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Corinth – 1st Church Plant in ACHAIA
So why did Paul leave Athens, Greece? These apostles to the Gentiles are sent to Corinth by the Holy Spirit to plant a church in Achaia.

ACTS of the Apostles 18:
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THIS summary of Paul's first two missions INCLUDES a 20 YEAR TIMELINE OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 
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After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
You’ll recall the Apostle’s great proclamation of the Gospel at the Areopagus of Mars Hill in the shadow of a Roman built-back-better ancient Acropolis. (The same philosophers’ debates continue into this distant millennium.)

Lectures about God in Athens’ University of Idols

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” – ACTS of the Apostles 17:32 ESV

So Paul went out from their midst.
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We will talk about those new disciples who joined Paul's mission in Athens once we arrive in Corinth.
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ACTS of the Apostles 18:
The Mission to Corinth
Gospel of Luke 10:
a Timeline of 2 missions
A.D. 30’s –
A.D. 40’s –
~A.D. 47- 49 + Paul’s Mission with Barnabas
~A.D. 49 – 51 + Paul’s Second Mission with Silas & others
Missionaries with Paul sent out to the STATES of Rome
The Mission to Corinth

17:33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
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Prior to leaving Athens Dionysius and Damaris AND others join 'them.' 
TWO new believers plus unnamed 'others.' 
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Please don’t forget that Jesus, the Twelve Apostles, rabbis, and even those Greek philosophers who invited Paul to address them at the Areopagus in Athens all had followers. Some disciples (or followers) of these men frequently traveled with these teaching mentors to learn more.

Paul and the missionaries of the early church are no exception. The apostle to the gentiles does not preach the Gospel in Athens or anywhere else without the witness of other disciples of Jesus Christ.

ἀποστέλλω
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Lexicon :: Strong's G649 - apostellō
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Paul has disciples of the Way of Jesus Christ with him — other apostles SENT by the Holy Spirit – and others followers sent to become ministers of Christ’s church in all the world.

Gospel of Luke 10:

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent G649 them in G649 pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

4 “Go! Behold, I send G649 you out G649 as lambs in the midst of wolves.

What kind of MAN would send out 70 missionaries with the Gospel into the midst of wolves?

JESUS!

“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me. And he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent G649 Me.”
Gospel of Luke 10:16 LSB – the Word of Jesus by the Authority of God the Father to seventy disciples

Paul will later write to his disciple Timothy, whom he has already circumcised to keep the young man from the wolves seeking their lives —

For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
1 Timothy 2:7 ESV

Jesus had brought Paul to Himself years ago in Syria, then to Cypress and Galatia previously with Barnabas. Now with Silas and several others the Apostle of the Gentiles journeys through Syria, Galatia, Macedonia, briefly to Greece and here to ACHAIA and its important city of Corinth.

Paul and his company of Christians from Antioch and many other places will build yet another church for the Corinthians and Christ Jesus here in the months to come.

a 20 YEAR Timeline of 2 missions

PAUL, as before, has fled Athens with the young lambs of Christ’s fold not only preserving his own life from the pack of Jewish and Hellenist wolves but done so to continue on the Lord Jesus’ mission before harm might be inflicted on any in his care.

A.D. 30’s –

Jesus crucified and raised from the dead!

The risen Christ instructs the Twelve (now including Mathias) until Pentecost and appears to more than 500 witnesses before the Lord ascends into Heaven. Jesus’ brothers James (who will later lead the Jerusalem church) and Jude now believe and proclaim Jesus as Lord.

The Apostles and others receive the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and go out to Jews and Samaritans with the Gospel.

After Saul of Tarsus (Paul) had pursued and killed many disciples of the risen Lord, Jesus confronts him near Damascus, later sending Saul into all the world as His vessel with the Gospel. Paul then goes to Arabia.

A.D. 40’s –

Three years after Paul’s conversion and ten years after Jesus’ resurrection Peter, who earlier had miraculously escaped prison in Jerusalem, takes the Gospel to the Gentiles, including Romans.

Then in ~A.D. 44 the Apostle James is murdered and once again Peter is freed from prison in Jerusalem by angels.

The Apostles have begun their journey into all the world, occasionally returning to Jerusalem where Jesus’ half-brother James is now leader of the local church.

~A.D. 47- 49 + Paul’s 1st Mission with Barnabas

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts of the Apostles 13:1-3 ESV – commissioning of Paul and Barnabas for 1st mission

49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Acts of the Apostles 14:5-7 ESV

I reiterate this from Paul’s first mission to emphasize both the persecution by Jews and Gentiles AND the persistence of the Apostles in uplifting these new churches with letters and returning to them on other missions. Barnabas and Mark returned to Cypress. On this mission Paul began by returning to these same churches of his earlier mission in the same regions of Galacia.

‘Go into all of the world‘ of the Hellenist Roman Aegean with the Gospel

~A.D. 49 – 51 + Paul’s Second Mission with Silas & others

A.D. 49 – the Council at Jerusalem

In the year of our Lord 49 the Council at Jerusalem was followed by several notable witnesses of Christ in various ways.
- James, brother of Jesus & leader of the church in Jerusalem writes a letter primarily to the Jews of the dispersion,
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Letter of James 1:2-4 ESV
- Paul writes a letter to the Galatians, saints of the churches he and Barnabas have just planted in the region of Galatia including Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
from Paul and all the brothers who are with me.. To the churches of Galatia: 1:6-7 ESV
- The Emperor Claudius expelled most Jews (including the sect of Christians) from Rome
  - Those expelled from Rome included Priscilla and Anguilla, who the Lord will use in an important new missing in ACHAIA.
Missionaries in Corinth sent out to the STATES of Rome

Again, in A.D. 50 Paul has been sent out with the Gospel to several states of Roman influence – each with its own culture – each with its unique mixture of Hellenists, Italians more connected to Rome’s politics, Jews (some connected to the politics of Jerusalem), just regular residents, travelers, merchants, foreigners and of course, varying numbers of active and retired Roman soldiers.

Acts 18 ESV – Paul in Corinth
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NOTE all the other apostles sent to Corinth in ACHAIA with Paul.
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After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Part of the kingdom was now annexed to the Roman Empire, being united with Bithynia in a double province called Pontus and Bithynia: this part included only the seaboard between Heraclea (today Ereğli) and Amisus (Samsun), the ora Pontica.[18] The larger part of Pontus, however, was included in the province of Galatia.
Source: Wikipedia

5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them,

“Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
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Once again, the Apostle sent into all the world has taken the Gospel first to his brothers in the faith of God - the Jews. AND once again as in other cities before many BUT NOT ALL Jews reject Paul and the Good News of the Messiah - the Christ, Jesus.
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7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.

(ALSO) 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord (Jesus) , together with his entire household.
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These two local men of Corinth are important and influential Jews, but they cannot dissuade the outside influences of Jewish zealots who have rejected their own Messiah.
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And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
Acts of the Apostles 18:8b ESV

Acts for a 21st c. Church

– a history of the 1st century church –

To Be Continued… in Corinth.
June 2, 2023
Circumcision < Saul's Extreme Cultural Cut of Timothy
Acts 16:
Cultural clashes between Greeks and Jews
Circumcision
Paul’s later letter begins by addressing circumcision.
Epistle of Paul to the Romans
Festivals of Pagan Idolatry
Acts 16 continued (with Timothy)..
Why does circumcision of Timothy now seem to be a necessity if he is to continue with Paul and Silas on this second missionary journey?

After parting ways with Barnabas, Paul has chosen Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Acts of the Apostles 15:41 ESV

view of the Taurus mountains looking Southeast back toward roads from Syria

Paul, on this second missionary journey began via a land route from the church in Antioch, rather than by sea and then proceeding north from Perga as he and Barnabas had traveled before after walking across Cypress to its coastal towns.

Acts 16:

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra.

A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

But wait! I thought that we had settled those issues of circumcision at the Council in Jerusalem?

Truth for Gentiles who turn to God

Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Acts 15:24-25 ESV

Cultural clashes between Greeks and Jews

In fact, Saul of Tarsus continues to preach Christ to the Jews at great cost as the apostle returns once more to their local synagogues along with others.

Do you recall the issue which had led Paul and Barnabas to return to Jerusalem?

Circumcision.

Many gentiles had come to follow Christ and worshiped as brothers alongside converted Jews of The Way. Young Timothy is the son of one such believer.

Saul of Tarsus had been equally zealous for the Mosaic traditions before his encounter with Christ some years ago.

Joseph of Cypress (Barnabas) had sought out Saul in Tarsus where Paul had mostly stayed out of sight of zealous Judaizers for ten years. This is not dissimilar to Joseph bringing Mary and the child Jesus out of Egypt more than forty years before after the death of Herod’s grandfather.

Yet Zealots for the Law and traditions had recently caused trouble on Saul’s first missionary journey with Barnabas.

Apostles sent out into ever-changing political landscapes of Rome, Judea and a Hellenist world in between journeyed on frequently-shifting tectonic plates of clashing cultures.

Some men had come down to Antioch from Judea saying,

“Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Acts 15:1b ESV

This incident in Iconium, one of many, had threatened the apostles sent out by the Church.

On his second missionary journey Paul seeks out these new believers once more, including a young man named Timothy who had been raised by his Jewish grandmother and mother.

16:2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

Luke mentions [16:1] that Paul and Silas travel to Lystra and Derbe even before now mentioning ‘brothers‘ in Iconium. What had happened in Iconium last time?

Iconium – A Pattern of Persecution

Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.- Acts of the Apostles 14:1 ESV

At Iconium as in Antioch Pisidia the apostles received a divided (and sometimes violent) reception to the Gospel.

The Jews of Cilicia held to their Jewishness in opposition to rampant cultural sin in the customs and ceremonies of an idolatrous Hellenistic majority of their own towns. Saul of Tarsus returns to these Christian brothers trying to convince other Jewish brothers that Jesus is the Christ.

How could these apostles of the risen Jesus reach even more Jews in theirs journeys?

In order to do this the Apostle Paul and his company of men must seem most Jewish in order to proclaim Christ in their synagogues.

BUT the issue of bringing Timothy to other towns is that his father is Greek and of course had not circumcised his son eight days after his birth — in the manner and custom of Hebrew fathers.

חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃

Circumcision

At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood” with reference to the circumcision.
Exodus 4:26b – Proclamation of Zipporah after she completed this sign of the covenant of the LORD on Moses’ son.

We read and the Hellenists read of the signs that the Lord God had confirmed His solemn promises to Abraham.

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
ACTS of the Apostles 7:8 – from the preaching of Stephen to the Sanhedrin (most likely with Saul of Tarsus nearby)

Let’s be clear that in the διαθήκη covenant of περιτομή circumcision that our solemn agreement cut with the LORD is paramount to any sign or evidence of the flesh.

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
Gospel of Luke 22:20 – the words of the Lord Jesus to the Twelve at the meal of the last Passover

WE are not Jews or Christians — true followers of the LORD (as was Moses) — true disciples of Jesus the Christ of the New Covenant — by signs of baptism, communion, ceremony or any other claim of grace separate from God’s covenant in Scripture.

The Apostle Peter had also been confronted with this same issue after reporting back to the Church in Jerusalem of the signs of the Holy Spirit also given to the gentiles.

Peter, John, Phillip, Paul, Barnabas and all the evangelists of the Gospel must continue to convince Jews as well as gentiles concerning God’s mercy and new covenant of the heart.

Paul’s later letter begins by addressing circumcision.

Epistle of Paul to the Romans

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 ESV

To the Jew FIRST — Apostolic approach of taking the Gospel into all of the 1st century world.

Paul mentions the culture of so many idolaters among whom the Jews and Christians live. This idolatry is a legitimate concern, more so than a sign of circumcision.

Romans 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!

Amen.

These Hellenists to whom the LORD made the Jews a light living among them are citizens of many towns to which Paul now will bring this Greek disciple named Timothy.

BUT the Jews have been rightly cautious about now allowing the leaven of their idol worship come near the worship of the Living God — most especially at their own Passover feasts.

Note: Konya (Iconium near Derbe & Lystra) in foreground – source: Google Earth AD2023

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
Paul’s letter to the Romans 2:25-26 ESV

Festivals of Pagan Idolatry

I have only to mention recent, current and highly anticipated pagan festivals of the 21st century to paint a glace of the idolatry of first century — idol worship including parades, drinking, ritual sex, raucous celebrations and porneia in the public places — which Jews and Christians recognize as abhorrent to Almighty God.

The Hellenes to which Paul, Silas and Timothy would soon travel lived NOT in a unified Greece under Roman occupation similar to the religiously-united Judea of the Jews throughout the Empire, but in numerous culturally divergent city-states conquered separately by Roman centurions advancing from ports of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.

Idolatries of the Hellenes worshipping gods of each city, similar to god idols of Roman myths allowed for a tolerant Roman peace. Romans simply viewed idol worship as harmless and practical public parties of a cultural nature, even a religious duty.

These frequent festivals sometimes celebrated each year may have been out of obligation, but culturally they generally were celebrations influential men of the city used to maintain their hold on the women, boys, slaves and money they controlled.

Remember, in most of the Roman Empire and most Hellenist cities MOST men served other men of means in charge of various aspects of their everyday lives. Many captive slaves worked for local land owners and the Roman army as well, including young boys who served their masters in ways NOT acceptable to any faithful Jew.

On the further mission beyond Derbe, Lystra and Iconium (modern-day Kona, Turkiye) Silas and Saul of Tarsus would certainly NOT want any fellow Jew to mistake this faithful young man and disciple, Timothy, as a Greek (because of his uncircumcision by his non-Jewish Greek father) as some Jews who traveled like Saul already knew.

Acts 16 continued (with Timothy)..

4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
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Acts 15 Decisions of the Council in Jerusalem (last year)
.. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. 
If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. 

Farewell.”
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So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.
Acts of the Apostles 16:5 ESV

ACTS of the apostles Silas, Paul and Timothy .. To Be Continued…
February 14, 2023
a Who’s Who of Paul’s Three Missionary Journeys
Now that we have settled the ‘Where Next?’ of Paul’s second missionary journey (after his separation from Barnabas), before we proceed further let’s take a helpful glance at the ‘Who’s Who’ of Paul’s missionary journeys.
1st Missionary Journey
Antioch-Cypress
Pamphylia-Pisidia-Syria
2nd Missionary Journey
WHO’S WHO on the Second Missionary Journey
Paul
Silas [or Silvanus]
Timothy
Aquila & Priscilla
Luke
Luke – a first-person Witness
1st Missionary Journey

Antioch-Cypress

Paul & Barnabas with John Mark

Pamphylia-Pisidia-Syria

Paul & Barnabas without John Mark

2nd Missionary Journey

Barnabas and Mark separate to a second mission trip back to Cypress (without Paul) AND

Paul and Silas depart for Derbe in Pisidia (without Mark or Barnabas)

A threefold cord is not quickly broken – Ecclesiastes 4:12
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Commentators make much of the disagreements involving John Mark that led to a parting of ways of Paul and Barnabas. The Holy Spirit will use these men to accomplish even more as time and Scripture will witness of their later work and love for each other in Christ.
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WHO’S WHO on the Second Missionary Journey

Paul

Paul or Saul of Tarsus we now know well. This notable apostle to the gentiles hails from a who’s who lineage of Jewish Pharisees. We would also include him in a who’s who of Cilicia as a leading Roman citizen of its capital. Jesus Christ called the Apostle to proclaim the Gospel a dozen years ago.

Who is this Saul, Apostle to the Gentiles?

From ACTS 9

Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Cilicia – journey through Syria to Pamphylia

Silas [or Silvanus]

Σιλᾶς – Contraction for Σιλουανός (G4610)

From the Who’s Who of Paul’s 2nd missionary journey the often overlooked Silas [pronounced: see’-las]

Joins Paul in ~AD49 sent from Council in Jerusalem with their Epistle (letter) to the gentile churches. Silas, like Paul, is both Jewish and a Roman Citizen. In addition to his missionary journeys Silas also becomes an important messenger from Peter, Paul and other Church leaders who is sent out with letters, witness and encouragement to remote church leaders.

Timothy

Τιμόθεος – Strong’s G5095 – timotheos [pronounced: tee-moth’-eh-os]

From the Who’s Who of Paul’s 2nd missionary journey Timothy will become best known as Paul’s successor as a Pastor in the Church in Ephesus.

Antioch-Syria-Cilicia

ACTS 16:1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy..

(We’ll return to maps of the local geography of these three towns from Paul and Barnabas’ first visit later.)

Paul and Silas travel with Timothy in Pisidia

(but not Antioch on this second journey0

Pisidia-Phrygia-Galatia-Macedonia

Paul, Silas & Timothy

(We’ll follow maps of their journeys later.)

Macedonia-Greece-Achaia

Silas & Timothy; & an unnamed disciple

Paul with Aquila & Priscilla

Aquilla & Priscilla with Apollos

Aquila & Priscilla

Ἀκύλας – Aquila = “an eagle” & Πρίσκιλλα – Priscilla (i.e. little Prisca)

ACTS 18:1-2 .. Paul.. went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.
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AND looking back at an earlier account WE almost missed this:
Here is another WHO'S WHO name rarely mentioned on Paul's 2nd missionary journey & not even named in his text in Acts of the Apostles:
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Luke

Λουκᾶς – Loukâs, loo-kas’; contracted from Latin Lucanus; Lucas, a Christian:—Lucas, Luke.

NT Commentators including Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Acts and David Brown point to a subtle key reference of the author Luke in the “we passages” after recording previous acts of Paul and others as “they.”

ACTS 16:

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia..

10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

.. 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage..

12 and from there to Philippi..

We remained in this city some days.

Luke – a first-person Witness

Like John Mark as a scribe recording the First Missionary Journey on Cypress, the beloved physician Luke now joins Paul’s Second Missionary Journey as a first hand witness.

The author of Acts will also have ample time on ships and in many towns throughout the Roman world of the apostles to the gentiles to interview others for his orderly account and record what has happened previously and concurrently in other places.

AD 49-51

2800 miles (4,500 km)

The Second Missionary Journey of Paul (and many others)

To Be Continued

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Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
January 25, 2023