SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:2
Y hallando a un judío llamado Aquila, natural del Ponto, que hacía poco que había venido de Italia, y a Priscila su mujer, (porque Claudio había mandado que todos los judíos saliesen de Roma) se vino a ellos;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 18:2
Verse 2. A certain Jew named Aquila] Some have supposed that this Aquila was the same with the Onkelos, mentioned by the Jews. See the article in Wolfius, Bibl. Hebr. vol. ii. p. 1147. We have no evidence that this Jew and his wife were at this time converted to the Christian religion. Their conversion was most likely the fruit of St. Paul's lodging with them-Pontus. See the note on chap. ii. 9.
Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome] This edict of the Roman emperor is not mentioned by Josephus; but it is probably the same to which Suetonius refers in his life of Claudius; where he says, Judaeos, impulsore Chresto, assidue tumultuantes Roma expulit. "He expelled the Jews from Rome, as they were making continual insurrections, under their leader Chrestus." Who this Chrestus was we cannot tell; probably Suetonius means Christ; but this I confess does not appear to me likely. There might have been a Jew of the name of Chrestus, who had made some disturbances, and, in consequence, Claudius thought proper to banish all Jews from the city. But how could he intend Christ, who was never at Rome? nor did any one ever personate him in that city; and it is evident he could not refer to any spiritual influence exerted by Christ on the minds of the people. Indeed he speaks of Chrestus as being the person who was the cause of the disturbances. It is no fictitious name, no name of an absent person, nor of a sect; but of one who was well known by the disturbances which he occasioned, and for which it is likely he suffered, and those of his nation were expelled. This decree, which was made, not by the senate, but by the emperor himself, continued only in force during his life, if so long; for in a short time after this Rome again abounded with Jews.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And found a certain Jew named Aquila , etc.] This seems to have been his Roman name, which he had took, or was given him, while he was at Rome; very likely his Jewish name was dn , Nesher, which signifies an eagle, as Aquila does: unless it should rather be thought to be a Greek name; and as Olympas is from Olympios, and Nymphas from Nymphios; so Akilas, as it in the Greek text, from Akylios, and this from akulov , Akylos, which signifies an acorn. There was a Jewish proselyte of this name, who translated the Bible into Greek, who is called by the Jewish writers slyq[ , Akilas f914 ; and Eusebius calls him akulav o pontikov , or Akylas or Aquila of Pontus, as here, but cannot be the same; for one was a Jew, the other a Gentile, then a Christian, and afterwards a Jewish proselyte, and lived after the destruction of Jerusalem many years, even in the times of Adrian: nor is it the same name with Onkelos, the famous Chaldee paraphrast, as some have thought, and much less the same person; for though their age better agrees, yet neither their name, nor their nation; for Onkelos was only a proselyte, not a Jew, as this man was; and the agreement the names of these proselytes may be thought to have with this, does but confirm it to be a Roman name; and in a decree of Claudius the Roman emperor, mention is made of Akylas, or Aquila, a Roman governor of Alexandria f916 : and in the reign of Caius Caligula, there was a consul of Rome whose name was M. Aquila Julianus.
This is said to be afterwards bishop of Heraclea; but that is not to be depended upon: born in Pontus ; a country in Asia; (see Gill on Acts 2:9) where many Jews lived; though he was born in an Heathen country, his parents were Jews: lately come from Italy ; a famous and well known country in Europe: (see Gill on Hebrews 13:24). with his wife Priscilla ; she and her husband are both highly spoken of in ( Romans 16:3,4 (see Gill on Romans 16:3)), (see Gill on Romans 16:4): because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome ; of which edict Suetonius makes mention, who says, that Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, who were continually making tumults, being moved thereunto by one Chrestus, who is generally understood to be Christ; and it is thought that the reason of this edict was, that the Jews in Rome continually opposing and disputing with the Christians, about Jesus being the Messiah, Claudius, who was of a timorous disposition, was afraid of a tumult, and that it might issue in his detriment, and therefore banished all the Jews, with whom the Christians were involved; for by the Heathens they were all called Jews, the first Christians being Jews: though others say the reason was, that the Jews had contracted an acquaintance with Agrippina, the wife of Claudius, and had drawn her into Judaism: but be it as it will, such an edict was made, on account of which Aquila and Priscilla were obliged to leave Rome, and come to Corinth. It must be something that was very provoking to him, otherwise before he had shown much favour to the Jews; for he not only granted to the Jews at Alexandria, that they should continue in the observance of their laws and customs, but permitted the same to them in all parts of the empire, by a special decree, which runs thus f918 ; Tiberius Claudius Caesar, etc. decrees, seeing the Kings Agrippa and Herod, my dearest friends, have entreated me that I would suffer the Jews in every government under the Romans, to observe their laws as in Alexandria; I most willingly grant it, not only for the sake of gratifying those who ask it, but judging that those are worthy, for whom it is asked, because of their faithfulness and friendship to the Romans; especially accounting it most just that no Grecian city should be deprived of these rights, seeing they were kept for them by the divine Augustus; wherefore it is right also that the Jews throughout all our empire should observe the customs of their country without any hinderance, whom I now command that in love to us they would behave more moderately, and not despise the religion of other nations, but keep their own laws; and I will that governors of cities, and colonies, and freedoms, both in Italy and without, have this my edict transcribed, and also kings and princes by their ambassadors, and that it be put in such a place in less than thirty days, from whence it may be plainly read.
This Claudius was the fifth emperor of Rome; and this decree passed in the ninth, or, as others, in the eleventh year of his reign, and about the year of Christ 51, or, as others, 54. And came unto them : that is, the apostle, having found out Aquila and Priscilla, he came and visited them, and took up his lodging with them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Though Paul was entitled to support from the churches he planted, an from the people to whom he preached, yet he worked at his calling. A honest trade, by which a man may get his bread, is not to be looke upon with contempt by any. It was the custom of the Jews to bring u their children to some trade, though they gave them learning of estates. Paul was careful to prevent prejudices, even the mos unreasonable. The love of Christ is the best bond of the saints; an the communings of the saints with each other, sweeten labour, contempt and even persecution. Most of the Jews persisted in contradicting the gospel of Christ, and blasphemed. They would not believe themselves and did all they could to keep others from believing. Paul hereupo left them. He did not give over his work; for though Israel be no gathered, Christ and his gospel shall be glorious. The Jews could no complain, for they had the first offer. When some oppose the gospel, we must turn to others. Grief that many persist in unbelief should no prevent gratitude for the conversion of some to Christ.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ευρων 2147 5631 V-2AAP-NSM τινα 5100 X-ASM ιουδαιον 2453 A-ASM ονοματι 3686 N-DSN ακυλαν 207 N-ASM ποντικον 4193 A-ASM τω 3588 T-DSN γενει 1085 N-DSN προσφατως 4373 ADV εληλυθοτα 2064 5756 V-2RAP-ASM απο 575 PREP της 3588 T-GSF ιταλιας 2482 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ πρισκιλλαν 4252 N-ASF γυναικα 1135 N-ASF αυτου 846 P-GSM δια 1223 PREP το 3588 T-ASN διατεταχεναι 1299 5760 V-RAN κλαυδιον 2804 N-ASM χωριζεσθαι 5563 5745 V-PPN παντας 3956 A-APM τους 3588 T-APM ιουδαιους 2453 A-APM εκ 1537 PREP της 3588 T-GSF ρωμης 4516 N-GSF προσηλθεν 4334 5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Lately (prosfatwv). Only here in New Testament, though the kindred adjective, rendered new, is found in Heb. x. 20. It is derived from fenw, to slay, and the adjective means, originally, lately slain; thence, fresh, new, recent. It is quite common in medical writings in this sense.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
18:2 {Aquila} (akulan). Luke calls him a Jew from Pontus, apparently not yet a disciple, though there were Jews from Pontus at the great Pentecost who were converted (#2:9). Aquila who made the famous A.D. translation of the O.T. was also from Pontus. Paul "found" (heurwn, second aorist active participle of heuriskw) though we do not know how. Edersheim says that a Jewish guild always kept together whether in street or synagogue so that by this bond they probably met. {Lately come from Italy} (prosfatws eleluqota apo tes italias). Second perfect participle of ercomai. _Koin_ adverb, here only in the N.T., from adjective prosfatos (pro, sfaw or sfazw, to kill), lately slaughtered and so fresh or recent (#Heb 10:20). {With his wife Priscilla} (kai priskillan gunaika autou). Diminutive of priska (#Ro 16:3; 1Co 16:19). Prisca is a name in the Acilian family and the Prisci was the name of another noble clan. Aquila may have been a freedman like many Jews in Rome. Her name comes before his in verses #18,26; Ro 16:3; 2Ti 4:9. {Because Claudius had commanded} (dia to diatetacenai klaudion). Perfect active articular infinitive of diatassw, old verb to dispose, arrange, here with accusative of general reference. dia here is causal sense, "because of the having ordered as to Claudius." this was about A.D. 49, done, Suetonius says (_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.
