Corinth

Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:1-4)

Corinth is located at the western end of a narrow isthmus joining the southern Greek peninsula of Peloponnesus with the mainland to the north, about 70 kilometres from Athens. Situated at the foot of the Acrocorinth, a 566 metre hill towering over the plain below, and surrounded by a 10 kilometre wall, Corinth was easily defended and made a good fortress. The city was also blessed with two harbours, at Cenchreae, 14 kilometres to the east on the Saronic Gulf, and Lechaeum 2.5 kilmetres west on the Corinthian Gulf. The isthmus at Corinth was therefore a natural land bridge between the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea.

Given its strategic location, dominating the north-south road as well as the east-west shipping routes, Corinth was considered the key to Greece. According to Thucydides, the first ships of war were built at Corinth in 664 BC. As early as 850 B.C., the Greek poet Homer also described Corinth as a 'wealthy' city. Indeed, from about 350 B.C. until 250 B.C. Corinth became the most influential and wealthiest city in Greece, rivalling even Athens. As part of the Achaean League, however, Corinth was eventually drawn into conflict with Rome and totally destroyed in 146 B.C. The Roman consul Mummius burnt the city to the ground, killing all the men and forcing the women and children into slavery. It remained desolate for over a century.

In 44 B.C. Julius Caesar decided to rebuild the city as a Roman colony repopulating it with both freed Italians as well as many slaves. It soon became a vital hub within the Roman Empire and capital of the new province of Achaea, ruled by its own proconsular governor. It is estimated that in the 1st Century, the population included 250,000 freed persons and 400,000 slaves. The famous Isthmian games were held nearby every two years bringing sportsmen, gamblers, merchants and traders to the city from all over the Mediterranean.

The wealth of Corinth was derived largely from shipping and commerce since the ports of Lechaeum and Cenchreae were connected by an overland ship-road. The cargo from large ships was transported over the narrow peninsula while smaller ships were actually hauled overland from one port to the other by a series of rollers. This enabled ships to avoid the longer and more dangerous sea route to the south around Cape Malea which was liable to severe storms in winter (Acts 27:13-20).

Although now a Roman city, Corinthians continued to worship the pagan gods of Greece. Shrines have been discovered dedicated to Apollo, Hermes, Athena and Poseidon, the sea god. It was also a major centre for healing with a temple of Asclepius and Hygieia. Corinth was renowned, however, for its temple dedicated to Venus or Aphrodite the goddess of love. The cult of Venus had been popular in Corinth long before the city's destruction by the Romans and was revived in the new city. The temple was situated on the top of the Acrocorinth. According to Strabo, the temple was popular with sailors and brought great wealth to the city, with he claimed, over one thousand temple prostitutes.

In a prevailing culture where immorality was the accepted norm, Corinth was especially renowned for its licentiousness. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 6:9-20). So much so that "to Corinthianize" became a derogatory euphemism within Greek culture.

When Paul visited Corinth in 50 A.D. on his second missionary journey, it was a new and impressive but utterly depraved city. Near the centre of the city was a large marble paved market with many shops known as the Agora. Paul mentions that the meat sold here had been dedicated to idols (1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:25). Nearby was the Bema, a large elevated platform with benches on three sides. It is probably here that Paul was brought before Gallio, the proconsul and brother of Seneca (Acts 18:12-18). In the residential area, archaeologists have also discovered a lintel inscribed 'Synagogue of the Hebrews' which may have been where Paul proclaimed the gospel and, when eventually rejected, founded a church next door at the home of Titius Justus (Acts 18:1-8).

Despite such a notorious reputation, where its people were poisoned by immorality and hardened by wealth and materialism, God nevertheless sent Paul, Aquila and his wife Priscilla, together with Silas, Timothy, Apollos and Titus to preach the gospel. Paul stayed here for eighteen months and by God's grace many people were brought to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote his letters to the church in Thessalonica as well as to Rome from Corinth and sent at least two letters back to them. The number of Latin names mentioned in Paul's letter to the Romans gives evidence of the fruitfulness of their labours there (Romans 16:21-27). These letters contain some of the most sobering as well as sublime teaching about love in the New Testament (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 5:1-12 & 13:1-13). The controversies raised today about similar moral issues would suggest that perhaps our culture has more in common with Corinth than any other city in the New Testament. For that reason we too can take courage from the vision the Lord gave to Paul when he was tempted to give up on them, "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." (Acts 18:9-10).