We started the day in Corinth, which in Paul's day was larger than Athens and the most prosperous city in the region. It was in a strategic location which made it ideal for trade with East and West. It had a large port and was situated on a mountainside, which protected it from invaders. It became rich due to a narrow isthmus that saved ships from a perilous journey around Cape Malea. Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Nero all attempted to build a canal but were unsuccessful. Ships were instead pulled across on land. Still, this was preferred over almost certain shipwreck and death if an attempt was made to go around Cape Malea. Life in Corinth centered around the worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Her temple was in the middle of the city and was a hotbed of immoral living. So much so that everyone in the pagan world made up the verb, "Corinthianize," which meant living of life of wanton immorality. Their sacrifices to the goddess were often in the form of young boys and girls who then became slaves for immoral purposes.
This is the current canal the allows narrow boats to avoid Cape Malea.
Corinth was built on a hill (although I don't think it was this one...sorry...fried brain from information overload)
First glimpse of the ruins of Corinth
This roped off area is actual remains of a road. There is an inscription to the right of the little boy that I will explain in the next photo.
In 2 Timothy 4:20, a man named, Erastus is mentioned. He is also mentioned in Romans 16:23 and described as the city's director of public works. For many years, historical scholars scoffed that Paul must have made up his own set of facts since the name Erastus did not exist as a real name. No archaeological evidence had been found to prove Paul's account. However in 1929, this inscription was found near the theatre. It read, "Erastus, director of public works, in return for his ship laid the pavement at his own expense."
Looking across the field toward the city of Corinth from the theatre area.
Getting closer to the city. These beautiful flowers grow all over Greece.
Aaaaand....up close.
These body parts were from people who had an ailment in that particular part of the body. They would sculpt the offending appendage and take it to the priest, who would offer it to the god of Asklepeion, who was the god of healing. (As an aside, in Israel, the pool of Bethesda was built and dedicated to the god Askelpeion, which was why Jesus did not instruct the lame man to get into the pool for healing. He healed the man himself so that Bethesda--and the god of Asklepeion, would not get the credit.) There were other body parts on the left side of this case that I choose not to photograph due to um...inappropriate content. Ahem....and ewwwww.
Menorah's and Jewish writing are always proof that Jews lived in a specific place.
Sometimes when people died they were laid on funeral beds rather than buried. The Greeks often used the term, "sleeping" rather than "dead."
This has nothing to do with anything. I'm just obsessed with doors and thought this looked cool. It was a side door of the museum. heh
This was a marble representation of the 13 martyrs - the 12 disciples and Paul.
Paul first met Aquila and Priscilla when he arrived at Corinth from Athens. He stayed with them and worked with them since they were all tentmakers. Acts 18:4 says: "Every Sabbath he reasoned with them in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks." Eventually many of the Jews became hostile and abusive to Paul and he 'shook out his clothes in protest' saying to them,"Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6 Crispus, who was teethe synagogue leader, did become a Christian however. In the midst of this discouraging situation, God appeared to Paul in a dream and told him to keep preaching because He had many in the city who would become believers. So Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months.
Eventually, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him to 'the place of judgement' or Bema. (Acts 18:12) They accused him of persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law. Gail was proconsul in the area (Achaia) and basically yawned when Paul was brought before him at Bema. He had no interest in listening to the Jews complain about arguments within their own religious laws and drove them off. Not to be ignored, the Jews then turned on poor Sosthenese, the synagogue leader and beat him on the spot while Galio looked on with complete disinterest.
The Bema - or Judgement Seat was the top of this wall (there was a platform there). The spot where our guide is standing is exactly where Paul was brought and would have been standing. Sosthenese was beaten here.
This is the view Galio would have had from atop the Bema. Paul would have been where the people in the photo are standing.
Close-up of the ground where Paul and Sosthenese would have stood. For some reason it almost makes me weep.
This verse is on the top of the Bema. And to think Paul is there...enjoying glory.
These pillars were the remains of the temple where the Corinthians worshiped Julius Caesar. The Romans persecuted the Christians for only one reason. It wasn't because the Christians believed that Jesus Christ was God. The Romans were open to any gods and didn't much care who you chose as your gods. However, Julius Caesar was worshipped as LORD. It was this one word that antagonized the Romans so deeply. When Christians worshipped Jesus Christ as LORD rather than bow to Caesar as their Lord, they were put to death. Christians were sometimes challenged by being brought to this temple and told to say that Caesar was their Lord or face death. Many were killed in this very spot.It makes 1 Corinthians 12:3 take on new meaning. "...no one can say, "Jesus is Lord, " except by the Holy Spirit." Indeed.
It should be noted that the Corinthian church had much to learn about righteous living. They truly had no idea how to live a godly life, nor did they have a clue about what love was. Their only view of 'love' was the temple worship of Aphrodite who encouraged just about every imaginable, repugnant immoral act, including selling their own children as slaves. Our guide pointed out that although we think of 1 Corinthians 11 as the 'love chapter' to be read at weddings, the Corinthian church needed to be taught what love actually was. They had no idea whatsoever what love meant. Our time in Corinth was the most touching of the trip so far. We could really imagine what Paul was up against as he tried to teach them about Jesus and how to live happy, fulfilling lives of purpose and meaning.
We then continued on to Mycenae.
Paul was briefly at Mycenae. This is the Lion Gate which dated back to the Bronze Age.
I leave you with this image of an alabaster jar - which is probably similar to the one that a woman broke when she poured out perfume on Jesus' head at the Passover to prepare his body for burial. (Mark 14)
