Seeing Jesus in Corinth
Opening Prayer
Mighty God, I praise You for the gift of this day, for the blessings it bestows and for the challenges it presents.
Read ACTS 18:1–17
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. 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 whatever.
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace… so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).
After leaving Athens, Paul travels to Corinth, which was the best possible place in Greece for connecting with all sorts of people and for founding a new religious group. It had strategic ports on either side of the Isthmus of Corinth and sat at the trade and travel crossroads between the eastern and western Mediterranean. Paul would have been able to make contact with people of various religions and social statuses there, as well as itinerant businesspeople who could help to spread the word elsewhere in the empire on their travels. Along with Ephesus, Corinth is probably the most strategic city Paul visited on his missionary travels.
In the past, when Paul experienced opposition, he would quickly move on to the next place. However, something different happens in Corinth. The Lord speaks to Paul in a dramatic vision one night. The Greek should probably be translated as: “Stop being afraid; continue speaking; don’t be silent” (9). Clearly a great work remained to be done in Corinth, as underscored by the following promise: “For I am with you; and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city” (10). Paul is strengthened by this spiritual experience and stays in Corinth for an unprecedented year and a half, fruitfully teaching the Word of God (Acts 19:11).
This episode reveals the human face of Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1–5), who wrestled with fear in the face of opposition and needed reassurance to stay the course until the strategic work in Corinth was finished. It also is a source of encouragement to us, for, in the same way, Christ will reassure and embolden us to do the work to which he has called us.
Apply
We need to be open to God’s encouragement, however it comes, particularly when we face opposition and are tempted to give up. How might Jesus be strengthening you with boldness today?
Closing prayer
Dear Lord, thank You that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Renew my strength to do Your will today.
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