A C T S Go Tell the Good     News! Lesson 20  Acts 18:1-11

Neapolis Acts 15:36-18:22

Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11) Still alone, Paul travels forty miles west of Athens to Corinth, the capital of Achaia. There he meets Aquila with his wife Priscilla. Aquila, a Jewish native of Pontus, had been living in Italy until recently. Emperor Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome, so Priscilla and Aquila had come to Corinth. Paul stayed with them for a time because they worked at the same — tent-making. Every sabbath Paul reasoned in the synagogues, seeking to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11) Claudius Caesar (A.D. 41-54) He is first mentioned as emperor in Acts 11:28. He expelled Jews from Rome in 49 A.D. According to the Roman historian Suetonius (who wrote circa 120 A.D.) the expulsion from Rome was due to controversies centering around one named Chrestus. Suetonius records that “since the Jews were continually making disturbances at the instigations of Chrestus, he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome…”

Geographic & Cultural Background of Corinth Corinth was destroyed and sacked by the Romans in 146 B.C. A century later, it was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and given the status of a colony. Though it was not famous for its philosophers, Corinth was well known for its industry and trade, and for its pursuit of immoral vices. A “Corinthian” came to mean a playboy without morals. “To spend time with harlots.” “A temple to the goddess Venus, or Aphrodite, existed in the old city, with a thousand female slaves who served as priestesses and committed ritual fornication with those who came to worship the goddess of love and fertility.” (Waldron, p. 107) “What culture was to Athens, vice and corruption were to Corinth.” (Bobby Graham) Some Corinthian Christians had previously been idolaters, fornicators, homosexuals, thieves, and drunkards (1 Cor. 6:9-11)

The Temple of Apollo at Corinth

Geographic & Cultural Background of Corinth “Corinth commanded the trade routes of the Mediterranean. Ships from all countries docked at her harbors. Situated on an isthmus connecting the Peloponnesus with the mainland, Corinth was served by two harbors. Cenchrea, its eastern seaport, opened into the Saronic Gulf and into the Aegean Sea; while Lechaeum, its western seaport, opened into the Adriatic Sea.” (Waldron, p. 107) A slipway or “diolkos” was constructed across the isthmus in the 7th century B.C. (www.sailingissues.com)

Corinth Acts 18 The Lechaion Road in Ancient Corinth, with a clear view of the Acrocorinth in the distance.

Corinth The Corinth area viewed from atop the Acrocorinth. The remains of the ancient city are located in the center of the photo (in the midst of a modern village).

Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11) When Silas and Timothy arrive, Paul is compelled to testify to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ (18:5). How might the arrival of Silas and Timothy have influenced Paul to press His case that Jesus is the Christ? (consider Luke 10:1; Ecclesiastes 4:12) When the Jews oppose him he turns to the Gentiles (18:6) How does an evangelizer know when to move on to teach others? (Matthew 7:6; Acts 13:46)

Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11) After entering the house of Justus, next to the Synagogue… (18:7-8) Crispus the ruler of the Synagogue believes Many Corinthians “hearing, believed and were baptized” (cp. 1 Corinthians 1:10-17) Paul received assurance from the Lord in a vision, and continued his work in Corinth for 18 months (18:9-11, cp. 1 Kings 19:18)