So far, Sosthenes: Corinthians.

As we transition from Thessalonians, we shift to Acts 17:11 to 18:17 for contextualization of the letter to the Corinthian Church. The letter begins with this as an opening statement...“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother SOSTHENES, to the church of God in Corinth...”

Sosthenes? Who is he and how does he come into play? We first meet him in Acts 18:17: “Then the crowd there turned on SOSTHENES the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.”

What an entry! Beaten because of someone else, no one to defend him, not even the authorities. If this scene were dramatized on stage, I can almost imagine the look on Sosthenes’ face — shock turning into disbelief as he realizes the crowd has switched targets. The anger, the rage, the sticks and stones meant for Paul now land squarely on him. A man simply trying to do his job ends up taking blows he didn’t deserve.

Let’s get the setting right.

Who was he? We’re told he was a synagogue ruler.

Was he the only one? No. There was another before him named Crispus, who, as Acts 18:8 tells us, believed in Paul’s message and followed Christ. Naturally, that didn’t sit well with the Jewish establishment. So, when Crispus converted, Sosthenes seems to have taken over the role.

Between Crispus' believe and Sosthenes beating, there’s roughly an 18-month gap — about the time Paul continued preaching in Corinth after receiving that word of encouragement from the Lord: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you...” (Acts 18:9–10).

Who’s a synagogue ruler?

Think of him as the Jack of all synagogue trades — part administrator, part teacher, part community elder, and the official link between the local synagogue and the priests in Jerusalem. He oversaw worship, invited guest speakers, guided religious life, and handled disputes. In short, he kept the house of faith in order although his faith wasn't.

Now picture this. Crispus, his predecessor, has jumped ship and joined the Jesus movement. That must have left some awkward shoes to fill. Sosthenes, now in office, possibly allows Paul to speak again — maybe to test him, maybe to catch him in error. But things backfire. The more Paul preaches, the more people believe. So those who don’t believe grow furious. They drag Paul to court before Gallio, the Roman proconsul. Gallio dismisses the case, calling it a religious squabble.🥱

And then the chaos erupts.

The angry crowd turns on Sosthenes — the very man who led the charge — and beats him in public. Paul is untouched (as the Lord promised), but Sosthenes becomes the main character.

What a moment. What a twist.

Then we fast-forward to 1 Corinthians 1:1–2, where Paul opens his letter: “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God in Corinth...”

The Corinthians be like - “wait! — our brother Sosthenes? - Could it be the same man? - He's now our brother? - Born-again? Really!? - The same guy they beat and humiliated in public? - If it is, what a turnaround!”

Somewhere between that public beating and this letter, grace found him and he responded to Him. Maybe the pain opened his eyes. Maybe the love and composure of Paul spoke louder than the blows of the mob. However it happened, one thing is clear: what is impossible with men is possible with God.

Now the one who once stood against the gospel stands with the apostle to proclaim it. Imagine Paul writing to Corinth with Sosthenes beside him — the same man they once saw dragged, beaten, and humiliated. It’s like addressing a former atheist rally with the signature of their ex-chairman at the bottom of your letter.

Only God writes stories like that.🫡