In addition to commercial prosperityand the business of sport, the adultentertainment zone knew no bound-aries. The underside of Corinthiancity life was out in the light for all tosee. To “live like a Corinthian”(korinthiazomai) meant to live in areckless and riotous manner.

Above the city towered the hill of theAcropolis, and on it stood the greattemple of Aphrodite, the goddess oflove. That temple was home to a thou-sand sacred prostitutes. Each evening

ocated between two greatharbors, traffic and trade

passed in every direction through itsports. Daily, a cacophony of people and products converged on Corinth.

Corinth had it all. Objects of luxuryfound their way to the markets visited byevery nation of the civilized world:Arabian balsam, Phoenician dates,Libyan ivory, Babylonian carpets,Cilician goat hair, Lycanonian wool, andPhrygian slaves. Every day was a world’sfair of commerce.Corinth was a center for sport. TheirIsthmian Games showcased superb ath-letic competition and was surpassed onlyby the Olympics.

Corinth

Temple of Apollo, Ancient Corinth

Formations Travel Journal by Jim PittsThis travel journal leads us on a journey to a location related to the Bible.

L

Sunset near Gulf of Corinth

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they would descend into the city streets topractice their ancient profession.

Religion was varied and vital—but notnecessarily well and alive—in Corinth.The inhabitants of this up-to-date Romancity practiced “old-time religion” by wor-shiping the gods of ancient Greece.

Adding to Corinth’s cosmopolitan mixwere the traditional home-brewedvices. The carnal needs broughtby traders and sailors fromliterally the ends of theearth were embraced withenthusiasm. Hustlers andproviders of commercialhospitality made theirliving responding to theirinsatiable appetites.

Corinth was synonymous withwealth and luxury, drunkennessand debauchery, and also for filth.In the shadow of this cul-turally diverse placewas a small syna-gogue. Therefore,Jewish worshipwas also a partof the religiouspluralism ofthis place.

The Apostle Paulbegan hisCorinthianministry in theirsynagogue. Aquilaand Priscilla were bothbelievers and fellow Acrocorinth, looking north

towards the Gulf of CorinthCorinthian helmet

Scupture of theEmperor Nero,c AD 60

Corinthian column

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divisive. Who has authority? Who has thegreatest gift? What is responsible freedom?They were troubled over ethical issues.What are the standards for Christianliving? Problems of sex and litigation wereon their agenda. They were facing prob-lems of marriage, divorce, remarriage, andcelibacy. They had questions concerningeating meat sacrificed to idols.

They were concerned about Christianworship. What is the role of women inworship? What is the meaning of thesacraments? What is the proper use of spir-itual gifts? They had questions regardingprophecy and speaking in tongues. Theydiscussed significant theological issuessuch as “Will there be a resurrection of thedead?” “What is the nature of the

tentmakers with the Apostle. Out oftheir work and witness a Christiancongregation was birthed.

This church was composed of peoplefrom varying cultural backgrounds.Rich and poor, sophisticated andnaive, ambitious and humble, theyreflected the rainbow mix of this cos-mopolitan center. To their new lifetogether in Christ, they brought com-plexities and confusion, virtues andvices, religious enthusiasm and spiri-tual immaturity. Like othercongregational families, it was ablessed mess.

Their problems were many. Theirquestions were significant and often

The Temple of Octavia

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resurrection body?” and“What is the basis ofChristian confidence andhope?”

As people of faith have discovered again and again,diversity is easy but unity ishard. Tribalism easilydegenerates into games ofracial division, gender andreligious harassment, andflag-waving nationalism.

Paul knew well that the Corinthiansneeded something beyond themselves.There was a better way. There was anantidote to the poison of their partisanspirit, which was tearing their com-munity and life as believers apart.What was needed was love, the agapelove of God. This love, which is the theme in the background of every-thing Paul wrote to theCorinthians, takes centerstage in 1 Corinthians13.

Attemptingto offerpastoralcounselto this

troubled and fragmented congregation,Paul wrote a very practical letter. Headdressed problems concerning thechurch as a whole and also personalproblems. The Corinthian correspon-dence is a clinical study of an emergingGentile Christian community and isrelevant to the needs of believers today.

Fountain of Peirene

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