D., i. 480.—συνομοροῦσα: there is no need to suppose that he left his lodgings with Aquila—this house became Paul’s place of meeting (so in Ephesus, cf. Acts 19:9-10); he had his own synagogue there (Blass); in classics simple verb ὁμορέω, ὁμουρέω; compound only found here; συνόμορος, Eccl[319] writers.

[319]ccl. ecclesiastical.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. a certain man’s house, named Justus] He used this house for the purposes of teaching and worship. We may suppose that for his own lodging, he still remained with Aquila and Priscilla. Some MSS. give the name Titus Justus to this man, and the double name is adopted in the Revised Version, but there is good authority for the received text.

one that worshipped God] He was a Proselyte. The word is used of religious proselytes (Acts 13:43) and of devout Greeks (Acts 17:4). His house was therefore an appropriate place in which both Jews and Gentiles might meet, and to which Gentiles would be more ready to come than to that of a Jew by birth.

whose house joined hard to the synagogue] It is likely that St Paul, though he came no more to the synagogue at Corinth, chose not to betake himself far away, because he would be ready to receive any of his brethren who might change their feelings and come to him. But we can see how, while his near neighbourhood gave opportunity for this, the meetings of those who came to the synagogue with those who were going to the house of Justus, would be likely to cause bitterness, especially when the number of St Paul’s adherents began to increase, and a ruler of the synagogue was counted among them.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 18:7. [Ἐκεῖθεν, thence) So also ch. Acts 19:9.—V. g.]—Ἰούστου, of Justus) a Gentile.—συνομοροῦσα, adjoining to) So that those who frequented the synagogue might further [besides] hear the doctrine concerning Jesus Christ.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Went for entered, A.V.; the house of a certain man for a certain man's house, A.V.; Titus Justus for Justus, A.V. and T.R. Thence. Clearly from the synagogue, where he had been preaching to the Jews, not from Aquila's house, as Alford and others. It does not appear to be a question here of where Paul lodged, but where he preached. Justus had probably a large room, which he gave Paul the use of for his sabbath and other meetings. As Howson truly says, he continued to "lodge" (μένειν) with Aquila and Priscilla. It is only said that he "came" (ῆλθεν) to the house of Justus from the synagogue. So Renan, "Il enseigna desor-mais dans la maison de Titius Justus" (p. 216). One that worshipped God (σεβομένον τὸν Θεόν); i.e. a Greek proselyte of the gate (see Acts 13:43, 50; Acts 16:14; Acts 17:4, 17, etc.) Cornelius is called εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν Θεόν. Whose house, etc. Either his proximity to the synagogue had led to his attending there, or, being already a proselyte, he had taken a house hard by for the convenience of attending. Joined hard; ῆν συνομοροῦσα, found only here either in the New Testament or elsewhere. Ὁμορέω occurs in Plutarch; συνόμορος is also a word (Steph., 'Thesaur.'). Acts 18:7