Paul’s Witness in Corinth

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.  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, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.  And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks…And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 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.’  And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”  -Acts 18:1-4; 9-11. (ESV.  Read Acts 18:1-16).

Still on his second missionary journey, Paul stayed in the city of Corinth in Greece for a year and a half.  He had a good ministry there, established a strong church, and wrote his letters to the Thessalonian church while there.  He also “made his own way” financially by plying his trade of tentmaker, working in the shop of two Christian Jews, Aquila and Priscilla. Corinth was located about 46 miles west of Athens.  A Roman colony, it was the most influential city in the province of Achaia both economically and politically.  The major town was two miles inland from the seaport.  The city was set at the foot of Acrocorinth, a mountain that rose to over 1800 feet in elevation.  The famed Greek city of Corinth, famous for its wealth in bronze and other metals, was destroyed in 146 B. C. in a war with Rome.  It was reestablished as a Roman colony in 44 B. C.  Much archaeological work has been done in Corinth.  There is evidence of this 100-year gap in the city’s history.  In Paul’s time there, he would have seen temples to Apollo, Aphrodyte, Asklepois (god of healing) and others, including emperor worship and a shrine to Emperor Augustus’s sister Octavia.  Paul provided a faithful witness in the midst of this pagan stronghold.

When he stayed any length of time in a place, Paul made his way by making tents.  He became fast friends of Aquila and his wife Priscilla, likewise tentmakers. In his “old” life in the Jewish religion, Paul was a Rabbi.  A rabbi could take no money for teaching and must make his own way.  Likewise, when he became a Christian, Paul held to the belief that he should work at his trade to make a living. Jews had adages to encourage work:  “Love work; he who does not teach his son a trade teaches him robbery.” When Silas and Timothy arrived in Corinth, Paul was already working, both at his trade and as an example to the Jews.  But it was not long until the Jews began to revile him and forbade his teaching in the synagogue. In symbolic action of dismissing the Jews, Paul shook out his garments.  It was similar to shaking the dust from one’s shoes when hospitality and acceptance had been denied.  Paul got a place to teach next door to the synagogue in the house of Titus Justus. Crispus, ruler of the synagogue, and his household were converted, as were many of the Corinthians.  Soon, God appeared to Paul in a vision at night and reaffirmed his mission to the Gentiles, promising him safety and souls for his labors: “I have many in the city who are my people,” a promise and prediction of those who would come to the Lord there through Paul’s evangelistic efforts. The Jews sought to stop Paul, bringing charges against him to Gallio the proconsul of the province. However, Gallio ruled that it was a matter for the Jews themselves to settle in their synagogue, for it was a judgment not of a civil nature but of the Jewish law.  Dr. William Barclay comments:  “In this passage we see the indisputable value of a Christian life.  Gallio knew that there was no fault which could be found with Paul and his friends.  The only unanswerable argument for Christianity is a Christian.”  (Barclay.  The Daily Study Bible: Acts.  Philadelphia: Westminster, 1955, p. 149).  The results of Paul’s labors in Corinth can only be measured in eternity. He was faithful to the vision God gave him and worked both by example and through the Word to build a strong church there.  Amen!