Paul Preaches in Corinth
Acts 18:1-17 NLT
“Then Paul left Athens & went to Corinth.”- Acts 18:1
Things had not gone at all as Paul had hoped in Athens, so it is a fairly certain possibility that he travelled to Corinth in a rather dejected mood. In his first letter to the Corinthian believers, he stated that “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling.” This was no doubt why God spoke to Paul one night in a vision saying, “Don’t be afraid. Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city (Corinth) belong to me.”Still, being human, Paul battled with depression. His 2nd letter to the Corinthian church speaks of a “thorn in the flesh”. There are many theories as to what this thorn might be. It sounds like it might have been the depression that weighed him down during his travels. My guess comes from the portion of scripture in 2 Corinthians 2:7-10, where in the latter part of verse 7 Paul says of the ‘thorn’ that it was, “a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.” Being depressed would definitely keep a person from becoming proud.
Corinth was the political & commercial center of all of Greece, surpassing Athens in importance. It had a reputation for great evil and immorality. In the city there had been built a Temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and war. The people worshipped the goddess by giving money to the temple and performing sexual acts with the temple male and female prostitutes. Corinth would not only be a challenge for Paul, but also a great ministerial opportunity. According to scholars, Paul wrote a series of letters to the Corinthian church, although only 1st & 2nd Corinthians were placed in the Biblical canon.
Each Jewish boy was required to learn a trade. Both Paul and Aquila, a believing Jew he had just met when he arrived in Corinth took the same trade: tentmaking or perhaps more accurately, a leather worker. The thing about Paul’s trade was that he could take it wherever the Lord were to lead him. Due to being in the same trade, Aquila and his wife Priscilla became friends with Paul.
Following his customary plan, Paul once again spent time in the local synagogue, trying to convince the Jews there that Jesus was indeed the long awaited Messiah. Though some believed, many did not, causing Paul to cast them off, by shaking the dust off his clothing and saying to them, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.” (v.6) Some of the Jews tried to have him arrested by taking their case to the Governor of the region, but the Governor wasn’t interested in dealing with the religious matters of the Jews.
Paul stayed with Priscilla and Aquila for a year and a half preaching the gospel to whomever would listen. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His name & for His glory,
RL Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament, Copyright 2004.
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