In the Apostles’ Footsteps – Part 2 – with Brad Jersak at Corinth
Follow Dr. Bradley Jersak, PTM’s pastoral scholar, as he walks the ancient streets of biblical cities across Türkiye and Greece—sites where Christ’s apostles once trod. Knowing that Paul the apostle or John the beloved disciple traversed those same stones is a profound experience that brings the words of Scripture to life. In this series, Brad offers reflections on key locations he visited with students and friends of St. Stephen’s University.
Scripture – Acts 18:
1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment [the Bema]t. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatsoever.
From Athens to Corinth
In our previous “Footsteps of the Apostles” episode, I experienced Mars Hill and the Acropolis at Athens, seeing the Temple ruins that Paul had seen in their glory. We saw how he showed his listeners grace for their spiritual devotion but redirected them to Jesus. Nevertheless, he didn’t see the dramatic response he was used to… not many turned to Christ, no one was healed that we know of, and 1 Corinthians 1 suggests that he left disappointed, committed to preaching his gospel of the Cross.
He left Athens and headed to Corinth, and so did I. Here, he ran into his next frustration… after teaching in the Synagogue for a time and even converting Crispus (the leader there), he was rejected by the Jewish community. “I give up,” he says, “From now on, I’ll go to the Gentiles.”
I was able to walk through the vast agora (or marketplace) where Paul used his skills as a tentmaker for income. I was able to stand before the judgment seat or “Bema Seat,” where the proconsul would render judgments. I could see the spot where his opponents dragged him before Gallio (and was acquitted). I recalled how Paul used the Bema Seat as an analogy for the Day of the Lord, where Christ will render a final judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). And beyond that, I saw the mountain-top palatial Temple so famous for its temple prostitutes. The Greek philosopher Strabo (64 BC – 21 AD) claimed, “The Temple of Aphrodite was so rich that it owned a thousand temple-slaves, courtesans, whom both men and women had dedicated to the goddess.”
I could see why Paul had to address issues with his new Gentile converts: (1) is it okay to eat meat sacrificed to idols sold down in the market (answer: “don’t ask, don’t tell, just thank God for the food” – see 1 Corinthians 8:6-1) and (2) is it okay to visit the sacred sex-workers up the hill (answer: “that’s a hard no!” – see 1 Corinthians 6:15-17).
Finally, my friend Brian Zahnd reminded me that after Paul’s time in the city, plus his two (or more) letters to the church there (often tense), and his final departure from this life, another apostolic father, Clement of Rome (35 AD – 99 AD) wrote a letter to the Corinthians. It’s an interesting read that includes affirmation of their faithfulness, a rebuke for their relapses, repeated invitations to humility, mention of Peter and Paul’s martyrdom (chapter 5) and a beautiful little chapter using the legend of the phoenix as an “emblem of the resurrection.” I’ll leave you with his description in chapters 25-26:
Clement of Rome to the Corinthians
25 Let us consider that wonderful sign [of the resurrection] which takes place in eastern lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries round about. There is a certain bird which is called a phœnix. This is the only one of its kind, and lives five hundred years. And when the time of its dissolution draws near that it must die, it builds itself a nest of frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, into which, when the time is fulfilled, it enters and dies. But as the flesh decays a certain kind of worm is produced, which, being nourished by the juices of the dead bird, brings forth feathers. Then, when it has acquired strength, it takes up that nest in which are the bones of its parent, and bearing these it passes from the land of Arabia into Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis. And, in open day, flying in the sight of all people, it places them on the altar of the sun, and having done this, hastens back to its former abode. The priests then inspect the registers of the dates, and find that it has returned exactly as the five hundredth year was completed.
26 Do we then deem it any great and wonderful thing for the Maker of all things to raise up again those that have piously served Him in the assurance of a good faith, when even by a bird He shows us the mightiness of His power to fulfil His promise? For the Scripture says in a certain place, You shall raise me up, and I shall confess unto You; and again, I laid me down, and slept; I awoke, because You are with me; and again, Job [19:25-26] says, You shall raise up this flesh of mine, which has suffered all these things.
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