Hellas: Ancient Name during the time of Paul

May 17, 2024

Athens

Dear family and friends.

To begin, you get a history and geography lesson of our location.

The name of our location at the time of Paul was “Hellas” meaning stones or rocks. Today the country of Greece made up of 3000 islands of which 207 are inhabited with 85% of the land, mountains. You can count on 250 sunny days a year or as we experienced sun, clouds and rain all in one day!

At the time of Paul, the country was made up of city-states of which Corinth was unique. In 146 BC Corinth was destroyed by the Persians so under the Romans Julius Caesar colonized Corinth. In 44 BC he made it the capital of the Roman colony. When Paul arrived in 51 AD, Corinth was again a thriving town!

Located on narrow land bridge (Isthmus of Corinth) between the Agean Sea and Rome, the Romans were anxious to make the area productive again. Caesar sent 16,000 slaves and thousands of Jewish families to help populate Corinth. Later under Claudius 6000 more Jews were expelled from Rome, including Pricilla and Acquila.

An engineered road (4 miles long) was built across the land to allow ships and their cargoes taken from the Aegean safely to Rome. A water canal was proposed but not accomplished until modern times (1890’s)

Corinth had a thriving synagogue and a population ready for the message of a savior.

Chapter 18, Luke tells us about Paul’s experiences in Corinth. He meets with Priscilla and Acquilla, fellow Christian tentmakers makers expelled from Rome. He tells the citizens about the risen savior, Jesus, at the synagogue and then at the marketplace. He has a very successful ministry that keeps him in Corinth for over a year and a half!

Tent making career for Paul was a profitable business in Corinth. Every two years thousands would come to Corinth to participate and view the Isthmian Games.

Our guide Amy was quick to tell us that Corinth had no hotels or Airbnbs. Most of the participants and fans stayed in tents around the city so the games were good for the tent making business.

In every large church, the more people you have the more problems the ministry has to deal with. This is also the case in Corinth. Paul had to write three encouraging letters to this congregation of which two first and second Corinthians are part ofour New Testament.

I must close for now. The next letter/blog will be of Athens.

Ellen.