What is the significance of Corinth in the Bible?

Capital of the province of Achaia. The city visited by Paul was founded by Julius Caesar about a century after the fall of a former Corinth on the same site. It was a great centre of commercial traffic on the route from Rome to the East. It was also rich and very profligate. Paul on his first visit remained there eighteen months (A.D. 52-3), and from thence wrote the two epistles to the Thessalonians. A church was gathered out, to which Paul wrote two epistles. In A.D. 58 he again visited Corinth, staying three months, Acts 20:2-3, during which time he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. The Jews plotted against his life, and he left the city. Acts 18:1, 11; Acts 19:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1, 23; 2 Tim. 4:20. It is now a mean village, called Gortho, with only relics here and there of its former greatness.

Some three years after Paul's first visit to Corinth he heard that there were divisions among them, 1 Cor. 1:11-12; that there was allowed evil in their midst, 1 Cor. 1:1; and that there were some among them who said that there was no resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:12. These things, and the fact that he had received a letter of inquiry from them (1 Cor. 7:1) called forth the First Epistle. Its contents may in short be said to be the internal ordering of the church, with collateral subjects.

Paul's Visit to Corinth

The connection of Corinth with the history, teaching, and writings of our apostle is almost as intimate and important as either Jerusalem or Antioch. It may be considered as his European centre. Here God had "much people;" and here Paul "continued a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." It was also when at Corinth that he wrote his first apostolic letters — The two Epistles to the Thessalonians.

Corinth, the Roman capital of Greece, was a large mercantile city, in immediate connection with Rome and the west of the Mediterranean, with Thessalonica and Ephesus on the Aegean, with Antioch and Alexandria in the East. Thus by means of its two noted harbours, it received the ships of both Eastern and Western Seas.*

Paul appears to have travelled alone to Corinth. If Timotheus came to him when at Athens (1 Thess. 3:1), he was sent back again to Thessalonica; which place, as we shall soon see was much on the apostle's heart at this time. Soon after his arrival he unexpectedly found two friends and fellow labourers in Aquila and his wife Priscilla. At this particular time there must have been a greater number of Jews in Corinth than usual; "because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome." The Lord thus used the banishment of Aquila and Priscilla to provide a lodging for His lonely servant. They were of his own country — of his own trade — of his own heart and spirit. And being "of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought, for by their occupation they were tent makers." (Acts 18)

Corinth was one of the foremost Grecian '''' cities, the capital of the Province of Achaia. The Roman proconsul resided there (Acts 18:12). Corinth had a very excellent situation, which gave to the city commercially a great advantage and was therefore known for its vast commerce and great wealth. Its large population had a cosmopolitan character, thousands of traders and mariners of all nations visited the far-famed city. Greek civilization flourished here in all its branches. The fine arts were cultivated, athletic games as well as schools of philosophy and rhetoric flourished in this proud city. But the worst feature was an open and very gross licentiousness. The whole city was steeped in immoralities of various kind. Drunkenness, gluttony, and above all religiously licensed prostitution were in Corinth at its worst. The Greek worship of Aphrodite was of the most degraded nature. So great was the moral corruption that the Greek word "Corinthiazesthai," which means "to live like a Corinthian," had become a byword of shame and vileness among the profligate heathen of that time. The horrible picture of vileness as given in the Epistle to the Romans (chapter 1), written by the Apostle in Corinth, describes some of these moral conditions prevailing in Corinth. It has well been said, "The geographical position of Corinth was its weal and its woe."

The Apostle Paul had been in Athens first and then came to Corinth (Acts 18:1). While the origin of the church in Rome is obscure, we know that the Corinthian assembly was founded by the Apostle. The record of it we find in Acts 18. He labored there under great blessing for a year and six months. Jews and Gentiles were saved, among the former was Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue. But the majority of those who believed were Gentiles, and these belonged to the poorer classes (1 Corinthians 1:26) with at least two exceptions, Erastus ,the chamberlain of the city, and Gaius, a wealthy man, whom Paul had baptized. The historical account of Paul's ministry in Corinth and what happened there should be carefully read, for it throws light upon the Epistles he sent to that church.

What he preached in that wealthy and wicked city, boasting of culture and much learning, filled with an arrogant pride, we learn from his own words in the first Epistle. "And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (2:1-2). He was greatly pressed in spirit while there (Acts 18:5), yea, in fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). He knew this was one of Satan's strongholds. But God stood by His servant, and while his preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, it was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Corinthians 2:4).

a) Formation and Development of the Assembly at Corinth

During his second missionary journey the Apostle Paul had come to Europe for the first time (around 51 – 54 AD). He also came to Corinth via Philippi, Thessalonica and Athens (Acts 18). There he remained for 18 months for the Lord “had much people in this city” (Acts 18:10). As usual Paul began his ministry of preaching the gospel in the synagogues of the Jews. Quite a few came to believe in the Lord Jesus. But when other Jews refused the message Paul withdraw from them and spoke to Greeks also. This is how a large assembly of Jews and Greeks came into existence in this city as a result of the apostle's activity (see 1 Cor. 4:15; Acts 18:4).

Corinth was a large seaport and commercial city on the Isthmus of Northern Greece and the Peloponnese with two well-known seaports (Cenchrea and Lech-ion). Its central location made Corinth to a centre of trade, culture and philosophy but also of entertainment, immorality and idolatry. The immorality of the Corinthians was proverbial.

This marked the second phase of the apostle's labours in Corinth, and, as is apparent by the subsequent history, the hand of the Lord was with him in this new departure. First, he went to the house of a proselyte, Justus, one who, doubtless, had received the apostle's message. Then it is noted that "Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house." God's way is ever the right way. It might have been thought by timid souls that the apostle's solemn and final abandonment of the Jews in Corinth was calculated to confirm them in their hatred of the gospel. It was not so, but it was rather the means of bringing Crispus and his household to decision. Crispus was one of the few whom Paul himself baptized. (1 Cor. 1.) We read, moreover, that "many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." The remark cannot but be made, that communion with the mind of God as to those to whom the message is to be delivered is as necessary as communion with His mind as to the message itself. A striking illustration of this may also be seen in chapter 11. Some there preached "the word to none but unto the Jews only"; others, "when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." So was it with Paul. While preaching to the Jews we do not read of conversions, but as soon as he turned to the Gentiles "many … believed" - how many the Spirit of God does not say.

Paul's labours at this time were of no ordinary kind. Writing to the saints later on he says, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling." (1 Cor. 2:3.) And He who saw from the mountain-top His disciples toiling in the rowing, beheld His servant's need of encouragement. He therefore spake to Paul in the night by a vision, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city." As Paul surveyed the rising opposition, he might well be daunted, if not driven from his post, if he only considered his own capability of meeting it. It was therefore revealed to him, in an especial manner, that it was not a question of himself, but of the Lord as against the enemy. The assured presence of the Lord, the knowledge that the servant has His mind and protection, always gives sustainment and courage. Two things were, moreover, made clear: first, that not a hair of the servant's head could fall to the ground without his Lord's permission; and, secondly, that his work could not be hindered until the Lord's purposes had been accomplished. The "much people" in the city must be gathered in, spite of Satan's efforts to hinder. Hence the Holy Spirit is careful to add that the apostle "continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them."

Acts 18. But in the grossly voluptuous state of Corinth the gospel, strange to say, was to take a great and effectual hold on a certain part of the population. Not so at Athens: few were the souls, and comparatively feeble the work there. But in Corinth, proverbially the most corrupt of Grecian cities, how unexpected yet how good the ways of the Lord! He had much people in that city. It was an immense comfort, both in his labours there and afterwards, when the work seemed spoiled. He could still believe, and spite of all look for the recovery of those that had been turned aside. The Lord is ever kind and true; and so Paul went on with good courage, however tried and humbled on their account.

If the epistles to the Thessalonians give us the character and hopes of the children of God, those to the Corinthians speak of a fellowship in which the children of God are now gathered together. Corinthians gives us the Church of God, as the practical fellowship of saints on earth, not in the heavenly aspect in which Ephesians presents it. But upon earth there is a trinity of evil to oppose and corrupt, if possible, that which is of God; and Corinth was noted among the Greeks themselves for its vice and profligacy. The power of the Spirit of God had been shown signally here, and the Lord had much people in the city; but they had not maintained themselves in holy separateness from the evil around, and the epistle devoted to the order of the Church on earth is a striking witness to the incoming evils. Divisions had rent their fellowship, the wisdom of the world had displaced to a great extent the wisdom that was in Christ, the loose walk permitted among them outraged the very heathen, while from the idolatry around even they were not separate. Thus the world, the flesh, and the devil had place already in what was the temple of God on earth, and instead of mourning, they were rejoicing and puffed up.

In marked distinction from Athens is the dealing of divine grace with Corinth, the wealthy capital of Achaia, the southern province of Greece under the Roman empire. Thither the apostle repaired after his brief visit to Athens: with what result the record stands, not in the inspired history alone, but in the two great Epistles to the church of God in Corinth.

But while much was borne with, and many links at first existed with the synagogue, it seems that assembly truth as Paul administered it, first had a pure place after he had testified to the synagogue in Corinth, and then departed thence Acts 18:7. Not but what he still presented the Gospel to the Jew first, as, for example, in verse 19, and Acts 19:8, but at that point, IN CORINTH, he breaks with the synagogue, and IN THAT CITY, where true separation from the judged religious system of Judaism was first marked, HE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE ASSEMBLY TESTIMONY: 1 Cor. 3:10-11. For in that passage in Corinthians it is not merely a question of a sinner receiving the gospel. Paul did not lay the gospel foundation, for souls were blessed through Christ and received the Holy Spirit before Paul was converted. But by his ministry he did in Corinth lay down the grand foundation truth of the assembly in testimony here. And, be it noted again, it was when the rejection of Christ by the Jewish religious opponents led to the step of separation from the religious system which refused Christ His place, that the truth could be both taught and practised in separation. I do not see how you could have had it otherwise. How could you have seen a local assembly in function in the synagogue? I mean according to what you get taught in the Corinthians. THERE everyone was to be subject to the leadership of Christ, and ANY brother, if led of Him and by the Holy Ghost, might so far take part. This would not have been possible, nor would it have been tolerated, in the synagogue.

The assembly at Corinth was founded by Paul (1 Cor. 3:10; 1 Cor. 4:15) during his second missionary journey. At the outset of his labours there he met with great opposition from the Jews, but was especially encouraged by the Lord, who spake unto him at night in a vision, promising protection for his person, and assuring him of success in that city. So Paul continued to labour there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Opposition increasing on the part of the Jews, who led Paul to the judgment-seat of Gallio, the pro-consul, the Lord's promise to His servant was fulfilled: "I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee." Gallio declining to interfere, the attempt to stop the work failed, and Paul remained there some time longer. (Acts 18:1-18.) In these few verses is summed up all that we know of the work at Corinth, except that which Paul supplies by his remarks in the two epistles to the Corinthians.

To work in Corinth was evidently in Paul's eyes no ordinary task. It was highly civilized, noted for its wealth and commerce, and, as may be the case where civilization and wealth abound without the restraining power of the grace of God, it had earned a most unenviable reputation for licentiousness and all that ministers to the natural man. Into that city the apostle, led by the Holy Ghost, and knowing the character of the people, had determined from the outset, surely guided of God, as to the spirit in which he should there labour. Anything which would have pleased the natural man, and thus attracted people to hear him, he carefully avoided. We quote his own account of himself: "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Cor. 2:1-5.) The results were great, and a special feature of God's work in the assembly there formed, was the rich endowment of spiritual gifts enjoyed by the converts. "In everything," writes Paul, "ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of the Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 1:6-8.)