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Corinth, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia (modern-day Greece), was a city on the Isthmus of Corinth. It was a large city that controlled two harbors: Cenchrea (or Cenchreae) on the eastern side of the isthmus, and Lechaeumon on the western side. Cenchrea was important for its harbor that allowed goods to move between Asia Minor and Italy, Achaia, and Macedonia. Today Cenchrea is known as Kechries, and it is situated on the coast about five miles from modern Corinth.
The Bible refers to Cenchrea a couple of times. One mention of Cenchrea comes during Paul’s second missionary journey. Accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla, Paul stopped at Cenchrea to fulfill a vow before sailing to Ephesus on his voyage back to Syria (Acts 18:18-19). Apparently, the vow Paul fulfilled was a Nazirite vow, which had required Paul to not cut his hair «And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. », (Numbers 6:18). In Cenchrea, Paul “had his hair cut off” «And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. », (Acts 18:18), signaling the end of the vow (see Numbers 6:19-20).
It is significant that a church was organized in Cenchrea. Paul is not specifically identified as starting the church in Cenchrea, but he is a likely candidate.Paul spent a considerable amount of time in Corinth «And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. », (Acts 18:18), where he likely had many opportunities to minister in nearby Cenchrea. If Paul did not establish the church in Cenchrea, it was probably someone who came to faith through Paul’s ministry in Corinth.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul refers to Phoebe as a “deacon” (NIV) or “servant” (ESV) in the church at Cenchrea «I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: », (Romans 16:1). Whether or not she held an official deacon role, Phoebe was evidently highly regarded in the church, as Paul commends her and entrusts her with delivering his letter to the Romans.
According to the ancient Greek geographer Pausanias, Cenchrea had temples dedicated to Aphrodite, Asclepius, and Isis, along with a stone statue of Aphrodite and a bronze image of Poseidon visible from the sea (Pausanias, II, 2, 3, Loeb edition, W. H. S. Jones, ed.). Certainly, during Paul’s time, the vicinity of Cenchrea was filled with idols and the worship of false gods. Despite the spiritual darkness, the gospel penetrated the area, and a church emerged as a beacon of light amidst the surrounding darkness «Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. », (Matthew 5:16). Even in the most obscure places, the light of the world, Jesus Christ, can shine through «Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walkIn darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12).
