Editing Sosthenes

{{Short description|Biblical character in the Acts of the Apostles}}
{{About|the biblical figure|the Greek general|Sosthenes of Macedon}}
[[File:Епафродит, Сосфен, Аполлос, Кифа и Кесарь (cropped).jpg|thumb|Sosthenes]]
'''Sosthenes''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɒ|s|θ|ə|.|n|iː|z}} (Greek: Σωσθένης, ''Sōsthénēs'', "safe in strength") was the chief ruler of the [[synagogue]] at [[Ancient Corinth#Biblical Corinth|Corinth]], who, according to the [[Acts of the Apostles]], was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence of [[Lucius Iunius Gallio Annaeanus|Gallio]], the Roman governor, when Gallio refused to proceed against [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] at the instigation of the Jews ({{bibleverse ||Acts|18:12-17|NKJV}}). The motives of this assault against Sosthenes are not recorded.<ref name= "Easton1897">{{eastons|wstitle= Sosthenes}}</ref> Some manuscripts assert the mob was composed of "Greeks"; others read "Jews".{{cn|date=November 2023}}

Some historians identify this Sosthenes with a companion of [[Paul the Apostle]] referred to as "Sosthenes our brother" ({{langx|el|Σωσθένης ὁ ἀδελφός}}, ''Sōsthénēs ho adelphós'', literally "Sosthenes ''the'' brother"), a convert to the Christian faith and co-author of the [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]] ({{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|1:1-2}}). It is not clear whether this identification is tenable.<ref name= "Easton1897"/> According to Protestant theologian [[Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer|Heinrich Meyer]], "[[Theodoret]] and most commentators, including Flatt, Billroth, Ewald, Maier [and] Hofmann, identify Sosthenes with the person so named in Acts 18:17, but this is denied by [[Johann David Michaelis|Michaelis]], Pott, Rückert, and [[Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette |de Wette]]".<ref>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/1_corinthians/1.htm Meyer's New Testament Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1], Bible Hub, accessed 13 March 2017</ref> The name was a common one.<ref name=Strong/>

It has also been suggested that Sosthenes is a later name of [[Crispus of Chalcedon|Crispus]], who is mentioned in Acts 18:8 and 1 Corinthians 1:14, but [[James Strong (theologian)|Strong]] and [[John McClintock (theologian)|McClintock]] say this "is arbitrary and unsupported".<ref name= Strong>James Strong & John McClintock 1880, [https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/S/sosthenes.html "Sosthenes", ''The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature]  NY: Harper & Bros.</ref> 

He is traditionally listed among the [[Seventy Disciples]] of {{bibleverse||Luke|10:1|NKJV}}.<ref>[[Orthodox Church in America]], [https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2022/03/30/100946-apostle-sosthenes-of-the-seventy Apostle Sosthenes of the Seventy], accessed 13 March 2017</ref>

== References ==
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{{New Testament people}}
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[[Category:Seventy disciples]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:People in Acts of the Apostles]]
[[Category:Saints of Roman Corinth]]
[[Category:Christian saints from the New Testament]]
[[Category:First Epistle to the Corinthians]]