Acts to Revelation | Episode 10
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Acts to Revelation | Episode 10
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- Da
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- Dave
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- Dave Stott
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- Dave Stotts:
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- Dave Stotts: I
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- Dave Stotts: In
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- Dave Stotts: In
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- Dave Stotts: In our
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- Dave Stotts: In our last
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- Dave Stotts: In our last epi
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- Dave Stotts: In our last episo
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- Dave Stotts: In our last episode
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- Dave Stotts: In our last episode,
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- Pa
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- Paul
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- Paul was r
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- Paul was rus
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- Paul was rushe
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- Paul was rushed
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- Paul was rushed ou
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- Paul was rushed out
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- Paul was rushed out of
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- Paul was rushed out of
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- Paul was rushed out of
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- Paul was rushed out of th
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- Paul was rushed out of the
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- Paul was rushed out of the ci
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- Paul was rushed out of the city
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- Paul was rushed out of the city o
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- Paul was rushed out of the city of
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- Paul was rushed out of the city of Be
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- Paul was rushed out of the city of Bere
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- Paul was rushed out of the city of Berea
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- Paul was rushed out of the city of Berea to
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- avoid a growing threat.
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- He was put on a ship and escorted to the
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- epic city of Athens.
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- We made a road trip out of it and had a great time driving the
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- 300 miles down the eastern coast of Greece.
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- While waiting for his companions,
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- Paul was invited to speak to the philosophers and officials of
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- the Areopagus that met on Mars Hill.
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- There, he presented the gospel to the so-called professional
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- thinkers of Athens.
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- Many scoffed at his message of forgiveness through Jesus
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- Christ, but a few of them became believers.
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- After a short time in Athens, Paul hit the road again.
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- Next stop, the capital city of Corinth.
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- Dave: Ancient Corinth thrived as one of the most prosperous
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- Greek city-states for hundreds of years prior
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- to the Roman Empire.
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- The Corinthians dominated trade in the region,
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- invented Corinthians-style architecture, boasted
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- some of the greatest fighters in all of Greece,
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- and they invented the trireme warship.
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- Dave: The trireme was an awesome ship of the ancient seas
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- with three rows of oars, one man to each oar.
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- In Greek, "trireme" basically means a three rower.
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- Corinthian triremes were known as light attack ships with a
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- large battering ram in the front.
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- The Corinthian warriors were also known for their helmets,
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- considered the finest helmets in ancient Greece for centuries.
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- The entire head and neck were covered,
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- with holes for the eyes, a slit for the mouth,
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- and a curved projection that protected the nape of the neck.
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- When out of combat, Hoplite warriors would wear the helmet
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- tipped upward for comfort, as you can see in this ancient
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- Corinthian stater coin.
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- This gave rise to a series of other helmet designs where the
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- helmet was no longer pulled over the face,
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- but worn like a cap.
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- Dave: Ancient Corinth was also known for its bronze.
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- Corinthian bronze was a metallic alloy made from bronze and other
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- materials that, in its finished state, looked like gold.
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- It was only made for a short span of time,
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- but then its recipe was lost to history.
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- Corinthian bronze was sought all over the Mediterranean for its
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- use in palaces, temples, theaters,
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- and even musical instruments.
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- Dave: Even the temple in Jerusalem used Corinthian bronze
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- for one of its gates, known as the Beautiful Gate,
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- which no longer exists.
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- Dave: Corinthian bronze was used in the most elaborate
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- mirrors, some of which have been unearthed here
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- in ancient Corinth.
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- Dave: These mirrors were typically small,
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- round, held with a handle, and had molding or engraved designs.
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- Metal was difficult to form as a thin,
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- flat surface and needed constant polishing.
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- Therefore, these bronze mirrors produced a dark
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- and distorted image.
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- Dave: Later, when Paul wrote a letter to the ancient church
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- here in Corinth, he used the known distortion of Corinthian
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- mirrors to make a spiritual metaphor about someday
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- seeing our true selves.
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- "Now, we see only a reflection, as in a mirror,
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- then we shall see face-to-face.
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- Now I know in part, then I shall know fully,
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- even as I am fully known," 1 Corinthians 13:12.
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- Dave: Corinth's rivalry with the city-state of Athens lasted
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- for hundreds of years.
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- During the period of the Achaean League in the 3rd and 2nd
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- centuries B.C., Corinth was the largest city and
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- eventually made the capital.
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- However, in 146 B.C., the Romans destroyed Corinth
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- and it was mostly abandoned.
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- Dave: About 100 years later, in 44 B.C.,
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- Julius Caesar refounded Corinth.
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- As a Roman colony, the city was soon filled with freed men,
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- Roman army veterans, locals, and transplants from elsewhere.
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- The character of the new city was changed into one that
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- was very Roman.
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- Then in 27 B.C., Augustus made Corinth the capital of
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- the Achaea province.
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- Dave: Roman Corinth was located on an isthmus with two
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- harbors, making it one of the hubs of the Roman world.
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- The harbor of Cenchreae on the east led to the Aegean Sea,
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- and the harbor of Lechaeum on the west led to the Adriatic.
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- A paved road called the Diolkos connected the two harbors,
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- which allowed the movement of goods,
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- animals, people, and small boats nearly 4 miles across
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- the isthmus.
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- As a major transit hub, commerce thrived and the government
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- collected plenty of taxes.
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- Dave: About 15 or so years ago,
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- I visited Corinth when doing a series on ancient Greece,
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- and I learned the story of the great Corinth canal.
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- In short, the idea to build 4 miles of canal through this
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- strategic land goes all the way back to 602 B.C.
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- when Periandros, the tyrant of Corinth,
- 00:06:09.280 --> 00:06:12.290
- wanted to accomplish the feat.
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- He was scared out of the project,
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- however, by a soothsayer who allegedly told him that building
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- a canal through the isthmus would incur
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- the rage of the gods.
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- Dave: Thereafter, different leaders from different empires
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- made several different failed attempts.
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- As you can see, you've gotta cut through a lot of rock.
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- It wasn't until 1893 and the invention of dynamite that the
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- Corinth canal was finally open.
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- Dave: In 1858, Corinth was destroyed by a major earthquake.
- 00:06:45.130 --> 00:06:50.070
- As a result, the modern city of Corinth was rebuilt about
- 00:06:50.080 --> 00:06:53.130
- 3 miles northeast of here.
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- This allowed archeologists to start significant explorations
- 00:06:56.140 --> 00:07:00.120
- in the ancient city.
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- Excavations have now uncovered much of Roman-period Corinth,
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- including an agora, a forum, a city council building,
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- gymnasiums, baths, a 14.000-seat theater,
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- and multiple temples to mythological gods.
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- Dave: This was the Corinth that Paul visited when he
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- came here in 50 A.D.
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- It was the capital of Achaea province and the seat of Roman
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- power in the region, being controlled by a proconsul.
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- Corinth was probably the fifth largest city in the Roman
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- Empire, behind Rome, Alexandria, Ephesus,
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- and Antioch.
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- And since it was a hub of travel and commerce with a population
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- of over 200.000 people, it was yet another location for the
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- gospel to have far-reaching impact.
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- Dave: Let's return to the Book of Acts.
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- "Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
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- There, he met a Jew named Aquila,
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- a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with
- 00:08:00.280 --> 00:08:03.280
- his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all
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- Jews to leave Rome.
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- Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as
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- they were, he stayed and worked with them.
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- Every Sabbath, he reasoned in the synagogue,
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- trying to persuade Jews and Greeks," Acts 18:1-4.
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- Dave: Luke tells us that after Paul arrived in Corinth,
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- he soon met Priscilla and Aquila,
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- fellow tentmakers who had been deported from Rome
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- by Emperor Claudius.
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- According to 1st century records,
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- Claudius tried to rid Rome of Judeans and Christians in
- 00:08:38.280 --> 00:08:43.040
- about 49 A.D.
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- Now, Paul and his new friends may have sold their tents right
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- here in this location, in what would have been shops at the
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- western side of the forum.
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- Paul also followed his normal custom of going to the synagogue
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- to preach the gospel.
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- 00:09:00.150 --> 00:09:04.290
- Dave: There was at least one synagogue of the Jews
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- here in Corinth.
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- This is demonstrated by a Greek inscription reading,
- 00:09:08.280 --> 00:09:12.130
- "Synagogue of the Hebrews," which was discovered here,
- 00:09:12.140 --> 00:09:15.260
- that's now housed at the Museum of Ancient Corinth.
- 00:09:15.270 --> 00:09:19.040
- Dave: This limestone block appears to be the lintel of a
- 00:09:19.050 --> 00:09:21.280
- doorway, and the Greek letters that can still be seen are alpha
- 00:09:21.290 --> 00:09:26.280
- gamma, omega, gamma, eta, epsilon, beta, rho.
- 00:09:26.290 --> 00:09:33.210
- In Greek, "Synagoge Ebraion" can be translated
- 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:37.230
- as "Synagogue of the Hebrews."
- 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:40.050
- Dave: Now, the inscription probably dates to the 4th
- 00:09:40.060 --> 00:09:42.120
- century A.D., but most ancient synagogues were constructed over
- 00:09:42.130 --> 00:09:47.110
- the earlier remains of earlier synagogues.
- 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:50.150
- So, the 1st century synagogue was probably at the very same
- 00:09:50.160 --> 00:09:54.020
- location, just like we saw with the synagogue of Capernaum
- 00:09:54.030 --> 00:09:57.210
- in the Gospel series.
- 00:09:57.220 --> 00:10:01.160
- Dave: Here at Capernaum, this white limestone synagogue was
- 00:10:01.170 --> 00:10:05.080
- built right over an earlier black basalt synagogue.
- 00:10:05.090 --> 00:10:11.260
- Dave: Archeologists have also uncovered this decorative
- 00:10:11.270 --> 00:10:14.230
- architecture near the same location as
- 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:17.030
- the synagogue inscription.
- 00:10:17.040 --> 00:10:19.170
- Dave: This marble relief shows three menorahs,
- 00:10:19.180 --> 00:10:22.180
- the seven branched candelabra used at the temple in Jerusalem.
- 00:10:22.190 --> 00:10:26.170
- Together, the synagogue inscription and this menorah
- 00:10:26.180 --> 00:10:29.280
- relief provide solid evidence for the Jewish population in
- 00:10:29.290 --> 00:10:33.210
- Corinth, some of which probably arrived with Priscilla and
- 00:10:33.220 --> 00:10:37.180
- Aquila after be expelled from Rome during the
- 00:10:37.190 --> 00:10:40.170
- reign of Claudius.
- 00:10:40.180 --> 00:10:43.070
- Okay, let's return to Luke's account in Acts.
- 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.140
- "When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia,
- 00:10:46.150 --> 00:10:49.070
- Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching,
- 00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:52.080
- testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
- 00:10:52.090 --> 00:10:56.160
- When they opposed Paul and became abusive,
- 00:10:56.170 --> 00:10:58.280
- he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them,
- 00:10:58.290 --> 00:11:02.160
- 'Your blood be on your own heads!
- 00:11:02.170 --> 00:11:04.290
- I am innocent of it.
- 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:06.170
- From now on I will go to the Gentiles.'
- 00:11:06.180 --> 00:11:09.270
- Then Paul left the synagogue and
- 00:11:09.280 --> 00:11:11.260
- went next door to the house of Titius Justus,
- 00:11:11.270 --> 00:11:15.010
- a worshiper of God.
- 00:11:15.020 --> 00:11:16.270
- Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household
- 00:11:16.280 --> 00:11:20.110
- believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard
- 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:23.190
- Paul believed and were baptized.
- 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.110
- One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: 'Do not be afraid;
- 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:30.130
- keep on speaking, and do not be silent.
- 00:11:30.140 --> 00:11:33.000
- For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you,
- 00:11:33.010 --> 00:11:36.230
- because I have many people in this city.'
- 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.030
- So Paul stayed in Corinth for
- 00:11:39.040 --> 00:11:41.010
- a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God,"
- 00:11:41.020 --> 00:11:44.120
- Acts 18:5-11.
- 00:11:44.130 --> 00:11:47.130
- Dave: The church here in ancient Corinth continued to
- 00:11:47.140 --> 00:11:50.040
- grow, and it included all segments of society,
- 00:11:50.050 --> 00:11:53.230
- including government officials, wealthy businessmen,
- 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:56.180
- freed men, and the poor.
- 00:11:56.190 --> 00:11:58.190
- Now, one of the first Christians was the city treasurer, named
- 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:02.090
- Erastus, who is remembered in this
- 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:04.230
- official Latin inscription from about 50 A.D.
- 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:08.230
- This slab of pavement was discovered near the Corinthian
- 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:12.210
- theater, and it translates to, "Erastus,
- 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:16.030
- in return for his aedileship, laid the
- 00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:19.030
- pavement at his own expense."
- 00:12:19.040 --> 00:12:24.160
- In their biblical accounts, Luke and Paul refer to Erastus as the
- 00:12:24.170 --> 00:12:29.160
- manager of the city, or the treasurer of Corinth.
- 00:12:29.170 --> 00:12:33.150
- In Latin, this title is known as the "aedile," a city official
- 00:12:33.160 --> 00:12:37.260
- chosen annually to manage public works and commercial affairs.
- 00:12:37.270 --> 00:12:43.000
- Once again, we see something carved in stone that is evidence
- 00:12:43.010 --> 00:12:46.160
- of what we have in our Bibles.
- 00:12:46.170 --> 00:12:52.030
- Dave: Of course, there were many Jews who rejected the
- 00:12:52.040 --> 00:12:54.230
- message of Jesus preached by Paul.
- 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:57.140
- Like in other cities, they eventually got fed up with the
- 00:12:57.150 --> 00:13:00.270
- visiting evangelist and looked for a way to stop him.
- 00:13:00.280 --> 00:13:04.010
- Here in Corinth, they eventually brought Paul before the Roman
- 00:13:04.020 --> 00:13:07.160
- proconsul at the judgment seat here in the forum,
- 00:13:07.170 --> 00:13:11.090
- known as the bema.
- 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:16.060
- Dave: "When Gallio was proconsul of Achaea,
- 00:13:16.070 --> 00:13:18.270
- the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and
- 00:13:18.280 --> 00:13:22.080
- brought him to the place of judgment.
- 00:13:22.090 --> 00:13:24.170
- 'This man,' they charged, 'is persuading the people to worship
- 00:13:24.180 --> 00:13:28.130
- God in ways contrary to the law.'
- 00:13:28.140 --> 00:13:31.220
- Just as Paul was about to speak,
- 00:13:31.230 --> 00:13:33.180
- Gallio said to them, 'If you Jews were making a complaint
- 00:13:33.190 --> 00:13:37.040
- about some misdemeanor or serious crime,
- 00:13:37.050 --> 00:13:39.280
- it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.
- 00:13:39.290 --> 00:13:42.140
- But since it involves questions about words and names and your
- 00:13:42.150 --> 00:13:45.130
- own law--settle the matter yourselves.
- 00:13:45.140 --> 00:13:48.180
- I will not be a judge of these things.'
- 00:13:48.190 --> 00:13:50.240
- So he drove them off," Acts 18:12-16.
- 00:13:50.250 --> 00:13:56.250
- Dave: The bema in Corinth has been discovered here.
- 00:13:56.260 --> 00:14:00.040
- It's a platform on the south side of the forum.
- 00:14:00.050 --> 00:14:03.290
- An inscription has been uncovered near the platform
- 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:07.010
- confirming its official use.
- 00:14:07.020 --> 00:14:08.290
- Now, as you can see, the platform rises about 7 1/2 feet
- 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:12.150
- above the pavement of the forum, where the accused
- 00:14:12.160 --> 00:14:15.240
- and onlookers stood.
- 00:14:15.250 --> 00:14:18.020
- It was from here that the proconsul would address
- 00:14:18.030 --> 00:14:20.270
- citizens, settle disputes, and render verdicts in
- 00:14:20.280 --> 00:14:24.260
- criminal cases.
- 00:14:24.270 --> 00:14:26.270
- Dave: When Paul was living in Corinth,
- 00:14:26.280 --> 00:14:28.160
- Jewish leaders from the synagogue brought him before
- 00:14:28.170 --> 00:14:31.060
- Junius Gallio, the proconsul of the province.
- 00:14:31.070 --> 00:14:34.110
- Jewish leaders hoped that Paul would be punished and barred
- 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:37.200
- from teaching Christianity.
- 00:14:37.210 --> 00:14:39.230
- According to Roman historians such as Tacitus,
- 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:42.030
- we know that Gallio served a short term as proconsul of
- 00:14:42.040 --> 00:14:45.240
- Achaea from around 51 to 52 A.D.
- 00:14:45.250 --> 00:14:50.060
- And remarkably, a stone inscription has been discovered,
- 00:14:50.070 --> 00:14:54.020
- also stating that Junius Gallio was the proconsul of the
- 00:14:54.030 --> 00:14:57.290
- province of Achaea in 52 A.D.
- 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:01.210
- The level of accuracy found in the Bible was
- 00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:04.020
- confirmed yet again.
- 00:15:04.030 --> 00:15:05.250
- New discoveries are made often and it never ceases to amaze me.
- 00:15:05.260 --> 00:15:10.080
- You can put your trust in the history of the Bible.
- 00:15:10.090 --> 00:15:15.200
- Dave: As the provincial governor,
- 00:15:15.210 --> 00:15:17.070
- Gallio would've spent part of his time at the bema in Corinth,
- 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:20.260
- but since his time was limited, he would've only heard the most
- 00:15:20.270 --> 00:15:23.170
- important cases.
- 00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:25.070
- When the Jews dragged Paul before Gallio,
- 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:28.080
- he proclaimed to them that it was an internal religious matter
- 00:15:28.090 --> 00:15:31.230
- and not a crime.
- 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.110
- He told everyone that he was unwilling to pass judgment in
- 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.180
- the matter and he drove them away from the bema.
- 00:15:36.190 --> 00:15:40.210
- Dave: According to Luke, Paul stayed in Corinth a full year
- 00:15:43.290 --> 00:15:47.060
- and a half.
- 00:15:47.070 --> 00:15:48.160
- This was really the first time that Paul was allowed to live
- 00:15:48.170 --> 00:15:51.120
- and teach in any one place as long as he wanted.
- 00:15:51.130 --> 00:15:55.060
- During his time here, besides establishing a church,
- 00:15:55.070 --> 00:15:58.100
- Paul wrote two letters back to the church at Thessalonica.
- 00:15:58.110 --> 00:16:02.090
- Paul was also in Corinth long enough to experience
- 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:05.100
- the Isthmian Games.
- 00:16:05.110 --> 00:16:06.280
- Dave: The Isthmian Games were held at this location near
- 00:16:06.290 --> 00:16:09.200
- ancient Corinth every two years to honor Poseidon,
- 00:16:09.210 --> 00:16:13.180
- the mythological god of the sea.
- 00:16:13.190 --> 00:16:16.010
- They were second only to the Olympic Games,
- 00:16:16.020 --> 00:16:18.190
- which were held every four years.
- 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.110
- Now, the Isthmian Games included contests such as equestrian,
- 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:24.220
- gymnastics, music, poetry, boxing,
- 00:16:24.230 --> 00:16:28.100
- wrestling, running, and chariot racing.
- 00:16:28.110 --> 00:16:32.030
- Winners were given a wreath of pine leaves,
- 00:16:32.040 --> 00:16:34.280
- remission of taxes, fame, and possibly a victory ode.
- 00:16:34.290 --> 00:16:40.040
- Dave: Yea, an ode to Dave.
- 00:16:40.050 --> 00:16:41.220
- That's what this show really needs.
- 00:16:41.230 --> 00:16:43.190
- O Dave, O Dave, how you drive near and far.
- 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:47.260
- How you wear cool sunglasses and how you drive a cool car.
- 00:16:47.270 --> 00:16:52.130
- O Dave, O Dave, you're a history analyzer and you never leave
- 00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:58.060
- home without hand sanitizer.
- 00:16:58.070 --> 00:17:02.120
- Oh yeah, nailed it.
- 00:17:02.130 --> 00:17:05.230
- Dave: According to historical accounts,
- 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:07.260
- the Isthmian Games were held here in 51 A.D.
- 00:17:07.270 --> 00:17:11.170
- when Paul was living in ancient Corinth.
- 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:14.210
- Paul later used the games to deliver a spiritual metaphor to
- 00:17:14.220 --> 00:17:18.210
- the Corinthian church about how to live the Christian life with
- 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:21.270
- self-discipline, an ultimate goal and for an eternal
- 00:17:21.280 --> 00:17:25.170
- reward in heaven.
- 00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:28.140
- Dave: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
- 00:17:28.150 --> 00:17:31.220
- but only one gets the prize?
- 00:17:31.230 --> 00:17:33.260
- Run in such a way as to get the prize.
- 00:17:33.270 --> 00:17:36.120
- Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
- 00:17:36.130 --> 00:17:40.000
- They do it to get a crown that will not last,
- 00:17:40.010 --> 00:17:42.190
- but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
- 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:46.120
- Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;
- 00:17:46.130 --> 00:17:49.210
- I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
- 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:52.180
- No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that
- 00:17:52.190 --> 00:17:57.140
- after I have preached to others, I myself will not become
- 00:17:57.150 --> 00:18:01.220
- disqualified for the prize," 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
- 00:18:01.230 --> 00:18:07.290
- Dave: Historians and Bible scholars often stress the
- 00:18:09.020 --> 00:18:11.250
- immorality of ancient Corinth.
- 00:18:11.260 --> 00:18:14.080
- It was a very seedy city filled with
- 00:18:14.090 --> 00:18:16.100
- sailors and military veterans.
- 00:18:16.110 --> 00:18:19.070
- In fact, in ancient times, the phrase "Corinthian woman" was
- 00:18:19.080 --> 00:18:22.150
- used as a synonym for a prostitute or sexual immorality.
- 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:27.050
- Corinth was a very Pagan city where the worship of
- 00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:30.030
- many deities was encouraged.
- 00:18:30.040 --> 00:18:33.000
- The place was immersed in immorality,
- 00:18:33.010 --> 00:18:35.150
- with idols and shrines everywhere.
- 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:38.180
- The rough reality of ancient Corinth made life pretty
- 00:18:38.190 --> 00:18:41.280
- difficult for the young Christians living here.
- 00:18:41.290 --> 00:18:45.080
- This was the temple of Apollo, one of the oldest temples in
- 00:18:45.090 --> 00:18:48.280
- ancient Corinth and a major landmark for anyone walking
- 00:18:48.290 --> 00:18:52.170
- through the city.
- 00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:53.270
- It was located near the agora and synagogue,
- 00:18:53.280 --> 00:18:57.100
- and was constantly performing cult rituals,
- 00:18:57.110 --> 00:19:00.080
- known to cause problems for the young Christians here.
- 00:19:00.090 --> 00:19:03.280
- Now, this massive, rocky hill up there is called the Acrocorinth,
- 00:19:03.290 --> 00:19:07.260
- and at 1.886 feet, it has towered over this city for
- 00:19:07.270 --> 00:19:13.000
- a millennia.
- 00:19:13.010 --> 00:19:14.110
- During the time of Paul, there was a temple of Aphrodite up
- 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:17.220
- there that employed over 1.000 prostitutes,
- 00:19:17.230 --> 00:19:20.220
- according to the historian Strabo.
- 00:19:20.230 --> 00:19:23.060
- That was another known stumbling block for the early Christians
- 00:19:23.070 --> 00:19:26.160
- living here in ancient Corinth.
- 00:19:26.170 --> 00:19:28.240
- Dave: Paul left Corinth in 52 A.D.
- 00:19:29.100 --> 00:19:31.270
- According to Acts chapter 18, he sailed east to Ephesus and
- 00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:35.290
- eventually arrived at Antioch.
- 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.170
- Soon after leaving, Paul heard some disturbing reports about
- 00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:41.230
- the young Corinthian church and its struggles with the
- 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:44.170
- Pagan practices in the city.
- 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:47.030
- They were also full of pride and excusing sexual immorality.
- 00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:52.050
- Spiritual gifts were being used improperly,
- 00:19:52.060 --> 00:19:55.060
- and there was a total misunderstanding of key
- 00:19:55.070 --> 00:19:57.290
- Christian doctrines.
- 00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.180
- From Ephesus in about 53 A.D., Paul wrote his first letter back
- 00:19:59.190 --> 00:20:04.270
- to the Corinthians in an attempt to restore the Corinthian church
- 00:20:04.280 --> 00:20:08.200
- to its foundation, Jesus Christ.
- 00:20:08.210 --> 00:20:11.090
- Dave: The problems and questions that the Corinthian
- 00:20:11.290 --> 00:20:14.030
- church was dealing with are some of same struggles that
- 00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:17.190
- Christians deal with today.
- 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:19.270
- The first letter to the Corinthians very well could have
- 00:20:19.280 --> 00:20:22.150
- been written to the church today,
- 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:24.130
- and we would do well to heed its warnings and apply
- 00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:27.040
- them to ourselves.
- 00:20:27.050 --> 00:20:28.180
- But despite all the rebukes and corrections,
- 00:20:28.190 --> 00:20:31.220
- 1 Corinthians brings our focus back where it should be,
- 00:20:31.230 --> 00:20:35.120
- on Jesus, and teaches us that genuine Christian love is the
- 00:20:35.130 --> 00:20:40.000
- solution to many of our problems.
- 00:20:40.010 --> 00:20:42.250
- Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is well known
- 00:20:42.260 --> 00:20:45.220
- for its teaching about love.
- 00:20:45.230 --> 00:20:47.260
- In fact, you might have even heard this at a
- 00:20:47.270 --> 00:20:50.010
- wedding ceremony.
- 00:20:50.020 --> 00:20:51.190
- narrator: " Love is patient, love is kind.
- 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:54.240
- It does not envy, it does not boast,
- 00:20:54.250 --> 00:20:57.010
- it is not proud.
- 00:20:57.020 --> 00:20:58.200
- It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
- 00:20:58.210 --> 00:21:01.180
- it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
- 00:21:01.190 --> 00:21:06.190
- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
- 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:10.260
- It always protects, always trusts,
- 00:21:10.270 --> 00:21:13.250
- always hopes, always perseveres."
- 00:21:13.260 --> 00:21:17.180
- Dave: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
- 00:21:17.190 --> 00:21:21.100
- 1 Corinthians is also important for Paul's teaching on the
- 00:21:21.110 --> 00:21:24.180
- resurrection of Jesus.
- 00:21:24.190 --> 00:21:27.020
- "Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel
- 00:21:27.030 --> 00:21:30.170
- I preached to you, which you received and on which you have
- 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:34.070
- taken your stand.
- 00:21:34.080 --> 00:21:36.040
- By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I
- 00:21:36.050 --> 00:21:41.030
- preached to you.
- 00:21:41.040 --> 00:21:42.190
- Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
- 00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:45.150
- For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
- 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:50.010
- that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
- 00:21:50.020 --> 00:21:53.200
- that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
- 00:21:53.210 --> 00:21:57.130
- according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,
- 00:21:57.140 --> 00:22:01.070
- and then to the Twelve.
- 00:22:01.080 --> 00:22:02.240
- After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the
- 00:22:02.250 --> 00:22:05.260
- brothers and sisters at the same time,
- 00:22:05.270 --> 00:22:08.140
- most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
- 00:22:08.150 --> 00:22:12.120
- Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
- 00:22:12.130 --> 00:22:15.270
- and last of all he appeared to me also,
- 00:22:15.280 --> 00:22:18.210
- as to one abnormally born," 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.
- 00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:24.210
- Dave: Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth about 20 years
- 00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:28.030
- after the resurrection of Jesus.
- 00:22:28.040 --> 00:22:30.100
- Not only did Paul confirm the physical resurrection of Jesus
- 00:22:30.110 --> 00:22:34.050
- and his appearance to over 500 people,
- 00:22:34.060 --> 00:22:37.000
- but he goes on to explain how the resurrection of Jesus is of
- 00:22:37.010 --> 00:22:40.130
- utmost importance in demonstrating that Jesus
- 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:43.280
- is God, Savior, and Messiah.
- 00:22:43.290 --> 00:22:47.000
- Paul was very clear that, "If Christ is not raised,
- 00:22:47.010 --> 00:22:50.090
- your faith is futile and you are still in your sins,"
- 00:22:50.100 --> 00:22:53.210
- 1 Corinthians 15:17.
- 00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:56.170
- Dave: Paul's words reminded the Corinthian believers that
- 00:22:56.180 --> 00:22:59.100
- their faith isn't based on some abstract philosophy,
- 00:22:59.110 --> 00:23:02.250
- but on an historical event, and that event can instill in the
- 00:23:02.260 --> 00:23:07.070
- Corinthians true hope and the will to live courageously in the
- 00:23:07.080 --> 00:23:11.140
- middle of a decadent and hostile culture.
- 00:23:11.150 --> 00:23:14.030
- Dave: Remarkably, even though the Gospels and many other New
- 00:23:14.040 --> 00:23:17.070
- Testament writings clearly document the historical,
- 00:23:17.080 --> 00:23:20.170
- bodily resurrection of Jesus and establish that there were
- 00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:24.040
- hundreds of eyewitnesses, that event is still rejected by many
- 00:23:24.050 --> 00:23:28.110
- skeptics who question the historical reliability of the
- 00:23:28.120 --> 00:23:31.290
- Bible, especially as it relates to supernatural events.
- 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.060
- And even though six separate New Testament authors recorded the
- 00:23:36.070 --> 00:23:40.150
- physical resurrection of Jesus, and most of the apostles and
- 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:44.010
- many of Christ's disciples we know from historical sources
- 00:23:44.020 --> 00:23:47.290
- gave their lives because of their belief in that event,
- 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.140
- there is a growing trend to reject the truth of the
- 00:23:51.150 --> 00:23:54.030
- resurrection and its significance for humanity.
- 00:23:54.040 --> 00:23:57.170
- Dave: But the eyewitness testimony in the Bible about the
- 00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:59.270
- resurrection is so convincing that many who set out to
- 00:23:59.280 --> 00:24:03.030
- disprove it wind up believing in it.
- 00:24:03.040 --> 00:24:06.000
- Here, Paul is willing to refer to Christ's post-resurrection
- 00:24:06.010 --> 00:24:09.260
- appearances to eyewitnesses, some still alive,
- 00:24:09.270 --> 00:24:13.040
- who could confirm or deny his words.
- 00:24:13.050 --> 00:24:16.120
- It's ludicrous to imagine doing that if the story was made up.
- 00:24:16.130 --> 00:24:20.260
- So, what about Paul's second letter to the Corinthians?
- 00:24:20.270 --> 00:24:24.100
- This one was probably written two years later,
- 00:24:24.110 --> 00:24:26.260
- in about 55 A.D.
- 00:24:26.270 --> 00:24:29.130
- Paul's second letter expressed his relief and joy that the
- 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:32.210
- Corinthians had received his, quote,
- 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:35.000
- "severe letter," in a positive way.
- 00:24:35.010 --> 00:24:38.050
- This so-called "severe" letter was another letter Paul had
- 00:24:38.060 --> 00:24:41.150
- written that is lost to history, but it addressed issues that
- 00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:45.080
- were tearing the church apart, primarily the arrival of false
- 00:24:45.090 --> 00:24:49.020
- apostles who were assaulting Paul's character,
- 00:24:49.030 --> 00:24:51.260
- causing strife among the believers,
- 00:24:51.270 --> 00:24:53.260
- and teaching false doctrine.
- 00:24:53.270 --> 00:24:56.060
- There were also some church members who had not repented of
- 00:24:56.070 --> 00:24:59.100
- their immoral behavior.
- 00:24:59.110 --> 00:25:01.090
- Truth and lies cannot coexist in a healthy church.
- 00:25:01.100 --> 00:25:05.220
- Paul was teaching the Corinthians the difference.
- 00:25:05.230 --> 00:25:10.100
- Paul was truly happy to learn that the majority of Corinthians
- 00:25:10.110 --> 00:25:13.200
- repented of their bad behavior and turned
- 00:25:13.210 --> 00:25:16.180
- from their rebellion against Paul.
- 00:25:16.190 --> 00:25:19.030
- Paul spent much of his second letter encouraging them and
- 00:25:19.040 --> 00:25:22.010
- expressing his love.
- 00:25:22.020 --> 00:25:24.060
- He also used the opportunity to reconfirm his apostleship and
- 00:25:24.070 --> 00:25:28.250
- reestablish his authority in the church.
- 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:32.110
- Dave: So, that takes us to the end of Paul's second
- 00:25:35.050 --> 00:25:38.050
- missionary journey between 49 and 52 A.D.
- 00:25:38.060 --> 00:25:42.190
- It was a trip that took Paul and his companions from Antioch,
- 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:46.150
- through Cilicia, Galatia, Phrygia, and Asia Minor.
- 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:50.260
- Then it was over the Aegean Sea to Macedonia and Achaea,
- 00:25:50.270 --> 00:25:55.160
- from Philippi, to Thessalonica, to Athens.
- 00:25:55.170 --> 00:25:59.070
- He ended the long journey with one and a half years in Corinth,
- 00:25:59.080 --> 00:26:03.240
- and then made his way back to where he started, Antioch.
- 00:26:03.250 --> 00:26:08.250
- According to Acts chapter 18, Paul stayed with the church at
- 00:26:08.260 --> 00:26:12.240
- Antioch for quite some time, waiting for his next journey,
- 00:26:12.250 --> 00:26:17.180
- his next adventure in sharing the gospel and expanding the
- 00:26:17.190 --> 00:26:22.050
- Christian church.
- 00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:24.280
- 00:26:24.290 --> 00:26:34.290
- CC by Aberdeen Captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com
- 00:26:35.020 --> 00:26:37.290