The Second Missionary Journey
Corinth
Acts 18:1-11 KJV 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and
came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in
Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto
them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and
wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned
in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6 And
when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment,
and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean:
from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 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. 8 And
Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all
his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were
baptized. 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not
afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no
man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11
And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God
among them.
Introduction
The city of Corinth figures very prominently in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. The Church at Corinth, if in existence today, would be one with which we probably would not want to fellowship. The majority of the 139
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problems with the church were the result of the prevalence of opportunities for sin, especially of the sexual nature. Because of this, let us consider the city and culture of it with its background.
A Regional Map1
(From Easton’s Bible Dictionary) Corinth
A Grecian city, on the isthmus which joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. It is about 48 miles west of Athens. The ancient city was destroyed by the Romans (B.C. 146), and that mentioned in the New Testament was quite a new city, having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and peopled by a colony of freedmen from Rome. It became under the Romans the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia (Acts 18:12-16). It was noted for its wealth, and for the luxurious and immoral and vicious habits of the people. It had a large mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and Jews. When Paul first visited the city (A.D. 51 or 52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. Here Paul resided for eighteen months (18:1-18). Here he first became acquainted with Aquila and Priscilla, and soon after his departure Apollos came to it from Ephesus.
After an interval he visited it a second time and remained for three months (20:3). During this second visit his Epistle to the Romans was written (probably A.D. 55). Although there were many Jewish converts at Corinth, yet the Gentile element prevailed in the church there.
Some have argued from 2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1, that Paul visited Corinth a third time (i.e., that on some unrecorded occasion he visited the city between what are usually called the first and second visits). But the passages 140
referred to only indicate Paul's intention to visit Corinth (comp. 1
Corinthians 16:5, where the Greek present tense denotes an intention), an intention which was in some way frustrated. We can hardly suppose that such a visit could have been made by the apostle without more distinct reference to it.2
Corinth- A City of Corruption
Corinth was a large city in the first century with a population estimated at 200,000 people. Today, the population is only about 50,000. Interestingly, modern Corinth is located about five miles from the ancient city. But why was the city so big then and not now? The main reason was its geographic location. Corinth was located on a land bridge, which is a small strip of land that separates two bodies of water. This bridge is located in the center of Greece. So, if you lived in southern Greece and needed to sell some goods in northern Greece, you would have to travel through (or very near) Corinth.
Even ships were carried over the land bridge because of the short distance.
As a result, Corinth be came a large commercial center.
A second attraction was the number of temples located in and around the city. Historians claim there were twelve in all. One of these was the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Her temple was situated on a hill about 500 feet above the city. In order to worship this goddess, men participated in immoral acts with “priestesses” devoted to serving Aphrodite (there were approximately one thousand of these priestesses). Because many of these travelers did not believe in God, their moral standards were lower than those of Christians. Although many of them were married, they believed they could justify their actions because they were attempting to please Aphrodite. Thus, “Corinth” became a word in the Roman world that signified inappropriate relationships between unmarried people.
Another important temple was the one dedicated to Apollo, located in downtown Corinth. Known to the Romans as the god of music, light, truth, and healing, his most important task was making sure the Sun rose and set every day. According to mythology, he would harness four horses to his 141
chariot and drive the Sun across the sky, and in his spare time he taught men medicine and practiced archery.3
What Happens in Corinth, Stays in Corinth (First Corinthians) The city of Corinth was the Las Vegas of the ancient world. It was located on an isthmus that allowed sailors, merchants, refugees and adventurers from all over the world to mix together, blending their customs and ideas.
Corinth was rich with agriculture and a variety of export products. The city had adopted a “pleasure now” philosophy and nearly anything went in this party city. There was a saying; “Not everyone can go to Corinth,” meaning that if you were lucky enough to visit Corinth, live it up!
According to one commentator, “It must be remembered that Corinth was one of the most wicked cities of ancient times and that the church was surrounded by heathen customs and practices.”
While this environment certainly made for some unique challenges (where else would you have to specifically tell a church member that sleeping with his step-mother was a big “no-no”), there were some notable bright lights in the city. The apostle Paul started a church there on his second missionary journey. Priscilla and Aquilla, the spiritual power-couple who were themselves refugee having been expelled from their home city, were leaders in the Corinthian church. They mentored a talented and bold evangelist named Apollos, who had a thriving ministry.4
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Corinth in Paul’s Time—What Can Archaeology Tell Us?
On his first visit, Paul came to Corinth from Athens. He apparently stayed in Corinth a year and a half, teaching the word of his god and baptizing believers (Acts 18:1, 8, 11). According to Acts, it was in Corinth that Paul, after his preaching was rejected by the Jews, first turned to the gentiles.
“From now on,” he said, “I will go to the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6).
While the account of the apostle’s initial visit to Corinth in Acts is more or less dependable, the most fascinating window on Paul’s ministry in Corinth comes from his letters to the congregation—from 1 and 2 Corinthians.
There we learn that Paul drew his Corinthian converts from extremely diverse segments of the population that often differed in their opinions and practices regarding such matters as sex, involvement with the “world,”
spiritual gifts and the future resurrection of believers. At least some of these Christians had serious suspicions about the legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship—and, indeed, even about his personal integrity.
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When Paul speaks of his constant anxiety for the churches he has founded (2 Corinthians 11:28), he surely includes the troubled congregation of Corinth.5
As our previous quotes indicate, Corinth was a very large and prosperous city. Upon his arrival, he soon found Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They had been forced to leave the city of Rome because the emperor had commanded that all Jews had to leave. Thus, they settled in the city of Corinth, where Paul met with them. They were all tentmakers and soon were conducting business in Corinth. They were probably located in the Corinthian Agora, which according to historians was the largest in the world at that time. This provided Paul plenty of people to present the Gospel. They probably had a very lucrative business being located there. It was cross-roads with travelers from all points of the compass.
Aquila and Priscilla had already established a home in Corinth, so Paul joined them in their home and trade. On the Sabbaths, Paul went to the synagogue and reasoned with whoever was there. Verse four relates to us that many Jews and Greeks were saved. “Perhaps it was his teaching, lecturing, discoursing in the synagogue at Corinth, that he later wrote of
"becoming all things to all men that he might by all means win some," as regards customs, where no moral or ethical principle is concerned.”6
Silas and Timothy soon joined Paul in Corinth. They had been in Macedonia and now caught up with Paul, verse five. Paul became so frustrated with the Jews that he “shook the dust off his feet” and declared to them, the Jews, that he would no longer preach and teach to them, but rather unto the Gentiles. He declared himself to be clean of their blood, meaning that he had done all that he could do to preach the Gospel to them.
After his departure from the synagogue, Paul was able to resume in the house of Justus. Justus was a Gentile who was interested in the Gospel. His house was attached to the synagogue next door. As a Gentile proselyte, it was easy for a mixed audience to be there and hear Paul preach.
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Verse eight relates to us that one Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue was saved and all his house. Apparently because of his conversion, many Corinthians were also saved and baptized.
Verses nine and ten lets us know that God revealed to Paul that he was to continue as he was doing, and He would keep him safe. God was warning Paul not to be concerned about what was to soon come but to continue on.
God states to Paul in his dream that He had many people in the city of Corinth. No doubt He was referring to even some who had not yet believed but would.
Albert Garner had this to say concerning this statement. “"Because I have a great many people existing in this city," already in the city. How they had come to be or to (exist already as) His, is not told. Some hold that they were unsaved, but God just foreknew that they were going to be saved. This interpretation seems to be borne out of presumption, without scriptural justification. The greater likelihood, based on certain scriptural justification, is that in this international port city, converts from Pentecost had found their way there and already won many to the Lord, though they needed to be taught the way of the Lord more perfectly.”7
Conclusion
Verse eleven let us know that Paul continued in Corinth for eighteen months teaching the word of God. However, things were about to change. We will consider that change in the next part.
1 https://kingjamesbibledictionary.com/Dictionary/Corinth
2 IBID
3 https://apologeticspress.org/corinth-a-city-of-corruption-4914/
4 https://comethirstyministry.com/what-happens-in-corinth-stays-in-corinth-first-corinthians/
5 Victor Paul Furnish, https://www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/14/3/1, picture and text
6 Albert Garner, Power Bible CD, his comments on Acts 18:4
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7 IBID, verse ten
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