Paul stayed longer in Corinth than in any other city, with the single exception of Ephesus. During his second missionary journey, he left Macedonia with his life in peril and crossed over to Athens. There, he had little success, and he had gone to Corinth and remained there for 18 months. The story of his stay there is compressed into 17 verses - Acts 18:1-17. It is small wonder, after his experience in Macedonia and Athens, that when Paul came to busy, proud, intellectual Corinth, he came in 'weakness and fear, and in much trembling' (1 Cor. 2:3). His companions on this missionary journey, Silas and Timothy were occupied to the north in Macedonia, so that Paul was probably alone, which would not have made things any easier. Following his arrival in Corinth, Paul lodged with Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who had been expelled from Rome by a decree of the Emperor Claudius, and, like Paul, tentmakers by trade. Paul was soon speaking at the local synagogue regularly every Sabbath. Converts were won, but this led to a riot. He announced he would turn to the Gentiles, which he did, starting a church in the house of Titus Justus, presumably a Roman. For 18 months, Paul ministered in the city, finally setting off for Jerusalem and Antioch. The descriptions of Corinth found in anxious writings state that there were many temples in that city, several of which were devoted to Egyptian deities. Corinth was as wicked as it was large. The term "Corinthian" meant a vulgar person. The term "To Corinthianize" meant to have intercourse with prostitutes. The temple of Venus boasted that it kept a thousand female slaves who were free to strangers. Money was freely spent on every imaginable sinful pleasure. Paul wrote his description of pagan vice as recorded in Romans 1:18-28, probably while he was at Corinth. While that info is all good, the question may be asked, "What was/is the purpose of Corinthians?" The hand and anointing of the Lord was upon Paul in everything he wrote; therefore, this, like others, must have a genuine purpose. Here it is: Paul was dealing with problems too diversified to be completely dealt with in one short letter. He had seen Corinth and knew that there were dangerous divisions. The church had become wicked since Paul had left, and although loved greatly, it was about to sink into the world of oblivion. The Apostle's heart was to correct the divisions within the congregation and to encourage them to stay firmly attached to the Gospel of Christ.
