Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians reflects the
difficulties of maintaining a Christian community in a
cosmopolitan city. Corinth or Korinth (Greek) is a Greek
city-state, a region controlled exclusively by a city and
usually having sovereignty. Historically, city-states have
often been part of larger cultural areas. City-states were
common in ancient times. Though sovereign, many such cities
joined in formal or informal leagues under a high king. In
some cases empires or leagues were formed by the right of
conquest, but many were formed under peaceful alliances or
for mutual protection.
The city of Corinth is located on the Isthmus on Corinth
a narrow stretch of land that joins Peloponnesus a large
peninsula in southern Greece, forming the part of the
country south of the Gulf of Corinth. Corinth is about 48
miles southwest of Athens. A canal now cuts the isthmus,
which was in ancient times traversed by hauling ships over
the rocky ridge on sledges. The city had two main ports, one
in the Corinthian Gulf and one in the Saronic Gulf, serving
the trade routes of the western and eastern Mediterranean
respectively.
Corinth was a center of the worship of Aphrodite that
involved a high degree of sexual perversion, such that ‘a
Corinthian’ became a byword for loose living. Corinth was
famous for its schools where great men came to expound
‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’, some of value and much of little
value, and people followed their favorite philosophers and
spent much time in discussing and arguing their case for
their differing views. The religious views of the people
were influenced by mystery religions that drew men into
exotic experiences.
Another important thing in the life of Corinth was the
Isthmian Games to which men came from distant lands to
partake in serious sporting activity. Its inhabitants
considered Corinth a highly civilized city. Although very
old, it is in essence a new city. Because of its recent
history its inhabitants were mainly without old roots, so
that it was not bound by ancient customs.
When the apostle Paul first visited the city (AD 51 or
52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. Paul
resided here for eighteen months (Acts 18:1-18). Here he
first became acquainted with Aquila and Priscilla, and soon
after his departure, Apollos came from Ephesus.
Although Paul intended to pass through Corinth the second
time before he visited Macedonia, circumstances were such,
in the absence of Titus, that he went from Troas to
Macedonia, and then likely passed into Corinth for a second
time (2 Corinthians 1:15, and remained for three months,
according to Acts 20:3. During this second visit in the
spring of 58, it is likely the Epistle to the Romans was
written.
Paul preached in the synagogue until opposition forced
him to move to the house of Titus Justus. After leaving
Corinth, Paul wrote a letter to the church, which has been
lost (1 Corinthians 5:9).
