Corinth
Very wealthy city due to location on the isthmus; controlled the land route for the country plus had a port on each side (Aegean & Ionian Seas); instead of carving a canal, they paved it and allowed boats to cross on wheels
If all roads lead to Rome, then all boats lead to Corinth
Nero came and wanted to carve canal; made first cut, sent a slave labor force but eventually commits suicide; 69AD 4 different pretenders to throne, final leader stopped the work
1881, 12 years of work, to open it (like Suez Canal) with smaller boats
6 km length, 8m deep, not big enough for big ships
Closes occasionally due to landslides
Corinthians were active in their business ventures
Agriculture- grapes/raisins=currents (Corinth)
Clay - pottery makers
Blacksmiths- bronze products second to none; Spartan warriors wanted their armor; became obsession of every art collector
City never became democracy; always and oligarchy (rule of few— old land owners & marketplace business men)
Infamous for it’s low morality
Biggest port city (even today, each modern port city has same reputation)
Temple of Aphrodite sits at top of acropolis
Sacred Slavery/Prostitution (still around in some countries in the world)
Started in Mesopotamia, Canaanite (Ishtar, Estarta, Baal, Asherah); started in Tyre moved it to Cyprus then on to Corinth
Didn’t need to go to the temple, the slaves from there would go to them at the wells, fountains, water sources
where they would find “thirsty and thirsty” visitors
Would have sandals engraved with “follow” which imprinted in the dirt and would draw people to them and with them
“Corinthian Girl” = Prostitute / “Corinthian Court” = tried for adultery
All Maidens (even pious families due to the pressure from the culture) who wanted to get married, must go to temple to prostitute themselves, and use money for dowry
Slaves belonged to Temple who were used to fornicate to worship the goddess; would refer to themselves/their body as the temple of Aphrodite (cross reference, 1 co 6)
General population affected by this behavior; highly corrosive
Romans demolished city 300 years prior to Paul; then Julius Caesar reinstates it 100 years before Paul
When Paul arrived Corinth was rapidly growing, one of the top five cities of the empire
It was closest to capital (Rome)
And all the other big cities had to pass through Corinth to get to Rome
Was cult still in existence when Paul was here?
Doesn’t matter. Maybe but the impact of the history of the city was there. 1 Corinthians deals much with sexual immorality so it’s to be assumed that it was still a problem.
Paul wrote 4 letters to Corinthians - full of gifts and full of trouble, don’t think the ones who had the gifts also had the trouble; we read the 2nd and 4th in the canon of Scripture
Gifts of teaching, healing, prophesy, tongues
Prostitution, drunkenness, brother dragging brother to court, division
This meant that most of their church were not messianic Jews
Most “Western” of the churches as an example
Doesn’t mention once “persecution”
1 Cor 5– father’s wife, boasting, do not associate
1 Cor 6- v11 “homosexual” - one meaning in Greek; no way around it
Washed, justified, sanctified by blood of God
doesn’t matter how you’re born, God can change you
V18- flee from sexual immorality; you’re not your own, you’re bought with a price
1 Cor 11 - shave head, woman, head covering / in the ancient world, if the woman was convicted of adultery she had to shave her head, so it was representative of that— more shame than we can imagine as a woman grows her hair out her whole life
What if prostitutes were saved and had short hair?
Then perhaps that’s why Paul asks them to cover to not be discriminated against?
1 Corinthians 1-2
Paul could change his frequency according to his audience.
Athenians - uses eloquent wisdom
Corinthians/Uneducated masses - with humble explanations
Stumbling Block = Greek, Scandalos
1st Visit— wrote 1/2 Thessalonians & on 2nd visit wrote Romans
“Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Corinth was the crossroads of region and a huge city. It was also swimming in sin.
Every 2nd year, it hosted the Isthmian games (precursor to the Olympics) where 50k people would come to Corinth to attend games
There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.
Priscilla - pronounced pris-key-lah / Aquilla- pronounced ack-quill-lah; he has a Latin name which means eagle, perhaps named that because he has a big hook nose like his name meaning?
Her name being first is perhaps because her family has higher social standing.
V3- Jews taught sons trades; Tarsus (birthplace of Paul) renowned for leatherworkers; only requirements are a small pouch of supplies — thread, needle; easy to transport the business around and lead to other making/mending trades as well— sails, ropes, curtains, etc.
Due to the Isthmian games held every two years and Paul’s being there for 18 months, it’s likely he was able to make a buck providing tents and sewing services to the 50k extra people coming into town (not to mention the evangelistic opportunities)
Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”
v6- opposed & insulted him - such a reaction! They were particularly nasty to him. (Although, this seemed to be verbal and emotional abuse whereas Philippi was physical…)
Then he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized. One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
Apparently (and from human perspective, definitely justifiable), Paul found himself afraid. Paul was falling silent. Paul was living expectant of an attack.
God speaks to each of those things in his vision affirming his presence with Paul and the calling of not only him but other believers around him.
But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.” But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case. But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” And he threw them out of the courtroom.
Gallio- brother of Seneca; Nero’s tutor, governor of the province of Delphi
archeological evidence from 100 years ago- found a an inscription from Pilate to Gallio in 52AD, proving these verses true
Nero was in power when both Paul & Peter were execute
Roman law only allowed for intervention when two different groups had escalated conflict beyond a misdemeanor; their goal was to keep order not solve squabbles. They allowed the Jews to attend to their own law and order until it involved a different group. This certainly did not qualify.
The Jews going to the Romans for help was already an admission of defeat.
Achaea - Uh-kye-uh
Governor of Judgment - Greek “Bema”
The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention. Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.”
Cenchrea - 10 km from Corinth; would’ve been the biggest ports in the world at the time; major seismic movements destroyed much of the city
Vow is unexplained here but most likely a Nazirite Vow
Few days travel by boat from Corinth to Ephesus
Acts of the Apostles 18:1-18 NLT