Posted for a little inspiration

Certainly a bit off topic, but inspiring enough to merit a Friday post:

Corinth - an ancient "Deadwood"

Since we will be spending the next few weeks reading from Paul's letters to the Corinthians, I thought it might be interesting to learn a bit more about Corinth, itself.

Ancient Corinth was founded in the 10th Century BCE and was the largest city in ancient Greece. More importantly, Corinth was ancient Greece’s richest port. The Corinth Paul knew had been re-founded by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony in 44 BCE. Using Rome’s tried and true format for subduing conquered populations, the "new” Corinth was populated with conscripted Italian, Greek, Syrian, Egyptian and Judean freed slaves. Like Ancient Corinth, New Corinth thrived. It’s strategic location also brought thousands of settlers from all over the Mediterranean. Soon enormous personal wealth was to be found in the local ruling class, which was made up of self-made men and a surprising number of self-made women, as well.

Corinth was located directly south of the Corinthian Gulf, on the Peloponnesian side (southern Greece) of the Isthmus of Corinth. Two harbors accommodated the city's position of control over the isthmus between two seas. Lechaeum served the westward facing the Corinthian gulf, and Cenchreae functioned as the harbor on the eastward facing the Saronic Gulf.

The territory included quite a variety of terrain: the coastal plain, which was abundantly watered and fertile; relatively flat areas further from the coast, which were fairly well-watered; areas of arable sloping hills; and mountainous regions. The most famous Corinthian mountain was the Acrocorinth [standard link], which served as the city's citadel.

Corinth was known as an especially "wild” city and had a reputation for licentiousness. Paul was faced with a city that was used to coin one of the Greek words for "fornicate”, which was korinthiazomai ! This reputation was based, in part, on the ancient Greek historian Strabo's report that there were 1,000 sacred prostitutes in the temple of Aphrodite on the Acrocorinth, which was an 1,886-foot hill that rises above the City of Corinth to the south.

As Paul arrived at Corinth in 49 or 50 C.E., he would have seen lots of rock piles, ruins of ancient city walls. Rome had destroyed the old Corinth in 146 B.C.E. The city Paul entered was therefore young-- not even a century old. In 44 B.C.E. a decree of Julius Caesar had re-founded Corinth as a Roman colony.

While Paul stayed in Corinth, he met with Jewish refugees from Rome. Paul sought out two of them, Aquila and Priscilla (mentioned in a previous post from Acts), because they were tentmakers like him. He asked if they could work together as business associates. Aquila and Prisca also became key leaders of the young Christian church.

Around 150-200 followers of Christ were in Corinth at the time of Paul's writing his letters to them. Corinthian Christians lived in large, complex households and worshiped in house churches that reflected the city's diverse make-up.

You can see many more images and descriptions of Corinth at bibleplaces.com

The ruins of the temple of Apollo in modern Corinth

Ian White sings Psalms 49

From Scotland, Ian White is a pioneer in contemporary praise and worship music. Ian felt a calling into church leadership and attended Aberdeen University to pursue a divinity degree. Yet, instead of putting his music on the back-burner, Ian's time at university was to radically reaffirm his calling into praise and worship music. Ian recalls a particular weekend in 1983 which redirected his thinking with regards to his future:

"I felt God speak to me very powerfully. I felt I'd experienced God in a new way, the power of his Holy Spirit, and just felt a real refreshing in my Christian life." As Ian shared this experience with friends Ray and Nancy Goudie, God's purpose for his life became clearer. "They laid hands on me and prayed for me and they said: 'Ian, we believe that God is going to have you write praise music, we believe that this has been a new release and we are going to pray that something starts new as a result of this experience."

Here is Ian's interpretation of Psalms 49 - today's New Testament reading. Lyrics below:



Ian White sings Psalms 49

No man can redeem the life of another,
or give to God a ransom for him.
The ransom for our life is costly.
No payment is ever enough,
that he should live and never see decay.

For all can see that wise men perish.
And fools will die leaving riches behind.
Their tombs will forever be their houses.
Though they had named lands for themselves,
man despite his wealth will not endure.

This is the fate of all who trust themselves.
And of their followers who approve what they say.
But God the Lord He will redeem my soul.
He will uplift me from the grave,
And He will surely take me to Himself.

No man can redeem the life of another,
or give to God a ransom for him.
But God the Lord He will redeem my soul.
He will uplift me from the grave,
and He will surely take me to Himself.

John Calvin - Psalm 48 - "The joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion"

A brief reading from John Calvin's Commentary on Psalm 48.

David vs. Saul

David, a shepherd, was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem. He was anointed by Samuel to be successor to Saul who was first king of the united Israel. David entered Saul's service as a musician, but when David defeated Goliath, the Philistine champion, Saul became jealous. Soon Saul tried to kill David, but Saul's son Jonathan, who was David's close friend, helped him to escape. David lived as an outlaw for a time. Once Saul entered a cave where David was hiding. Instead of killing Saul, David secretly clipped off the corner of Saul's robe, showing his loyalty to the king. Eventually, Saul died in battle with the Philistines, the men of Judah made David their king.

After winning a war against the followers of Saul's son, David was chosen as ruler by all the tribes of Israel. His reign began in 1000 BC. He captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. David broke the Philistine power, united the country, brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and established Jerusalem as the religious center. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, but repented. He was forced to flee from Jerusalem when his son Absalom rebelled, but when Absalom was killed, David grieved deeply. Shortly before David died, he indicated that his son Solomon should succeed him on the throne. God promised David that one of his sons would always be on the throne, and the New Testament finds this promise fulfilled in Jesus.

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri painted this picture of Saul attacking David around 1600. For thousands of years, the divide between David and Saul has been talked and preached about. However, I wonder if we really understand the gist of the real difference between them. It seems to me that both Saul and David were each flawed in his own way.

David was

• Unimpressive stature
• Inexperienced
• Heart after God
• Repentant
• God-reliant
• Spirit-filled

Saul was

• Impressive stature
• Experienced
• Hardened heart
• Resistant
• Self-reliant
• Spirit-possessed

God uses the unexpected, unimpressive, and inexperienced to accomplish remarkable things. Saul was a head above most men. David was ruddy and smaller in stature. Saul was driven by an evil spirit and died a crazed, God-forsaken man. David drove an evil spirit from Saul with the sound of his lyre. Saul hid out in his tent when Goliath taunted the Israelites. David stood up for his people and God and defeated Goliath. What made the difference between these two leaders? The ultimate contrast between these two kings was not their appearance or experience, but their spirit. We’re told that the Spirit rushed upon David, while the Spirit departed from Saul. One man was Spirit-filled and led. The other was Spirit-devoid and distrusting.

That, then, begs the question: Are we filled with the spirit or do we often turn our backs on the Lord?

Mark 14 - The Last Supper, The Garden and Golgotha

Though I posted this some weeks ago, it is so powerful and meaningful and fits today's reading perfectly, I thought I would share it again. It is worth a watch; I think I have watched it 10 times or more:

David and Goliath - 1 Samuel 17

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.