Lexical Summary Korinthios: Corinthian Original Word: Κορίνθιος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Corinthian. From Korinthos; a Corinthian, i.e. Inhabitant of Corinth -- Corinthian. see GREEK Korinthos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadjective from Korinthos Definition Corinthian NASB Translation Corinthians (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2881: ΚορίνθιοςΚορίνθιος, Κορινθίου, ὁ, a Corinthian, an inhabitant of Corinth: Acts 18:8; 2 Corinthians 6:11. ((Herodotus, Xenophon, others.)) Topical Lexicon Historical BackgroundCorinth, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia, occupied a commanding position on the narrow isthmus linking mainland Greece with the Peloponnese. Two busy seaports—Cenchreae on the Saronic Gulf and Lechaeum on the Corinthian Gulf—funneled trade, ideas, and a constant stream of travelers into the city. By the time of the New Testament, Julius Caesar had rebuilt Corinth as a Roman colony (44 B.C.), endowing it with a mixed population of Romans, Greeks, Jews, and a sizable number of freedmen. Its prosperity and cosmopolitan character bred both intellectual sophistication and notorious moral laxity, making the adjective “Corinthian” synonymous in antiquity with licentiousness. Into this strategic yet spiritually needy environment the apostle Paul entered with the gospel. Corinth in the New Testament Era Luke introduces the inhabitants of Corinth in Acts 18. After leaving Athens on his second missionary journey (around A.D. 50), Paul found lodging and employment with Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish tent-makers recently expelled from Rome. For eighteen months he reasoned in the synagogue and taught in the house of Titius Justus. “Crispus, the synagogue leader, believed in the Lord, together with his whole household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). These converts—Jews, Gentile God-fearers, and formerly pagan Corinthians—formed the nucleus of the city’s first church. The Birth of the Corinthian Church The fledgling congregation quickly demonstrated the power of the gospel to transcend social boundaries. People of varied ethnicities, economic statuses, and moral backgrounds were welded into “the church of God in Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Paul’s departure did not end his pastoral care. Letters, emissaries (Timothy, Titus), and repeated visits followed, testifying to the apostle’s continuing concern that the Corinthians grow in holiness amid a corrupt culture. Paul’s Relationship with the Corinthians Strong affection marks Paul’s correspondence. Years after the initial evangelization he could write, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our hearts are open wide” (2 Corinthians 6:11). Yet love did not blunt frank correction. The church’s divisions (1 Corinthians 1–4), moral failures (chapters 5–6), and confusion over worship, marriage, and resurrection demanded apostolic instruction. In each issue Paul applied the gospel—Christ crucified and risen—as both the doctrinal foundation and ethical compass. Spiritual Challenges and Apostolic Instruction 1. Unity under the cross: Boasting in human leaders fractured the congregation; Paul pointed them back to “Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). Theological Emphases Emerging from Corinthian Correspondence • The centrality of the cross exposes worldly wisdom and anchors Christian identity. Corinthian Generosity and Mission Partnership Despite earlier immaturity, the Corinthians became exemplars of generosity. Prompted by the zeal of Macedonian churches, they completed their promised contribution for Jerusalem’s poor. Paul commends this act as proof that God’s grace can transform self-indulgent pagans into cheerful givers whose liberality glorifies God (2 Corinthians 9:6-15). Continuing Legacy for the Church The two brief New Testament occurrences of the term translated “Corinthians” encapsulate an enduring narrative: God calls people out of spiritual darkness, shapes them through faithful teaching, and employs them to advance His mission. Modern believers reading Paul’s letters to the Corinthians still confront contemporary echoes of ancient Corinth—materialism, sexual confusion, factionalism—and receive the same remedy: the wisdom of God revealed in Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit within the fellowship of the church. Forms and Transliterations Κορινθιοι Κορίνθιοι Κορινθιων Κορινθίων Korinthioi Korínthioi Korinthion Korinthiōn Korinthíon KorinthíōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 18:8 Adj-GMPGRK: πολλοὶ τῶν Κορινθίων ἀκούοντες ἐπίστευον NAS: and many of the Corinthians when they heard KJV: many of the Corinthians hearing INT: many of the Corinthians hearing believed 2 Corinthians 6:11 Adj-VMP Strong's Greek 2881 |
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