The following timeline traces Paul’s messy history with the church at Corinth so that readers can better understand the context of 1 and 2 Corinthians. It concludes with a few points about the church after Paul (e.g., in the days of Clement and Dionysius). It is recommended that you pull up a map of Corinth while reading this timeline so that you can refer to the geographical locations that are mentioned.
1. After leaving Athens, Paul went to Corinth, the capital city of the Roman province of Achaia, the southern part of modern-day Greece (Acts 18:1).
a. Paul likely chose Corinth because it was a key port city in the Mediterranean, ideal for spreading the gospel.
b. It was a key port city because it was located on an isthmus (thin strip of land) which connected Southern Greece with the mainland, and allowed goods to be moved from the Western to the Eastern Mediterranean (or vice versa) across the isthmus instead of sailing down around the large peninsula.
c. The city was given special legal privileges by the Roman Empire.
d. It held the annual Isthmian Games, second only to the Olympic Games.
e. It attracted citizens from across the empire, especially the elite, as well as many Jews.
f. The city was filled with sexual immorality, idolatry, drunken feasting, and materialism. Gordon Fee calls it the Las Vegas of the ancient world.
g. The Greeks coined the word “Corinthianize” to describe an immoral life.
h. The city attracted many sophists (“wise men”) who were masters of rhetoric, went about giving eloquent speeches for pay, and tried to gain a personal following.
i. (For a creative and immersive introduction to the culture of Corinth, see Ben Witherington’s short book “A Week in the Life of Corinth.”)
2. In Corinth, Paul met two other Christians, Aquila and Priscilla, who had also recently arrived in the city (Acts 18:2–3).
3. Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks (Acts 18:4).
a. His first converts were the household of Stephanas (1 Cor. 1:16; 16:15).
4. Silas and Timothy joined Paul in Corinth, bringing with them a collection from the churches in Macedonia (the Roman province to the north of Achaia) (Acts 18:5).
5. Many Jews reviled Paul, so he shifted his focus to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6)
6. However, Paul still ministered to the Jews and even moved next door to the synagogue (Acts 18:7).
7. Crispus, the ruler of synagogue, was converted (Acts 18:8).
8. Many Corinthians also believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8).
9. Paul continued teaching the word there for 18 months, staying there longer than he did anywhere else except Ephesus (Acts 18:11).
10. Sosthenes, likely the ruler of the synagogue who followed Crispus, also became a Christian and was beaten by the Jews for it (18:12–17).
a. Acts 18:12 says that this happened while Gallio was proconsul (chief judicial officer) of Achaia, and we know from history that Gallio served in this role from AD 51–52.
b. This could be the same Sosthenes that Paul later mentions as the co-author of 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:1).
11. Paul stayed even longer (?) before moving on to minister in Ephesus with Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18).
12. In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila taught a zealous preacher named Apollos more accurately about Jesus (Acts 18:24–26).
13. Apollos then went to the church at Corinth with a letter of recommendation from Priscilla and Aquila, and had a powerful ministry there (Acts 18:27–28).
a. Paul later wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered” (1 Cor. 1:6).
b. Some people liked Apollos’s fervent preaching and teaching better than that of Paul (who wasn’t an impressive public speaker).
c. It is unknown how long Apollos ministered there, but he likely was gone by the time that Paul wrote his first letter to the church.
14. It is possible that, at some point, Peter also visited Corinth, since there was a “Cephas” faction there (1 Cor. 1:12).
15. While in Ephesus, Paul evidently heard a report of problems with the church in Corinth, especially sexual immorality.
16. Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians (this letter has been lost to history).
a. Paul later mentions this letter in 1 Corinthians 5:9: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.”
17. Paul heard a report that the Corinthians had misunderstood what he wrote about sexual immorality, and that they also had many other problems (division, false teaching about the resurrection, etc.).
a. Paul later mentions this report in 1 Cor. 1:11: “It has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you.”
b. The confusion of the Corinthians about his first letter is implied in 1 Cor. 5:10.
18. Around the same time, the Corinthians wrote Paul a letter with various questions about sexuality, marriage, etc.
a. Paul later mentions this letter in 1 Cor. 7:1: “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote.”
b. This letter was likely delivered by Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (1 Cor. 16:17).
19. In the spring (likely AD 54 or 55), Paul wrote another letter which we have in the Bible and call The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians) because it is the first of two that are extant (still in existence) and in the canon (group of books that make up the Bible).
a. This letter is stern at places (probably more than the first letter), but Paul also expresses his deep love for the Corinthians (1:4).
b. Paul confronts those who were dividing into factions based on their favorite preacher (“I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas”).
c. Paul confronts the root of the Corinthians’ problems: arrogance, self-centeredness, and a concern for social advancement that is contrary to the gospel of Christ.
d. Paul answers the questions that they had asked them in their previous letter and urges them to be pure and holy, clearly separate from the immoral culture around them, and to excommunicate a man who was involved with his stepmother!
e. (For a great introduction to 1 Corinthians, see the BibleProject video and book guide. For commentaries, see bestcommentaries.com.)
20. At the end of the letter that we know as 1 Corinthians, Paul shared his plans to visit Corinth, stay with the Corinthians for a while, and collect an offering for the needy Christians in Jerusalem—but only after staying in Ephesus until Pentecost and then traveling through Macedonia, because of other ministry opportunities (1 Cor. 16:1–9; cf. Acts 19:21).
21. Meanwhile, Paul sent Timothy ahead of him to Corinth (1 Cor. 16:10; cf. Acts 19:22).
22. Timothy discovered that the church was even worse than Paul thought, and had been thrown into turmoil by false teachers who had come to the Corinthian church and tried to discredit Paul.
a. Paul later addresses them in 2 Corinthians 10–13 and ironically calls them “super-apostles.”
b. Paul’s opponents said that he was too weak and suffered too much to be a true apostle.
c. The wealth, eloquence, and charisma of the “super-apostles” overshadowed Paul in the eyes of the Corinthians and made them ashamed of Paul.
23. Paul heard the report and changed his travel plans, deciding to go straight to Corinth to address the problems, and travel through Macedonia later.
24. Paul visited the church, but it is known as “the painful visit” because the church was by this time in open rebellion against him.
25. Instead of fighting with them, Paul decided to leave Corinth and return to Ephesus.
26. Once back in Ephesus, Paul sent Titus back to Corinth with a tearful and severe letter that grieved the Corinthians and made them fearful of God’s judgment.
a. Paul talks about this letter in 2 Cor. 2:3–4; 7:8–16.
27. Paul met Titus in Macedonia and learned from Titus that most of the Corinthians had finally repented (praise the Lord!), but some still sided with Paul’s opponents (2 Cor. 7:5–9)
28. Around AD 55/56, while in Macedonia, Paul wrote another letter which we know as The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians), which defends his apostolic ministry against his opponents.
a. Paul explains that his sufferings are a participation in the sufferings of Christ.
b. Paul appeals to those who have repented in Corinth to generously give to the collection for the suffering saints in Jerusalem.
c. (For an intro to 2 Corinthians, see the BibleProject video and book guide. For commentaries, see bestcommentaries.com.)
29. In his letter, Paul shared his plans to visit the Corinthian church for the third time while on his way to Jerusalem (2 Cor. 12:14; 13:1).
30. Paul visited Corinth a third time, stayed there for some time, and took up the collection for the needy saints in Jerusalem.
a. Acts 20:2–3 says that Paul spent three months in Greece, and this is when he most likely visited Corinth for the third time.
b. It’s during this time that Paul likely wrote his letter to the Romans.
c. Paul writes in Romans 15:26, “Macedonia and Achaia [the province in which Corinth was the capital] have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.”
31. We do not know much about what happened next at the Corinthian church, but they seem to have done well for several decades after Paul’s third visit.
a. Sometime around AD 81–96 (about 25–40 years later), Clement, bishop of Rome, wrote a letter to the church in Corinth, and he describes their recent past as being marked by excellent faith, piety, hospitality, obedience, and submission to their leaders.
b. For several decades, they seem to have been determined to maintain Christian unity and avoid the sins of their painful past: “all rebellion and division were detestable to you” (1 Clement 2.6).
32. Sadly, the First Letter of Clement to the Corinthians (an amazing letter which you can read in Rick Brannan’s new translation of the Apostolic Fathers) was written around AD 81–96 to address a report that several members had led a rebellion against the Elders (just as they had rebelled against Paul in his day!).
a. Clement writes of “the abominable and unholy rebellion, both foreign and strange to the elect of God, which a few reckless and arrogant people have kindled to such a state of frenzy that your name, honorable and well known and worthy of everyone’s love has been greatly slandered” (1 Clement 1.1).
b. “It is shameful, beloved, extremely shameful and unworthy of your conduct in Christ, that it should be reported that the well-established and ancient church of the Corinthians, because of one or two people, is rebelling against the presbyters [elders]” (1 Clement 47.6).
c. “Why is there strife and anger and dissension and division and war among you? Or do we not have one God and one Christ and one Spirit of grace which is poured out upon us, and one calling in Christ? Why do we tear and rip apart the members of Christ, and rebel against our own body and get worked up to such a frenzy that we forget that we are members of one another?” (1 Clement 46.7).
d. Clement gives examples of jealousy and warns of its devastating consequences, then calls the church to repent, pursue the virtues of Christ, especially love (think of 1 Corinthians 13), and submit to authority instead of rebelling against godly leaders.
e. “You who laid the foundation of the rebellion, you be subject to the presbyters [elders] and be disciplined to repentance, bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to be submissive, putting away the boastful and arrogant stubbornness of your tongue, for it is better for you to be found small and reputable among the flock of Christ than seeming prominent and being deprived of his hope” (1 Clement 57.1–2).
33. The church seems to have repented in response to Clement’s letter, and seems to have done well for many years afterwards.
a. The first great church historian Eusebius indicates that Clement’s letter was successful: “In the times of Clement, a serious dissension having arisen among the brethren in Corinth, the church of Rome sent a most suitable letter to the Corinthians, reconciling them in peace, renewing their faith, and proclaiming the doctrine lately received from the apostles” (Ecclesiastical History 5.6.3).
b. Eusbeius reports the words of a second-century Christian writer Hegesippus who said that “the church of Corinth continued in the true faith until Primus was bishop in Corinth. I conversed with them on my way to Rome, and abode with the Corinthians many days, during which we were mutually refreshed in the true doctrine” (Ecclesiastical History 4.22).
c. (If you are interested in Eusebius’s Church History, I recommend Paul L. Maier’s very accessible translation and commentary, but be sure to read all of the footnotes and all of the commentary at the end of each chapter, since Maier explains the inaccuracies and questionable data in Eusebius’s writing.)
34. Around 170 AD, the Corinthian church was led by bishop Dionysius, who was respected as a great writer and defender of orthodoxy in that time.
a. Eusebius named Dionysius alongside Irenaeus and others, saying, “From them has come down to us in writing, the sound and orthodox faith received from apostolic tradition.”
b. Eusebius says that Dionysius “was appointed bishop of the church in Corinth, and communicated freely of his inspired labors not only to his own people, but also to those in foreign lands, and rendered the greatest service to all in the catholic epistles which he wrote to the churches.”
c. Eusebius reports that Dionysius, in his letter to the Romans, claimed that both Paul and Peter had taught in Corinth.
