Gallio, a notable figure in the New Testament, is best known for his role as the proconsul of Achaia during the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey. His encounter with Paul is recorded in the Book of Acts, specifically in Acts 18:12-17. Gallio's full name was Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus, and he was the elder brother of the famous Stoic philosopher Seneca. His tenure as proconsul is generally dated around AD 51-52.

Historical Context

Gallio's appointment as proconsul of Achaia placed him in a significant administrative position within the Roman Empire. Achaia was a senatorial province, and Corinth, its capital, was a major center of commerce and culture. The role of a proconsul was to govern the province, maintain order, and oversee legal matters. Gallio's reputation, as noted by historical sources, was that of a fair and amiable leader, which is consistent with his handling of the situation involving Paul.

Biblical Account

In Acts 18:12-17, the Jewish leaders in Corinth brought Paul before Gallio, accusing him of persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law. The passage reads:

"When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the judgment seat. 'This man,' they charged, 'is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.' But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If it were a matter of wrongdoing or a serious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.' And he drove them away from the judgment seat. Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio showed no concern whatsoever." (Acts 18:12-17)

Gallio's response is significant for several reasons. Firstly, he distinguishes between civil law and religious disputes, refusing to adjudicate matters he deemed internal to the Jewish community. This decision reflects the Roman policy of religious tolerance, provided that public order was maintained. Secondly, Gallio's dismissal of the case effectively allowed Paul to continue his ministry in Corinth without interference from the Roman authorities.

Theological Implications

Gallio's interaction with Paul highlights the early Christian church's complex relationship with Roman authorities. His refusal to judge religious matters set a precedent that allowed Christianity to spread relatively unhindered by Roman law during its formative years. This incident underscores the providential protection over Paul's mission, as Gallio's decision prevented legal obstacles that could have hindered the spread of the Gospel.

Extra-Biblical References

Gallio is also mentioned in extra-biblical sources, such as the writings of his brother Seneca and the Roman historian Tacitus. These references provide additional context to his character and the political environment of the time. Seneca's letters portray Gallio as a man of integrity and kindness, which aligns with the biblical portrayal of his fair-mindedness.

Conclusion

Gallio's brief appearance in the New Testament offers valuable insights into the early church's interactions with Roman governance. His decision to dismiss the charges against Paul reflects a broader Roman policy of religious tolerance and highlights the legal and social dynamics of the time. Through Gallio's actions, the early Christian movement was afforded a measure of protection, allowing it to grow and establish a foundation for future expansion.Gallio

who sucks, or lives on milk

Gallio

(one who lives on milk), Junius Annaeus Gallio, the Roman proconsul of Achaia when St. Paul was at Corinth, A.D. 53, under the emperor Claudius. (Acts 18:12) He was brother to Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the philosopher. Jerome in the Chronicle of Eusebius says that he committed suicide in 65 A.D. Winer thinks he was put to death by Nero.

Gallio

A proconsul of Archaia, under the emperor Claudius, in the time of Paul, Acts 18:12-17. He was the elder brother of the philosopher Seneca, who describes him as uncommonly amiable and upright. His residence was at Corinth; and when the Jews of the city made an insurrection against Paul, and dragged him before the judgment seat, Gallio refused to entertain their clamorous and unjust demands. The Greeks who were present, pleased with the rebuff the persecuting Jews had received, fell upon Sosthenes their leader, and beat him upon the spot, a mode of retribution that Gallio ought not to have allowed. Like his brother Seneca, he suffered death by order of the tyrant Nero.

The elder brother of Seneca the philosopher, who was tutor and for some time minister of the emperor Nero. He was "deputy", i.e., proconsul, as in Revised Version, of Achaia, under the emperor Claudius, when Paul visited Corinth (Acts 18:12). The word used here by Luke in describing the rank of Gallio shows his accuracy. Achaia was a senatorial province under Claudius, and the governor of such a province was called a "proconsul." He is spoken of by his contemporaries as "sweet Gallio," and is described as a most popular and affectionate man. When the Jews brought Paul before his tribunal on the charge of persuading "men to worship God contrary to the law" (18:13), he refused to listen to them, and "drave them from the judgment seat" (18:16). GALLIO

gal'-i-o (Gallion): The Roman deputy or proconsul of Achaia, before whom Paul was haled by his Jewish accusers on the apostle's first visit to Corinth, during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:12-17). The trial was not of long duration. Although Gallio extended his protection to the Jewish religion as one of the religions recognized by the state, he contemptuously rejected the claim of the Jews that their law was binding upon all. In the eyes of the proconsul, the only law universally applicable was that of the Roman code and social morality: under neither was the prisoner chargeable; therefore, without even waiting to hear Paul's speech in his own defense, he summarily ordered his lictors to clear the court. Even the subsequent treatment meted out to Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, was to him a matter of indifference. The beating of Sosthenes is ascribed by different readings to "Jews" and to "Greeks," but the incident is referred to by the writer of Acts to show that the sympathies of the populace lay with Paul, and that Gallio made no attempt to suppress them. Gallio has often been instanced as typical of one who is careless or indifferent to religion, yet in the account given of him in Acts, he merely displayed an attitude characteristic of the manner in which Roman governors regarded the religious disputes of the time (compare also LYSIAS; FELIX; FESTUS). Trained by his administrative duties to practical thinking and precision of language, he refused to adjudicate the squabbles of what he regarded as an obscure religious sect, whose law was to him a subtle quibbling with "words and names."

According to extra-canonical references, the original name of Gallio was Marcus Annaeus Novatus, but this was changed on his being adopted by the rhetorician, Lucius Junius Gallio. He was born at Cordova, but came to Rome in the reign of Tiberius. He was the brother of the philosopher Seneca, by whom, as also by Statius, reference is made to the affable nature of his character. As Achaia was reconstituted a proconsular province by Claudius in 44 A.D., the accession of Gallio to office must have been subsequent to that date, and has been variously placed at 51-53 A.D. (compare also Knowling in The Expositor's Greek Testament, II, 389-92).

C. M. Kerr

1058. Gallion -- Gallio, proconsul of Asia
... Gallio, proconsul of Asia. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Gallion
Phonetic Spelling: (gal-lee'-own) Short Definition: Gallio Definition: Gallio ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1058.htm - 6k

Gallio
... THE ACTS CHAP. XIII TO END GALLIO. ... How little Gallio dreamed that he would live
for ever in men's mouths by reason of this one judicial dictum! ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/gallio.htm

Paul's Work at Corinth
... But when Gallio was governor of Greece, the Jews joined in an attack on Paul and
brought him before the court on the charge that he led people to worship God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/pauls work at corinth.htm

Acts XVIII
... (12) "While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews, with one accord, rose up against
Paul and led him to ... The incident reflects great credit upon Gallio. 17. ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xviii.htm

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
... Corinth. When St. Paul visited it, it was under a proconsul, Junius Gallio,
the brother of the philosopher Seneca. The possession ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter x the first epistle.htm

Corinth
... They rose in a body and "made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought
him to the judgment seat" of Gallio, who was then proconsul of Achaia. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 24 corinth.htm

Paul in Corinth.
... This promise did not fail, when the Jews laid hold of him, and led him to the tribunal
of Gallio; for the deputy refused to hear their accusation, and ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

Acts xvii. 32-34, xviii. 1
... And when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord
against Paul, and brought him to the judgment-seat." (v.11, 12.) Do you ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxix acts xvii 32-34.htm

The Acts of the Apostles.
... The description of persons introduced in the Acts such as Gamaliel, Herod, Agrippa
I., Bernice, Felix, Festus, Gallio, agrees as far as it goes entirely with ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 85 the acts of.htm

Second Missionary Journey
... were: Claudius, Emperor of Rome (Nero became Emperor in 54 AD); Herod Agrippa II.,
King of Chalcis (who also gets Batanea and Trachontis); and Gallio,#NAME?2 ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study iv second missionary journey.htm

The Ministry of Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.
... Gallio, brother of the celebrated Seneca the philosopher, was now "the deputy of
Achaia;" [112:4] and when the bigoted and incensed Israelites "made ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter vii the ministry of.htm

Gallio (3 Occurrences)
... The word used here by Luke in describing the rank of Gallio shows his accuracy.
Achaia ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GALLIO. gal ...
/g/gallio.htm - 10k

Achaia (11 Occurrences)
... It was at the time when Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles under the proconsular
form of government; hence the appropriate title given to Gallio as the "deputy ...
/a/achaia.htm - 13k

Judgment-seat (10 Occurrences)
... Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose
up against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat, (ASV DBY WBS). ...
/j/judgment-seat.htm - 9k

Judge's (8 Occurrences)
... (WEY BBE NIV). Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was ruler of Achaia, all the Jews together
made an attack on Paul, and took him to the judge's seat, (BBE). ...
/j/judge's.htm - 8k

Tribunal (11 Occurrences)
... Acts 18:12 And Gallio being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a rush with one
accord upon Paul, and brought him unto the tribunal, (YLT RSV). ...
/t/tribunal.htm - 10k

Attack (221 Occurrences)
... Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was ruler of Achaia, all the Jews together made an
attack on Paul, and took him to the judge's seat, (BBE RSV NIV). ...
/a/attack.htm - 37k

Sosthenes (2 Occurrences)
... Safe in strength, the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, who was seized and
beaten by the mob in the presence of Gallio, the Roman governor, when he ...
/s/sosthenes.htm - 8k

Corinth (13 Occurrences)
... It had a large mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and Jews. When Paul first visited
the city (AD 51 or 52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. ...
/c/corinth.htm - 21k

Gallim (2 Occurrences)

/g/gallim.htm - 8k

Seat (256 Occurrences)
... Acts 18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose
up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, (WEB KJV ASV BBE ...
/s/seat.htm - 41k

Who was Sosthenes in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What happened on Paul's second missionary journey? | GotQuestions.org

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