What do you think?
Rate this book
A Week in the Life
A Week in the Life of Corinth
Ben Witherington III attempts to reenchant our reading of Paul in this creative reconstruction of ancient Corinth. Following a fictitious Corinthian man named Nicanor through an eventful week of business dealings and conflict, you will encounter life at various levels of Roman society--eventually meeting Paul himself and gaining entrance into the Christian community there. The result is an unforgettable introduction to life in a major center of the New Testament world. Numerous full-page text boxes expand on a variety of aspects of life and culture as we encounter them in the narrative.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
104 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
About the author
Ben Witherington III
129 books151 followersBen Witherington III (PhD, University of Durham) is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is on the doctoral faculty at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including The Jesus Quest, The Paul Quest, and The New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus. He has appeared on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
August 21, 2023
This was an okay book... the writing felt very elementary and cheesy and it didn't draw me in. But it was kind of interesting to get a peak into life in Corinth. Kept thinking of how much better I could have written this though...
January 5, 2015
I had high hopes for this book since the day my College professor told us it was required reading for the semester. I did not know what to expect, being accustomed to scholarly texts that make you think deeply on a subject rather than having a text that makes you think, but also has an interesting storyline to entertain you at the same time.
This historical non-fiction is a story about a Nicanor, a man who was a slave at one time, but bought his freedom from his master, Erastos, in first century Corinth. I enjoyed it because in the middle of the storyline, I could learn some things that pertained to the culture and times of first century Corinth.
When Paulos (Paul) was introduced into the storyline, my ears perked up. Not only was this a story of a free man and a description of life in Corinth, but also the gospel was very vivid.
My only dislike was the fact that the dialogue between the characters did not flow very well. The 7-year-old girl’s (Julia) vocabulary was very developed, at times, not believable. Sometimes the phrases seemed Americanized and not “Corinthian” (?) enough. I had a good laugh when Krackus, the gladiator, said, “I suppose it would be wise to get out while the getting is good.” (110) Ha!
These dislikes are only semantics, though, and really did not distract from the purpose of the book, which was to show the reader what life was like in first century Corinth.
Corinthian culture, a trial, another man driven by envy, a sick man in need of healing, gospel proclamation… and even romantic love all seems to take part in this story. Recommended, indeed!
The author writes, “In short, the story in this book, while fiction, is based in the historical realities of the Corinthian Christian community that Paul founded.” -158
Here are some quotes:
“The captain had offered the morning sacrifice, a young sea bird caught at dawn, and the auspices were propitious.” -7
" 'Yet the characteristic vices peculiar to our city seem to be inculcated and almost in the mother’s womb, that is the enthusiasm for acting, and the passion for gladiators and racing. In a mind preoccupied by such things, what little space is left for the higher arts?' ” (Tacitus) -11
“It was Julius Caesar in about 44 B.C. who made ancient Corinth into the Roman colony city of Corinth, Colonia Laus lulia Corinthiensis.” -15
“Even for Nicanor the pull of temptation was strong, to take revenge, to throw himself in the arms of Nemesis and strike back against the family who had ripped him from the arms of his father those many years ago.” -19
“Unlike cities such as Delphi, well up in the mountains, Corinth enjoyed the benefits of the moderating sea breezes in the summer and the warming current in the winter.” -27
“[Paul] had been well-educated at the feet of Gamaliel and in the school of Greek rhetoric and philosophy in Jerusalem.” -34
“In the Syriac text of the second century apocryphal document called the Acts of Paul and Thecla, Paul is described as follows: ‘He was a man of middling size, an his hair was scanty, and his legs were a little crooked, and his knees were projecting, and he had large eyes and his eyebrows met, and his nose was somewhat long, and he was full of grace and mercy; at one time he seemed like a man, and at another time he seemed like an angel.’ This description is the basis of the early drawing of Paul found in a cave above the city of Ephesus used for worship, high above ancient Ephesos.” -36
“There is something contradictory about a person who claims to be a seer, and who has visions of heaven, but who has oozing eyes... In short, Paul had some hurdles to overcome as the apostle to a Gentile world that was saturated with rhetoricians and apt to judge orators by their appearance." -44
“And at the very back of the house, beyond and below the main garden, slaves were washing and bleaching the clothes, using the cleaning agent of choice, human urine” -45
“Nicanor knew there was no gainsaying the mistress of the house – she was de facto the oikonomos, ruler of the house, with the consent of her husband.” -54
“Giving Nicanor a quick hug, she said, ‘I thank the Lord you have returned. We need you at times like these.’ There it was again, that talk about not a lord, but ‘the Lord.’ Nicanor didn’t know what to think. How could she be so confident there was only one?” -75
“Born around 460 B.C. on the island of Cos during the golden age of Greece, Hippocrates is known today as the father of modern clinical medicine, and the modern medical Hippocratic Oath is named after him.” -80
“An average of 137 persons per acre, in these neighborhoods you were liable to see every imaginable form, shape and condition of humanity.” -113
“The stench of the streets was not much of an issue for Nicanor except when the spring thermals blew up the hill from the Adriatic.” -113
“Paulos no longer regularly observed the Sabbath, except when he was in the company of Jews who did so, and so when the day of Saturn dawned, he could be found in the leather-working shop, sewing away on yet another tent.” -118
“Most of the meat had come from sacrifices in one or another of the temples in Corinth, and already a problem had begun to brew between the more high-status Gentile converts like Erastos, who saw no problem with dining in the temple of Aesclepius and elsewhere, and those like the family of Crispus, who still observed Jewish customs and would not eat ‘meat offered to idols,’ even at home like Erastos’s. Paulos was going to have to give some instructions on these matters to the house churches in Corinth before it led to major divisions in the body of Christ.” -119
“…’Salvation’ in the pagan mind almost always referred to something hapenning in the world, in this life, of direct material benefit.” -121
“ ’Yes, mistress,’ he replied, ‘but right now I am in need of a huge goblet of unwatered wine please.’ Tyche laughed and said, ‘Coming right up. But you have just drunk in the new wine of the gospel, of life and life abundant in the Lord Jesus, and that will help you much more.’ Just when Nicanor thought he was getting a handle on his new direction in life, then this had to happen!” -124
“The meeting of the followers of Jesus would begin at the eleventh hour, or near sunset, just after all the workers and slaves were finished with work for the day. And there would be some from the other house churches who would arrive late to the meeting.” -125
“If we were to examine Paul’s household codes closely, we would discover that his strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of the gospel into the structure of the Christian household ad house-church meetings, and let it work its way.” -128
“What we see is Paul insisting that Christians who are masters act like Christians first, and this meant all sorts of restrictions on how they treated their slaves… If the master worked out the logical implications of Paul’s teaching, he would have to conclude that ultimately manumission was the right Christian way to treat slave in the long run.” -129
“Torches had been rigged on poles in the courtyard, and people were enjoying all sorts of rich appetizers, including imported Lucrene oysters and the best Falernian wine. Krackus remarked, ‘Your friends really know how to throw a party.’ ” -140
“Would the most high God really exalt and praise this person Christ for dying on a cross? It was one thing to make a hero like Herakles a demi-god. But a Jew like this Jesus? This totally inverted the normal notions of honor and shame, and of what the gods thought was praiseworthy behavior.” -148
“It was, of course, customary after a meal to have wine, and to have an after-dinner speaker. And some of those present had refilled and brought their goblets with them into the courtyard, prepared to listen.” -149
“ ’So I ask you to bear with me friends for a while, as I extol this sort of love.’ ” -151
This historical non-fiction is a story about a Nicanor, a man who was a slave at one time, but bought his freedom from his master, Erastos, in first century Corinth. I enjoyed it because in the middle of the storyline, I could learn some things that pertained to the culture and times of first century Corinth.
When Paulos (Paul) was introduced into the storyline, my ears perked up. Not only was this a story of a free man and a description of life in Corinth, but also the gospel was very vivid.
My only dislike was the fact that the dialogue between the characters did not flow very well. The 7-year-old girl’s (Julia) vocabulary was very developed, at times, not believable. Sometimes the phrases seemed Americanized and not “Corinthian” (?) enough. I had a good laugh when Krackus, the gladiator, said, “I suppose it would be wise to get out while the getting is good.” (110) Ha!
These dislikes are only semantics, though, and really did not distract from the purpose of the book, which was to show the reader what life was like in first century Corinth.
Corinthian culture, a trial, another man driven by envy, a sick man in need of healing, gospel proclamation… and even romantic love all seems to take part in this story. Recommended, indeed!
The author writes, “In short, the story in this book, while fiction, is based in the historical realities of the Corinthian Christian community that Paul founded.” -158
Here are some quotes:
“The captain had offered the morning sacrifice, a young sea bird caught at dawn, and the auspices were propitious.” -7
" 'Yet the characteristic vices peculiar to our city seem to be inculcated and almost in the mother’s womb, that is the enthusiasm for acting, and the passion for gladiators and racing. In a mind preoccupied by such things, what little space is left for the higher arts?' ” (Tacitus) -11
“It was Julius Caesar in about 44 B.C. who made ancient Corinth into the Roman colony city of Corinth, Colonia Laus lulia Corinthiensis.” -15
“Even for Nicanor the pull of temptation was strong, to take revenge, to throw himself in the arms of Nemesis and strike back against the family who had ripped him from the arms of his father those many years ago.” -19
“Unlike cities such as Delphi, well up in the mountains, Corinth enjoyed the benefits of the moderating sea breezes in the summer and the warming current in the winter.” -27
“[Paul] had been well-educated at the feet of Gamaliel and in the school of Greek rhetoric and philosophy in Jerusalem.” -34
“In the Syriac text of the second century apocryphal document called the Acts of Paul and Thecla, Paul is described as follows: ‘He was a man of middling size, an his hair was scanty, and his legs were a little crooked, and his knees were projecting, and he had large eyes and his eyebrows met, and his nose was somewhat long, and he was full of grace and mercy; at one time he seemed like a man, and at another time he seemed like an angel.’ This description is the basis of the early drawing of Paul found in a cave above the city of Ephesus used for worship, high above ancient Ephesos.” -36
“There is something contradictory about a person who claims to be a seer, and who has visions of heaven, but who has oozing eyes... In short, Paul had some hurdles to overcome as the apostle to a Gentile world that was saturated with rhetoricians and apt to judge orators by their appearance." -44
“And at the very back of the house, beyond and below the main garden, slaves were washing and bleaching the clothes, using the cleaning agent of choice, human urine” -45
“Nicanor knew there was no gainsaying the mistress of the house – she was de facto the oikonomos, ruler of the house, with the consent of her husband.” -54
“Giving Nicanor a quick hug, she said, ‘I thank the Lord you have returned. We need you at times like these.’ There it was again, that talk about not a lord, but ‘the Lord.’ Nicanor didn’t know what to think. How could she be so confident there was only one?” -75
“Born around 460 B.C. on the island of Cos during the golden age of Greece, Hippocrates is known today as the father of modern clinical medicine, and the modern medical Hippocratic Oath is named after him.” -80
“An average of 137 persons per acre, in these neighborhoods you were liable to see every imaginable form, shape and condition of humanity.” -113
“The stench of the streets was not much of an issue for Nicanor except when the spring thermals blew up the hill from the Adriatic.” -113
“Paulos no longer regularly observed the Sabbath, except when he was in the company of Jews who did so, and so when the day of Saturn dawned, he could be found in the leather-working shop, sewing away on yet another tent.” -118
“Most of the meat had come from sacrifices in one or another of the temples in Corinth, and already a problem had begun to brew between the more high-status Gentile converts like Erastos, who saw no problem with dining in the temple of Aesclepius and elsewhere, and those like the family of Crispus, who still observed Jewish customs and would not eat ‘meat offered to idols,’ even at home like Erastos’s. Paulos was going to have to give some instructions on these matters to the house churches in Corinth before it led to major divisions in the body of Christ.” -119
“…’Salvation’ in the pagan mind almost always referred to something hapenning in the world, in this life, of direct material benefit.” -121
“ ’Yes, mistress,’ he replied, ‘but right now I am in need of a huge goblet of unwatered wine please.’ Tyche laughed and said, ‘Coming right up. But you have just drunk in the new wine of the gospel, of life and life abundant in the Lord Jesus, and that will help you much more.’ Just when Nicanor thought he was getting a handle on his new direction in life, then this had to happen!” -124
“The meeting of the followers of Jesus would begin at the eleventh hour, or near sunset, just after all the workers and slaves were finished with work for the day. And there would be some from the other house churches who would arrive late to the meeting.” -125
“If we were to examine Paul’s household codes closely, we would discover that his strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of the gospel into the structure of the Christian household ad house-church meetings, and let it work its way.” -128
“What we see is Paul insisting that Christians who are masters act like Christians first, and this meant all sorts of restrictions on how they treated their slaves… If the master worked out the logical implications of Paul’s teaching, he would have to conclude that ultimately manumission was the right Christian way to treat slave in the long run.” -129
“Torches had been rigged on poles in the courtyard, and people were enjoying all sorts of rich appetizers, including imported Lucrene oysters and the best Falernian wine. Krackus remarked, ‘Your friends really know how to throw a party.’ ” -140
“Would the most high God really exalt and praise this person Christ for dying on a cross? It was one thing to make a hero like Herakles a demi-god. But a Jew like this Jesus? This totally inverted the normal notions of honor and shame, and of what the gods thought was praiseworthy behavior.” -148
“It was, of course, customary after a meal to have wine, and to have an after-dinner speaker. And some of those present had refilled and brought their goblets with them into the courtyard, prepared to listen.” -149
“ ’So I ask you to bear with me friends for a while, as I extol this sort of love.’ ” -151
April 29, 2020
Dans ce livre Witherington utilise ses connaissances pour nous montrer, sous la forme d'un roman, à quoi ressemblait la vie dans la Corinthe biblique.
Et à mon avis le pari est réussi. Cela change énormément de la simple explication et l'on se rend mieux compte de ce comment une semaine se déroulait à l'époque.
Sur le plan "roman" l'histoire est facile à lire et, bien qu'elle soit naïve et que la fin se devine dès la page 2, Witherington a réussi à faire couler une larmichette.
Maintenant je suis vraiment curieux de lire les autres volumes de la série.
Et à mon avis le pari est réussi. Cela change énormément de la simple explication et l'on se rend mieux compte de ce comment une semaine se déroulait à l'époque.
Sur le plan "roman" l'histoire est facile à lire et, bien qu'elle soit naïve et que la fin se devine dès la page 2, Witherington a réussi à faire couler une larmichette.
Maintenant je suis vraiment curieux de lire les autres volumes de la série.
March 9, 2021
I cannot more highly recommend these entertaining and educational fictional accounts of New Testament persons living in real places in the first century, written by respected, Biblical scholars
March 14, 2021
A fictional account of what life in Corinth would have looked like- from road and architectural structure to worship, praying, those in government, prophecy and conversion. A very easy read and honestly will give a little more context in terms of actually reading Corinthians as a letter to a people Paul deeply cared about and what their society would have been like
September 25, 2025
A great and entertaining way to learn a little bit of what historical life in Corinth (or most Roman provinces) may have been like during the time of Paul. However, the story line was quite sporadic and ended rather abruptly, so I was not thoroughly impressed.
March 19, 2020
I love how the book ends. Some of the things left me hanging but when I truly understood what was the aim of the book, Nicanor's salvation, I got to enjoy the book. This is just how JESUS steps into a hardened heart and makes it flesh again for HIS GLORY!!!
March 23, 2020
Ben Witherington has written a well-researched piece of imaginative historical and biblical fiction. This little book is a quick and fun read for a person looking to glean more information about some of the cultural contexts behind New Testament stories, but that doesn’t mean it’s flawless.
It’s an interesting experiment when an academician attempts to write fiction. While certain aspects will be entertaining and fascinating—putting characters and stories behind historical details certainly helps those same details become more interesting for the reader—there are other aspects that will suffer, and dialogue is one huge aspect of this book that suffers. To hear a fictional conversation written by Witherington, one would think he had never spoken to another human being in his life. There is nothing natural or believable about any of the dialogue in this book, which makes it painful to read any time the characters are talking to each other. Witherington also abruptly switches point of view between characters, which is jarring without some kind of heads up or noticeable transition. Finally, Witherington uses a few words incorrectly or misspells them, which is frustrating for readers who know what words he should be using, but more importantly, it diminishes the author’s credibility—if he can’t even get his word usage correct, how can one trust his historical fact-sharing?
When it comes to the facts, though, Witherington shares quite a lot of material that is interesting, especially when set behind the text of the New Testament—including an interesting perspective on Paul’s view of slavery. Many times I’ve heard people talk about how Paul’s discussion of slavery in the New Testament, particularly in Philemon, doesn’t necessarily have to be taken as a condoning of the institution but more as Paul doing his best to work with what he had: ergo, it wasn’t that Paul thought slavery was okay, but it was more that Paul knew being an abolitionist wouldn’t get him anywhere, so he did what he could with what he had. This interpretation has never sat well with me because if something is wrong, it is wrong, regardless of how well the message will be received by those around us. Paul knew this as well as the Old Testament prophets, and he wouldn’t have been afraid to speak out against something that was wrong. But Witherington offers a different, less watered-down perspective: “If we were to examine Paul’s household codes closely, we would discover that his strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of the gospel into the structure of the Christian household and house-church meetings, and let it work its way. . . . If the master worked out the logical implications of Paul’s teaching, he would have to conclude that ultimately manumission was the right Christian way to treat slaves in the long run” (pp. 128–29).
One thing I would ask Witherington to clarify in his discussion on slavery is why he says that “we must resist the temptation to equate ancient slavery with the antebellum slavery in nineteenth-century America.” Especially when he goes on to say that “one striking contrast is that some of the most highly educated and brilliant persons of the Roman Empire, and some of its best businessmen, were or had been slaves” (p. 9), I’m baffled by why he considers that a contrast to American slavery. The exact same is true of the American slaves: some of the best and brightest minds in the world were enslaved in the United States. Is Witherington saying that the key difference is that the slaves in the Roman Empire still got to exercise their wits and talents even while being slaves? If so, then that certainly would be a contrast. But he doesn’t elaborate that point, so one cannot know for sure.
A book of this kind is hard to do well, and certainly won’t ever be done perfectly. Witherington did a fair-to-middling job, to use an old phrase. This book isn’t mind-blowing, but it is fun, and a good way to get some great insights about an ancient world without getting mind-numbingly bored.
It’s an interesting experiment when an academician attempts to write fiction. While certain aspects will be entertaining and fascinating—putting characters and stories behind historical details certainly helps those same details become more interesting for the reader—there are other aspects that will suffer, and dialogue is one huge aspect of this book that suffers. To hear a fictional conversation written by Witherington, one would think he had never spoken to another human being in his life. There is nothing natural or believable about any of the dialogue in this book, which makes it painful to read any time the characters are talking to each other. Witherington also abruptly switches point of view between characters, which is jarring without some kind of heads up or noticeable transition. Finally, Witherington uses a few words incorrectly or misspells them, which is frustrating for readers who know what words he should be using, but more importantly, it diminishes the author’s credibility—if he can’t even get his word usage correct, how can one trust his historical fact-sharing?
When it comes to the facts, though, Witherington shares quite a lot of material that is interesting, especially when set behind the text of the New Testament—including an interesting perspective on Paul’s view of slavery. Many times I’ve heard people talk about how Paul’s discussion of slavery in the New Testament, particularly in Philemon, doesn’t necessarily have to be taken as a condoning of the institution but more as Paul doing his best to work with what he had: ergo, it wasn’t that Paul thought slavery was okay, but it was more that Paul knew being an abolitionist wouldn’t get him anywhere, so he did what he could with what he had. This interpretation has never sat well with me because if something is wrong, it is wrong, regardless of how well the message will be received by those around us. Paul knew this as well as the Old Testament prophets, and he wouldn’t have been afraid to speak out against something that was wrong. But Witherington offers a different, less watered-down perspective: “If we were to examine Paul’s household codes closely, we would discover that his strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of the gospel into the structure of the Christian household and house-church meetings, and let it work its way. . . . If the master worked out the logical implications of Paul’s teaching, he would have to conclude that ultimately manumission was the right Christian way to treat slaves in the long run” (pp. 128–29).
One thing I would ask Witherington to clarify in his discussion on slavery is why he says that “we must resist the temptation to equate ancient slavery with the antebellum slavery in nineteenth-century America.” Especially when he goes on to say that “one striking contrast is that some of the most highly educated and brilliant persons of the Roman Empire, and some of its best businessmen, were or had been slaves” (p. 9), I’m baffled by why he considers that a contrast to American slavery. The exact same is true of the American slaves: some of the best and brightest minds in the world were enslaved in the United States. Is Witherington saying that the key difference is that the slaves in the Roman Empire still got to exercise their wits and talents even while being slaves? If so, then that certainly would be a contrast. But he doesn’t elaborate that point, so one cannot know for sure.
A book of this kind is hard to do well, and certainly won’t ever be done perfectly. Witherington did a fair-to-middling job, to use an old phrase. This book isn’t mind-blowing, but it is fun, and a good way to get some great insights about an ancient world without getting mind-numbingly bored.
January 24, 2017
Ben Witherington III’s A Week in the Life of Corinth tells the story of Nicanor, a freedman immersed in the web of business, politics, and religion. He arrives back in Corinth from a business endeavor for his boss, Erastos, and considers helping Erastos’ political rival in return for money and status. After foul play, a healing miracle, and a personal prophecy, Nicanor stays loyal to Erastos and converts to Christianity.
In the story, the concepts of honor, patronage, and reciprocity drive many of the actions which take place. Both Nicanor and Aemilianus wish to gain honor and climb the cursus honorum, though both by severely different means. The same honor which drives Aemilianus to have Erastos beaten also prevents Nicanor from betraying Erastos. There is a scene where Erastos carries out his role as a patron formally. The clients enter and make a request, and he approves or denies it. Though less explicit, Erastos and Nicanor seem to also be in a patron-client relationship. Paulos specifically denies the help of Erastos and others because he does not want to be stuck in such a reciprocal relationship and owe someone. Each characters’ social class is very relevant to their choices and actions. For example, as a freedman Nicanor has few means of gaining honor and thus Aemilianus’ offer is appealing, and Paulos’ Roman citizenship assists him in coming out of the trial successfully. All of these disappear when Christianity is involved. When Nicanor becomes a Christian, Erastos says he wants a real friendship rather than a patron-client relationship, and Camilla offers Alexia to Nicanor as a wife despite his lower status.
Throughout the story, Nicanor is a skeptic of Christianity. Compared to his beliefs in Greek gods, Christianity seems completely outlandish. There is only one God, he humbled himself and became human, and he was crucified. In first century Greek, such beliefs were outlandish and hard to believe. Whenever he is in the home of Erastos and hears a reference to the Christian God, he remains respectful and keeps his judgments to himself. Julia’s deep and wholehearted belief intrigues Nicanor, but it is not until he sees Paulos heal Erastos that he begins to reconsider his religious beliefs. Despite witnessing an unexplainable and instantaneous miracle, Nicanor is still a skeptic observer when he attends the Christian service in Erastos’ home. When Jesus speaks to him through Camilla, Nicanor finally believes. In today’s society, people are also held back by what they know and what makes sense to them. The same way a single God is ridiculous compared to many god for Nicanor, the existence of any God is ridiculous compared to pure science for a modern society. When people convert, it may not be because they witnessed events as extraordinary as Nicanor did, but several small interactions with someone close to them and times of hardship are often a factor.
I found the plot to be engaging and not overly historical. At the same time I definitely learned a lot from reading it, especially from the A Closer Look sections and pictures. However, the story did start kind of slow and narration heavy. Some more dialogue would have alieved that problem. Aemilianus was a one-sided villain, which does not suit a realistic story. Also, the plot may be too evangelical for a non-Christian audience, though that may be built in the nature of it. I would recommend this book. It was educational yet entertaining which is often hard to find.
In the story, the concepts of honor, patronage, and reciprocity drive many of the actions which take place. Both Nicanor and Aemilianus wish to gain honor and climb the cursus honorum, though both by severely different means. The same honor which drives Aemilianus to have Erastos beaten also prevents Nicanor from betraying Erastos. There is a scene where Erastos carries out his role as a patron formally. The clients enter and make a request, and he approves or denies it. Though less explicit, Erastos and Nicanor seem to also be in a patron-client relationship. Paulos specifically denies the help of Erastos and others because he does not want to be stuck in such a reciprocal relationship and owe someone. Each characters’ social class is very relevant to their choices and actions. For example, as a freedman Nicanor has few means of gaining honor and thus Aemilianus’ offer is appealing, and Paulos’ Roman citizenship assists him in coming out of the trial successfully. All of these disappear when Christianity is involved. When Nicanor becomes a Christian, Erastos says he wants a real friendship rather than a patron-client relationship, and Camilla offers Alexia to Nicanor as a wife despite his lower status.
Throughout the story, Nicanor is a skeptic of Christianity. Compared to his beliefs in Greek gods, Christianity seems completely outlandish. There is only one God, he humbled himself and became human, and he was crucified. In first century Greek, such beliefs were outlandish and hard to believe. Whenever he is in the home of Erastos and hears a reference to the Christian God, he remains respectful and keeps his judgments to himself. Julia’s deep and wholehearted belief intrigues Nicanor, but it is not until he sees Paulos heal Erastos that he begins to reconsider his religious beliefs. Despite witnessing an unexplainable and instantaneous miracle, Nicanor is still a skeptic observer when he attends the Christian service in Erastos’ home. When Jesus speaks to him through Camilla, Nicanor finally believes. In today’s society, people are also held back by what they know and what makes sense to them. The same way a single God is ridiculous compared to many god for Nicanor, the existence of any God is ridiculous compared to pure science for a modern society. When people convert, it may not be because they witnessed events as extraordinary as Nicanor did, but several small interactions with someone close to them and times of hardship are often a factor.
I found the plot to be engaging and not overly historical. At the same time I definitely learned a lot from reading it, especially from the A Closer Look sections and pictures. However, the story did start kind of slow and narration heavy. Some more dialogue would have alieved that problem. Aemilianus was a one-sided villain, which does not suit a realistic story. Also, the plot may be too evangelical for a non-Christian audience, though that may be built in the nature of it. I would recommend this book. It was educational yet entertaining which is often hard to find.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2017
****Spolier Alert****
“A Week in the Life of Corinth” by Ben Witherington is a fictional novel that takes place in first century Corinth, Greece. The story is told from the perspective of a recently freed slave named Nicanor in pursuit of overcoming social hierarchies despite the Greco-Roman societal pressures of honor and patronages during the time of Paul’s ministries.
A love rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ is what Nicanor’s former master, Erastos shares with his family and extends to Nicanor. This uncommon gesture not only encourages many of his decisions to challenge the cultural norms but directly influences the conversion of Nicanor to Christianity. Distinctions between social class coupled with societal values of honor and patronage directly affected the motives and decisions that many Corinthian citizens made on a daily basis. Witherington emphasizes the rare character traits that Nicanor depicts by contrasting it to cultural and societal norms. During Greco-Roman period, it was nearly impossible to advance on the ladder of social hierarchy. The author emphasizes that it was a society driven by selfish motives to advance in anyway necessary, even if that included betrayal, revenge, and scams. On several occasions, Nicanor is offered wealth, and revenge, yet he portrays immense self-control and morality, by denying himself of these things for the sake of loyalty despite it not being reciprocated. Although Nicanor initially represents a prideful noble character, as his interactions with the Christian community began to increase, his grace and empathy for others does as well. He began to make decisions out of compassion for those who he is connected to, instead of in fear of retaliation.
Over the course of the book, Nicanor acknowledges the spread of Christianity led by Paul while also expressing criticism of the monotheistic teachings. Nicanor is at the time polytheistic, like the majority of Corinthian citizens. However it is interesting, because we as readers, are able to watch his criticism shift to curiosity and eventually conversion. Paul heals Erastos and that miracle acts as a catalyst that challenges all that Nicanor believes. In addition to the miracle, the testimony that Erastos and his family give on a daily basis, persuaded Nicanor and reassured him that their beliefs had some validity. Although he was reluctant to discard his preconditioned mindset, a shift occurred and the people that he once criticized for their uncommon beliefs and strange customs, were the same people that he found himself longing to have community with, and witness the agape love that they felt and shared. Nicanor’s skepticisms are very similar to those in today’s society. The principles that Christianity teaches are controversial to what society honors. This contrast is what cause many people to criticize and oppose Christianity.
My rating for the book is a 4. The only criticism that I have is although I did appreciate that the novel included a closer look of the historical context of the story, the interjections seemed to be a distraction to the actual storyline. It is based off of biblical stories, however, anyone can enjoy the book despite having previous knowledge of Paul’s ministry in Corinth. Witherspoon does a great job at finding the perfect balance between an informative read and an intriguing storyline. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to further understand the context within the book of Corinthians or experience life in Corinth.
“A Week in the Life of Corinth” by Ben Witherington is a fictional novel that takes place in first century Corinth, Greece. The story is told from the perspective of a recently freed slave named Nicanor in pursuit of overcoming social hierarchies despite the Greco-Roman societal pressures of honor and patronages during the time of Paul’s ministries.
A love rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ is what Nicanor’s former master, Erastos shares with his family and extends to Nicanor. This uncommon gesture not only encourages many of his decisions to challenge the cultural norms but directly influences the conversion of Nicanor to Christianity. Distinctions between social class coupled with societal values of honor and patronage directly affected the motives and decisions that many Corinthian citizens made on a daily basis. Witherington emphasizes the rare character traits that Nicanor depicts by contrasting it to cultural and societal norms. During Greco-Roman period, it was nearly impossible to advance on the ladder of social hierarchy. The author emphasizes that it was a society driven by selfish motives to advance in anyway necessary, even if that included betrayal, revenge, and scams. On several occasions, Nicanor is offered wealth, and revenge, yet he portrays immense self-control and morality, by denying himself of these things for the sake of loyalty despite it not being reciprocated. Although Nicanor initially represents a prideful noble character, as his interactions with the Christian community began to increase, his grace and empathy for others does as well. He began to make decisions out of compassion for those who he is connected to, instead of in fear of retaliation.
Over the course of the book, Nicanor acknowledges the spread of Christianity led by Paul while also expressing criticism of the monotheistic teachings. Nicanor is at the time polytheistic, like the majority of Corinthian citizens. However it is interesting, because we as readers, are able to watch his criticism shift to curiosity and eventually conversion. Paul heals Erastos and that miracle acts as a catalyst that challenges all that Nicanor believes. In addition to the miracle, the testimony that Erastos and his family give on a daily basis, persuaded Nicanor and reassured him that their beliefs had some validity. Although he was reluctant to discard his preconditioned mindset, a shift occurred and the people that he once criticized for their uncommon beliefs and strange customs, were the same people that he found himself longing to have community with, and witness the agape love that they felt and shared. Nicanor’s skepticisms are very similar to those in today’s society. The principles that Christianity teaches are controversial to what society honors. This contrast is what cause many people to criticize and oppose Christianity.
My rating for the book is a 4. The only criticism that I have is although I did appreciate that the novel included a closer look of the historical context of the story, the interjections seemed to be a distraction to the actual storyline. It is based off of biblical stories, however, anyone can enjoy the book despite having previous knowledge of Paul’s ministry in Corinth. Witherspoon does a great job at finding the perfect balance between an informative read and an intriguing storyline. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to further understand the context within the book of Corinthians or experience life in Corinth.
January 23, 2017
Ben Witherington III’s A week in the life of Corinth is about the daily lives of Nicanor, a former slave, and Erastos, Nicanor’s employer. We spend an imaginary week in Paul’s Corinth in the first-century AD as the story follows Nicanor in his day-to-day business dealings, struggles with a new religion and a political rival. I give the book a four out of five. Even though the book does an exceptional job of explaining the lifestyle of the two to five percent, the other ninety-five percent are not given the same representation.
There seems to be a strong patron-client relationship throughout the book, which tells us that the patron is the protector and provider of the client, while the client in return owes the patron respect, honor, and support. Nicanor, a former slave of Erastos, still feels obligated to serve and support Erastos. The daily lives of the citizens of the first-century world revolve around patronage and reciprocity. Marcus Aurelius Aemilanus, Erastos’ political rival, seeks a relationship with Nicanor due to his desire for political damage to Erastos.
However, Aemilanus’ plan to have a relationship with Nicanor does not work out. Nicanor is afraid to upset Aemilanus; he knows that family status is everything to Aemilanus, therefore offending him would have serious consequences. Honor and shame play an enormous role in the book. For someone’s honor to grow, someone else’s would have to decrease. These turn of events bring terrible consequences for Erastos. Aemilanus, who is known to cheat and bribe his way out of situations, decides the only way to uphold respect and family status is to secretly get rid of Erastos while making it seem like an accident.
Erastos and his family are followers of Jesus Christ. The general person that lived during this time was not Christian. The clear distinction between Christians and the followers of the Roman religion is the way they view God. Camilla, Erastos’ wife, and Paul are God-focused, which means that their lives revolve around one God.
The one person that slowly converts to Christianity is Nicanor. He had never been a spiritual person, so whenever Camilla or Julia, Camilla and Erastos’ daughter, spoke of God, Nicanor would usually turn his head away. It isn’t until Erastos was healing from Aemilanus’ evil plots that Nicanor was introduced to Christianity. After Paul put the anointment oil on Erastos and concluded his prayer, Erastos immediately woke up. Nicanor was stunned. At that moment, he knew that he had been in the presence of something powerful and holy. Trembling and overwhelmed, he was overcome with the love and fellowship of the Christian community. This would only be the beginning of Nicanor’s path to Christianity.
Conversion to Christianity was quite different from today’s society. In the first-century there was more focus on miracles and love for what God did or would do. In today’s society, we are expecting church billboards or Christian websites to guide the confused to the correct path. There is an absence of curiosity in the world today. People are plagued by their preconceived notions of Christianity, or just religion in general.
In conclusion, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a historical fiction novel. The book is easy to follow and flows very well. A week in the life of Corinth invites the reader to revisit the first century and explore the social, cultural, and religious aspects of the city of Corinth.
There seems to be a strong patron-client relationship throughout the book, which tells us that the patron is the protector and provider of the client, while the client in return owes the patron respect, honor, and support. Nicanor, a former slave of Erastos, still feels obligated to serve and support Erastos. The daily lives of the citizens of the first-century world revolve around patronage and reciprocity. Marcus Aurelius Aemilanus, Erastos’ political rival, seeks a relationship with Nicanor due to his desire for political damage to Erastos.
However, Aemilanus’ plan to have a relationship with Nicanor does not work out. Nicanor is afraid to upset Aemilanus; he knows that family status is everything to Aemilanus, therefore offending him would have serious consequences. Honor and shame play an enormous role in the book. For someone’s honor to grow, someone else’s would have to decrease. These turn of events bring terrible consequences for Erastos. Aemilanus, who is known to cheat and bribe his way out of situations, decides the only way to uphold respect and family status is to secretly get rid of Erastos while making it seem like an accident.
Erastos and his family are followers of Jesus Christ. The general person that lived during this time was not Christian. The clear distinction between Christians and the followers of the Roman religion is the way they view God. Camilla, Erastos’ wife, and Paul are God-focused, which means that their lives revolve around one God.
The one person that slowly converts to Christianity is Nicanor. He had never been a spiritual person, so whenever Camilla or Julia, Camilla and Erastos’ daughter, spoke of God, Nicanor would usually turn his head away. It isn’t until Erastos was healing from Aemilanus’ evil plots that Nicanor was introduced to Christianity. After Paul put the anointment oil on Erastos and concluded his prayer, Erastos immediately woke up. Nicanor was stunned. At that moment, he knew that he had been in the presence of something powerful and holy. Trembling and overwhelmed, he was overcome with the love and fellowship of the Christian community. This would only be the beginning of Nicanor’s path to Christianity.
Conversion to Christianity was quite different from today’s society. In the first-century there was more focus on miracles and love for what God did or would do. In today’s society, we are expecting church billboards or Christian websites to guide the confused to the correct path. There is an absence of curiosity in the world today. People are plagued by their preconceived notions of Christianity, or just religion in general.
In conclusion, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a historical fiction novel. The book is easy to follow and flows very well. A week in the life of Corinth invites the reader to revisit the first century and explore the social, cultural, and religious aspects of the city of Corinth.
January 24, 2017
*Possible Spoilers*
In Ben Witherington’s fascinating novel, A Week in the Life of Corinth, the reader becomes enthralled by the life and spiritual transformation of Nicanor, a free man who was once a slave. Nicanor, no longer a slave, tries to establish himself in Corinth and proliferate his business ventures. Alongside the story of Nicanor, Witherington also writes about Paul, an established Roman citizen, and his attempt to spread Christianity, especially the Gospel. At the time the novel took place, Christianity was barely growing and was even seen as blasphemous by those in Rome.
From the beginning of the book, it is evident in Corinth that social classes are distinct and carry true value. Nicanor, for example, was a slave owned by a Christian patron named Erastos and was taken from his family at a young age to serve Erastos. On the contrary, Roman citizens such as Paul or Erastos live a life of luxury and/or freedom, receiving respect from those in the city. The pursuit of honor is very prevalent within the story as shown in Nicanor’s actions that are fully driven by honor and respect. For example, Nicanor is given a great offer by Erastos opponent, Amelilanus, in exchange for gossip regarding Erastos. Rather than agreeing, Nicanor asks for time to make a decision since he still feels a sense of loyalty to Erastos. However, being a Christian, Erastos makes it clear to Nicanor through his affection and actions that they are equal in the eyes of the Lord.
At the beginning of the narrative, Nicanor is skeptical of this new religion known as Christianity that is practiced by characters such as Paul, Erastos, Camilla, and few others. He questions why one would worship only one God rather than the many Gods that Romans believed in. As the plot continues and Erastos’ health takes a turn for the worse, Paul visits the family of Erastos along with Nicanor, praying over Erastos with anointment oil. When the prayer is finished, Erastos opens his eyes and revitalizes. Nicanor becomes so shocked that he is almost terrified at what he had witnessed before his eyes. From this miracle alone, Nicanor begins considering Christianity and the idea that Jesus Christ, though a Jew who was crucified, could have existed. In the end of the story, Nicanor is moved by the love he feels during the prayers said for him by the same group of people. He feels an emptiness inside of him that is even noticed by those around him without him saying anything. Finally, he bursts into tears of love and happiness when he feels a holy presence (the Holy Spirit) around, accepting as well as pursuing the idea of Christianity.
This story showed an insight into the history and time frame that went on during the time after Jesus’ death. Growing up a Christian, I had wondered what happened after the death of Jesus because it had seemed that the conversion of all of these people was very rushed. Nicanor and Paul’s separate stories reveal that there were indeed struggles to convert others to this religion because of how unorthodox it was at the time. Witherington does an excellent job of providing this historical, fictional narrative that covers this topic.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. At first, I was skeptical that this novel would be interesting, but I was pleasantly surprised it was.
In Ben Witherington’s fascinating novel, A Week in the Life of Corinth, the reader becomes enthralled by the life and spiritual transformation of Nicanor, a free man who was once a slave. Nicanor, no longer a slave, tries to establish himself in Corinth and proliferate his business ventures. Alongside the story of Nicanor, Witherington also writes about Paul, an established Roman citizen, and his attempt to spread Christianity, especially the Gospel. At the time the novel took place, Christianity was barely growing and was even seen as blasphemous by those in Rome.
From the beginning of the book, it is evident in Corinth that social classes are distinct and carry true value. Nicanor, for example, was a slave owned by a Christian patron named Erastos and was taken from his family at a young age to serve Erastos. On the contrary, Roman citizens such as Paul or Erastos live a life of luxury and/or freedom, receiving respect from those in the city. The pursuit of honor is very prevalent within the story as shown in Nicanor’s actions that are fully driven by honor and respect. For example, Nicanor is given a great offer by Erastos opponent, Amelilanus, in exchange for gossip regarding Erastos. Rather than agreeing, Nicanor asks for time to make a decision since he still feels a sense of loyalty to Erastos. However, being a Christian, Erastos makes it clear to Nicanor through his affection and actions that they are equal in the eyes of the Lord.
At the beginning of the narrative, Nicanor is skeptical of this new religion known as Christianity that is practiced by characters such as Paul, Erastos, Camilla, and few others. He questions why one would worship only one God rather than the many Gods that Romans believed in. As the plot continues and Erastos’ health takes a turn for the worse, Paul visits the family of Erastos along with Nicanor, praying over Erastos with anointment oil. When the prayer is finished, Erastos opens his eyes and revitalizes. Nicanor becomes so shocked that he is almost terrified at what he had witnessed before his eyes. From this miracle alone, Nicanor begins considering Christianity and the idea that Jesus Christ, though a Jew who was crucified, could have existed. In the end of the story, Nicanor is moved by the love he feels during the prayers said for him by the same group of people. He feels an emptiness inside of him that is even noticed by those around him without him saying anything. Finally, he bursts into tears of love and happiness when he feels a holy presence (the Holy Spirit) around, accepting as well as pursuing the idea of Christianity.
This story showed an insight into the history and time frame that went on during the time after Jesus’ death. Growing up a Christian, I had wondered what happened after the death of Jesus because it had seemed that the conversion of all of these people was very rushed. Nicanor and Paul’s separate stories reveal that there were indeed struggles to convert others to this religion because of how unorthodox it was at the time. Witherington does an excellent job of providing this historical, fictional narrative that covers this topic.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. At first, I was skeptical that this novel would be interesting, but I was pleasantly surprised it was.
January 24, 2017
A Week in the Life of Corinth is a piece of historical nonfiction that traces the life of one Nicanor, a former slave of a businessman named Erastos in the city of Corinth. Nicanor goes through his daily life balancing the work of his trade and that of his former-master, now friend, Erastos. Along with that he struggles to wrap his head around the idea of the Lord Jesus Christ until a series of events guides him in a new direction. Faced with constant struggle coupled with relief in places he never imagined, Nicanor finds his way to peace, but not without a plethora of questions still longing to be answered.
In this book Nicanor is faced with a question, well, many questions. Is God real? What purpose does he serve? How can people worship only one God? All of these questions play a major part in this book and it isn’t until “The End of the Day” that Nicanor realizes the answer; not all of them however. Nicanor faces the struggle of choosing to be loyal to either Erastos, the man who took him from his father at a young age but now considers a lifelong friend or, Aemilianus, the man who instinctively betrays people to climb the ladder of success. When Erastos falls “ill”, Nicanor finds himself longing for his best friend to awake again and be well. Alas, Paulos anoints Erastos and almost like magic, brings him back. Shocked from what he had just witnessed, Nicanor wondered for quite some time how it was possible that Erastos was perfectly fine after such a scare, being that he did not believe in miracles. Nonetheless, he accepted it because he knew he was in the presence of something powerful and holy.
Eventually as the coming days proceeded, Nicanor found himself at the celebratory event, hosted by Erastos and his wife Camilla along with the sixty-five guests, surrounded and engulfed in their traditions as they performed them. Nicanor, out of pure respect, along with his friend Krackus, participated in praying and the singing of the hymns and at the end of it all, he found himself in the middle of the gathering meeting being spoken a message from the Lord through Camilla. A message that not only frightened him, but, excited him as well. In all he knew he still had unanswered questions to be tended to, but for the time being, he believed. These series of events ultimately led Nicanor to his ever-coming conversion. A series of events much different than one would find today. Although it may take a miracle to convince someone today, more often than not, we are taught to believe something from a young age and if questions ever arise of such teachings, it is up to the individual to pursue those answers by him/her self.
After careful reading and the taking of an analytical perspective of this book, I can honestly say that my understanding of the New Testament has not changed much. As I continue through this class and my life in general, I may make connections with this book and the NT, however; as for now, my take remains the same.
In all, I would say that this book was definitely an intriguing read and is one I would undoubtedly recommend. The story telling approach by Ben Witherington III was incredibly effective in relaying the struggles, ambiguities, and nuances of Nicanors’ life.
In this book Nicanor is faced with a question, well, many questions. Is God real? What purpose does he serve? How can people worship only one God? All of these questions play a major part in this book and it isn’t until “The End of the Day” that Nicanor realizes the answer; not all of them however. Nicanor faces the struggle of choosing to be loyal to either Erastos, the man who took him from his father at a young age but now considers a lifelong friend or, Aemilianus, the man who instinctively betrays people to climb the ladder of success. When Erastos falls “ill”, Nicanor finds himself longing for his best friend to awake again and be well. Alas, Paulos anoints Erastos and almost like magic, brings him back. Shocked from what he had just witnessed, Nicanor wondered for quite some time how it was possible that Erastos was perfectly fine after such a scare, being that he did not believe in miracles. Nonetheless, he accepted it because he knew he was in the presence of something powerful and holy.
Eventually as the coming days proceeded, Nicanor found himself at the celebratory event, hosted by Erastos and his wife Camilla along with the sixty-five guests, surrounded and engulfed in their traditions as they performed them. Nicanor, out of pure respect, along with his friend Krackus, participated in praying and the singing of the hymns and at the end of it all, he found himself in the middle of the gathering meeting being spoken a message from the Lord through Camilla. A message that not only frightened him, but, excited him as well. In all he knew he still had unanswered questions to be tended to, but for the time being, he believed. These series of events ultimately led Nicanor to his ever-coming conversion. A series of events much different than one would find today. Although it may take a miracle to convince someone today, more often than not, we are taught to believe something from a young age and if questions ever arise of such teachings, it is up to the individual to pursue those answers by him/her self.
After careful reading and the taking of an analytical perspective of this book, I can honestly say that my understanding of the New Testament has not changed much. As I continue through this class and my life in general, I may make connections with this book and the NT, however; as for now, my take remains the same.
In all, I would say that this book was definitely an intriguing read and is one I would undoubtedly recommend. The story telling approach by Ben Witherington III was incredibly effective in relaying the struggles, ambiguities, and nuances of Nicanors’ life.
January 24, 2017
After reading “A Week in The Life of Corinth” by Ben Witherington, I would rate it at four out of five stars for its marvelous story about a protagonist named “Nicanor” who attempts to own a store in the city of Corinth, but ultimately faces many obstacles. Along the way, he questions his faith and ponders whether he should convert to Christianity after witnessing Erastos come back alive from a prayer that Erasto’s Daughter, Julia, has made for her father. He experiences and witnesses the malicious protagonist, Aemilianus, who secretly sends his servant to hit Erastos on the head and be left unconscious to die on his return home.
As we walk by the side of Nicanor, he questions if God creates miracles through obeying, believing and praying to him when the worst has happened. We are taken by Nicanor's thoughts and feelings as we observe the distinction of classes from Romans and Jews and their religious views. The distinction of classes is seen in various characters where they reflect and tell their story of how they lived daily in the first century world. We also encounter where the Greek language is being honored and spoken more often among the Corinth City. Diversity of religion and language not only divide the people from their belief and faith in their God, but observe the differences of each.
Reading “A Week in The Life of Corinth,” has not only helped me understand episodes of the New Testament, but it has compelled me to question my own faith and others' as well. It has opened my mind spiritually and emotionally, that even though there are many religions and gods out there in the world, it is a decision that we make independently on our own. Deciding and practicing which religion to believe in doesn’t isolate you from your friends and family, but creates a sense of peace and happiness within yourself. “A Week in the Life of Corinth” by Ben Witherington has the richness and detail of picturing the life of Corinth and its society as well as explaining the differences between social classes, religion, and culture.
This book is considered a good read for all Christian and non-Christian believers that are in college and questioning their faith and exploring different perspectives from Judaism and Christianity. However, it is not limited to college students only and I recommend this book for anyone to read because of its amazing adventure of how Life in Corinth really was and how some traits and influences can be compared by that time and how it affects our world today. Reading “A Week in The Life of Corinth” will cause you to question your beliefs and have you at edge of your chair as you travel back in time!
As we walk by the side of Nicanor, he questions if God creates miracles through obeying, believing and praying to him when the worst has happened. We are taken by Nicanor's thoughts and feelings as we observe the distinction of classes from Romans and Jews and their religious views. The distinction of classes is seen in various characters where they reflect and tell their story of how they lived daily in the first century world. We also encounter where the Greek language is being honored and spoken more often among the Corinth City. Diversity of religion and language not only divide the people from their belief and faith in their God, but observe the differences of each.
Reading “A Week in The Life of Corinth,” has not only helped me understand episodes of the New Testament, but it has compelled me to question my own faith and others' as well. It has opened my mind spiritually and emotionally, that even though there are many religions and gods out there in the world, it is a decision that we make independently on our own. Deciding and practicing which religion to believe in doesn’t isolate you from your friends and family, but creates a sense of peace and happiness within yourself. “A Week in the Life of Corinth” by Ben Witherington has the richness and detail of picturing the life of Corinth and its society as well as explaining the differences between social classes, religion, and culture.
This book is considered a good read for all Christian and non-Christian believers that are in college and questioning their faith and exploring different perspectives from Judaism and Christianity. However, it is not limited to college students only and I recommend this book for anyone to read because of its amazing adventure of how Life in Corinth really was and how some traits and influences can be compared by that time and how it affects our world today. Reading “A Week in The Life of Corinth” will cause you to question your beliefs and have you at edge of your chair as you travel back in time!
July 12, 2019
Recommended for those who are interested in learning about the Greco-Roman world during the time of Paul's ministry and NT letters, specifically Corinth. Written from a fictional perspective with little blurbs about historical background scattered throughout. Fascinating, easy to read, and well worth the time (though Witherington's fiction writing is a bit corny, cliched, full of stereotypical tropes at certain points within the novel).
Notes on background...
Slavery: Resist the temptation to equate ancient slavery with antebellum slavery of 19th century America. Some very highly educated persons and best businessmen were or had been slaves in the Roman Empire. Corinth was a clearing house for slave trade. Paul's strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of hte gospel into the structure of the Christian household and house-church meetings, and let it work its way. What we see is Paul insisting that Christians who are masters act like Christians first, treating their slaves as persons, and ultimately conclude that manumission was the right Christian way to treat slaves. Note: Slaves tended to have identifiable hair styles and dress so they could be recognized in public and distinguished from citizens.
Patron-Client: In Greco-Roman world, social relationships worked differently than today. Reciprocity, or payback, was something that characterized relationships not only between patrons and their social inferiors (clients), but even between social equals in business transactions. Most patron-client relationships were euphemistically called friendships (amicitia). This is apparently one reason Paul largely avoids using such language in his letters. It would have signaled that Paul and his converts to Christianity were in a patron-client relationship (indicating cultural stratification, and social inferiority, which he wants to avoid communicating)
Paidagogos is not really an educator, but more like a parental figure who helps with the homework and child care (cf. Paul's use in Gal. 3:24). A nanny-tutor? Guardian-teacher?
Notes on background...
Slavery: Resist the temptation to equate ancient slavery with antebellum slavery of 19th century America. Some very highly educated persons and best businessmen were or had been slaves in the Roman Empire. Corinth was a clearing house for slave trade. Paul's strategy in dealing with slavery is to put the leaven of hte gospel into the structure of the Christian household and house-church meetings, and let it work its way. What we see is Paul insisting that Christians who are masters act like Christians first, treating their slaves as persons, and ultimately conclude that manumission was the right Christian way to treat slaves. Note: Slaves tended to have identifiable hair styles and dress so they could be recognized in public and distinguished from citizens.
Patron-Client: In Greco-Roman world, social relationships worked differently than today. Reciprocity, or payback, was something that characterized relationships not only between patrons and their social inferiors (clients), but even between social equals in business transactions. Most patron-client relationships were euphemistically called friendships (amicitia). This is apparently one reason Paul largely avoids using such language in his letters. It would have signaled that Paul and his converts to Christianity were in a patron-client relationship (indicating cultural stratification, and social inferiority, which he wants to avoid communicating)
Paidagogos is not really an educator, but more like a parental figure who helps with the homework and child care (cf. Paul's use in Gal. 3:24). A nanny-tutor? Guardian-teacher?
April 13, 2018
This is the third book I have read in recent months on the 'historical Paul' and is certainly the one I would have most confidence in, if I wanted to put something into the hands of a lay person who want to set Paul in his context. Witherington rightly spots that Corinth is a good vantage point to survey the 'feel' of a pagan Greek city, and the awkwardness of the early church in that culture.
Taking a week in the life of a former slave as he works out who he will support in an election, and encompassing Paul's trial before Gallio the reader is gently introduced to First Century life. The story neatly blends historical characters with fictional ones. Supporting the pacy narrative there are numerous 'side bars' that provide further detailed background. The material is particularly strong when dealing with the place of slaves, the patron-client relationship and the place of Jews in Corinth.
Perhaps there might have been more of Paul's theological teaching, and I missed any commentary on the Temple of Aphrodite (even if to downsize a previous generations speculation about sacred prostitution). I also thought the last 'information box' about prophecy didn't fit with the more objective material presented in the book.
However there is a great deal of information embedded in this slim, and easy to read book. This is first book but very worthwhile as introduction to Paul in his context.
Taking a week in the life of a former slave as he works out who he will support in an election, and encompassing Paul's trial before Gallio the reader is gently introduced to First Century life. The story neatly blends historical characters with fictional ones. Supporting the pacy narrative there are numerous 'side bars' that provide further detailed background. The material is particularly strong when dealing with the place of slaves, the patron-client relationship and the place of Jews in Corinth.
Perhaps there might have been more of Paul's theological teaching, and I missed any commentary on the Temple of Aphrodite (even if to downsize a previous generations speculation about sacred prostitution). I also thought the last 'information box' about prophecy didn't fit with the more objective material presented in the book.
However there is a great deal of information embedded in this slim, and easy to read book. This is first book but very worthwhile as introduction to Paul in his context.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2025
Wow, what a fun read! This carefully researched novella transports the reader to ancient Corinth and introduces them to the world Paul lived in. I particularly appreciated the "Closer Looks" interspersed throughout the reading as well as the Greek words and phrases littered throughout the dialogue. It beautifully toed the line between being accessible to the modern reader and being true to its setting. The allusions from all sorts of NT epistles were also a fun "Easter egg" for the astute reader. And to top it off, the story was compelling as well! Was some of the dialogue cheesy? For sure. Was some of the plot forced? Yep. Can you tell it was written by a Westerner (maybe even a white guy in Kentucky)? Absolutely. But if you're looking for a short, fun read that will help you understand the cultural context behind the epistles of Paul (specifically 1 Corinthians and Romans), this book is for you.
January 13, 2026
An interesting way of getting an insight into life in first-century Corinth, as a background to Paul's letters. It imagines a week in the life of Erastus, who is mentioned in Romans 16:23 as holding the position of aedile. Ben Witherington has constructed a narrative that allows him to present depictions of patronage, the legal system, church meetings, letter-writing, slavery, architecture and a lot more - both through the narrative and in infoboxes too. Plus, there are pictures!
I think it's fair to say Witherington is a better scholar than he is a novelist. As just a work of historical fiction, this would not score highly. But from an informational perspective, I found it very helpful and it's an accessible way to absorb some historical cultural information. Interestingly, even though it's fiction, it's helped me to appreciate more of the real lives that lie behind the NT letters. I'd definitely like to read more in this series
I think it's fair to say Witherington is a better scholar than he is a novelist. As just a work of historical fiction, this would not score highly. But from an informational perspective, I found it very helpful and it's an accessible way to absorb some historical cultural information. Interestingly, even though it's fiction, it's helped me to appreciate more of the real lives that lie behind the NT letters. I'd definitely like to read more in this series
January 30, 2018
This a rather short and simple story line, but it is interesting and gives a good glimpse into the life in Corinth at the time of the Apostle Paul. I enjoyed the story.
In each chapter, there are "A Closer Look" inserts which were helpful, but broke up the story. I found it best to read the story of each chapter and then go back to read the inserts. They gave further historical insight into the times and I learned a lot from them.
I only gave the book three stars because of the awkwardness of this format. I learned a lot, and it was a decent story, but it wasn't a great story. It did serve it's purpose though: I read the book hoping for insight into the times, I do feel like I got that, and I was entertained at the same time. Well done! I just can't rate it on par with great literature.
In each chapter, there are "A Closer Look" inserts which were helpful, but broke up the story. I found it best to read the story of each chapter and then go back to read the inserts. They gave further historical insight into the times and I learned a lot from them.
I only gave the book three stars because of the awkwardness of this format. I learned a lot, and it was a decent story, but it wasn't a great story. It did serve it's purpose though: I read the book hoping for insight into the times, I do feel like I got that, and I was entertained at the same time. Well done! I just can't rate it on par with great literature.
October 7, 2024
Ben Witherington is a Bible scholar with a particular specialty in the historical settings of the New Testament books. He is not a novelist. But this book does a good enough job of creating a narrative around what we know about the Corinthian church in the middle first century and one of its most intriguing members. This book reminds us that the New Testament takes place in a historically recorded time and place and that the people who received Paul's letters were real people seeking to live out the Jesus life in their culture. Corinth is a particularly well-documented and notorious place to set a novel like this. It was a crossroads of cultures that had both a Jewish synagogue and many pagan temples. It had well bred nobles, merchants and slaves. The church in Corinth included people from all of these worlds. Withington's book is an interesting teaching tool that I appreciated greatly.
May 18, 2012
Take a trip with me to the mid-1st century, won't you, aboard a ship bound for Corinth. Nicanor is our guide to one of the most important regions and cities in the New Testament. He also happens to be the main character in Ben Witherington's delightful new book, A Week in the Life of Corinth
. I'm told this book is the first in a new genre of historic nonfiction Witherington hopes to write to help the Church better understand and engage the 1st century NT world. Based on this solid first offering I hope it does well enough to justify more such books—imagine similar ones on Rome, Galatia, and Colossi!
A Week in the Life of Corinth is a piece of historical nonfiction that traces the life of one Nicanor, a manumitted—former, released slave—businessman-in-the-making who serves a successful tradesman, businessman, and political up-and-comer, Erastos. Along the way you meet a cast of fictitious characters that give flesh to Witherington's tale and actual characters, like Pricilla, Aquilla, and the apostle Paul himself. You also encounter the typical staples of modern Corinthian life: forums, baths, marketplaces, medicine, politics, slavery, and many other facets that create a compelling, accurate world for Witherington's historical fiction.
Speaking of compelling historical fiction, the book is actually a compelling, enjoyable read from a narrative, literary perspective! I was pleasantly surprised to find some degree of character development and a nice plot-line along which the author brought his characters, with conflict, climax, resolution and all. I liken this book to the wildly popular and compelling historical fiction author, Steven Saylor. Witherington's Corinth book is similar in tone and depth to Saylor's Rome books—I've read Roma and Empire—though not as thoroughly developed which is fine. What Saylor has accomplished several times over in these thick volumes, Witherington does in good measure through this shorter one. That's no small feat!
Aside from the story, though, is a central element that really makes this title soar: the "A Closer Look" sections. Keep in mind that Witherington aims to educate the reader in the life of Corinth, even though he's entertained along the way. So throughout this book alongside the story are these fabulously short sections that drill down into key aspects of life in Corinth. You'll learn about slaves and manumission, the Roman calendar, a little history about Corinth's destruction and Romanization, Jews in Corinth, religious beliefs, and Christianity's place and role in the city, among other things. Each article is highly accessible and informative, which makes it ideal for the lay or student Christian who wants to better understand this important city. These sections will also make handy reference guides for pastors who need quick references that summarize important aspects of 1st century Roman life for sermons.
One thing that would have been nice is an index of sorts that listed all of the "A Closer Look" sections for a handy reference. This could easily have been done and, if an editor from IVP or perhaps the author himself reads this, I would suggest should be done in future volumes. Doing so would plus an already fantastic guide by transforming it into a handy quick-reference piece. Along the same lines, adding a glossary in the back could serve a similar purpose while also aiding lay people who may not be as versed in 1st century Roman customs and vocabulary, though the author did do a good job of defining these along the way. Other than these two suggestions, there is nothing to roast and much to toast in this book!
Ok, so this is a readable, enjoyable, whimsical tale that also happens to be historically accurate and engaging. Now who is this for? I dare say it is for everyone, perhaps just shy of your PhD in biblical studies. This is a beach read for the lay person, in that Witherington spins a surprisingly engaging, developed story. This is a pastoral resources, in that it is filled with short references to the historical nuances of Corinth that will help give potent historical anecdotes to sermons while also giving some playful, narrative flesh along the way. This is a college book that will be a great supplement to undergraduate (and even graduate) biblical studies courses, because it provides deep, accessible historical insight in a one-off volume.
Again, at the risk of diluting Witherington's audience, I do think this book will serve almost everyone in the church. It is an easy, engaging read that tells a nice tale, and you might just learn something about a key city of the early church along the way. So add this book to your summer reading list for sure!
. I'm told this book is the first in a new genre of historic nonfiction Witherington hopes to write to help the Church better understand and engage the 1st century NT world. Based on this solid first offering I hope it does well enough to justify more such books—imagine similar ones on Rome, Galatia, and Colossi!A Week in the Life of Corinth is a piece of historical nonfiction that traces the life of one Nicanor, a manumitted—former, released slave—businessman-in-the-making who serves a successful tradesman, businessman, and political up-and-comer, Erastos. Along the way you meet a cast of fictitious characters that give flesh to Witherington's tale and actual characters, like Pricilla, Aquilla, and the apostle Paul himself. You also encounter the typical staples of modern Corinthian life: forums, baths, marketplaces, medicine, politics, slavery, and many other facets that create a compelling, accurate world for Witherington's historical fiction.
Speaking of compelling historical fiction, the book is actually a compelling, enjoyable read from a narrative, literary perspective! I was pleasantly surprised to find some degree of character development and a nice plot-line along which the author brought his characters, with conflict, climax, resolution and all. I liken this book to the wildly popular and compelling historical fiction author, Steven Saylor. Witherington's Corinth book is similar in tone and depth to Saylor's Rome books—I've read Roma and Empire—though not as thoroughly developed which is fine. What Saylor has accomplished several times over in these thick volumes, Witherington does in good measure through this shorter one. That's no small feat!
Aside from the story, though, is a central element that really makes this title soar: the "A Closer Look" sections. Keep in mind that Witherington aims to educate the reader in the life of Corinth, even though he's entertained along the way. So throughout this book alongside the story are these fabulously short sections that drill down into key aspects of life in Corinth. You'll learn about slaves and manumission, the Roman calendar, a little history about Corinth's destruction and Romanization, Jews in Corinth, religious beliefs, and Christianity's place and role in the city, among other things. Each article is highly accessible and informative, which makes it ideal for the lay or student Christian who wants to better understand this important city. These sections will also make handy reference guides for pastors who need quick references that summarize important aspects of 1st century Roman life for sermons.
One thing that would have been nice is an index of sorts that listed all of the "A Closer Look" sections for a handy reference. This could easily have been done and, if an editor from IVP or perhaps the author himself reads this, I would suggest should be done in future volumes. Doing so would plus an already fantastic guide by transforming it into a handy quick-reference piece. Along the same lines, adding a glossary in the back could serve a similar purpose while also aiding lay people who may not be as versed in 1st century Roman customs and vocabulary, though the author did do a good job of defining these along the way. Other than these two suggestions, there is nothing to roast and much to toast in this book!
Ok, so this is a readable, enjoyable, whimsical tale that also happens to be historically accurate and engaging. Now who is this for? I dare say it is for everyone, perhaps just shy of your PhD in biblical studies. This is a beach read for the lay person, in that Witherington spins a surprisingly engaging, developed story. This is a pastoral resources, in that it is filled with short references to the historical nuances of Corinth that will help give potent historical anecdotes to sermons while also giving some playful, narrative flesh along the way. This is a college book that will be a great supplement to undergraduate (and even graduate) biblical studies courses, because it provides deep, accessible historical insight in a one-off volume.
Again, at the risk of diluting Witherington's audience, I do think this book will serve almost everyone in the church. It is an easy, engaging read that tells a nice tale, and you might just learn something about a key city of the early church along the way. So add this book to your summer reading list for sure!
July 19, 2018
Interesting little book here. It’s essentially a work of fiction to teach you about the city customs of Corinth at the time Paul the Apostle was there. It’s structure is different because mixed in with the fiction is some separate paragraphs describing the customs of Corinth that are non fiction. It can be kind of jarring switching back and forth between the 2 styles but you get used to it. The fictional story itself is nothing spectacular but it’s not horrible. And as a side note your enjoyment of the book, particularly towards the end may rest on your opinion of the spiritual gifts as it does delve into that subject.
December 2, 2018
Bringing the biblical narrative alive, and making it more accessible
For anyone interested in the biblical narrative, this look at Corinthians is a must. Historical and cultural facts, and people, are woven into a fictional narrative. It helps shed light and give context to some of the ‘oddities’ of content and struggle that you will find when reading either first or second Corinthians. It made me want to read those books again with ‘new eyes’, and greater understanding. Laughing moments as well as ‘oh dear’ moments, as I was drawn into the life of the characters. Thorough enjoyed it, and recommend it.
For anyone interested in the biblical narrative, this look at Corinthians is a must. Historical and cultural facts, and people, are woven into a fictional narrative. It helps shed light and give context to some of the ‘oddities’ of content and struggle that you will find when reading either first or second Corinthians. It made me want to read those books again with ‘new eyes’, and greater understanding. Laughing moments as well as ‘oh dear’ moments, as I was drawn into the life of the characters. Thorough enjoyed it, and recommend it.
Read
December 5, 2020I have read three books in this "Week in the Life of" series, although I have not rated any of them because as novellas they are rather unsatisfactory, but as sources of information about the life of early Christians in Corinth and Ephesus, they are helpful and interesting. Each book contains a number of sidebars with information and photos about aspects of life, society, customs, practices, or circumstances in the particular city at that time. These are printed throughout the text of the story, and since I found it hard to switch back and forth between reading the story and reading the sidebars, I stopped and read all the sidebars first, and then ignored them as I read the story.
July 30, 2025
interesting read
An interesting and informative read. A convincing story set in Corinth with a walk on role for the Apostle Pau and brought to life some of the problems which faced early Christians. The information blocs about the contemporary customs helped to clarify the mix of social customs in the Roman Empire. In a short novel this helped to keep the story moving while at the same time making some of the essential information accessible while reading and for later
consultation. Very useful for anyone wanting to tackle Paul’s letters to the Cori tians
An interesting and informative read. A convincing story set in Corinth with a walk on role for the Apostle Pau and brought to life some of the problems which faced early Christians. The information blocs about the contemporary customs helped to clarify the mix of social customs in the Roman Empire. In a short novel this helped to keep the story moving while at the same time making some of the essential information accessible while reading and for later
consultation. Very useful for anyone wanting to tackle Paul’s letters to the Cori tians
June 12, 2019
This was a fantastic read! It taught proper Greco-Roman history concerning the church in Corinth due to Dr. Ben Witherington's masterful grasp of the subject through a captivating narrative that kept your attention the whole way through. You are definitely able to put yourself in the shoes of a member of the Church of Corinth. This book is both insightful and entertaining. I would recommend it for lay readers and pastors alike. It'll bring the text of 1 & 2 Corinthians alive for you.
July 20, 2020
This book is a historical fiction, however it is incredible helpful to understand what life was like in first century Corinth. The author uses the narrative to show a historical accurate cultural setting of Corinth in the first century church. It is helpful in understanding a lot of the cultural nuance that is discussed in Acts, and Paul's letters to the Corinthians
April 26, 2021
Dr. Witherington presents an easy to ready historical fiction based on Paul's experiences in Corinth. Through his narrative he explains and explores the cultural milieu of the first-century A.D. Greek world to help bring the setting of the book of Acts, First Corinthians, and Second Corinthians to life. I highly recommend this lively read that brings God's Word to life.
February 13, 2024
As a student of history and the bible, this book was a unique, digestible, and fun experience. Witherington intertwines great research into the culture and people of first century Corinth with a compelling story about the beginnings of the Corinthian church. If you're a fan of historical fiction, the Bible, or language, I would recommend.
July 2, 2024
For an academic book about 1st century Corinth, this book is entertaining and readable. As a novel, it is a bit clunky- some of the Latin vocabulary feels excessive, and the narrative is often interrupted by text boxes with further cultural and historical detail which are very informative but don’t help the story to flow well. That being said, I enjoyed it as an approachable resource and it gives an framework to better imagine and understand the context of the New Testament church.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews