Paul's Ministry at Corinth

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to 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. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 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 he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. continued there...: Gr. sate there - Acts 18:1-11

    Corinth was a large seaport city. It was the commercial meeting place of the East and the West. On one side of the city there was a port to the Ionian Sea, on the other side one to the Aegean Sea. As Athens was the intellectual centre of the ancient Greek world, so Corinth was the economic centre. It was famous for its spectacular bronze and infamous for its sensuality. In the temple of Venus at Corinth there were over a thousand prostitutes to be hired by the many travellers who passed through the city.

    It was to this materialistic, idolatrous, perverse city that Paul came preaching the gospel of Christ. Timothy and Silas were still in Macedonia. Paul came to Corinth alone. He had no companion but his heavenly Companion. He had no friend with him but the Friend of sinners whom he had come to proclaim. In these eleven verses the Spirit of God teaches us six very important lessons.

    1. God's servants’ are not hirelings (18:1-4)

    Though trained as a scholar at the feet of Gamaliel and though he was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, when Paul came to Corinth to preach the gospel he earned his living by making tents. Aquila and Priscilla were Jewish believers who were also tentmakers. They received Paul into their home and into their business. Tentmaking at the time was a common trade. Yet it was a noble trade. As Matthew Henry wrote, 'An honest trade, by which a man may get his bread, is not to be looked upon by any with contempt.'

    Why did Paul work as a tentmaker? Many point to Paul as an excuse for being stingy with God's servants, suggesting that those who preach the gospel should not live by the gospel. Such an attitude is contrary to the plain teachings of the New Testament. God has ordained that every man who faithfully labours in the work of the gospel ministry should live by the gospel (1Cor. 9:6-14; Gal. 6:6; 1Tim.5: 17). Individual believers, deacons and local churches should make it their business to see to it that those men who faithfully preach the gospel (pastors, missionaries, evangelists) lack for nothing materially. Those who give themselves to the work of the ministry are worthy of financial support. They should never have to ask for anything. Ina local church deacons should make certain that the pastor has no earthly, material concern, so that he may give himself entirely to study, prayer and preaching (Acts 6:2-4).

    Paul made tents at Corinth because there was no church established among the Corinthians to maintain him. The churches at Jerusalem and Antioch should have assumed that responsibility, but for some reason did not, and Paul refused to ask for help. Being the servant of God, he would not stoop to begging for the help of men! And rather than give the appearance of greed, the apostle chose to work with his hands while he preached the gospel to the unbelieving (2 Cor. 11:7-8; 2 Thess. 3:8-9). However, once they were converted, Paul clearly taught the Corinthian believers to support generously those who preached the gospel (1Cor. 9; 2 Cor. 8; 9).

    Though he worked with his hands through the week, Paul preached the gospel freely to the Jews every sabbath day. He reasoned with them from the Old Testament Scriptures, showing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ (18:4-5; Gen. 49: 10;Deut.18: 15; Ps. 132:11; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; 53:1-12; Jer. 23:5-6).

    2. Faithful men need the fellowship and encouragement of other faithful men

    Paul seems to have become somewhat discouraged, but when Timothy and Silas finally arrived at Corinth (18:5), they apparently gave him the boost he needed. The fact is, we all need other people. Pastors need one another's encouragement. Believers need one another's encouragement. We should always strengthen one another's arms in the service of Christ.

    3. The greatest curse God can ever bring upon any people in this world is to remove from them the light of the gospel

    That is what is described in verse 6. Because the Jews wilfully rejected the counsel of God against themselves, God took his Word from them and sent it to the Gentiles (Matt. 22:8-9; 23:37-38; Rom. 11:22). What a warning is given here! Those who trifle with and oppose the gospel of Christ court divine reprobation (Prov. 1:22-33). Those who oppose God's messengers oppose God (Matt. 10:40). All who despise and reject the gospel of Christ bring ruin upon themselves. Their damnation will be their own fault. Their blood will be upon their own heads (Acts 20:26; Ezek. 33:8-9).

    4. The greatest blessing God can ever bestow upon any people in this world is to send them a man who will faithfully preach the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ to them (18:7-8)

    The Jews despised Paul's message and despised him for preaching it. But there was a man named Justus who opened his house to Paul and turned it into a preaching centre. The fact is, all who love the gospel love those who preach it and do what they can to accommodate it. Paul had seen little response to his message at Athens and had met with great opposition at Corinth, but he was faithful. God always honours faithfulness (1 Sam 2:30). At the time appointed, God began calling out his elect at Corinth: first Justus; then Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue; then his household; then many of the Corinthians.

    Notice the order of events in verse 8. It is important. This is God's method of grace:

    1. The gospel was preached.

    2. Many who heard believed.

    3. Those who believed were baptized.

    According to the pattern and the precept of the New Testament, baptism is for believers only (Acts 8:37). No infants were ever baptized because their parents were believers, only believers them selves. Believers follow Christ in baptism because he commands it (Mark 16:15-16). By baptism we identify ourselves with Christ and his people, confess our faith in him and renounce our former religion as darkness and idolatry (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:4-6).

    5. God has a great multitude of chosen sinners in this world whom he will save by the preaching of the gospel (18:9-10)

    The fear of man must never stop the mouths of God's servants (Jer. 1:8-10). The Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and encouraged him to continue faithfully to preach the gospel at Corinth, assuring him of three things: the presence of God— 'I am with thee'; the protection of God—'No man shall set on thee to hurt thee'; and the purpose of God—'I have much people in this city.' The inspiration God gave Paul for evangelism at Corinth was the certain salvation of his elect. All who were chosen in eternity and redeemed at Calvary must be called at God's appointed time, and he will call them through the voice of a gospel preacher (Rom.10: 17; 1 Peter 1:23-25).

    6. God's servants seek and follow his direction (18:11)

    Having his orders from God, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months. He remained there seeking the Lord's sheep (John 10:16) and establishing the church in the doctrine of Christ (Eph. 4: 11-16). Though he was a resident preacher at Corinth, the apostle continued to serve the church of God at large. Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written while Paul was at Corinth. Let all who worship God pray for, support and be obedient to their faithful, God ordained pastors (1 Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7,17).