INSCRIPTIONS

A view of Acro-Corinth from the lower city

One of the places I wanted to see while we were in the Athens area was the ancient city of Corinth. The books of First and Second Corinthians are not only filled with spiritual depth and vital principles but also with information to live a life worthy of our calling today. One of the things that drew me to the Christian faith was its foundation in real history. The events described truly occurred, grounding our faith not in myths or superior philosophy, but in historical reality. Visiting these places strengthens my faith.

Less than 5% of ancient Corinth has been excavated, but what has been found is impressive. Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching the word of God. This is where he met Aquila and supported the ministry through tent-making. In Acts chapter 18, we read that those opposed to Paul united in an attack and brought him to the place of judgment. They accused him of "persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law." The proconsul Gallio judged that this was not a matter for Rome but something to be settled among themselves, and he dismissed the accusers.

Today, along the edge of the agora, there are many remains of shops that line the outer rim. One of these may have been where Paul sold his tents. The Bema (Rostra) or judgment seat is still there, along with the post where those found guilty were whipped. This is the exact spot where Paul defended the gospel in a hostile environment.

These connections to historical events and my spiritual forefathers speak volumes about the reality of what happened. We know these things because of the meticulously recorded Scriptures. But there are others whose names and deeds are lost to history, yet they still impacted eternity.

One remarkable remnant in Corinth is an inscription in front of the ancient theatre ruins:

ERASTVS PRO. AED. S. P. STRAVIT

Which means, "Erastus, in return for his aedileship, paved it at his own expense."

According to Romans 16:23, Erastus was a manager of household affairs, technically a treasurer in Corinth. He traveled with Paul and was sent with Timothy into Macedonia. Later, he became an Aedile in the city. The name Erastus is uncommon, so this inscription almost certainly refers to the biblical Erastus. We know little about him, only his name.

As I stood there in the heat, staring at this inscription, I couldn't help but wonder about the other believers in the city whose names and ministries are lost to time. Only God knows their names.

"The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." - John 10:3

We go through life seeking meaning, striving to be remembered or to make a mark. We want people to see us. But the truth is, for most of us, these strivings will be forgotten, and our names will be lost to time.

I see this often in the church. Fellow pastors and I sometimes strive for worldly success, believing that large churches, grandiose ministries, books, sermon series, and buildings will be remembered long after we're gone. The reality is they won’t. We often waste our lives on the wrong things. These things are good but not the best.

God does not remember Erastus for the theatre he built or the inscription he left. God remembers Erastus for his faithfulness—his trust in Jesus and his boldness to complete the race set for him.

As a small church pastor, I confess that I often get jealous of larger churches or more “successful” ministries. I feel called to small churches, not large ones, but I still struggle with the question, "Am I successful?" I spend a lot of mental energy worrying about whether what I am doing has a real impact. I know that God looks at the heart and that real spiritual growth can't be quantified by numbers but by increases in faith, which are often under the surface and subjective. Yet my flesh says, "Phil, you need to be remembered, so make an impact that everyone can see." I struggle because, in my heart, I simply want to please Jesus and Him alone. I want to be remembered by Jesus for my faithfulness to His call. I pray for great discernment in ministry to distinguish between what is a memorial to God and what is a tower of Babel. One is impressive and reaches to the sky; the other is just a pile of rocks that few notice—except God.

Erastus left an inscription. I will leave one too, but it won’t be incised in stone. It will be in a more precious place.

"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." - Isaiah 49:16

I’ll strive for that.

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CORINTH GALLERY

(The Temple of Apollo, At Corinth, Remains of a Byzantine church built on top of the Bema, Agora shops, The Erasus Inscription, The stone Bema and post.)