Women of Note in the New Testament
67
to receive—this was the part Paul was to act in her conversion; and
then the God of all grace exercised His power, leading the soul in the
right way. God and the human agent cooperated, and the work was
wholly successful.—
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 6:1062 (1900)
.
Acting upon the instruction given by Christ, the apostles would
not urge their presence where it was not desired. “They went out of
the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had
seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.”—
The Acts of
the Apostles, 218 (1911)
.
Priscilla
This chapter is based on
Acts 18:1-4
;
18-28
.
Priscilla and her husband Aquila were tentmakers. They were
faithful in teaching others about Jesus Christ. Paul, also being a
tentmaker, worked closely with them, teaching them more about Christ
.
The envy and rage of the Jews against the Christians [in Rome]
knew no bounds, and the unbelieving residents were constantly stirred
up. They made complaints that the Christian Jews were disorderly, and
dangerous to the public good. Constantly they were setting in motion
something that would stir up strife. This caused the Christians to be
[74]
banished from Rome.—
The Review and Herald, March 6, 1900
.
Soon after his arrival at Corinth, Paul found “a certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla.”
These were “of the same craft” with himself. Banished by the decree
of Claudius, which commanded all Jews to leave Rome, Aquila and
Priscilla had come to Corinth, where they established a business as
manufacturers of tents. Paul made inquiry concerning them, and learn-
ing that they feared God and were seeking to avoid the contaminating
influences with which they were surrounded, “he abode with them,
and wrought: ... And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and
persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”
Acts 18:2-4
.—
The Acts of the
Apostles, 349, 350 (1911)
.
The apostle Paul was an able minister of the gospel, and yet he
labored with his hands, doing the humble work of a tent-maker. By
working with his hands he did not lessen his work of communicating
to Aquila and Priscilla the great truth of the gospel of Christ. These