The Biblical Church of Corinth

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.