Paul
Paul, originally Saul of Tarsus, is a central figure in the New Testament. His transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a devoted apostle is a powerful testament to the transformative power of Christ. The name "Paul" itself, derived from the Latin "Paulus," meaning "small" or "humble," reflects his humility and dedication to serving God. Paul's life and ministry are a profound example of how God can use anyone, regardless of their past, to fulfill His purposes.

left Athens
Athens was a city known for its intellectual and philosophical heritage. Paul's departure from Athens signifies a shift from engaging with the intellectual elite to ministering in a city known for its commerce and immorality. The Greek word "ἀπελθὼν" (apelthōn) implies a deliberate departure, suggesting that Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit to move on to new fields of ministry. This reminds us that sometimes God calls us to leave behind familiar or comfortable places to reach those who are in greater need of the Gospel.

and went to Corinth
Corinth was a major city in ancient Greece, known for its wealth, commerce, and moral depravity. The Greek word "ἦλθεν" (ēlthen) indicates a purposeful arrival. Corinth was a strategic location for spreading the Gospel due to its diverse population and status as a trade hub. Paul's decision to go to Corinth demonstrates his strategic approach to ministry, choosing locations where the message of Christ could spread rapidly. Historically, Corinth was a city of great influence, and Paul's work there would lead to the establishment of a strong Christian community, as evidenced by his later letters to the Corinthians. This teaches us the importance of being intentional and strategic in our own efforts to share the Gospel, seeking out opportunities where we can have the greatest impact for God's kingdom.

(1) And came to Corinth.--The journey may have been either by land along the Isthmus of Corinth, or by sea from the Piraeus to Cenchreae. The position of Corinth on the Isthmus, with a harbour on either shore, Cenchreae on the east, Lechaeum on the west, had naturally made it a place of commercial importance at a very early stage of Greek history. With commerce had come luxury and vice, and the verb Corinthiazein= to live as the Corinthians, had become proverbial, as early as the time of Aristophanes (Frag. 133), for a course of profligacy. The harlot priestesses of the Temple of Aphrodite gave a kind of consecration to the deep dyed impurity of Greek social life, of which we find traces in 1Corinthians 5:1; 1Corinthians 6:9-19. The Isthmian games, which were celebrated every fourth year, drew crowds of competitors and spectators from all parts of Greece, and obviously furnished the Apostle with the agonistic imagery of 1Corinthians 9:24-27. Less distinguished for higher culture than Athens, it was yet able (standing to Athens in much the same relation as Venice did to Florence from the 13th to the 16th century) to boast of its artists in stone and metal (Corinthian bronze was proverbial for its excellence), of its rhetoricians and philosophers. On its conquest by the Roman general Mummius (B.C. 146), many of its buildings had been destroyed, and its finest statues had been carried off to Rome; and it was a Roman jest that the general had bound the captains of the ships that carried them, to replace them in case of loss. A century later, Julius Caesar determined to restore it to its former splendour, and thousands of freed-men were employed in the work of reconstruction. Such was the scene of the Apostle's new labours, less promising, at first sight, than Athens, but, ultimately, far more fruitful in results.

(1) There can be no doubt that the "vow" was that of the temporary Nazarite, as described in Numbers 6:1-21. It implied a separation from the world and common life (this was the meaning of the word "Nazarite"), and while under the vow the man who had taken it was to drink no wine or strong drink, and to let no razor pass over his head or face. When the term was completed, he was to shave his head at the door of the Tabernacle, and burn the hair in the fire of the altar. It will be noted that the Nazarites in Acts 21:24, who are completing their vow, shave their heads. Here a different word ("shorn") is used, which is contrasted with "shaving" in 1Corinthians 11:6. It was lawful for a man to have his hair cut or cropped during the continuance of the vow, and this apparently was what St. Paul now did. But in this case also the hair so cut off was to be taken to the Temple and burnt there, and this explains the Apostle's eagerness "by all means" (Acts 18:21) to keep the coming feast at Jerusalem. . . .