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When Paul went to Corinth, in the middle of his second missionary journey, Acts 18:2-3 reports that he joined Aquila and Priscilla, manufacture of tents. This fits well with what Paul writes to himself, at the same time. For example, in 1 Thessalonians. 1:9 says, "But remember, brothers, our toil and hardship, we have worked day and night to avoid becoming a burden to anyone while he was preaching the gospel of God for you." Even in 2 Thess. 3:7-8, Paul: "Wenot idle when we were with you, even eat without paying. Instead, we worked day and night, with difficulty, so it would not be a burden to be one of you. "
Paul in these two States still at Corinth. Shortly after Corinth, left, towards the end of the third missionary journey, Paul in his apostolic right, which supported intellectually benefit (1 Cor. 9). The question is rhetorical irony, "OrThere are only I and Barnabas who must work for a living? "(1 Cor. 9: 6).
By Jerome Murphy-O'Connor:
View of the trade the first time in a tent-maker seems particularly appropriate for a department that focuses on the city, but there was a tendency among the craftsmen of that title, though not actually covered a much broader and more ... the same purpose as a craftsman of today, sometimes described as a carpenter. Paul was in allChance, leather work, hand in producing the large number of items contained in this material: "Can [sandal] has, in turn, would gourds for water and wine, crockery saddles, shields, etc. shops and footpaths are were also made of leather, and a ready market in Corinth (St. Paul, we Corinth: Texts and Archeology, 168).
One reason for this is true is that the Games of the Isthmus took place in nearby Isthmia. After the Olympics among the four major PanhellenicGames, Isthmian Games were two times more likely than others, is held every two years. Time Paul went to Corinth, the Isthmian Games were 500 years. They were not even in the century of its tradition of welcoming Corinth was abandoned almost completely disrupted (146-44 BC).
At the time of Paul to Corinth, 50 CE, are the games have been brought from Corinth to Isthmia. Another cesarean games simultaneously with another event in every location in the isthmusGames. The Commission presented its own site of action. Groups of people from all over the Roman Empire, met Isthmia, either to participate or attend events. According to Casio, a contemporary of Paul (in his speeches, 8.12), containing the basic sporting breeds Isthmian Games, wrestling, diving, boxing, javelin throw and threw it on the disc.
One time or another in the history of the Games, including the new phenomena of horse racing, racing, poetryReading, theater, singing, announcing, playing the lyre and the flute, and a painting competition. Yacht Race, near the Saronic Gulf, has a function, not the Games of Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, O. Demonstrations were planned for women, like men, and even for children. Large amounts of money in hand, not only for players who have won and lost, but that gives the winner.
Isthmia excavations began in 1883 with Paul Monceaux. RenewedSB 1930 by Jenkins and H. Megawati. These initial efforts yielded only meager results. Oscar Broner, however, that the site of excavation 1959-1967 discovered the temple of Poseidon, porticoes, the sanctuary of Palaemon, two stages, much earlier than others, and a Hellenistic settlement near "Rashi". Assistant Broner, Elizabeth Gebhard outdoor theater. From 1967 to 1976, Clemente excavated Roman baths and other buildings. Ms. Gebhard againExcavated in 1980 and 1989 in the central chapel and a prehistoric settlement "Rashi".
Archaeologists were unable to find permanent housing for the crowd of participants in the Games as a track in the first century AD They were built only in the second century. With the option of dealing with several miles of walking per day to reflect events or shopping and to enter a tent, hundreds if not thousands, witnessed what you prefer. In other words, this city was theBest places in the Mediterranean world of Paul to open the tent-making shop. Small shops like yours (with lines of 10 feet, 10 meters), the squares in cities throughout the Hellenistic empire.
Games of Paul, while living in Corinth? We have no idea, for sure. The games began with a sacrifice to Poseidon, the patron of the local deities. In addition, many sporting events were conducted in the most simple men and women were likelyonly poor clothing. One might expect that this nerve to offend the scruples / Judeo-Christian. However, Murphy-O'Connor said:
It is difficult to decide whether Paul himself took part in the games. Jewish Palestinian resistance against these glasses is well documented ... but we think that the same attitude that has prevailed in the diaspora. The wire was free, I had an all-in wrestling competition (see Probis Omnis, 26), we can be sure that many Hellenized Jews did not hesitateParticipation in the Games. Jews had special reserved seats in the theater of Miletus in western Asia Minor .... (17).
We do not know for sure is that Paul uses the familiarity with the games as a source of images in their teaching. A review of his speeches and letters, in roughly chronological order, presents a series of allusions to sports competition. (I want the fat and suggestions for a more literal translation.)
Delivered before arrival in Corinth, in a sermon13h25 to Antioch in Pisidia (Acts), Paul "(race)" (Drôme greek, after "rollerdrome" and "Racetrack") as a metaphor for God's purpose for the life of John the Baptist: "And while John ended his career, he continued: "Who do you think I am? I'm not him. "
Years later, Paul used the same pictures again, their objectives in life. Older Ephesians (Acts 20:24) was rejected, said Paul"But I think my life is worthless for me, if I can finish the race and only fill the job that I received the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."
In Galatians 2:2, Paul describes as a next visit to Jerusalem, to write together, "I. .. first to preach the Gospel, are among the nations. But I did it in private, that seemed to be transported by a fear that walking or running, he had run in vain. "Later inthe same book (5.7), commented: "You did a good race. Who cut for you and obeying the truth?"
These metaphors Paul employs, before arriving in Corinth. The longer wheelbase, however, occurs in the first Corinthians 9:24-27. Shortly after the founding of the church at Corinth, Paul urges the Corinthians:
Do not you know that running in a race all the runners, but only one receives the prize? Run, so that price. AnyoneParticipate in games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it for a crown, the eternally preserved. I can not, like a man running aimlessly, not knowing who fights like a man in the air. No, I beat my body and my slave so that after preaching to others I am not disqualified.
In previous centuries, of course, (was in greek: Stefano), the crown as a prize at Isthmia, fromThe branches of pines, like the back of the coins and find contemporary sculpture Isthmia in the sample. The crown of pine branches is a symbol of the Games of the isthmus, there was no evidence that the plant than others, Selinon (a plant similar to celery or parsley was) in the first century BC and a votive size of gains Crowns shows isthmic Selinon used in a variety of plants, including pine y. Goes particularly well with the phrase "crownno less important, or more literally, "crown perish." At the moment the isthmus that athletes have received their crown of grass, as it had dried.
In several letters of Paul, he uses the word "fight" or "competence" (the agon greek, that "torture" and torment. ") In Rome. 15:30, for example," Please, my brothers through our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the mind, in my struggle with prayer to God for me to come with me. "Similar steps are presentedPaul wrote in his letters from prison (see Eph. 6:12, Col. 1:29, 2:1, 4:12, Phil 1:30) in which he wrote after (edition 1 Tim was 4.: 10, 6.12).
In one of these letters in the same prison (Phil 3:13-14), Paul Racing photos on his experience: "One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and strain forward to what you end the sentence to which I go God in Jesus Christ in heaven. "
The word translated "reward"(In brabeion greek) is used by a greek at least three words to describe the prize to the winner of the competition. The context indicates that Paul refers to forget his successes, not the mistakes of the past. Contrary to what many preachers use this verse does not say: "Do not let your past failures discouraged by their earnings." Says the opposite: "Do not trust your" bottom line "benefits." Every race is a completely new business, and all runnersincluding the captain, must rise again. "
When Paul is back in prison shortly before his execution, he wrote in his latest letter (2 Tim. 4:7-8):
I have fought the good fight (dying), which is the rate (Drôme), I concluded kept the faith. What I have to get the crown (Stefano), the righteousness which the Lord has given me that day when the just judge, Not only has given, but all that the love of her appearance.
As in modern times, has the honor to submit the transfer higher premiums, said Paul expected Jesus, his crown will be awarded by his victory in the Christian race.
Although this may reduce some principles, some "rules":
Despite the victory of Christ on the cross and his desire for forgiveness, having continued to live the Christian life to a struggle between good andMal. This is a fight with the devil, where the stakes are high and the risk of loss is real (Eph. 6:12).
God wants us to win this competition, and all terms of our success. But we must be prepared to submit to the discipline and establishing a rigorous training, if we expect (with a gain of 1 Cor. 9:24-25).
God is the price you want to be with us (Acts 20:24). The boundaries of behavior that has staked its moral is, we movebeyond the limits, if you commit sins or "sins." Within this moral line, but we must ask ourselves the same freedom of our judgments themselves, the best way to "run our race" (2 Tim. 4:7).
Death is the goal, and life with Christ in eternal prize (Philippians 3:13-14, 2 Tim. 4:8).
In the sense of the word, who are already winners, as soon as you start the race. In the words of Paul, who are champions of the Super, "Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). But we still have to runthe race and to avoid being disqualified (1 Cor too. 9:26-27).
When you are in your career, Christian? Are behind the scenes? Perhaps you have doubled the last corner and stared at the finish line ahead of me. Or maybe you're still in the stands watching people in the race.
Wherever you are, the challenge of God to enter the race, all I have to run and cross the finish line victorious. Allows you to equip and train you. But it is necessaryYour role: to take seriously their Christian life, to learn all about the "rules" to listen and obey their coaches. Then, run!
Want to go further?
Here are some useful sources:
1962 Oscar Bronner. "The Crown Victoria del Istmo. American Journal of Archeology. 66:259 et seq. (See also Broner writings of many others in Isthmia.)
1967 Pfitzner, Victor C. And the reason Paul Agon: The images of the traditional sport Pauline literature. Leiden: EJ Brill. (Ph.D.Thesis, Faculty of Evangelical Theology in Münster, Westphalia, Germany)
1973 Elizabeth Gebhard. The theater at Isthmia. Chicago: University of Chicago.
1983 Jerome Murphy-O'Connor. St. Paul's Corinth: Texts and Archeology. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glaser.
