Founding of the Church at Corinth
The city of Ancient Corinth was an important center within the Eastern Roman Empire for the First Century AD. While there had been previous settlement during the more classical Greek period several centuries earlier, in the time of Paul’s writing, Corinth was a relatively new city, in contrast to its neighbor Athens. It had actually been leveled by the Roman consul Lucius Mummius in 146 BC, but was reestablished in 44 BC by Julius Caesar, being populated with many freedmen from Italy, who had intermingled with the local Greeks and Easterners. The colony was named for its new founder as Colonia Laus Julia Corinthiensis. By 27 AD Corinth had become the administrative capital of the province of Achaia. The city of Corinth was important on the same level of cities such as Alexandria, and to some degree, even Rome itself.
Corinth was located on the narrow isthmus (3.5 miles or 5.5 kilometers) connecting the Greek Peloponnesus to the mainland, and sat at the base of the 1,886 foot high Acrocorinth. Corinth had two principal harbors: Cenchrea to the east and Lechaion to the west. Goods were often transported overland to continue sea voyages. And small ships could actually be transported across fully loaded. Corinth was located in a strategic point for the First Century Mediterranean, given how sea voyages around Southern Greece could be very dangerous. Population estimates for the time of Paul’s writing First Corinthians have been estimated anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 or more. Thus, Corinth, being a major center of commerce connecting the Eastern and Western Roman Empire, attracted many people from far and wide.11
Paul first came to Corinth on his second missionary journey (see the commentary on Acts Bu – Paul’s Second Missionary Journey). Upon arriving in Corinth, he met Priscilla and Aquila, Jews who had been driven out of Rome, and who were, like himself, tentmakers. They would become two of Paul’s most trusted ministry friends. He stayed with them for a while and began to preach regularly in the synagogue every Sabbath. Silas and Timothy joined him from Macedonia, and, as Paul’s preaching intensified, so did resistance to his message. Soon, however, many Corinthians, including Jews, began to believe in Messiah. Even Crispus, leader of the synagogue, along with his household, trusted in the Lord (Acts 18:8).
Paul continued to minister in Corinth for a year-and-a-half (Acts 18:11). Jewish opposition became so strong that he was brought before a Roman tribunal. Since the charges were purely political, however, the proconsul, Gallio, refused to hear the case. After staying a while longer, Paul left Corinth with Pricilla and Aquila and went to Ephesus. There, he received a disheartening report of the distressing goings-on in the Corinthian congregation. As the founder of the church, in 55 AD Paul felt compelled to write them a rather pointed letter in which he took on their many issues head-on. First Corinthians represents Paul’s best attempt to confront and correct their problems, heal their divisions, and answer their questions.12 Then, leaving his friends in Ephesus, he returned to Palestine (Acts 18:12-22).
The second leader of the Corinthian church was Apollos. An eloquent Jewish convert from Alexandria, Egypt, Apollos had come to Ephesus and begun preaching while Priscilla and Aquila were there. Although he had a thorough knowledge of the TaNaKh, he had some doctrinal deficiencies, which Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in correcting. When he wanted to preach in Achaia, the Ephesian church not only encouraged him, but gave him a letter of commendation, and he began ministering in Corinth as its next pastor (Acts 18:24 to 19:1).
Sometime between Paul’s leaving Corinth and his writing what we call First Corinthians, Paul had written the church another letter: In my earlier letter I wrote you not to associate with people who engage in sexual immorality (5:9), commonly referred to as “the lost letter.” It too was corrective in nature.13
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