I’m finishing my fourth book, about Mary and Martha, for Guideposts. I’m looking forward to getting back to Paul!
As you’ve read, More than Conquerors should be released next year. Then what?
Seated Poseidon and the other Isthmian gods with a goddess, detail of a cup dedicated to Mercury by Quintus Domitius Tutus. Repoussé silver with gold, Italy, middle 1st century AD. From the Berthouville treasure, 1830. Source: Marie-Lan Nguyen (2008)
Paul’s next stop, after Thessalonica, was Berea. He spent only a short time there before leaving Macedonia (northern Greece) and heading south. He first visited Athens. It appears Paul’s visit there was not fruitful, as we know of no church started there, and there is no Letter to the Athenians!
After Athens, Paul spent 18 months in Corinth. There, he met Priscilla and Aquila, who became his fellow workers and travel companions. Corinth had been destroyed by the Romans and was re-established as a colony by Julius Cesar in 46 B.C., then made the capital of the Roman Province of Achaia (southern Greece) by Augustus.
Where Athens was devoted to philosophy and science, Corinth was devoted to wealth, luxury, decadence, drunkenness, and sexual immorality. This was a very difficult environment to plant a community of faith and holiness.
Some scholars say Paul was in a hurry to get there because of the Isthmian Games, a festival of athletic and musical competitions held in honor of the sea god Poseidon. These games were held every other year and were one of the Panhellenic games (along with the Olympic games). People from all over the world flocked to these games, giving him a ready-made audience of people who could believe and then take the message back home.
We know of many people who were part of the Corinthian church:
Chloe, Stephanus, Gaius, and Crispus • believers baptized by Paul
Erastus • city treasurer converted and baptized by Paul
Chloe • a woman who tells Pauls the Corinthians are quarreling
Fortunatus and Archaius • Corinthians who visited Paul in Ephesus, along with Stephanus
Quartus • a believer in Corinth who greets the Romans believers.
Tertius • Paul’s scribe for the letter to the Romans
Sosthenes • the synagogue leader
Titius Justus • a worshiper of God
Crispus • a synagogue leader
Gallio • brother of Seneca; Roman governor of Corinth
As to which of these people will make an appearance in my next book– who knows?? Who would you like to see?