Before we reach Ephesus, we must briefly visit Corinth in Greece. The date is about A.D. 50; nearly twenty years have passed since Jesus was crucified and then returned alive from the grave. The Romans, who once destroyed Corinth, have rebuilt it as a capital for the province of Achaia. Corinth sits on the narrow bridge of land that connects northern and southern Greece. Ships bring trading goods across the Adriatic Sea from Italy and Western Europe. Ships from Eastern Europe and Asia – notably from the city of Ephesus – bring trade across the Aegean Sea. Corinth becomes rich again, and as wicked as ever.
The wickedness of Corinth is evident to any first century visitor. There are idols and temples to match every human lust. Just look up: high on Corinth’s mountain is the temple of their sex goddess, Aphrodite. Her temple, which once housed a thousand prostitutes, still sells immorality as ‘worship.’
Into this wicked city come three strangers. The two refugees from Rome are Aquila and Priscilla.1 The single traveler is the apostle Paul.2 These three meet and go into business together. They also win others to their faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For the story of how God’s family enters Ephesus we must turn to Luke’s book called Acts of the Apostles.