CORINTH: a Major Port City in Greece Known for Its Immorality & Corruption

Ministry of Paul, Lesson 9

CORINTH: A Major Port City in Greece Known for its Immorality & Corruption

12 November 2012

Bob Kaylor, Saving Grace Lutheran Church

All quotations from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version c 2001

History of the city: Finds of Neolithic pottery suggest that the area has been occupied since about 6,500 B.C. but gaps in the archeological record seem to indicate sparse and intermittent population until founding of the city around 900 B.C. The ancient city of Corinth was named for Corinthos, a descendant of the god Helios (the Sun) and lay on an isthmus between the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese. The isthmus is only 3.7 miles wide with the Corinthian Gulf (leading to the Adriatic Sea) on the west and Sardonic Gulf (leading to the Agean Sea) on the east. As commercial sailing became commonplace, a canal connecting those two bodies of water became a popular idea. Construction started in the 6th century B.C. but soon proved to be too big an undertaking for the technology of the time. So, a paved road known as the Diolkos was built to allow light ships to be hauled overland. At its west end was the port of Lechaeum and on the east end was the port of Cenchrea (Acts 18:18). Corinth was also on the only north-south road in the region and therefore was a major player in the politics of Greece and in the competition between Athens and Sparta, usually on the side of Sparta. Under Roman rule, the city’s population grew with the influx of freedmen whose entrepreneurial vigor coupled with the strategic location led it to be more prosperous than ever. By the time the gospel reached Corinth with Paul, the city had a proud history of leadership in the Achaian League, and a spirit of revived Hellenism under Roman domination after 44 B.C. Paul’s lengthy stay in Corinth brought him directly in contact with the major monuments of the agora, many of which still survive. The fountain-house of the spring Peirene, the temple of Apollo, the macellum or meat market (1Co 10:25) and the theater, the bema (Ac 18:12), and the less impressive synagogue all played a part in the experience of the apostle. An inscription from the theater names the city official Erastus, probably the friend of Paul mentioned in Ro 16:23.

Biblical connections: The city of Corinth or its residents are not mentioned in our Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Corinthians are Paul’s epistles to the congregation there, and the city or its residents are mentioned 5 other times in our New Testament…4 times in Acts and once in 1 Timothy, all related to the missionary work of Paul, Aquila and Pricilla, Apollos, and Erastus. There is an indication of an earlier letter from Paul to the church in Corinth (1Co 5:9-10) that has not been preserved for us. Also, some scholars believe that 2 Corinthians was originally two separate letters (2Co:1-9 and 2Co:10-13) that were merged by a later compiler of the written works of Paul, however there is no manuscript evidence that warrants splitting 2 Corinthians into two parts.

We catch up with Paul today in A.D. 51 during his second missionary journey.

Ac 18:1After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

So, Paul arrives in Corinth, meets a Jewish couple that not only can provide him a room, but can also employ his tent-making skills in their business. Having secured lodging and a livelihood, Paul starts his evangelism efforts.

Ac 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.

Silas and Timothy had stayed in Berea when Paul went to Athens. Now as they catch up with him in Corinth, they bring a gift from the congregation in Philippi where Luke was still at work.

2Co 11:7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.

Php 4:14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.

Silas and Timothy also brought good news from the congregation in Thessalonica.

1Ti 3:6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

The good news carried to Paul by Silas and Timothy prompts him to write 1 Thessalonians.

1Th 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

(Note: Silas is the missionary’s Hebrew name and Silvanus is his Greek name. It’s the same guy.) Anyway, Paul starts off in Corinth the same way we’ve seen in other cities, after being welcomed in the synagogue, Paul cannot continue his work there and finds another place to preach and teach.

Ac 18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.

Also as we’ve seen in other cities, Paul has some success among the Jews, but his work among the Gentiles is especially blessed.

Ac 18:8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

1Co 16:15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints—

Gaius, mentioned as one of those baptized, later hosts the congregation.

Ro 16:23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Paul now receives encouragement from God.

Ac 18:9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

It is during this stay that Paul writes 2 Thessalonians.

2Th 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

And once again, like we’ve seen in other cities, Paul is taken to court by unhappy Jews who see him as some kind of competition, perhaps even a traitor.

Ac 18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

There’s an interesting parallel here. Can you recall another Roman governor, telling another angry Jewish crowd, that the gospel preacher brought before him had committed no crime? Of course, we’ve also seen mob violence and leaders turning a blind eye before in our studies.

Ac 18:18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

After a long, and mostly successful stay, Paul leaves Corinth accompanied by the tentmaking evangelism team, and gets on the boat at Cenchreae (Corith’s eastern port) after cutting his hair. He leaves behind a growing congregation that will face serious challenges from within and without, but he’s also made life-long friends in Gaius, Crispus and Stephanas. Paul next visits Corinth on his third missionary journey. While staying at Ephesus in about A.D. 55, he makes a short “emergency visit” to the city. Luke does not tell us about this second or middle visit to Corinth in Acts, but Paul tells us in an epistle that there was a visit between the two that Luke records.

2Co 12:14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

So, Paul visited Corinth on his second missionary journey and then twice on his third journey…one short visit that had not been planned, and then a longer visit which he had looked forward to. In between those visits, he wrote 1 Corinthians. Also, he seems to have sent Timothy ahead.

Ac 19:21a Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem,

1Co 4:17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

1Co 16:10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Paul then sends more helpers to Corinth, probably hoping to hear that 1 Corinthians had been well received.

2Co 12:17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18a I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him.

Paul passes through Macedonia on his way to Achaia, Timothy rejoins him there, and he writes 2 Corinthians. Titus again acts as his courier, this time traveling with two others.

2Co 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

2Co 8:16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

Paul eventually makes it Greece, but Luke tells us little about the visit.

Ac 20:2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Paul may have visited Athens but he certainly made a third visit to Corinth.

He tells us a little of what his hopes and fears of the visit to Corinth were.

2Co 2:1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.

2Co 9:3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident.

2Co12:20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.