Corinth and the Church

First Century Corinth The Epistles to the Corinthians were pen by the apostle capital of Minnesota in the mid 50s A. D. These were letters written to a church service community that, according to the daybook of Acts, Paul had a spend in founding on an earlier journey (Acts 189). The epistles themselves spill the beans much about the cultural, economic, and spiritual significance of this very heavily Roman influenced Greek city located on the Isthmus of Corinth. By examining the epistles and farther historical source, the context and importance of first snow Corinth will be explored. The city of Corinth as it is in the first century A. D. as founded as a Roman colony in 44 B. C. by the emperor butterfly Julius Caesar. In just one century since its re-founding, Corinth had become a very cosmopolitan city through its strategic location that was contributing(prenominal) for trade, its large and very multicultural population, and the favor it had in the region as a colony of the mighty Roman Empire. When Corinth was resettled, the Roman Empire dwell it with a diverse cross section of the cultures contained within the empire at the time. Italians and Greeks would be the primary colonists along with Hellenized Jews, but also among the settlers were freed Judean slaves and other middle-easterners. Morris 18) This make for a melting pot of traditions, customs, and beliefs. And in conjunction with the economic contract of the city, this relative freedom and safety produced some interesting problems for the spiritual life of the Corinthian church that Paul was out to address in his epistles. Corinth was located strategically on an isthmus that happened to be nearly equidistant surrounded by Greeces other two major cities in the region, Sparta and Athens. In a stretch of less than five miles, this area contained a port on each side of the isthmus.The eastern port had easily defended water coming toward Asia Minor, south to northern Africa, and to the rest of the Mediterranean. The crucial port on the westbound of the isthmus had access to the Italian peninsula, the heart of the Roman Empire, and further west. (Constable) til now before the refounding of the city and the Hellenistic period, a paved trackway was constructed that allowed for cargo to be transported by dry land to the other side. (The location of first century Corinth added to its prominence in the Roman Empire, added to its wealth, and attracted hoi polloi from all over the empire.Paul states in 1 Corinthians 126 that, not umpteen were powerful, not many were of noble birth. So it can be said that the majority of the church in Corinth was not of the upper class, although it is likely there are fortune of important figures in the cities life that could be members of the church in Corinth. (Jongkind 139) In the book of Romans, also written by Paul ( near probably written during his stay in Corinth), he mentions two likely wealthy people Gaius, Pauls host, and Erastus, the treasurer of the city (Romans 1623). Morris 21) Also, within the book of Acts, it is recorded that upon hearing Paul, many believed and were baptized, including Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue (Acts 188). The multifariousness within the city was likely well represented in the demographics of the church. This kind was deeper than just economic stance. Within the city were members of the Imperial Cult, Jews, adherents to the philosophies of the day, and worshippers of the Greco/Roman gods, most predominantly Aphrodite.This caused many tensions for Paul to address, like issues regarding food that had been sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 8), and unity and comparability based in faith and not in social status (2 Corinthians 8). First Century Corinth was not unlike the New York City of today, diverse, esteemed, wealthy, and alive. whole caboodle Cited Constable, Thomas. Notes on 1 Corinthians Historical Background. SonicLight. com. Web. 2012. Elwell, W. A. , & Beitzel, B . J. 1988. bread maker encyclopedia of the Bible. Baker news House peremptory Rapids, MI Freedman, David Noel, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible.Grand Rapids, MI Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000. Garland, D. E. 2003. 1 Corinthians. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Baker Academic Grand Rapids, MI Jongkind, Dirk. Corinth in the First Century AD the search for some other class. Tyndale Bulletin. 2001 139-148. Print. Kistemaker, S. J. , & Hendriksen, W. 1953-2001. Vol. 18 Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary. Baker phonograph record House Grand Rapids Morris, Leon. The First epistle of Paul to the Corinthians an introduction and commentary. Leicester, England Grand Rapids, Mich Inter-Varsity invoke Eerdmans, 1983