Paul versus rich and poor
What did Paul's proclamation of the gospel look like? What did he encounter? In this short study, we look at the poverty and wealth he saw.
Most of the towns Paul visited were trading centers, located along shipping and trade routes
routes. Ephesus, Corinth and Tessalonica had relatively large ports, which stimulated trade. Cities such as Antioch in Pisidia, Ikonium, Lystra and Derbe were on the east-west overland trade route. Colosse and nearby Laodicea were important wool exporters. An exception is the relatively small town of Philippi, which lived primarily on agriculture.
The more wealth, the more status
Trade was one of the few opportunities in the Roman Empire to climb the social ladder: the more wealth, the more status. That gave these cities unprecedented opportunities. People from all walks of life came here to seek their fortune. Perhaps that was also the motivation of Priscilla and Aquila when - presumably even before they became Christians - they left the remote Black Sea port of Sinope to seek refuge in Rome. With commerce flourishing, these cities had not only rich people with "old money," but also a prosperous "middle class.
Merchants generally had a good time there. However, not everyone who moved to the city found what they hoped for. Many in the cities lived in poverty and struggled to keep their heads above water. Many were dependent on patrons. The contrast between poor and rich was great.
In the Christian congregation
This social dichotomy did not pass the Christian congregation by. At least in Corinth it led to problems: at the weekly love meals, at which supper was also celebrated, the rich were served the most and best food, while the poor, who came later - mostly day laborers or slaves - found only leftovers (see explanation 1 Cor. 11:20-21 in Study Bible, New Testament). However, Paul' admonishes the Corinthians: for God, social status does not matter. The rich are by no means ahead of the poor (cf. also 1Tim.6:1-19).
➡️ Want to learn more? Take advantage of the Study Bible app or other inspiring articles! Retrieved from our socials we also offer you fun inspiration!
This article was written by Marco Rotman and part of an article previously published in Study Bible magazine - year 3.
