Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

When the Apostle Paul first came to Corinth, he worked as a tent-maker for his subsistence and preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Luke wrote in Acts 18:1-4 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

The Apostle Paul speaks concerning the challenge of the gospel work whereby in his travelling and also his ministering, he experiences both hunger and thirst for the gospel’s sake. He is not writing in self-pity but rather he is highlighting the work of the gospel is hard work, self-sacrificial work. It has to roll up his sleeves and be about the Lord’s business in the nurture and care of God’s flock.

Having no certain home to go back to in the night, the Apostle Paul lived as a missionary for many years carrying the message of the gospel to foreign lands. He came to Corinth, the gospel was preached, souls saved, the church began there!

Jesus saw that their faith was not genuine. They were not committed so much to follow Him as Lord or to do the work of the gospel but they are there for the prestige. The scribe was quick to declare his allegiance to Jesus but he did not count the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus involves self-denial, sacrifice and possibly even possibly being homeless. Jesus tested his true loyalty. He was loyal to his own comfort. He was not willing to pay the pace for his faith. He merely wanted to add excitement to his life, to have the prestige of following a popular leader. It was a self-centred objective that our Lord exposed.

The Apostles of Jesus Christ suffered much persecution for Christ’s sake. They willingly suffered fools that the gospel might be proclaimed and souls saved. He contrasted their suffering with the high honour that the Corinthian Christians seemed to be enjoying.

This is not the time to boast when the Apostles’ life is on the line. William MacDonald observed well, “He pictures them as thrown into the arena with wild beasts while men and angels look on. As Godet has said: “It was not time for the Corinthians to be self-complacent and boasting, while the church was on the throne and the apostles were under the sword.”