On a narrow strip of land (called an isthmus) connecting the Peloponnese peninsula with the
Greek mainland, laid the great city of Corinth. Its location on an isthmus gave it a unique
advantage of having two different harbors, one to the East and the other to the West.
With these two important harbors, Corinth provided its residents a tremendous opportunity for wealth
and power. This attracted people from all over to settle in its temperate climate,
including a significant Jewish population.
Though Corinth was located in Greece, in the year 44BC Julius Caesar rebuilt the city as a Roman
colony. This meant that in some ways, Corinth was seen as an extension of the city of Rome,
and with that, they benefitted from special legal privileges, not enjoyed by neighboring cities.
On top of this, every two years Corinth proudly hosted the Isthmian Games,
which was held in honor of the god, Poseidon. This prestigious sporting event drew in
all the best athletes and top dignitaries, and was second in prominence only to the Olympic Games.
Being a Roman colony with so much prestige, Corinth became a particularly attractive place
for Roman citizens and veterans to settle. It was especially attractive for those citizens who
belonged to the elite upper-class. This brought a strong Roman character to this Greek city.
Those who were born into one of these elite families enjoyed special rights and privileges
that others did not. Their wealth and status gave them favor with other elites, and with people
who held power. They lived lives of prosperity, privilege, prestige, and preferential treatment.
Not surprisingly, they were often the recipients of exclusive invitations to special feasts,
associated with the Isthmian Games and other religious festivals, hosted by one of the
many temples scattered throughout the city. These events attracted high-ranking elites from all over
Greece, providing opportunities that could lead to great personal benefit; financial or political.
Food, wine, and pleasures of the flesh flowed freely at these events.
In this city, status was everything. It mattered a great deal what others thought.
The clothes they wore and the social circles that they were associated with
played an important role in establishing their status before others within their community.
Another indicator of status was education. They sought to closely associate themselves
with certain public educators called Sophists, which literally means “wise
ones”. These Sophists were articulate speakers, and masters of rhetoric, the art of persuasion.
The greatest Sophists were well-respected and gained large public followings. With their
high social status, they felt that manual labor was beneath them. Instead, they made good money
charging people to come and listen to them deliver eloquent speeches, or to debate other Sophists.
Disciples of a particular Sophist would pledge their loyalty to their master,
banding together to form a camp of faithful followers. They sought to become a reflection
of their teacher like in a mirror, both in the way he behaved and in the way he spoke.
Meanwhile they distanced themselves from those whose loyalty lay with rival Sophists.
Many of the elites believed that keeping company with a great Sophist was a badge of their high
social status. They were willing to pay handsomely to become a disciple of a renowned Sophist,
and those who could afford it might even pay for their sons to learn under their tutelage.
As a traveling teacher, when Paul came to Corinth on his second missionary journey,
the Corinthians naturally considered him to be one more Sophist. Paul did not shy away from
public speaking, and his wisdom and intellect were comparable to the most esteemed of the Sophists.
However, he was not about to identify with these local teachers of rhetoric whose main interest
was in personal fame and fortune. Where the Sophists charged people money to hear them speak,
Paul openly proclaimed the good news of Jesus to anyone and everyone without payment.
Where the Sophists believed manual labor to be something that was beneath them,
Paul worked with his hands as a lowly tentmaker. And where the Sophists were interested in having
only the highest class of citizens as disciples, Paul invited all people to come and follow,
not himself, but Jesus Christ. Unlike the Sophists, Paul was not trained in the art of
Greek rhetoric, with its passion for eloquence and winning arguments. However, as a rabbi,
trained in the art of Jewish discourse, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul sought to open
the eyes of both Jewish and Gentile Corinthians to the grace of God, regardless of their status.
For eighteen months, Paul made Corinth his home. Through his humility, his message stood apart from
everything else the people of Corinth had ever known. His message of the cross and
resurrection resonated with people spanning all backgrounds and social classes, but it also
challenged some of their closely held cultural values — especially those of the Corinthian elite.
While Paul was in Corinth, the church there seemed to be thriving. But,
nothing could prepare him for what was about to come after he left Corinth…