Pastor and theologian for a divided church:

Saint Paul

1 Corinthians 1:10-17Divisions in the Church

10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.

12 What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’

13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

Paul’ Second Journey

Chronology of Paul in CorinthAD49 Aquila & Priscilla expelled from Rome, go to Corinth.

AD50 Paul’s first visit (Acts 18:1–18). Ecclesia begins.

AD51 Paul writes 1&2 Thessalonians from Corinth.

AD52 Paul, Aquila and Priscilla leave Corinth and go to Ephesus.

AD52–53 Paul goes home to Antioch then leaves again on 3rd journey (Acts 18:23).

AD53 Paul’s first letter to Corinth? (1 Cor 5:9).

AD54 1 Corinthians written while Paul in Ephesus (1 Cor 16:5–9).

AD55 Paul’s “painful visit” to Corinth (1 Cor 4:19; 16:5–8; 2 Cor 2:1). [Riot Acts 19]

AD56 2 Corinthians written while Paul in Macedonia (2 Cor 7:5–9).

AD57 Paul’s third visit (2 Cor 12:14; 13:1; Acts 20:2–3). Wrote letter to Romans while there.

Corinth:

St. Paul’sMarketplace

Paul’s Corinth• Arrives Corinth after being hounded out of Macedonia and being

isolated in Athens • Corinth is capital of a Roman province and major transportation hub• Corinth home to bi-annual Isthmian Games--second to ancient

Olympic Games• Multi-cultural Greek-speaking city with Romans, Greeks, large

Jewish population, and ethnic representatives from across the Empire large number of transient sailors, business men, and travelers

• Location of Temple of Aphrodite and cult of prostitution (Strabo states there were 1,000 priestess-prostitutes), Corinth was known as a decadent city Sexual immorality so prevalent verb “Corinthianize” coined as synonym

for immoral acts

1st CorinthiansIn its general character the epistle is a strenuous writing, masterly in its restraint in dealing with opposition, firm in its grasp of ethical and spiritual principles, and wise and faithful in their application. It is calm, full of reasoning, clear and balanced in judgment; very varied in its lights and shadows, in its kindness, its gravity, its irony. It moves with firm tread among the commonest themes, but also rises easily into the loftiest spheres of thought and vision, breaking again and again into passages of glowing and rhythmical eloquence. It rebukes error, exposes and condemns sin, solves doubts, upholds and encourages faith, and all in a spirit of the utmost tenderness and love, full of grace and truth. It is broad in its outlook, penetrating in its insight, unending in its interest and application. (ISBE Dictionary)

Ephesus:

TheaterRiot from ACTS