Essay About Ancient City Of Corinth And Paul’S Relationship

The Biblical Church of Corinth
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The Church of Corinth
Location
The ancient city of Corinth was located in the south-central area of Greece, about fifty
miles west of the major Greek city of Athens. The city of Corinth was a major hub for trading as
it was located about six miles from the narrow stretch of land that separated the Corinthian
and Saronic gulfs. In these ancient times, ships were often pulled across this narrow stretch of
land in order to get from one gulf to another.
Importance
The ancient city of Corinth was considered very important due to the fact that it was a
major hub for trading. Since dragging a ship over land from one gulf to another took a bit of
time, this city also became a popular place for travelers and traders to stay in. Because of its
centrality in the trade routes of the day, many cultures of people traveled through Corinth and
brought not only their customs and cultures, but also their gods. Thus, Corinth quickly became
a city characterized by its numerous temples, most of which employed prostitutes and other
people who lead immoral lifestyles.
Paul’s Relationship/ Why Paul Wrote to this Church
When Paul stopped in Corinth on his second missionary journey, the city became the
epicenter of early Christianity in the area of Greece. The people of Corinth began to doubt the
validity of the apostleship of Paul, so, as a sort of spiritual father, Paul rebuked them and gave
them proofs of his apostleship. The role of spiritual father to the church of Corinth was a role
that Paul filled often as he taught them what a church should look like, rebuked them when
they strayed, and encouraged them when they stayed on track. By doing this, Paul was able to
build a template of what a church ought to look like with which he could model other churches
after.