Corinth was a city where sex, money, worship, and civic life intertwined. Strabo’s testimony highlights the temple of Aphrodite, which owned thousands of temple-slaves and courtesans, contributing to the city’s wealth and reputation. This erotic life was deeply intertwined with the sacred economy of the time.
Before we can move very far into 1 Corinthians, we have to slow down over the way Paul opens the letter. He writes, “to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2 NET). Those words, “sanctified” and “saints,” are…
“Not many of you were wise according to the flesh, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” 1 Corinthians 1:26. We read that line too quickly. Modern readers are trained to hear it as religious encouragement. God uses humble people. God loves the little guy. God does not care about status. True…
Why the First Day Did Not Replace the Sabbath In Acts, Sabbath participation is not hidden. It is repeated. Paul goes into the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch on the Sabbath. Luke says, “On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down” (Acts 13:14). After Paul speaks, the people beg that these words…
“From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord…
We must move past isolating verses to grasp Paul’s genuine call to engage with the struggles of his day.