Daily Lesson for Monday 29th of June 2026
Read Acts 17:16-34. Where was Paul before going to Corinth, and what did he do there?
Acts 17:16-34 describes Paul’s preaching to the Athenians before his going to Corinth. Apparently, he did not plan to visit Athens at that moment, but went there with the help of some friends because of the opposition that he faced at Berea (Acts 17:13-15).
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Those who went with Paul to Athens returned to Berea with a command for Timothy and Silas to join him as soon as possible (Acts 17:15). Acts 17:16-34 is about what Paul does while waiting for them. He speaks about Jesus in the synagogue, the marketplace, and the Areopagus. He really couldn’t stop talking about Jesus and took advantage of every opportunity to do it.
Read Acts 18:1-11. What does Paul do when he arrives at Corinth and during his whole stay in that city?
Paul went to Corinth during his second missionary journey. Luke informs us that Paul stayed there a year and a half.
As usual, Paul begins his missionary activity at the synagogue (Acts 18:4-6). Acts 17:1-2 mentions that this was his custom. He followed the “to-the-Jew-first” strategy (Romans 1:16, Acts 13:46), just as Jesus had commanded His apostles (see Acts 1:8).
When finally Silas and Timothy joined him in Corinth, he “was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (Acts 18:5, ESV). During his stay in Corinth, he was busy “teaching the word of God” (Acts 18:11, NKJV). It was in this context, too, that he expressed those famous words that he was “determined not to know anything among” the Corinthians “except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2, NKJV).
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What can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity in Athens and Corinth? What makes sharing the gospel so challenging in our cities and communities today? How can we share the gospel with success in these difficult places? What strategies can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity about how to best do that? |
