Culture of Corinth

The culture in Corinth was not unlike what we see in our own day and age: A focus on self-indulgence to varying degrees.

Sports. The Corinthians celebrated the Isthmian games at the Temple of Poseidon.[] Blomberg writes, “Every other year Corinth hosted the Isthmian games, second only to the Olympics in prominence among athletic competition in Greece. The city housed an 18,000 seat theater, a 3,000 seat concert hall, and a large central market for famers.”[]

Sex. Ancient people knew about Corinth for its infamous temple to Aphrodite, which contained 1,000 temple prostitutes.[] One ancient author referred to “Aphrodite of the Beautiful Buttocks.”[] The second century Greek rhetorician Athenaeus recorded that shrines devoted to Aphrodite were erected “everywhere” in Corinth.[] He also wrote, “Whenever the city prays to Aphrodite in matters of grave importance, [they] invite as many prostitutes as possible to join in their petitions.”[] The first-century Greek historian and philosopher Dio Chrysostom wrote that large numbers of people gathered at Corinth for its harbor and its prostitutes,[] and the first century biographer Plutarch refers to a “great army of prostitutes” in Corinth.[] NT scholar Craig Blomberg writes,

A huge stone mountain known as Acrocorinth,[] with its temple to Aphrodite perched atop it, towered over the city, and symbolized the dominance of Pagan cults. In pre-Christian times it was said to have employed as many as one thousand sacred priests or priestesses who doubled as prostitutes. Still more prostitutes plied their wares at ground level for the many visitors to the town, as well as the local populace.[]

Corinth was so licentious that the Greek playwright Aristophanes used the term “Corinthianize” (korinthiazomai) to refer to a sexually immoral person.[] Carson and Moo write, “‘To Corinthianize’ could mean ‘to fornicate,’ and ‘Corinthian girl’ was a way of referring to a whore. Clay votives of human genitals have come down to us from the old city. They were offered to Asclepius, the god of healing, in the hope that that part of the body, suffering from venereal disease, would be healed.”[] Strabo recorded the infamous proverb, “Not for every man is the voyage to Corinth.”[]

Sophistry. Wordsmiths, public speakers, and lawyers filled the city of Corinth. These men were referred to as sophists. They would speak or argue persuasively for money. Carson and Moo write, “[The sophists’] influence in the Mediterranean world was enormous, not least in Corinth. They thought themselves wise, purveyors of wisdom.”[] The Corinthians revered gifted speakers like this, as though they were modern day movie stars or celebrities, and their audiences were similar to modern day “fans.” Greco-Roman culture placed a “longstanding emphasis on rhetoric,” and this was considered an “admirable art form.”[] We often hear the maxim, “The medium is the message.” That is, the way we communicate is more important than what we communicate. The Corinthians would agree: They were long on words, but short on wisdom. This explains why Paul repeatedly asks the question, “Do you not know?” ten times throughout the letter. This rhetorical question shows the poverty of the Corinthians with regard to God’s wisdom.[]

Success. Because of its unique location, Corinth became very wealthy. Pindar and Herodotus referred to the city as “prosperous,”[] and Thucydides called it “rich.”[] The first century Greek historian Strabo wrote that it was “always great and wealthy,”[] as did Homer.[] Corinth grew economically prosperous because of its location, its hosting of the Isthmian Games, and its legion of prostitutes. The Roman poet Ovid stated that Corinthian pottery and brass were known for their beauty across the world.[] Alciphron—a second century AD sophist—wrote, “I did not enter Corinth after all; for I learned in a short time the sordidness of the rich there and the misery of the poor.”[]

Summary. Ancient Corinth has often been compared to a modern-day New York City or Las Vegas,[] and it’s hard to disagree. This is probably why Paul wrote multiple long letters to this church. They must have needed a lot of help from this experienced leader.