I think that in some ways, Paul’s most important ministry was in this city of Corinth,
And over the next couple of weeks I hope that you’ll agree with me.
In light of that, I think that it would be good for us to spend a few minutes looking at the background of that ministry.
I won’t keep you long tonight as we look at Aquila, Priscilla and the city of Corinth.
In other words, it was the seat of the Roman government in that region,
It was a strategic city in the overall Roman Empire.
And it had a long and important history.
The ancient city was called “Ephyra.”
According to myth, it was named after the daughter of the Titan god “Oceanus.”
So from its earliest moments, Corinth was in some ways connected to the sea.
Despite the fact that it wasn’t really on the sea.
And as Sparta, Thebes, Argos and even Athens declined because of their lack of commercial enterprise, Corinth prospered.
The mixture of those materials was just right to produce a bronze that was something new to most people.
It was the most beautiful alloy to be produced in some time and became known as “Corinthian Brass.”
So the destruction of the city, actually contributed to more of its future fame and wealth.
Although both cities were cosmopolitan, Athens had Greek or Helenistic roots, and Corinth was Roman.
And when Paul arrived, about a hundred years had passed since its reincarnation.
Corinth is about 50 miles to the west and south of Athens.
It is on an isthmus, a narrow stretch of land between northern Achaia and the Peloponnesus, the large body of land that looks almost like an island at the south end of Greece.
That isthmus wasn’t more than 8 miles across, but overlooking the narrowest point was an 1,800 foot mountain, called “Acrocorinthus.”
That bluff or mountain became a part of the city.
From the top of the Acrocorinthus people could clearly see parts of both the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
And eventually there was a ship-canal carved from sea to shining sea, saving days of travel around the Peloponnesus.
At the top of the Acrocorinthus, there were the usual array of temples and other important buildings.
By the way, the Muses were said to be nine of the daughters of Zeus,
They presided over nine different areas of art and culture.
There was a Muse who governed painters, another over sculptors, another over music and another over writers, etc.
There is a lot of debate about the origin of the name “Corinth.”
It is attributed to several different people and gods or goddesses,
But John Gill says that it comes from the Greek phrase “corai entha” – which translates: “here are girls.”
If that is the true explanation, then it highlights the general character of the people of Corinth.
And as a part of her worship, there were over a thousand prostitutes employed in her temple.
Corinth was infamous as one of the most licentious and morally wicked cities in the Roman Empire.
And it became a universally accepted proverb that when a good person became immoral he or she was said to have “corinthianized.”
Even in modern dictionaries, a “Corinthian” is someone given to licentiousness or profligate luxury.
So Athens and Corinth were separated by only a few miles, but they were at opposite poles culturally.
Corinth was wicked and debased, while Athens professed to be spiritual and cultural.
Athens was considered to be the one of the most educated and intellectual cities in the Roman Empire, but the principle interests of Corinth were sensual and economic.
Paradoxically however, this very difference made Corinth ripe for the gospel, while Athens was spiritually impregnable.
And not only that, but the commercial nature of Corinth made it a springboard in sending the gospel around the world.
Paul may have entertained thoughts about leaving Corinth when he was expelled from the synagogue, but the Lord had other plans.
Verse 9 – “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.”
And as a result Paul stayed for a year and a half in Corinth.
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla;
(because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”
Why Claudius Caesar ordered the Jews out of Rome is one of those hotly debated subjects of ancient history.
Some say that the Emperor’s wife was thinking about becoming a proselyte, and this provoked him.
One ancient historian, named Suetonius, says that Claudius “expelled the Jews from Rome, who were continually making tumults, being moved thereunto by one Chrestus,”
and it is explained to mean that the Jews in Rome were beginning to fight among themselves about Jesus the Messiah.
In order to prevent a small civil war in the capital, Claudius ordered them all out of the country.
Most unbelievers didn’t see any real difference between the Jews and the Christians in those days.
He had decreed that the Jews should have freedom to worship the Lord in their own way and to move about the Empire in relative freedom.
And that may be the reason that they were tolerated in Athens, despite the wishes of the Areopagites.
Anyway, Aquila, a business man with apparently some wealth, being driven out of Rome, moved to Corinth.
That decision was probably purely economic, but he and his wife didn’t stay there very long.
but their spirituality wouldn’t permit them to stay.
and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there.”
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
Likewise greet the church that is in their house.”
Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”
Apparently this couple were seasoned travelers going from Pontus to Rome, to Corinth, to Ephesus, back to Rome and eventually back to Ephesus.
They either started churches in several places or whole-hearted supported the churches which were there.
They were good and honourable Christians.
And speaking of honour,
In a couple of scriptures Priscilla, the affectionate shortened version of Prisca, is mentioned before her husband.
This may be explained by her higher birth in Roman society, but we don’t have any information about that in the scriptures.
Aquila and Priscilla were originally from Pontus near the south-eastern edge of the Black Sea.
It was probably there that Aquila learned the trade of tent-making.
Paul too, had learned that trade.
It was a part of Jewish life that fathers taught their sons to carry on the family business or trade.
So Paul was a tent-maker.
It could be that Aquila was using this same material or that he was interested in learning more about it,
and soon he met Aquila and Priscilla.
But what was it that drew them together?
It might have been that Paul, needing to support himself, asked about job opportunities and was directed to the new comers from Rome.
Some suggest that Aquila was already a Christian, and this was the thing that brought the two together.
Although that is not impossible,
Luke doesn’t give us the slightest hint of that, just calling him “a Jew.”
Paul even took up residence in the couple’s house while in Corinth, helping in the tent business.
We are gong to learn more about Aquila and Priscilla in a few weeks,
But I don’t think that it would be jumping the gun to say that, they were very good people.
Not only did they become good and helpful Christians, but we don’t read of anything about which criticize them.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the same could be said of us?