What was the bema seat like in ancient Corinth?
In ancient Corinth, the bema seat was a raised platform, not much higher than a speaker's platform. It served as the judge's seat where the party being judged stood before the judges. It was also like the judge's seat used in the Olympic games to determine placements.
Les explains that the bema was usually just a raised platform, and the one in ancient Corinth is a tourist attraction among the ruins. He says it was a raised platform not much higher than the platform he was using. The party to be judged would stand in front of the judges who were seated on the bema. Les also notes the bema was used in the Olympic games as the seat of judges who determined first, second, and third places. He thinks Paul's analogy is more apt to be the Olympics rather than the political bema seat of government. He stresses that believers appear before the bema seat not to be judged for sin.