Turkey-Syria Study Trip
Notes assembled[1]
or written by Dr. Joseph B. Fuiten
From February 28 to
The trip was wonderful. With all the prayers of our congregation,
everything went incredibly smoothly. We
felt the Lord’s presence and protection all along the way.
I arranged these notes in roughly the same schedule
that we followed on the trip. I know
that most people will never be able to take this kind of a trip. I hope the extensive pictures and notes will
make it feel almost like being there.
More general reference notes are in the back of the
document. The notes are laid out with
sections corresponding to the main sites that we will be visiting. They are mostly in the order we will be
visiting. I have borrowed liberally from
many different sites which I have tried to footnote. If anyone finds a section
that should be footnoted but is not, please let me know so I can give all
credit where it is due.
My purpose in making this trip was two-fold. First, I wanted to continue my efforts to
visit all the key places of the Bible before I die. When it comes to understanding the Bible,
there is nothing quite like seeing the places through your own eyes. Second, I wanted to follow the life of
Paul. I have come to believe that the
world he faced was actually quite like the world I face today. There are lots of things to be learned from
the past that will help us in the future.
For Linda’s part, she went to be with me.
I am very appreciative to the congregation of
I traveled by Northwest Air and KLM from
When we were designing the Chapel of the
Resurrection, I originally wanted a smaller version of this church. However, the design was too difficult to
replicate and the height would not have been allowed by Bothell. That’s another reason why I like Hagia
Sophia. It reminds me of the day when
Christians ran the government and the church got the consideration it deserves.
We traveled in the dead of winter and
Here was my schedule:
February 27th, Leave Seattle on Wednesday afternoon.
February 28th, Arrive in the afternoon and
overnight in
March 1, visit
March 2, leave early for Nicea and drive hard to reach
March 3, Sunday, tour Iconium, Derbe, Lystra, and Pisidian Antioch, overnight in Konya.
March 4, Drive to
March 5, Tour
March 6, Drive to Silifke and board Ferry for
March 7, Tour
March 8, To
March 9, to
March 10, Sunday church in
March 11, Tour Aleppo, go to San Simeon,
March 12, Travel to
March 13, Travel to
March 14, Visit
March 15, Visit Damascus, back to
March 16, To
March 17, Worship in Tarsus, then travel to Antalya Antalya
March 18, Travel to
March 19, Visit Ephesus and then to Dinizli and overnight in Dinizli.
March 20, Visit Dinizli area, the
March 21, Up the coast to
March 22, Return to
March 23, Saturday, Return to
If anyone looks at this schedule as one to copy I should tell you that I probably overreached on this schedule. The roads were not as good as I had hoped so most of the drives took longer than expected. As a result we spent way too much time in the car getting from place to place. On the other hand, we did cover a lot of ground. The route probably would not work very well for a tour group traveling by bus, but I was happy.
The map above came from http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/jesusandwomen/maps.stm
Iznik, Historical Nicea
City of Doctrine
The
trip from
Nicea is best known in Christian
history as host to the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD. It was called by Emperor Constantine to
settle questions related to the divinity of Christ. It resulted in the Nicean Creed that codified
the orthodox view regarding Jesus Christ.
They didn’t invent the doctrine there but demonstrated that the divinity
of Jesus was something that had been preached from the beginning.
Even though it was an important Roman and Byzantine city, it fell to the Seljuks in 1078 and ultimately to the Ottomans in 1331. When Constantinople was sacked and robbed by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, Nicea became one competitor for capitol of the empire. The picture shows the old basilica from ancient Nicea.
Nicea
is located on the eastern end of Lake Iznik.
Its one time ocean access has changed.
The marshy edges to the lake tell the story of silt filling up the
waterways.
The city’s western wall came to the
water’s edge. In its prime, the wall was
about 2 ½ miles long, about 30 feet high, and had over a hundred towers. A double ditch outside the walls added
another layer of protection. The wall
was penetrated in four places: the Istanbul Gate (on the northern side), the
Lefke Gate (on the eastern side), and Yenisehir Gate (on the southern). In addition, gates in the western wall gave
access to wharfs and jetties. The cities
gates and wall still stand. A portion of the city wall is shown. Even today, it
is still mainly bounded by the original Roman walls.
In the town center the ruins of the St.
Sophia Cathedral, the place
of the first Ecumenical Council of 325, evoke images of convening bishops and
clergy. I sat in the chair reserved for
the leading Bishop, or maybe even the Emperor Constantine. The little church could handle maybe 300
people when seated or 600 standing. I am
sitting on the platform (technically it is the apse but we call it the
platform.) About three weeks later I visited the church at Myra where St.
Nicholas (the man we know as Santa Claus) was the Pastor. He had been a participant in the Council at
Nicea. I noted that his little church
was almost a copy of the one at Nicea.
His area for priests is shown above as well. Notice how much like the one at Nicea it
is. I can imagine as Pastor Nicholas
joined in debating about the nature of Christ at Nicea he was also thinking
that this was exactly the kind of church he wanted to build when he got home to
Myra. The two churches are almost carbon
copies of each other in both size and shape.
This picture shows the altar area in the
center with the seating area for the priests.
The rounded section is called the apse.
There were aisles on either side of the center section. The congregation
stood in those three sections. This was a common Roman design. In fact, many churches were built on this
pattern.
It is hard to
judge size from the picture, but the whole church, including the two side
aisles, is about equal to the two center sections of Cedar Park Assembly of
God. Thinking back, I estimate that
maybe it was 80 feet long and 60 feet wide.
Things were not very big in those days.
What those early churches lacked in size, they made up for in beauty.
At the entrance to the Nicean church is a
beautiful mosaic with figures representing Jesus and the saints. In the picture below, the mosaic is under the
glassed-in area. On the Church’s
northern wall was a fresco of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
The church was
also the site for the later council where Icons were finally approved for use
within the church under Empress Irene. That second council
Synod convened in the same church
in 787 AD during the iconoclastic period.
Following that council, objections to Iconography were no longer allowed and
the practice was no longer challenged within the Church.
Upon our arrival at the church we paid
the guy 1 million Lira to go in (about $0.75).
When we left he bolted the door and went to lunch.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT
NICEA?
by James R. White[2]
(Pictures by Joe Fuiten)
The Council of Nicea
is often misrepresented by cults and other religious movements. The actual
concern of the council was clearly and unambiguously the relationship between
the Father and the Son. Is Christ a creature, or true God? The council said He
was true God. Yet, the opponents of the deity of Christ did not simply give up
after the council’s decision. In fact, they almost succeeded in overturning the
Nicene affirmation of Christ’s deity. But faithful Christians like Athanasius
continued to defend the truth, and in the end, truth triumphed over error.
The
conversation intensified quickly. "You can’t really trust the Bible,"
my Latter-day Saints acquaintance said, "because you really don’t know
what books belong in it. You see, a bunch of men got together and decided the
canon of Scripture at the Council of Nicea, picking some books, rejecting
others." A few others were listening in on the conversation at the South
Gate of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City. It was the LDS General Conference,
and I again heard the Council of Nicea presented as that point in history where
something "went wrong," where some group of unnamed, faceless men
"decided" for me what I was supposed to believe. I quickly corrected
him about Nicea — nothing was decided, or even said, about the canon of
Scripture at that council.1
I
was reminded how often the phrase "the Council of Nicea" is used as
an accusation by those who reject the Christian faith. New Agers often allege
that the council removed the teaching of reincarnation from the Bible.2
And of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses and critics of the deity of Christ likewise
point to that council as the "beginning of the Trinity" or the
"first time the deity of Christ was asserted as orthodox teaching."
Others see it as the beginning of the union of church and state in light of the
participation of the Roman Emperor, Constantine. Some even say it was the
beginning of the Roman Catholic church.
THE BACKGROUND
Excepting
the apostolic council in Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15, the Council of Nicea
stands above other early councils of the church as far as its scope and its focus.
Luther called it "the most sacred of all councils."3 When
it began on June 19, 325, the fires of persecution had barely cooled. The Roman
Empire had been unsuccessful in its attempt to wipe out the Christian faith.
Fourteen years had elapsed since the final persecutions under the Emperor
Galerius had ended. Many of the men who made up the Council of Nicea bore in
their bodies the scars of persecution. They had been willing to suffer for the
name of Christ.
The
council was called by the Emperor Constantine. Leading bishops in the church
agreed to participate, so serious was the matter at hand. To understand why the
first universal council was called, we must go back to around A.D. 318. In the
populous Alexandria suburb of Baucalis, a well-liked presbyter by the name of
Arius began teaching in opposition to the bishop of Alexandria, Alexander.
Specifically, he disagreed with Alexander’s teaching that Jesus, the Son of
God, had existed eternally, being "generated" eternally by the
Father. Instead, Arius insisted that "there was a time when the Son was
not." Christ must be numbered among the created beings — highly exalted,
to be sure, but a creation, nonetheless. Alexander defended his position, and
it was not long before Arius was declared a heretic in a local council in 321.
This
did not end the matter. Arius simply moved to Palestine and began promoting his
ideas there. Alexander wrote letters to the churches in the area, warning them
against those he called the "Exukontians," from a Greek phrase
meaning "out of nothing." Arius taught that the Son of God was
created "out of nothing." Arius found an audience for his teachings,
and over the course of the next few years the debate became so heated that it
came to the attention of Constantine, the Emperor.
Having
consolidated his hold on the Empire, Constantine promoted unity in every way
possible. He recognized that a schism in the Christian church would be just one
more destabilizing factor in his empire, and he moved to solve the problem.4
While he had encouragement from men like Hosius, bishop of Cordova, and
Eusebius of Caesarea, Constantine was the one who officially called for the
council.5
THE PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR
VIEWS
The Council of Nicea
was mostly Eastern. According to tradition, 318 bishops were in attendance,
though most historians believe this number is a bit high. The vast majority
came from the East, with less than a dozen representing the rest of the Empire.
The
council was divided into three groups. Arius was in attendance, at the command
of the Emperor, along with a few supporters. Most notable of these were two
Egyptian bishops, Theonas and Secundus, as well as Eusebius of Nicomedia. This
group represented the viewpoint that Christ was of a different substance (Greek:
heteroousios) than the Father, that is, that He is a creature.
The
"orthodox" group was led primarily by Hosius of Cordova and Alexander
of Alexandria (accompanied by his brilliant young deacon, an d
later champion of the Nicene position, Athanasius6). They
represented the view that Christ was of the same substance (Greek: homo-ousios7)
as the Father, that is, that He has eternally shared in the one essence that is
God and in full deity.
The
middle group, led by Eusebius of Caesarea (and hence often called the
"Eusebian" party), distrusted the term homoousios, primarily
because it had been used in the previous century by the modalistic8
heretic Sabellius and others who wished to teach the error that the Father and
the Son were one person. This middle group agreed with the orthodox
party that Jesus was fully God, but they were concerned that the term homoousios
could be misunderstood to support the false idea that the Father and Son are
one person. The middle group therefore presented the idea that the Son was of a
similar substance (Greek: homoiousios) as the Father. By this
means they hoped to avoid both the error of Arius as well as the perceived
danger of Sabellianism found in the term homoousios.
|
Party/Leaders |
View of Christ |
|
Arian/Arius |
of
a different substance — heteroousios |
|
Orthodox/Alexander,
Hosius, Athanasius |
of
the same substance — homoousios |
|
Eusebian/Eusebius
of Caesarea |
of
a similar substance — homoiousios |
THE ROLE OF CONSTANTINE
We
are dependent, in large measure, on the words of Eusebius of Caesarea for our knowledge
of many of the events at the council. This is somewhat unfortunate, because
Eusebius, the first "church historian," was a partisan participant as
well. Historians recognize that his viewpoint is influenced by his desire for
the favor of the Emperor and by his own political and theological goals and
positions. Philip Schaff, in reproducing Eusebius’s description of the entrance
of the Emperor into the council, speaks of Eusebius’s "panegyrical
flattery."9 Eusebius presents Constantine in the highest
possible terms so as to enhance his own position.
What
really was Constantine’s role? Often it is alleged (especially by Jehovah’s
Witnesses, for example) that, for whatever reasons, Constantine forced the
"same substance" view upon the council,10 or, at the very
least, insured that it would be adopted. This is not the case. There is no
question that Constantine wanted a unified church after the Council of Nicea.
But he was no theologian, nor did he really care to any degree what basis would
be used to forge the unity he desired. Later events show that he didn’t have
any particular stake in the term homoousios and was willing to abandon
it, if he saw that doing so would be of benefit to him. As Schaff rightly
points out with reference to the term itself, "The word...was not an
invention of the council of Nicea, still less of Constantine, but had
previously arisen in theological language, and occurs even in Origen [185-254]
and among the Gnostics...."11 Constantine is not the source or
origin of the term, and the council did not adopt the term at his command.
THE DECISION AND THE CREED
The
truth of how the council came to use the term is not difficult to discern.
Athanasius notes that the gathered bishops truly desired to express their faith
in primarily scriptural language, and they tried to do so. But every time they
came up with a statement that was limited solely to biblical terms, the
Arians would find a way of "reading" the statement so as to allow for
agreement.12 They were forced to see that they needed to use a term
that could not be misunderstood, that would clearly differentiate between a
belief in the full deity of Christ and all those positions that would
compromise that belief. Therefore, they focused on the term homoousios
as being completely antithetical to the Arian position, and at the same time
reflective of the scriptural truth that Jesus Christ is not a creature, but is
fully God, incarnate deity.
The
"orthodox" party had to express clearly to the "middle
group" that by the use of the term homoousios they were not in any
way attempting to give aid and comfort to the modalists and Sabellians in the
East who continued to teach their errors even in the days of Nicea. They were
not compromising the existence of three Persons, but were instead safeguarding
the full deity of the Persons, and in particular, the Son.13 The
resulting creed, signed by all but Arius and two bishops, was quite clear in
its position:
We believe...in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of
the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten,
not made, of one substance (homoousios) with the Father, through Whom
all things were made....
The
creed also contained the "anathema" (i.e., condemnation) for those
who rejected these truths, and for the first time, such anathemas carried with
them civil repercussions. Arius and some of his followers were banished, even
though for a short time. This set a precedent that eventually would have
tremendous impact on culture and church, but it is also a separate issue from
the theological proclamation of the council.
Nicea
did not come up with something "new" in the creed. Belief in the
deity of Christ was as old as the apostles themselves, who enunciated this
truth over and over again.14 References to the full deity of Christ
are abundant in the period prior to the Council of Nicea. Ignatius (died c.
108), the great martyr bishop of Antioch, could easily speak of Jesus Christ as
God at the opening of the second century. More than once Ignatius speaks of
Jesus Christ as "our God."15 When writing to Polycarp he
can exhort him to "await Him that is above every season, the Eternal, the
Invisible, (who for our sake became visible!), the Impalpable, the Impassible,
(who for our sake suffered!), who in all ways endured for our sake."16
Ignatius shows the highest view of Christ at a very early stage, when he writes
to the Ephesians: "There is only one physician, of flesh and of spirit,
generate and ingenerate, God in man, true Life in death, Son of Mary and Son of
God, first passible and then impassible, Jesus Christ our Lord."17
Melito
of Sardis (c. 170-180), a much less well-known figure, was tremendously gifted
in expressing the ancient faith of the church regarding the deity of Christ:
And so he was lifted up upon a tree and an
inscription was provided too, to indicate who was being killed. Who was it? It
is a heavy thing to say, and a most fearful thing to refrain from saying. But
listen, as you tremble in the face of him on whose account the earth trembled.
He who hung the earth in place is hanged. He who fixed the heavens in place is
fixed in place. He who made all things fast is made fast on the tree. The
Master is insulted. God is murdered. The King of Israel is destroyed by an
Israelite hand.18
Nicea
was not creating some new doctrine, some new belief, but clearly, explicitly, defining
truth against error. The council had no idea that they, by their gathering
together, possessed some kind of sacramental power of defining beliefs: they
sought to clarify biblical truth, not to put themselves in the forefront and
make themselves a second source of authority.
This
can easily be seen from the fact that Athanasius, in defending the Nicene
council, does so on the basis of its harmony with Scripture, not on the basis
of the council having some inherent authority in and of itself. Note his words:
"Vainly then do they run about with the pretext that they have demanded
Councils for the faith’s sake; for divine Scripture is sufficient above all
things; but if a Council be needed on the point, there are the proceedings of
the Fathers, for the Nicene Bishops did not neglect this matter, but stated the
doctrines so exactly, that persons reading their words honestly, cannot but be
reminded by them of the religion towards Christ announced in divine
Scripture."19
The
relationship between the sufficient Scriptures and the "Nicene
Bishops" should be noted carefully. The Scriptures are not made insufficient
by the council; rather, the words of the council "remind" one of the
"religion towards Christ announced in divine Scripture." Obviously,
then, the authority of the council is derivative from its fidelity to
Scripture.
CANON #6
While
the creed of the council was its central achievement, it was not the only thing
that the bishops accomplished during their meeting. Twenty canons were
presented dealing with various disciplinary issues within the church. Of most
interest to us today was the sixth, which read as follows:
Let the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya, and
Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all
these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in
Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges.20
This
canon is significant because it demonstrates that at this time there was no
concept of a single universal head of the church with jurisdiction over
everyone else. While later Roman bishops would claim such authority, resulting
in the development of the papacy, at this time no Christian looked to one
individual, or church, as the final authority. This is important because
often we hear it alleged that the Trinity, or the Nicene definition of the
deity of Christ, is a "Roman Catholic" concept "forced" on
the church by the pope. The simple fact of the matter is, when the bishops
gathered at Nicea they did not acknowledge the bishop of Rome as anything more
than the leader of the most influential church in the West.21
THE AFTERMATH
Modern
Christians often have the impression that ancient councils held absolute sway,
and when they made "the decision," the controversy ended. This is not
true. Though Nicea is seen as one of the greatest of the councils, it had to
fight hard for acceptance. The basis of its final victory was not the power of
politics, nor the endorsement of established religion. There was one reason the
Nicene definition prevailed: its fidelity to the testimony of the Scriptures.
During the six decades
between the Council of Nicea and the Council of Constantinople in 381, Arianism
experienced many victories. There were periods where Arian bishops constituted
the majority of the visible ecclesiastical hierarchy. Primarily through the
force of political power, Arian sympathizers soon took to undoing the
condemnation of Arius and his theology. Eusebius of Nicomedia and others
attempted to overturn Nicea, and for a number of decades it looked as if they
might succeed. Constantine adopted a compromising position under the influence
of various sources, including Eusebius of Caesarea and a politically worded
"confession" from Arius. Constantine put little stock in the
definition of Nicea itself: he was a politician to the last. Upon his death,
his second son Constantius ruled in the East, and he gave great aid and comfort
to Arianism. United by their rejection of the homoousion, semi-Arians and
Arians worked to unseat a common enemy, almost always proceeding with political
power on their side.
Under
Constantius, council after council met in this location or that. So furious was
the activity that one commentator wrote of the time, "The highways were
covered with galloping bishops."22 Most importantly, regional
councils meeting at Ariminum, Seleucia, and Sirmium presented Arian and
semi-Arian creeds, and many leaders were coerced into subscribing to them. Even
Liberius, bishop of Rome, having been banished from his see (position as
bishop) and longing to return, was persuaded to give in and compromise on the
matter.23
During
the course of the decades following Nicea, Athanasius, who had become bishop of
Alexandria shortly after the council, was removed from his see five times,
once by force of 5,000 soldiers coming in the front door while he escaped out
the back! Hosius, now nearly 100 years old, was likewise forced by imperial
threats to compromise and give place to Arian ideas. At the end of the sixth
decade of the century, it looked as if Nicea would be defeated. Jerome would
later describe this moment in history as the time when "the whole world
groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian."24
Yet,
in the midst of this darkness, a lone voice remained strong. Arguing from
Scripture, fearlessly reproaching error, writing from refuge in the desert,
along the Nile, or in the crowded suburbs around Alexandria, Athanasius
continued the fight. His unwillingness to give place — even when banished by
the Emperor, disfellowshipped by the established church, and condemned by local
councils and bishops alike — gave rise to the phrase, Athanasius contra
mundum: "Athanasius against the world." Convinced that Scripture
is "sufficient above all things,"25 Athanasius acted as a
true "Protestant" in his day.26 Athanasius protested
against the consensus opinion of the established church, and did so because he
was compelled by scriptural authority. Athanasius would have understood, on
some of those long, lonely days of exile, what Wycliffe meant a thousand years
later: "If we had a hundred popes, and if all the friars were cardinals,
to the law of the gospel we should bow, more than all this multitude."27
Movements
that depend on political favor (rather than God’s truth) eventually die, and
this was true of Arianism. As soon as it looked as if the Arians had
consolidated their hold on the Empire, they turned to internal fighting and
quite literally destroyed each other. They had no one like a faithful
Athanasius, and it was not long before the tide turned against them. By A.D.
381, the Council of Constantinople could meet and reaffirm, without hesitancy,
the Nicene faith, complete with the homoousious clause. The full deity
of Christ was affirmed, not because Nicea had said so, but because God had
revealed it to be so. Nicea’s authority rested upon the solid foundation of
Scripture. A century after Nicea, we find the great bishop of Hippo, Augustine,
writing to Maximin, an Arian, and saying: "I must not press the authority
of Nicea against you, nor you that of Ariminum against me; I do not acknowledge
the one, as you do not the other; but let us come to ground that is common to
both — the testimony of the Holy Scriptures."28
NICEA TODAY
Why
do Christians believe in the deity of Christ today? Is it because they have
been forced to do so by legislated theology from councils and popes? No,
it is because the Scriptures teach this truth. When orthodox believers affirm
the validity of the creed hammered out at Nicea, they are simply affirming a
concise, clear presentation of scriptural truth. The authority of the Nicene
creed, including its assertion of the homoousion, is not to be found in
some concept of an infallible church, but in the fidelity of the creed to
scriptural revelation. It speaks with the voice of the apostles because it
speaks the truth as they proclaimed it. Modern Christians can be thankful for
the testimony of an Athanasius who stood for these truths even when the vast
majority stood against him. We should remember his example in our day.
James R. White is Scholar in Residence at the College of
Christian Studies, Grand Canyon University, an adjunct professor at Golden Gate
Baptist Theological Seminary (AZ Campus) and Faraston Theological Seminary, and
Director of Ministries for Alpha and Omega Ministries in Phoenix, Arizona.
NOTES
1The
Council of Nicea did not take up the issue of the canon of Scripture. In fact,
only regional councils touched on this issue (Hippo in 393, Carthage in 397)
until much later. The New Testament canon developed in the consciousness of the
church over time, just as the Old Testament canon did. See Don Kistler, ed., Sola
Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible (Morgan, PA: Soli Deo
Gloria Publications, 1995).
2See Joseph P. Gudel, Robert M. Bowman, Jr., and Dan R. Schlesinger,
"Reincarnation — Did the Church Suppress It?" Christian Research
Journal, Summer 1987, 8-12.
3Gordon Rupp, Luther’s Progress to the Diet of Worms (New
York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1964), 66.
4Much has been written about Constantine’s religious beliefs and his
"conversion" to Christianity. Some attribute to him high motives in
his involvement at Nicea; others see him as merely pursuing political ends. In
either case, we do not need to decide the issue of the validity of his
confession of faith, for the decisions of the Nicene Council on the nature of
the Son were not dictated by Constantine, and even after the Council he proved
himself willing to "compromise" on the issue, all for the sake of
political unity. The real battle over the deity of Christ was fought out in his
shadow, to be sure, but it took place on a plane he could scarcely understand,
let alone dominate.
5Later centuries would find the idea of an ecumenical council being
called by anyone but the bishop of Rome, the pope, unthinkable. Hence, long
after Nicea, in A.D. 680, the story began to circulate that in fact the bishop
of Rome called the Council, and even to this day some attempt to revive this
historical anachronism, claiming the two presbyters (Victor and Vincentius) who
represented Sylvester, the aged bishop of Rome, in fact sat as presidents over
the Council. See Philip Schaff’s comments in his History of the Christian
Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985), 3:335.
6Athanasius’s role at the council has been hotly debated. As a
deacon, he would not, by later standards, even be allowed to vote. But his
brilliance was already seen, and it would eventually fall to him to defend the
decisions of the Council, which became his lifelong work.
7The Latin translation is consubstantialis, consubstantial,
which is the common rendering of the term in English versions of the final form
of the Nicene Creed.
8Modalism is the belief that there is one Person in the Godhead who
at times acts as the Father, and other times as the Son, and still other times
as the Spirit. Modalism denies the Trinity, which asserts that the three
Persons have existed eternally.
9Schaff, 3:624.
10The only basis that can be presented for such an idea is found in
a letter, written by Eusebius of Caesarea during the council itself to his home
church, explaining why he eventually gave in and signed the creed, and agreed
to the term homoousios. At one point Eusebius writes that Constantine
"encouraged the others to sign it and to agree with its teaching, only
with the addition of the word ‘consubstantial’ [i.e., homoousios]."
The specific term used by Eusebius, parakeleueto, can be rendered as
strongly as "command" or as mildly as "advise" or
"encourage." There is nothing in Eusebius’s letter, however, that
would suggest that he felt he had been ordered to subscribe to the use
of the term, nor that he felt that Constantine was the actual source of the
term.
11Schaff, 3:628.
12Someone might say that this demonstrates the insufficiency
of Scripture to function as the sole infallible rule of faith for the church;
that is, that it denies sola scriptura. But sola scriptura does
not claim the Bible is sufficient to answer every perversion of its own
revealed truths. Peter knew that there would be those who twist the Scriptures
to their own destruction, and it is good to note that God has not deemed it
proper to transport all heretics off the planet at the first moment they utter
their heresy. Struggling with false teaching has, in God’s sovereign plan, been
a part of the maturing of His people.
13For many generations misunderstandings between East and West,
complicated by the language differences (Greek remaining predominate in the
East, Latin becoming the normal language of religion in the West), kept
controversy alive even when there was no need for it.
14Titus 2:13, 2 Pet. 1:1, John 1:1-14, Col. 1:15-17, Phil. 2:5-11,
etc.
15See, for example, his epistle to the Ephesians, 18, and to the
Romans, 3, in J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, eds., The Apostolic Fathers
(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984), 141 and 150.
16Polycarp 3, The Apostolic Fathers, 161.
17Ephesians 7, The Apostolic Fathers, 139.
18Melito of Sardis, A Homily on the Passover, sect. 95-96, as
found in Richard Norris, Jr., The Christological Controversy
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980), 46. This homily is one of the best
examples of early preaching that is solidly biblical in tone and
Christ-centered in message.
19Athanasius, De Synodis, 6, as found in Philip Schaff and
Henry Wace, eds., Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series II (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), IV:453.
20Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series II, XIV:15.
21For those who struggle with the idea that it was not "Roman
Catholicism" that existed in those days, consider this: if one went into a
church today, and discovered that the people gathered there did not believe in
the papacy, did not believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Bodily
Assumption of Mary, purgatory, indulgences, did not believe in the concept of
transubstantiation replete with the communion host’s total change in accidence
and substance, and had no tabernacles on the altars in their churches, would
one think he or she was in a "Roman Catholic" church? Of course not.
Yet, the church of 325 had none of these beliefs, either. Hence, while they
called themselves "Catholics," they would not have had any idea what "Roman
Catholic" meant.
22Ammianus Marcellinus, as cited by Schaff, History of the
Christian Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985), III:632.
23For a discussion of the lapse of Liberius, see Schaff, III:635-36.
For information on the relationship of Liberius and the concept of papal
infallibility, see George Salmon, The Infallibility of the Church (Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House, 1959), 425-29, and Philip Schaff, The Creeds of
Christendom (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985), I:176-78.
24Jerome, Adversus Luciferianos, 19, Nicene and Post Nicene
Fathers, Series II, 6:329.
25Athanasius, De Synodis, 6, Nicene and Post Nicene
Fathers, Series II, 4:453.
26I credit one of my students, Michael Porter, with this
phraseology.
27Robert Vaughn, The Life and Opinions of John de Wycliffe
(London: Holdworth and Ball, 1831), 313. See 312-17 for a summary of Wycliffe’s
doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture.
28Augustine, To Maximim the Arian, as cited by George Salman,
The Infallibility of the Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1959),
295.
Driving
Instructions
From
Iznik, go through Bozuyuk, Kutahya, Afyon, to Konya.
From
Iznik take road 150 east to 650. It is
about 30 KM or about 19 miles to 650.
Take
highway 650 south to Afyon. Its about
280 KM. or about 115 miles to Kutahya and another 60-72 miles to Afyon
At
Afyon, take highway 300 South/east toward Konya.
From Afyon it is about 93 Km/60 Miles to
Aksehir. .
At Aksehir take 695 south 28 km then right to
Yalvac, the location of ancient Pisidian Antioch
Paul's First Missionary
Journey
From
Perga to Pisidian Antioch
Traveling northward
from Perga to Pisidian Antioch, Saul and Barnabas followed the Roman road known
as the Via Sebaste. With the mountains looming in the distance, the 100-mile
journey took them about a week (traveling about 15 miles a day) and was
extremely dangerous. 
The
rough, mountainous passage, shown right, caused Antioch to be isolated since it
was the only way in and out of the city. (Were these mountains daunting to John
Mark, and the reason he chose not to continue?)
We, on the other hand, have arrived by car from the north. Along their
way they passed Egirdir Gölü (Egirdir Lake, shown below). Along our way we passed unending streams
of trucks.
Eventually,
after endless climbing for scores of miles, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch on
the 3,280 feet-high plain of the Anatolian plateau.(below, right). High, cool and dry, the city must have seemed
like an oasis to the ailing Saul.
Pisidian Antioch or
Antioch in Pisidia was an ancient city in Phrygia, located north-northeast of
Perga. According to written sources and archaeological finds, the city was
founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 280 BC, and was one of seventeen Antiochs he
named for his father Antiochus. The city stood at a junction of two main roads,
guarding the road access from the south, as well as the so called "high
road" from Ephesus to Syria. It was situated in the proximity of the
border of Pisidia and Phrygia and served the Seleucids as a border fortress up
until the defeat of Antiochus III by the Romans. This strategic importance
combined with its fertile lands meant that it was an important settlement in
the region. From coins minted around that time it is evident that the city rose
to a pinnacle of economic prosperity. The population of the city at that time
has been put at over one hundred thousand.
In
188 BC it was declared a free city and in 25 BC it became a Roman military
colony known as Colonia Caesarea Antiocheia. Its old name, however, was not
abandoned. Emperor Augustus designated it the capital of the Roman province of
Galatia[3] and three thousand
veterans from Rome were brought to settle there. These expatriate Romans
enjoyed full citizenship and the city flourished and enjoyed peace and
prosperity in the generation leading up to the visit by Paul and Barnabas. Of
all the other colonies cities such as Olbasa, Komama, Kremna, Parlais, and
Lystra, Pisidian Antioch was the oldest, largest and most Romanized. Its
districts were named after those of Rome, and the discovery of the important Latin
inscription known as the "Res Gestae" on the site illustrates the
importance attached to Pisidian Antioch as a sister city of Rome.
After the time of Paul
The city was razed by
the Arabs in the year 713, and although attempts were made to rebuild it, its
former splendor had gone never to return. Its walls were rebuilt to surround a
smaller area, and the deterioration
in quality of the building materials, is further evidence of decline. The city
can be traced up to the end of the 12th century AD, but was finally abandoned
entirely when the settlement of Yalvaç was established in the second half of
the 13th century. In those last years of its existence two important events put
Pisidian Antioch on the map of history once more. The first was the arrival of
the Crusader army, which took refuge here after its defeat by the Selçuks at
Eskisehir in 1097. The second was the battle of Miryakefalon between the
Byzantines and Turkish Selçuks, which took place just outside the city in 1176.
Walking
in Paul's footsteps--Pisidian Antioch:
The
remains of the Pisidian Antioch are located just over a half mile north of the
modern Turkish city of Yalvaç in the province of Isparta. The first excavations
were carried out in 1913-14 and 1924 by the archaeologists W. Ramsay and D. M.
Robinson, revealing settlement here since the Neolithic Age. Excavations were
resumed in 1979, and although only ten percent of the city has so far been
revealed, this once magnificent ancient capital city in the center of Anatolia
is a fascinating place to visit.
The
site of Pisidian Antioch
The city was set atop a precipice
described by Sir William Ramsey on his visit at the beginning of the 20th
century as "an oblong hill varying from 50 feet to 200 feet above the
plain, "nearly two miles in circumference. As the eastern, southern and
northern slopes of the hill are very steep, it is possible to approach the city
only from the west. However, the hilltop is not flat; indeed there are several
high-points on every side, giving the appearance of seven hills, like Rome. The
majority of buildings were constructed on the slopes of these small hills or in
the valleys. Within the fortification walls, the city is laid out along two
main axis, north-south and east-west, directions which intersect at a right
angle. Straight, narrow side-streets cut the main streets at right-angles. It
is interesting to note that this so-called Hippodamian street-system (a street
plan arranged on a rectangular grid) was skillfully adapted to the terrain. The
remains of many important buildings dating from the Roman and subsequent eras
have been revealed, including:
The foundations of the triple city
gate built as a monument commemorating the victory of the Roman emperor
Septimus Severus over the Parthians. Herod the Great built his Horodian also in
celebration of his victory over the Parthians just south of Jerusalem.
One the most important remains at the site of Pisidian Antioch is the aqueduct, shown here, that brought water from a spring in the foothills to meet the increasing demand for water during the Roman period. Dating to the 1st century AD, it ran for nearly 6 miles along the ridge to the north of the city. Constructed according to the conditions of the terrain, it led to a monumental fountain, the nymphaeum whose foundation is shown here, from where the water was distributed to about two-thirds of the city.
On the west side of the city are
the foundations of the synagogue where Saul gave his first recorded sermon. In
the 4th century AD the Church of St. Paul was built on the remains,
incorporating its southern wall. Although most of the walls have disappeared,
the superb mosaics and inscriptions which entirely cover the floor are worth
seeing. At the center of the mosaic are four Greek inscriptions giving the names
of people who made the mosaic floor and the names of priests and dedicators.
One of those mentioned is Optimus, a leader and bishop in the Antioch church
between 375-381 AD. It is significant that this is the only church in ancient
Anatolia built on the site of a synagogue.
We tend to think of the names of donors on a building as something new. In fact, in the Synagogue in which Jesus preached in Capernaum there was such an inscription. I have seen them in other locations as well.
The city had two town squares: The
Augusta Platea (Square of Augustus) was located at the very highest point of
the city and was connected to the lower Tiberia Platea (Square of Tiberius) by
a monumental staircase of twelve steps.
The Augusta Platea was the site of a temple built in honor of the
emperor Augustus, shown left. The foundation was carved out of the rock of the
hill. At the back of the temple was a two storied, semicircular portico, also
quarried out of the rock of the hill. Around 400 AD, the building was used as an
open-air church.
The theater was situated on an hill not far from the city center overlooking the city. It could accommodate 5,000 spectators and probably consisted of 26 rows of seats. The city's main east-west street ran through a tunnel beneath the south side of the seating area, an unusual feature that has not been observed elsewhere.
About 3 miles east of Yalvaç, atop Karakuyu Hill, is the sanctuary of the Anatolian moon god Men, whose symbol was the bull's head, and who was thought to grant abundant harvests. On nearby Limenia Island in Lake Egirdir is a temple of Artemis, rock tombs and St. Mary's Monastery. The Assyrian moon god was named Sin.
Paul preaches the Gospel in Pisidian
Antioch:
It has been suggested that Paul and
Barnabas originally aimed for Pisidian Antioch on the recommendation of Sergius
Paulus, the newly converted governor of Cyprus, because archaeology has shown
that his family had roots in the city. Excavations at the site of Antioch
uncovered an inscription referring to "Lucius Sergius Paulus the
younger," thought to be the son of the Cyprus governor.
Irregardless, the missionaries first took the Gospel message to the Jews of Antioch, as was standard procedure on this and all of Paul's subsequent missionary journeys. On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue. It was customary in synagogues throughout the empire to invite visiting Jews to address the congregation after the main part of the service: "After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, 'Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak'" (Acts 13:15).
Paul's audience included both Jews and
God-fearers--Gentiles who respected the Jewish religion but who had not fully
converted to it (circumcised). First, he gave them a brief history of Israel,
from the Exodus, to the entry into the Promised Land, the period of the
"judges," then the first kings, Saul followed by David, from whose
line God promised to send a Messiah who would bring salvation to the world.
Paul then announced that God had fulfilled this promise in Jesus whose coming
was foretold by John the Baptist.
In the second half of his sermon Paul
described the process by which Jesus was condemned and crucified, then
resurrected so that all believers, including those in Antioch, could have
eternal life.
Paul's message had a powerful effect on
his audience, and he was invited back for the next Sabbath. Over the following
week, word-of-mouth spread so that when the time came, the synagogue was
packed. However, the crowd included some orthodox Jews who tried to disprove
Paul's claims. After what was undoubtedly a heated debate, Paul and Barnabas
spoke out boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you
reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to
the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a
light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the
earth'" (Acts 13:46,47).
The Gentiles in the audience were elated with what they heard, and a congregation was formed. Paul's message also aroused hostility among a number of the Jews, although the reason is not specified. Most likely it was because they resented welcoming the Gentiles into the church as equals to themselves, "God's chosen people." In any case, they incited some of Antioch's influential citizens to have the missionaries expelled from the city. Shaking the dust from their feet--an expression of extreme contempt and a sign of that they would not have any further dealings with them--Paul and Barnabas departed for Iconium. However, as they headed out of town they were elated in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit had worked through them to bring new converts into the body of Christ. This account concludes with the statement, "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52). The photo shows the main road in the city.
Pisidian Antioch—Yalvac
Paul arrived in this city having landed at the coast and come inland
following his trip to Cyprus. From here
he started south, heading in the general direction of home.
Poised on the southern slopes of the Sultan Mountains in central west
Turkey, the ruins of Pisidian Antioch reach back to 200 B.C. when Seleucus I or
his son Antiochos I established a settlement there. It was handed over to
Amyntas, King of Galatia sometime around 39 B.C. The most illustrious part of Antioch's
history, however, began in 25 B.C. when Roman Emperor Augustus established
"Antiochia Caesarea", one of the principal Roman colonies in the
Greek East. The city was deliberately modeled, in some respects, on the
imperial city of Rome.
A wall surrounded the city which
contained large and impressive buildings, temples, squares, Roman Bath,
Nymphaeum, churches, especially St. Paul's Church, city gates, main streets,
plazas and theatres. Fertile lands and good living conditions allowed the city
to prosper for some 200 years and the population swelled to over 50,000. Shown
at right is the Cardo Maximus, the main East-West Street
By the 3rd
Century AD Antioch was named the chief city of the newly formed province of
Pisidia and had reached its economic peak. In the 7th Century Arabs invaded and
overtook the city until its abandonment sometime in the 13th Century.
Antioch's fame, however, lies not only
from it's Roman history, but also as one of the birthplaces of Christianity. It
was here in 46 AD that St. Paul gave his first sermon inside a synagogue and
started to attract converts to the Christian faith. In the middle of the 4th
Century a church dedicated to St. Paul was built on top of the synagogue and
its ruins are subject to archaeological research today.
Archaeological
interest in Antioch has been known since its re-discovery in 1833 by British
Chaplain F.V.J. Arundell. Since then many studies and publications have been
undertaken by scholars such as H. von Rott, Sir William Ramsay and Prof. D.M.
Robinson and later, Michael Ballance. The main research which drives the work
for the coming season, started with a systematic survey in 1982 under Stephen
Mitchell and the Yalvac Museum. The research and rescue excavations that began
in 1983 under the direction of Dr. Mehmet Taslialan Director of the Yalvac
Museum, continue today. At left is the
West Gate and Waterfall.[4]
One of the recent finds was the
foundation of the city portal built as a monument commemorating the victory of
the Roman emperor Septimus Severus over the Parthians. This was a triple gate
with four pylons, one at either side and two in the center.
On a rocky
outcrop at the highest point of the city Emperor Augustus built the Augustus
Temple which was dedicated to the mother goddess Cybele (Kybele). This
remarkable building with unique architectural features was used as an open-air
church around 400 AD.
The church dedicated to St. Paul stands
on the west side of the city and was its largest church. Most of the walls have
disappeared, but the superb mosaics and inscriptions which entirely cover the
floor are worth seeing.
Other buildings
include a theatre seating fifteen thousand, a Roman bath, monumental fountain,
well built aqueducts, a horseshoe shaped stadium seating thirty thousand, and
the Men sanctuary. On the nearby Limenia Island in Lake Egirdir is a temple of
Artemis, rock tombs and St. Mary's Monastery.
Back
to Aksehir. Now it is about 134 KM/85
miles to Konya
From
Konya go south to Lystra.
From Lystra go southeast to Derbe
If
this is Tuesday, this must be Galatia.
Galatia was not a city but a region. In fact, as we approach Konya, we are in
Galatia. Both Phrygia and Galatia were
regions within what is today central Turkey.
The picture is of “Galatia” near the modern capital of Ankara.
In the third century B.C., Celts from Gaul in Europe came into this region. The name "Galatia" described the descendants of the inhabitants who came from Gaul. The Roman province of Galatia included the traditional area of Galatia along with the towns of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe to the south. In his letter to "the churches of Galatia" (Gal 1:2), Paul had to address certain false teachings including the degree to which Christians were to observe Jewish practices like circumcision. He argued that if people are put right with God through faith in Christ, not the Jewish Law, they also live by faith in Christ, not the Jewish Law.
Paul's Second
Missionary Journey
From
Antioch to Galatia[5]
The account of Paul's Second Missionary Journey begins in Acts 15:36.
Modern Antakya, Turkey is ancient
“Antioch on the Orontes” in Syria. It is
pasted up against the mountains at the northwest corner of the Mediterranean
Sea. When Paul and Barnabas returned to
Antioch in Syria at the conclusion of their first missionary journey, they
gathered the church together to report on how God had "opened the door of
faith to the Gentiles" throughout Galatia.
Meanwhile, some of the Jewish Christian began insisting that Gentile believers must be circumcised in accordance with Jewish law in order to become part of the church. Peter himself may have been part of this problem because Paul had to confront him to his face about his incorrect behavior. This controversy was settled by a church council in Jerusalem where it was agreed that the new Gentile converts be excused from being circumcised, while suggesting that they abstain from eating the meat of animals killed in pagan sacrifices, from sexual immorality and from eating the meat and blood of strangled animals. A letter outlining the decision was sent to Antioch with Paul, Barnabas, and two Christians from Jerusalem, Judas Barsabbas and Silas.
Bolstered by the council's decision, Paul proposed a second missionary journey to Barnabas to strengthen the churches they established on their first journey, and pass on the decision of the Jerusalem council. In particular, Paul wanted to head toward Galatia where Peter’s influence had been strong and where the corrupting ideas about Judaism seemed to be centered. But an argument between them over giving John Mark a second chance ended with them splitting up. Barnabas took John Mark with him on a separate mission to Cyprus, while Paul chose a new partner, Silas, who had helped deliver the decision from the Jerusalem council. The net result: two missionary expeditions instead of one.
Paul's purpose at the start of his second missionary journey was to strengthen the churches he established in Galatia during his first missionary journey and preach the gospel in the province of Asia.
With his mission in mind, Paul and Silas left Antioch in Syria and started overland northward, probably first to Paul's hometown of Tarsus and then across the Taurus Mountains shown here rising over rising over 13,000 feet. The distance from the Cilician plain to the Anatolian plateau is about 70 miles, and in ancient times this was a journey of nearly five days.
The
first landmark on this second missionary journey would be the famous Cilician
Gates. In previous centuries Hittite,
Assyrian, Persian, Greek and Roman armies had marched through this same pass on
their way to their various conquests.
Among their great leaders were Xerxes and Alexander the Great. At the narrowest part of the Cilician Gates
it is barely sixty-five feet wide. On
the road that great armies had trod, now just two men are walking on their way
to a conquest that would change the world.
The photo on the left shows the road as it used to be some years
ago. Now it is a four-lane freeway. We rolled through at 60 miles an hour without
any fear of attack.
Going
through the mountains, their goal is the high Anatolian plateau which is
approximately 3,300 feet above sea-level. Reaching the plateau, Paul and Silas
turned westward to revisit Derbe. In the
photo to the right, I am standing on the small hill that is ancient Derbe. Linda is looking over the ground to see what
remains might have worked their way to the surface of that ancient town. Presently it is an unexcavated site that is
almost impossible to get to. We had to
go through a farmer’s field to get to the site.
In Paul's time, Derbe was part of the Roman province of Galatia.
In
the picture below I am standing at the Tel of ancient Lystra, also in Roman
Galatia. These were among the cities
where Paul, with Barnabas, had previously established congregations. I am standing next to a pile of rocks to
remember the fact that outside the gates of Lystra, about where I am standing,
Paul was stoned at left for dead on his first mission It was also from Lystra that a young man
named Timothy was asked to accompany them as a co-worker. This trip also took them again to Iconium and
Pisidian Antioch. Their plan was to go
into the Roman Province of Asia--roughly the western third of what we now call
Turkey. Instead, the Holy Spirit redirected their efforts and they found
themselves heading for Alexandria Troas in northwest Asia Minor, ten miles
southwest of ancient Troy (of Homer's Iliad fame). At Troas, Paul had a vision
which set the course for his missionary efforts over the remaining years of his
life. Indeed, it opened the door for
Europeans to come to Christ as well
Paul's First Missionary Journey
Iconium, Derbe, Lystra
Iconium
Hounded from Pisidian Antioch, Paul and
Barnabas turned homeward heading for the city of Iconium. Iconium was located
about 85 miles southeast of Pisidian Antioch (Yalvac). It lays on the Western
edge of a great high plain of the Anatolian Plateau, at an elevation of about
3,300 feet. It was backed by Bozkr Mountain on the west and enclosed by the
interior edges of the central Taurus ranges further south.
Iconium has been around a very long time
and Çatal Hüyük, 32 miles to the south, is among the world's oldest known
inhabited communities, dating back to 7500 BC. Only Jericho, Aleppo and
Damascus lay claim to being older. Almost 4,000 years ago, Iconium was a Hittite
city called 'Kuwanna.' Following the collapse of the Hittite empire, the
Phrygians who came from Thrace or Macedonia (both in modern Greece) established
a large settlement named 'Kowania' there (about 1200 BC). According to a
Phrygian legend of the great flood (we would know it as the flood of Noah),
Iconium was the first city to rise after the deluge that destroyed humanity.
Another legend ascribes its name to the eikon (image, in Greek) of Perseus
erected by the citizens in thanks to him for having slain the fearsome Gorgon
Medusa, who wore a wig of writhing snakes, and whose gaze turned men to stone.
In the 3rd century BC it was ruled by the Seleucid kings of Syria and it became
a self-governing city, largely Greek in language, education, and culture. Some
of the citizens, however, retained their Phrygian culture. Highways from Syria
west to Ephesus and Rome went through Iconium, making it a place of vast trade.
With its beautiful plains, made productive by streams from the Pisidian
Mountains, it was surrounded by grain fields and fruit orchards. It was famous
for its wheat, flax, apricots and plums. An old proverb stated, "See all
the world, but see Iconium," for it was considered one of the most
beautiful places in the world. Iconium was rarely independent, being subject to
Lydia and Persia before it came under the control of the Seleucids in the 3rd
century BC. After 278 BC, it came under the sway of the invading Gauls and
thereafter the entire central region of Asia Minor became known as Galatia. In
129 BC ceded Galatia to Pontus and in 36 BC Mark Antony returned control of
Iconium to the Galatian king Antymas. Upon his death in 25 BC, Iconium, along
with Pisidian Antioch, Lystra and Derbe, became part of the Roman province of
Galatia
After
the time of Paul:
In the 2nd century AD, Iconium was raised
to the status of a colony by emperor Hadrian and under Claudius it received the
honorary name of Claudiconium, a reminder of the strong ties it shared with
Rome. In the 4th century AD it became the capital of the province of Lycaonia.
After 660 AD the city was victimized for three centuries by Arab raids and it
fell into their hands in 708. It was included in the Byzantine Empire until
1097 when the Seljuks gained control of the area. Renamed Konya (a corruption
of the ancient name), the city became the capital of the Seljuk Empire.
After the decline of the Seljuks, Konya
was ruled by the Mongols and later by the Turkmen principality of Karaman until
it was finally annexed to the Ottoman Empire about 1467. The city declined
during the Ottoman period but revived after 1896, largely through the building
of the Istanbul-Baghdad railway, which passes through Konya.
Until 1923 Konya was the most important
city of central Anatolia, overshadowing Ankara (today the capital of the
Turkish Republic). Much of the present city was built in the last 10 years. As
in ancient times, Konya is in the heart of Turkey's "bread basket."
With its orchards, gardens, and monuments, the modern city, with a population
of over 500,000, attracts a growing tourist trade.
Walking
in Paul's footsteps--Konya/Iconium:
Konya is now a large metropolis of
brightly painted buildings. Indeed,
Turks seem to love painting their buildings wild colors. Like the rest of the country, the city hasn't
bothered to post distracting street or highway signs. At about 3300 feet
elevation, it gets cool, but it also gets clouds of dust in summer and snow
blizzards in winter. We were there in
early Spring and it was already very dusty and still quite chilly.
The
old city still survives to the east of the old acropolis, Alâeddin Hill, in the
middle of the city. Remains of the old city wall can be seen, although it has
been covered for protection. Once reinforced by 108 towers, it was removed at
the beginning of the 20th century during efforts to modernize the city.
Christian monuments include the church of Amphilochius inside the city and
several shrines nearby. Additionally, Konya retains a number of buildings (now
used as museums) from the Selçuk period, including the monastery of the
charismatic Moslem mystic order known in the West as Whirling Dervishes,
so-called for their twirling ritual dance. In the east of the old town stands
the green conical roof which covers the tomb of Mevlana (meaning master) Calaleddin
Rumi, the sect's founder, is Konya's most famous building. Its association with
the Dervishes makes it a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Every year, in the
first half of December, a ceremony commemorates the Whirling Dervishes. The
controlled, trance-like whirling of the white-robed men creates a mystical
experience for the viewer. The idea is for the dancers to spin round and round
in an attempt at total unity with God. As they twirl, they free themselves from
bondage to earthly things. The costumes they wear are symbolic. The black
cloaks they shed represent the escape from the tomb and the bonds of the flesh.
Their long white robes are their shrouds and their conical hats are their
tombstones.
Paul preaches the Gospel in Iconium:
At
left is the modern Church of St. Paul in Iconium. We were in this city on a Sunday and asked at
the hotel where we might find a Christian church. After considerable discussion we were directed
to this place. By banging on the locked
gate we were able to let two Catholic sisters who were taking care of the place
know that we wanted in. My wife and I,
along with our Moslem driver, went inside.
I lit a candle and spent some time in prayer. It reminded me a bit of what Paul must have
felt when he arrived into a city that did not know Jesus.
When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium
they made themselves known to the Jewish community and were invited to speak in
the synagogue. Many of the congregation, both Jews and God-fearing Gentiles,
were converted to the Gospel. But the unbelieving Jews "stirred up the
Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers" (Acts 14:2).
Despite the opposition, the two "spent considerable time there"
continuing to preach fearlessly for the Lord, "who confirmed the message
of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders,"
probably acts of healing through the power of God.
Acts states that the conflict between the
apostles and their Jewish opponents polarized the people. The anti-Christian
party prevailed and, with the permission of the "authorities," a
number of Jews and Gentiles plotted to stone the two men. But the apostles got
word of the threat against them and decided that it was time to take their
message elsewhere, and they moved on, following the Via Sepaste to Lystra:
Lystra
Lystra
was located
on the eastern part of
the high plains of Lycaonia, about 20 miles southwest of Iconium. The name
Lystra presumably goes back to prehistoric times and can be attributed to the
Lycaonian language, one of the many surviving Bronze Age tongues spoken in the
area. In fact, Lycaonian was still spoken in the area until the 6th century AD.
The
plain around Lystra was fertile and well-watered, with one stream skirting the
west side of the mound on which the town was built. However, the site had
little strategic value. In 6 BC, emperor Augustus decided to make use of the
old but inconspicuous settlement to found a military outpost, and conferred on
it the title Julia Felix Gemina Lustra.
To the right is a coin from Lystra (note the word "Lustra,"
the Roman version of the town's name, at the bottom).
Today Lystra is an unoccupied tell
(mound) about 21 miles southwest of Konya, near modern Hatunsaray. (The map
shows it as the red line road due south of Konya). Our search for Lystra proved
challenging. As always, we left our
hotel depending on our maps and the kind help of friendly Turks. There are few road signs of any kind in
Turkey except on the freeways and certainly none that would give any clue in
our search along the back-roads. In fact
along that “main” road there is only one small sign pointing in the general
direction and none that actually mark the place of the ancient city. Although
you can see the ancient mound from the “main” road, you would not know what it
is because it is not marked. On our
first try we drove right past it. After
searching two somewhat similar looking hilltops well beyond the site, we knew
we had gone to far. We did find a
wonderful old monastic church tucked into a cave part way up a mountain. There
must be thousands of these little places where hermits and monks once
prayed. Today, they shelter animals or
are gradually being fenced off to preserve what remains of their cultural
heritage. Realizing we had gone several
miles too far we turned back and finally discovered the mound that is
Lystra.
Like
Derbe, Lystra is just a mound in a farmer’s field. We stomped around on top hoping to find
something to remind us of its ancient past but very little but a few shards of
pottery. Facing the main road, one can
see the depression that marked the entry road and gates of the city. Outside the ancient city gate location, Linda
found carved stones that probably were a part of the ancient temple of Zeus. At right is a dressed stone that was probably
part of the city wall. Everything else
is covered in a 2000 year old collection of dirt!
Walking
in Paul's footsteps--Lystra:
Even though the site is not excavated,
archaeologists have surveyed the area.
An inscription on a stone at the site of Lystra (again, note the word
"Lustra," in the fourth line) was a key to determining the location
of the city. According to travel guides a temple to Zeus is preserved there.
Also, in the 1800's, a statue dedicated to Zeus and Hermes was found at the site,
reminiscent of the city's identification of Paul and Barnabas with the two
gods.
As
a Roman colony, Latin was the official language of Lystra, but the people still
spoke the native Lycaonian language which was unintelligible to Paul and
Barnabas. A branch of the Via Sebaste ran through Iconium to Lystra and Derbe,
then continued to the Cilician Gates, the famed pass through the Taurus
Mountains that led to Paul's hometown of Tarsus. It was this road that Paul
followed on this missionary journey, also on his second and third.
The population of Lystra was mostly
uneducated and Gentile, and in the history of Paul's missionary work, it stands
out as the first town he visited with no established Jewish community or
synagogue. Thus the people were completely ignorant of the Jewish scriptures
and unable to grasp the idea of worshiping one God. Lystra was the home of
Timothy (though he was known in Iconium as well), a young man who not only
accompanied Paul on his second and third missionary journeys but also served as
Paul's representative on many crucial missions, especially to Corinth and
Philippi. Timothy was probably among those who was converted at the time of
Paul's first missionary and Paul felt that no one had more compassion and
commitment. So close were Paul and Timothy that both are listed as authors of
six of Paul's letters and, as Paul faced death, he asked Timothy to come to be
with him. Timothy was also the recipient of two of Paul's letters, and he also
served as pastor of the church at Ephesus. At some point Timothy was
imprisoned, but he was released.
Paul preaches the Gospel in Lystra:
While Paul was preaching at Lystra,
probably in the agora or marketplace, a man who had been unable to walk from
birth caught his attention. Paul saw that the man could be healed, so he told
him to "stand up." Immediately, "the man jumped up and began to
walk." The effect on the onlookers was dramatic. Shouting in their native
Lycaonian dialect, they declared that Paul and Barnabas must be gods. The local
priest then arrived at the city gates with several bulls and wreaths prepared
to take the two "gods" outside the city to the temple of Zeus to
offer a ritual sacrifice to them.
Barnabas
and Paul being taken for gods lies in a Lycaonian legend that once Zeus and
Hermes had come to earth in disguise. No one would give them hospitality until
at last two old peasants, Philemon and his wife Baucis, took them in. As a
result the whole population was wiped out by the gods except Philemon and
Baucis, who were made the guardians of a splendid temple and were turned into
two great trees when they died. So when Paul healed the crippled man, the
people of Lystra were determined not to make the same mistake again. Barnabas
must have been a man of noble presence so they took him for Zeus the king of
the gods. Hermes was the messenger of the gods and, since Paul was the speaker,
they called him Hermes.
Shocked that they were being hailed as
pagan Greek gods, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes as a symbolic show of
disgust and rushed into the crowd, shouting, "Men, why are you doing this?
We too are only men, human like you." Their purpose in coming to Lystra,
they said, was to proclaim the good news about Jesus Christ, to turn the people
from their worthless idols to the "the living God, who made heaven and
earth and sea and everything in them" (Acts 14:15). The photo here was taken by someone else but
the wagon is very familiar even in 2002.
By recounting this incident, Acts
provides us with a valuable incite into Paul's approach to those who were
completely heathen and without any Jewish background to which he could appeal.
With such people he started from nature to get to the God who was behind it all
and who "has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in
their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with
joy." Years later, on his second missionary journey, he used the same
approach at Athens.
Despite their impassioned plea, they
barely managed to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them. At some point as
these events were transpiring or afterwards, hostile Jews from Pisidian Antioch
and Iconium arrived in town and poisoned the Lystrans against the two men. The
tactic worked. They stoned Paul and, believing he was dead, dragged him outside
the city walls. As some of the Lystran converts gathered around his body, Paul
came to his senses (he had only been knocked unconscious), stood up and walked
back into the city. At this point Acts does not tell us how the people reacted.
Perhaps they wondered if he really was a god. The next day, Paul and
Barnabas left for Derbe, but their efforts were not completely in vain as
indicated by two phrases in Acts: "the disciples had gathered round
him" and "they returned to Lystra." The only reason they
would risk returning to Lystra on their way back to Antioch was that a
community of faith had been formed and it needed strengthening and
encouragement.
Derbe’s history
Derbe
was a small Lycaonian town on the extreme boundary of the Roman province of
Galatia, about 30 miles southeast of Lystra. As we drove from Lystra toward
Derbe it was easy to see why Paul made Derbe his next stop. He did it because that was the way the road
went. As we drove, we followed the flow
of the mountains to our left. It was a
path that many had followed for many centuries.
Little
specific history is known about the town. Seeing it today it is easy to
understand why so little it known. There
probably wasn’t much to know about this little town in the middle of a farming
area.
It
was thought to have had a large Jewish population. It must have been somewhat
Hellenized (Greek-ized), but like the residents of Lystra, the people of Derbe
spoke the native language of Lycaonia. Like Derbe, it was part of the Roman
province of Galatia at the time of Paul. But later, in the 1st century AD, it
belonged temporarily to the kingdom of Antiochus IV of Commagnene, who gave the
name Claudioderbe in honor of the Roman emperor Claudius. Although Derbe was
inhabited from the Iron Age through the Hellenistic and Roman periods,
apparently it was entirely abandoned and forgotten in medieval times.
In the picture, we are
standing on top of the dirt-covered mound that once was Derbe. Someone dug enough here to expose this one
stone that probably was part of the ancient wall. We arrived late in the day, having spent the
entire day going from Iconium to Lystra and finally here to Derbe. The last stretch was along a direct road
deeply rutted by farmer’s tractors passing that way during the rainy
winter. It felt like the end of the
earth.
Archaeologists
has identified Derbe as being this medium-sized mound called Kerti Hüyük at the
foot of the extinct volcano Mount Karadag, about 18 miles north of modern
Karaman.
Walking in Paul's
footsteps--Derbe:
Paul
passed through the town on his way to Lystra on his second missionary journey.
Gaius,
one of Paul's traveling companions on his third missionary journey, was from
Derbe (Acts 20:4), and in Ephesus he was seized and brought into theater during
a riot by the silversmiths, who felt their livelihood was being threatened by
the spread of Christian teachings (Acts 19:29).
Acts
is very brief in describing the two apostles' stay in Derbe. It says only that
"They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of
disciples" (Acts 14:21). At this point they must have decided to return
home. But, instead of continuing east on the road from Derbe and crossing the
Taurus mountains through the Cilician Gates (an easier and shorter journey),
they decided to retrace their steps to Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch. In
spite of the dangers they previously experienced in those cities, they were
moved by the Holy Spirit into a second phase, that of mission building.
Additionally, they needed to get in the last word, and not let those who would
try to thwart the Gospel win. From Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas returned
to Perga.
Paul preaches the
Gospel in Perga:
We do not know if Paul
preached in Perga on his first pass through the city. He may have been too busy dealing with the
problem of John Mark leaving them. As a
result, they may have dealt with their personal issues before heading
inland. We do know, that as they
returned by the way they had come, Paul and Barnabas stopped to proclaim the
Gospel in Perga. Acts is very brief in
describing their time there: "After
going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the
word in Perga..." (Acts 14:24-25).
In
the picture I am sitting at the Roman gate through which Paul and Barnabas passed. Behind me, the two towers are the remains of
the ancient Greek gate.
After
an unspecified time Paul and Barnabas made their way to Perga's port of
Attalia I have a longer section on Perga
after we come out of Syria.
After Derbe, get to
Karaman. From Karaman take highway 350
East Northeast to Eregli.
At Eregli the road
becomes highway 330 to E882. It jogs
south then north on 805.
Go north on 765 into
Nevsehir.
Cappadocia[6]
Land of Scholars and Saints
My visit to Cappadocia was not related so
much to the Scriptures as to Christian history.
We do know that people from this area were represented in the Church
from Pentecost forward. However, so far as we know, none of the Apostles
visited in this area. At least there is
nothing in Acts that would indicate they came here.
The written history of Cappadocia
begins with the Hittities, but evidence shows human habitation as far back as
the Paleolithic period. However, the written records of the Hittities, 1700 BC
and the Assyrian trading colonies indicates the importance Cappadocia played in
the commerce and trading during the Bronze Age between distant lands. These
crossroads continued well into the 14th century AD with the Silk Road from
China.
The first Dark Age of Cappadocia came with the fall of the Hittitie Empire c. 1200 BC. Following period became known as the Neo-Hittitie, a mixture of Assyrian and Phrygian influences. This continued until the arrival of the Persians in 6th century BC. But the coming of Alexander the Great in 332 BC brought hellenism to the region and began Cappadocia's rise from the dark period.
The Kings of Cappadocia became more
Greek in thinking and farther hellenized the region. By the late 2nd century BC
the presence of Rome was being felt and by the middle of the 1st century BC the
Kings of Cappadocia were actually being appointed or removed from power by
Roman generals. Marc Antony had his hand in the making and breaking of
Cappadocian kings.
In 17 AD the last Cappadocian king had died and Cappadocia became a province of Rome. This was done in an effort to create a buffer zone between the Parthians in the east the Roman client kingdoms and provinces to west. The Roman Emperor Tiberius believed that this would help relieve some of the tax pressures on the citizens of Rome by adding this new province to the Empire.
The few cities in Cappadocia grew as the region stabilized with Roman presence. Roads were built and Roman Legions patrolled the borders of the province. Although this did not bring peace to the region, invasions by the Parthians, Goths, and Persians continued. The Persians being the greatest threat and always ready to attack the Roman provinces when it seemed that Rome had its back turn to the east. Even Palmyra, a onetime ally of Rome claimed the domains of Rome as its own, causing the Emperor to march legions from one war in Europe to another war in the East.
Although people from Cappadocia
were part of the church from the day of Pentecost forward, the impact did not
become overwhelming for a few centuries later.
The 3rd century AD saw changes within the province of Cappadocia.
Christianity had taken root and Cappadocia was becoming a Christian center for
learning and thinking. The persecutions of 303-308 AD were felt, but Cappadocia
provided an excellent place to hide from the persecutions and continued on with
the teachings of Christ. The hidden
valleys and soft volcanic rock made it the prefect place to create places of
worship and to be secure from pagan Roman soldiers. Pictured at left is a Cappadocian
lanscape from the door of a monastery carved into the rock. 
The 4th century AD saw the birth of several persons who would later become known as "the Cappadocian Fathers"; Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus, all of whom became Saints. There were many other Christian saints who were martyrs who were either from Cappadocia or martyred there.
With Constantine the Great's edict
of religious tolerance, the Christian centers grew in Cappadocia, but the
biggest growth came about because of the Iconoclastic period (726-843 AD).
Again Cappadocia provided the clergy the perfect place to hide and display
Icons as they saw fit and the monasteries of Cappadocia grew from this. The frescoe to the left is from a church at
Goreme. It was one of the few that have
not been desecrated by local Muslims.
Only recently have the Turks realized that by destroying Christian
remains they are limited their desirability as a tourist destination.
The Iconoclastic period coincided with increasing Arab raids into Anatolia that forced the Christians from the more eastern parts, namely Armenia, to the canyons of Cappadocia. This influx of new peoples caused a change in the style of the Churches of the area.
By the 11th and 12th centuries the Cappadocian monasteries were surrounded by the Seljuks, but coexisted without problems even with the coming of the Ottoman Turks in the 14th century. The last of the Greek Christians left Cappadocia in 1922-23 in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, leaving some beautiful examples of Greek architecture behind. Most of the churches were used as mosques. Others were left to be misused by local populations.
Visiting Cappadocia today is like an American trip to the painted desert, Arches National Monument, and the Grand Canyon all combined into one. The landscape is absolutely stunning.
The Goreme
Open-Air Museum, a virtual village of early Christian churches, monasteries and
other religious buildings, is a great place to begin. When we arrived the
weather was actually quite beautiful. It
was unseasonably warm and sunny virtually the whole time we were in the Middle
East. However, central Turkey is quite
high in elevation. We occasionally
stepped around small piles of snow left from the last storm. The picture here shows the walkways 
among these incredible churches and
monasteries of the Goreme open-air Museum.
The rock formation pictured had caves carved into it for use by the
monks who lived in this area.
Besides the
astounding geology of the region and the churches and monasteries, the
underground cities are unique.
Particularly the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli are worth
seeing. These underground settlements, of which there are known to be up to 40
but not open to the public, could sprawl for miles, with as many as eight
levels of subterranean landscape. Entrances lead to a maze of individual
sleeping, living and dining quarters, areas for animals and food storage, a
wine press area, confessional as well as ventilation shafts. Used during times
of invasion, inhabitants used circular doors carved from stone to protect
themselves.
Underground
Cities
Although
referred to as "cities," the underground communities of Cappadocia
probably served as temporary shelters rather than as permanent hidden cities.
The incessant darkness is hardly conducive to life and some of the passageways
are little more than crawling spaces that would have been intolerable in
long-term situations. In the picture, Linda is climbing the stairs of one of
the passages.
No one is certain as to the number of
underground communities that exist or even by whom they were built. The two
largest communities that have been unearthed are located at Kaymakli and
Derinkuyu, 20 and 30 kms. south of Nevsehir on the Nevsehir-Nigde road. It is
thought that the Hittites may have excavated the first few levels in the rock
when they came under attack from the Phrygians. These chambers were later
expanded into an extensive troglodytic complex by Christians escaping the Arab
invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries. At right is a stone set into the wall of the
passage. In an emergency the stone could
be rolled into place to block the passage.
The stone actually reminded me of the stone used to seal tomb entrances
such as the one that sealed the tomb of Jesus.
Discreet entrances give way to elaborate
subterranean systems with airshafts, waste shafts, wells, chimneys and
connecting passageways. The upper levels were used for living quarters while
the lower levels were used for storage, wine making, flour grinding and worship
in simple chapels. Everywhere, walls have been blackened from the use of
torches. There is a connecting tunnel between Kaymakli and Derinkuyu that
allowed three people to walk through at the same time but it is not available
to the public as parts of the tunnel have collapsed. 0nly 10 kms. to the east
of Kaymakli is another cave town at Mazikoy that may be connected with
Derinkuyu but this remains to be proven. This community was built within the
walls of a cliff. Unlike Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, there are no stairs or grades
that pass from one level to the next. Instead, the different levels are well
defined with connecting tunnels through which people climbed up or let
themselves down by means of footholds carved into the walls of the shafts.
Rock
Cut Churches and Monasteries
Many settlements in Cappadocia were
established primarily as monastic communities. As Bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in
the 4th century, St. Basil the Great wrote the rules for monastic
life that are still followed by monks and nuns of the Greek Orthodox Church. He
advocated 
community
life, prayer and physical labor rather than the solitary asceticism that was
popular at the time and it was under his guidance that the first churches were
built in Goreme Valley. Here, a number of small communities with their own
churches formed the large monastic complex that is now the Open Air Museum.
Hundreds of churches are reported to have been built in this valley but no
churches from St. Basil's time remain. Most of the churches are quite
small. They might handle twenty or
thirty men standing shoulder to shoulder.
In the picture, I am standing at the altar. The portion of the arch over my head gives an
indication of the small size of the church.
In Goreme, the Tokali Kilise or the "Buckle Church" is easily
the loveliest of the churches with graceful arches and beautiful frescoes.
The
most impressive monastery in Cappadocia is the Eskigumus Monastery to the east
of Nigde off the Kayseri-Nigde road. It is the most southerly of the
Cappadocian monasteries and lies close to the route taken by the invading Arabs
who traversed the Tarsus Mountains from the south to plunder Kayseri in the 7th
century. This route follows the Tarsus River through a precipitous defile
called the Gulek Bogazi. It was known in the ancient world as the Cicilian
Gates and was used by Alexander the Great in his eastward campaign against the
Persians. The nondescript entrance to the Eskigumus Monastery was designed to
shield the monastery complex from invaders passing by. It was so successful
that the monastery was not discovered until 1963, having escaped the vandalism
to which many of the Cappadocian churches and monasteries were subjected. The
large inner courtyard, shown here, boasts high walls surrounded by monastic
rooms and storage chambers. The green
spaces in the foreground are graves that have been excavated. A couple of them still had bones in
them. On the other side of the courtyard
is the entrance to the church. The main church is spacious and airy and its
well-preserved frescoes are considered to be the best example of Byzantine art
in all of Cappadocia. The cross shown
here is from the exterior wall of the church.
From
inside the church I lit a candle and sang the Gospel. The sound billowed out into the courtyard
through the stone cut windows and continued to echo through the monastery. We may well have been the only visitors that day.
I could only imagine what it must have been like through the centuries of the
active life of the monastery. Of course,
today there are no Christians in the area.
Having paid 1.5 million Lira entrance fee, we walked through the stone
rooms and went on our way.
Tarsus
East
of Mersin, on the edge of the fertile Cukurova or Cilician Plain, is
Tarsus. Modern Tarsus is a thriving city
with a significant population. It owes
it prosperity to agriculture and cotton-milling. Biblically, it is famous because
of its famous son, Saul, known as Saul of Tarsus or the Apostle Paul. Even before Paul it was an old city. On
several occasions the city was invaded and destroyed by its famous
visitors. From its ancient past there
are only a few monuments of particular interest for us. There is the Cleopatra Gate, through which
Mark Antony (Marcus Antonius) and Cleopatra passed when they came to Tarsus to
meet. There is also an ancient
church. We can reconnect with Paul a
little bit when we walk the narrow streets to find St. Paul’s well.
In
the time of Paul, Tarsus was already a substantial city. It was very much a coastal town about 10
miles from the coast and only about 79 feet above sea level. The area of Cilicia during the New Testament
times can be broken down into two distinct parts: on the east was the Cilicia
Pedias (or "Flat Cilicia") extending north to south from the edge of
the Tarsus Mountains to the sea. On the west was the Cilician Trachaei (or
"Rough Cilicia") where the Taurus Mountains extend all the way to the
sea. The photo on the left is of the
mountains north of Tarsus that rise, almost as high as Mt. Rainier, to 13,000
feet. The Cyndus River (now called
Tarsus Çayi) flowed into a lake some 5 miles to the south that served as a
harbor (now silted up). Thus Tarsus developed as a maritime center. Now, the
river Cyndus, fed by the melting snows, comes rushing down to water the plain,
and is led off into a thousand channels, converting the country into a
luxuriant paradise. Everywhere there are groves of oranges, lemons, figs and
mulberry.
The modern city now covers most of the
city that Paul knew. Some 23 feet below
the surface of the alluvial plain are the remains from Paul’s time. The hippodrome of ancient times lies under
the campus of Tarsus American College and the ancient theater is under the
playground of the school across the street. However, you can get the feel of
bygone days if you walk though narrow streets and by the old houses. Little
streams, waterfalls and shady trees at the Tarsus Falls on the outskirts of
town create an idyllic setting.
Tarsus also had importance because it was astride the main trades routes which passed through the city via the Cilician Gates, now called Gülek Bogazi (photo before the four lane freeway) in the Taurus Mountains 30 miles to the north of Tarsus and the Syrian Gates in the Amanus Mountains to the east. The Hittites, Alexander the Great, the Romans and the Crusaders all passed through this narrow passage that even today is barely wide enough for both the modern highway and the Tarsus Çayi flowing through it. One can image a place like this when Paul said: "I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits..." (2 Corinthians 11:26).
Tarsus's entire history was one of mixing East
and West. Tarsus became one of the great
crossroads of history, the meeting place of East and West, and of the Greek and
Oriental cultures.[7]
History of Tarsus
The
date of the city's founding is uncertain. Archaeological evidence shows
habitation dating back to around 5000 BC. From 3000-1200 BC successive
fortified cities were built on the site. It is believed that Tarsus was the
capital of the Hittite state of Kizzuwatna in the 2nd millennium BC. It was
captured by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III (833 BC), but when the city
rebelled about a century later during the reign of Sennacherib, it was
destroyed. It was rebuilt and remained under Persian control until it was taken
by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, who resided there for a short time. The city
passed into the hands of the Seleucid dynasty (312-65 BC), whose efforts to
Hellenize the inhabitants led to a rebellion. In 64 BC, Tarsus was absorbed
into the Roman Empire and it was named capital of the new province of Cilicia.
The Roman orator and statesman Cicero governed the city in 50 BC and, in 41 BC
the famous first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra took place in
Tarsus.
Paul described his hometown as "no
insignificant city" (Acts 21:39; 9:11; 22:3). During the Roman period,
Tarsus was one of the leading cities of the Eastern Roman Empire, with an
economy based on agriculture and an important linen industry. The photo shows
the “cardo maximus,” or main street, recently excavated. Early Greek geographer
Strabo (c. 62 BC-23 AD) described the citizens of Tarsus as being avid in the
pursuit of culture. It had a famous university noted for its flourishing school
of Greek philosophy, especially Stoicism.
The Apostle Paul in
Tarsus
Saul's childhood is sketchy. He was born
about 3 BC, maybe a little after Jesus. His family was of the tribe of Benjamin
and his father was a Pharisee. We do not know how his parents or forbearers
came to live in Tarsus. Many Jewish families emigrated from their homeland
willingly or as a result of foreign incursions in the centuries before Christ.
Saul had at least one sister and one nephew, but their names are not recorded
(Acts 23:16).
Growing
up in a Jewish family meant that Saul would have studied the Jewish Scriptures
and tradition. At the age of five he would have entered the synagogue day
school where he learned to read and write by copying Scripture passages. His
later writings indicate that he was at least trilingual in Hebrew, Aramaic and
Greek. Probably he spoke a local dialect as well. The photo to the left is of the well of St.
Paul in Tarsus. Less than half a mile
away is the ancient “cardo” or main stree of the city.
Perhaps his education in Tarsus included
classes at their great university, second only to those in Athens and
Alexandria, with its gymnasia, theater, school of art and stadium. He inherited
Roman citizenship from his father, a great privilege at the time and one which
he used to his advantage on several occasions. At Tarsus he witnessed Greek
influences and saw the convergence of the Jewish conservatism and the pagan
Greek world.
Every
Jewish boy learned a trade--his was tent-making or more properly cloth-weaving.
He was likely a weaver of the course goats-hair cloth known as
"Cilicium" a name derived from the province of Cilicia where Tarsus
was located. The felt-like cloth was preferred for tents and sails because of
its toughness and the way it withstood weather. Like canvas, this
cloth was airy enough to allow air to escape in hot weather, yet in the rain
the goat's hair swelled up and became waterproof. Bedouin throughout the Middle East still use
it for their tents. This was the material Saul/Paul used in his profession of
tent making, his means of supporting himself during his missionary travels. The
picture shows both black and tan goats.
The black goats are preferred for this type of tent-making.
Eventually Saul went to Jerusalem. I infer that he did not live a long time in
Tarsus because of what Paul says in Acts 22:3.
There he says he was born in Tarsus “but brought” up in Jerusalem. Some think that his parents shipped him off
to Jerusalem (perhaps at about age 19, maybe 22/23 AD) to study under the
eminent rabbi Gamaliel. Despite the liberal tolerance of his teacher, Saul
became a fire-breathing conservative totally committed to the law and
conservative Judaism: "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my
own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers"
(Galatians 1:14).
We do not know how many times Paul may
have returned to the city for personal reasons.
For ministry purposes, it is most likely that he returned here for the
first time on his second missionary journey as shown on the map on the next
page.[8] He would likely have passed through
again three years later on his third missionary journey as he headed for
Galatia and Phrygia.
His second journey began around 51 AD. Paul and
Barnabas traveled to Antioch from Jerusalem. At Antioch John Mark (who left
them at Perga on their first missionary journey) wished to rejoin Paul and
Barnabas. A disagreement ensued between Paul and Barnabas about whether to
allow Mark to come with them. The argument got so heated that Paul finally
decided to take Silas with him to Tarsus, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Antioch in
Pisidia. Barnabas took John Mark and traveled to the island of Cyprus.
From
Tarsus we head east to get to Haran. At Tarsus go east on E882 to Adana. Then E90 to Ceyhan. Osmantiye. and on to Sanliurfa. At Sanliurfa go south 885 to Sehit Nusretbey
go east 10 km toAktubbasaj (Harran)
Harran
Home
of Abraham
As with many cities with ancients roots,
there are many different names and spellings.
The Greek form of the name is Charan or Charran. Among
this city’s other versions are Haran and its Roman version CARRHAE.
Also
like many ancient cities, its one-time strategic importance has faded and today
it is a village in southeastern Turkey of only about 3,000 people. It is located in SE Asian Turkey along the Balikh
River, a tributary of the Euphrates River.
It is some 39 and 50 km southeast of Sanlurfa. It is about 240 miles from Nineveh and 280
miles northeast of Damascus.
Inscriptions indicate that Harran existed
as early as 2000 B.C., about the time of Abraham. In the beginning it was a merchant outpost of
Ur, situated on the major trade route across northern Mesopotamia. The name
comes from the Sumerian and Akkadian "Harran-U", meaning
"journey", "caravan", or "crossroad". It was about half way between Nineveh and the
Mediterranean. Even though it is
insignificant today, it formerly strategic location brought the wealth of trade
to its residents.
The
place is known to be one of the most important cult centers of that time. The
temple of the moon-god Sin was here. Sin was one of the great gods of the
Assyrian-Babylonian pantheon. The roof of the temple was covered with cedar
from Lebanon. During early periods, Sin was represented with a long beard and a
crescent above a horned tiara. This was transformed into a single crescent only
during the following centuries. I am not certain if there is any connection
between the crescent of Turkey and the crescent of the moon god. There have been those who have noted that the
origins of Islam had something to do with the moon god. Worshipping Sin
continued until 6th century A.D. in Harran.
Indeed, in 217 A.D. (April 6th), Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Cracalla
was murdered here while he was on his way from Temple of Sin to the
palace. We have to wonder if anything
good can come from the temple of Sin!!
The picture to the left is of Roman remains.
So important
was Harran in those early
centuries that it became the capital city of the Assyrians during the reign of
king Assurbanipal in the 7th century B.C.
Like those before them, for the Assyrians its importance was that it was
on the main road that ran from Nineveh to Carchemish. That main road continued
on to the Mediterranean. The Babylonian rise to power resulted in a defeat for
the Assyrian army at Haran in 609 B.C. For us, the main interest in the place
goes back many centuries even before the Assyrians or Babylonians. It goes back to almost 2000 BC.
Because of its connection to the
patriarchs, Harran is frequently mentioned in the Bible. Abraham's father settled there when he left
Ur of the Chaldeans. Indeed, Abram is as
much from Haran as he was from Ur.
Genesis 11:31-12:5 tells us the story:
“Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his
daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together
they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to
Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran. The
LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's
household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a
great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you 
will be a blessing. I will bless those
who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you." So
Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was
seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his
nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had
acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived
there.”
Even
though Abraham left Haran, some of his family members stayed behind including
Abraham's brother Nahor. When Isaac was ready to be married, Abraham sent his
servant to Haran to make arrangements for Isaac to marry Nahor's granddaughter,
Rebekah. Isaac’s son, Jacob, must have
known Haran because when Esau was after him Jacob fled to Haran. There is an irony that Jacob would flee to
Haran, the ancestral home, after stealing the birthright from Esau. In Haran, Jacob found work with a relative,
Laban who was the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
Jacob
found that two can play the game of deception.
He got more than he bargained for including two wives, Rachel and Leah.
Gen 29:4-11 tells a bit of the story of Jacob’s discovery of Rachael: “Jacob asked the shepherds, "My
brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they replied.
5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes,
we know him," they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, "Is he
well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his
daughter Rachel with the sheep." 7 "Look," he said, "the
sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the
sheep and take them back to pasture." 8 "We can't," they
replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled
away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep." 9 While he
was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a
shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother,
and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the
well and watered his uncle's sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to
weep aloud.” I don’t know what happened
with that kiss but it must have been something amazing.
In
Roman times, Carrhae was the scene of a disastrous defeat of the Roman governor
Crassus by the Parthians (53 BC) and of a later defeat of the emperor Galerius
by the Persian king Narses (AD 297).
The
ruins of the Ulu Cami (mosque) in Harran. This 8th century center of worship
and study in the Islamic world is one of the most impressive ruins in the area.
Harran
is known for its interesting cone and cubic shaped dwellings. They are made of
clay and known to be naturally very suitable for the hot climate of the region.
These mud-brick houses are 
up to twelve to fifteen feet high. The locals feel that this height is somehow
ideal for keeping things cool in the oppressively hot summer seasons.
The
town is surrounded by a city wall. Although the wall was restored in the 12th
century A.D., only five of its 12 original gates have survived. The ancient
settlement was on and around the hill in the center of the town. It remains
unexcavated.
Haran as a spiritual
center
This
being the home of Abraham, we could certainly say this region is a spiritual
place. However, the “spiritual”
dimension of this place has had a host of dimensions among its resident cultures.
The remains of the cult Holy Planet or Sabiers is only about 40 miles away from
Harran. In an area within one square mile there are temples devoted to the
cults of the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mercury. The Sabier cult
maintained its existance until the 17th century A.D.[9] Today the religion is
mainly Muslim.
A
pagan website offered the following explanation for why the Mood god cult
enjoyed such success and power in this city.
“Harran is in the middle of a flat, dry plain that was described as a
"barren wasteland" even in antiquity, nourished only by its many
wells (another possible meaning of "Harran-U" is "broiling
heat"). In this baking, desolate landscape, the Sun was an enemy and the
Night a comforter. The Moon, the ruler of the Night, must therefore be the
supreme deity and therefore, to a patriarchal culture, male. Sin was the giver
of fertility and of oracles. In this latter capacity, he also served as
kingmaker. Many rulers sought his blessings and confirmation of their reign,
endowing the city of Harran and its temples with riches in the process.”[10]
Whatever
some might think of the power of the gods of Haran, Ezekiel and Isaiah were not
impressed. Isaiah said, “Did the gods of
the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver them-- the gods of
Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?”[11]
The same author wanted to show the
pagan orientation of the city even into the Christian era. He wrote about the city’s response to Julian
the Apostate, who tried to turn the Roman Empire back to paganism after it had
turned to Christianity:
“In the 4th century, 363 ce (sic), the
last Pagan Emperor Julian stopped at Harran at the beginning of his Persian
campaign. He consulted the oracles at the Temple of the Moon (called either
"Selene" or "Luna" by Roman historians, reflecting Roman
ideas of the Moon's gender). The oracles warned of disaster. Julian ignored the
warnings and was killed during the campaign; some say by a Christian in his own
ranks (Smith 1976: 114). His body was brought back by way of Harran, and Harran
was the only city in the Empire to declare citywide mourning after his death.”
Within a few miles of
Urfa is a mosque that marks the cave where Job was held during some of his most
intensive tribulations, and the town of Harran. Harran's homes are made of mud
and are shaped like large haystacks. The town is the birthplace of the great
Islamic general Saladin.
In 1994 one of the first dams opened near Urfa,
creating a massive reservoir in a region that had previously been a desert. The
river has functioned much like the Columbia River has to the Northwest
USA. Today people windsurf on water from
the Euphrates River over an area that had been a desert for eons.[12] Indeed, the building of dams on the Euphrates
has been so extensive that the Turks have the power to virtually shut off this
great river. If they were to do so it
would have incredible impacts upon both Syria and Iraq.
The role to be played by this great river is actually quite clear in the very end of time. It has at least one more dramatic role to play. Revelation 16:12-17 says, “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
Under what circumstances might the river dry up? God could certainly engineer a catastrophic event that will either divert the water into the Mediterranean or else cause it to disappear into the desert sand. It might be as natural as Turkey deciding it needed to use the water for irrigation and simply close off its dams much like the Jordan River. In such a circumstance, no water would flow in the river and shortly it would dry up. We don’t really need to know the method. We just know that without this natural barrier Iraqi, Iranian, and other hostile forces can pour into northern Israel for the final battle of Armageddon.
Antioch
(Modern Antakya)
Paul's Missionary Journeys
Antioch “in Syria” is
actually in Turkey!
Background.
Antioch, in the Roman province of Syria, is some 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was possibly the third most important city in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ, at least in the opinion of Josephus. Others thought of it as the second most important city. It was one mile by two miles in geographical size in its ancient version. By the time of Christ, it had a relatively short history, at least by the standards of this part of the world. Antioch was founded about 300 BC by Seleucus I Nicator (311-281 B.C.), one of the four generals of Alexander the Great. He named the city in honor of his father Antiochus, as he did Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14), and made it the capital of the Seleucid Empire.
Antioch remained the center of the
Seleucid kingdom until 64 BC, when it was annexed by Rome and made the capital
of their province of Syria. In the first century AD, Antioch ranked behind Rome
and Alexandria as the third largest city of the Roman empire, with a population
of about 300,000 "free inhabitants," probably 500,000 if slaves were
counted. The city was divided into four quarters, each fortified with its own
wall, and the whole city was, in turn, enclosed by a common wall.
Antioch
was 15 miles inland from the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea, and was
built partly on an island, partly on a levee and partly on the steep, craggy
ascent of Mount Silpius, which rose abruptly on the south. It was called
"Antioch on the Orontes" or "Antioch of Syria" to
distinguish it from 17 other Antiochs.
The photo to the left shows the present channel of the Asi River, known
in ancient times as the Orontes River. The seaport Seleucia ad Pera (also founded
by Seleucus and named after himself) at the mouth of the Orontes River, was the
city's harbor. Seleucia was the sailing port for Paul's missionary journeys.
The stones in the foreground are
the remains of an ancient dock at Seleucia.
To keep the seaport from silting up and the city from being flooded,
Titus built a tunnel through the rock diverting the river away from the
city. Our driver, Bener, stands at the
mouth of the Titus’s diversion tunnel.
Antioch soon became the western terminus
of the Silk Road that had recently opened up trade with China. Camels arrived
here bearing spices, silk and other exotic goods from beyond the Himalayas.
Antioch's command of north-south and east-west roads contributed greatly to its
growth and prosperity.
Five miles to the south were the renowned
groves of Daphne, and a sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, where secret cultic
rituals ("orgies") were celebrated in honor of the god. This suburb, 
now
called Harbiye, was a favorite pleasure resort and residential area for
Antioch's upper classes. Before Paul, Antioch was a city full of gods. Their pantheon of Greek and Roman gods
included Zeus, Tyche of Antioch, and Artemis.
In addition there were temples built to honor the deified emperors and
the Antiochene Olympic games that involved other gods and a variety of others
that were worshipped as well.
The
city was also called "Queen of the East" because of its mixed
population of Romans, Persians, Indians and even Chinese. Given its religions
and ethnic mix it was quite cosmopolitan and earned the reputation of being an
immoral city. If the Gospel was to become a world-wide religion that included
Gentiles, Antioch was the right place from which to launch it.
Known as "Antioch the
Beautiful," it possessed majestic mansions, temples, theaters, aqueducts,
and baths. The mosaic now in the Antioch
Museum is one illustration of the wealth and beauty that filled the ancient
city. The names of the luminaries who added to the city are the stuff of
ancient history. Julius Caesar, Caesar
Augustus and Tiberius added to it. Herod the Great paved its four-mile long
main street with marble.
Antioch prospered in the 4th and 5th
centuries from nearby olive plantations, but the 6th century brought a series
of disasters from which the city never fully recovered. A fire in 525 was
followed by earthquakes in 526 and 528, and the city was captured temporarily
by the Persians in 540 and again in 611. Then it was absorbed by the Arabs in
637, under whom it shrank to the status
of a small town. The Byzantines recaptured the city in 969, and it served as a
frontier fortification until taken by the Seljuk Turks in 1084. In 1098 it was
captured by the Crusaders, who made it the capital of one of their
principalities, which lasted 150 years. In 1268 the city was taken by the
Mamelukes, who razed it to the ground. Antioch never recovered from this last
disaster. When taken by the Ottoman Turks in 1517, it had declined to a small
village. It remained part of the Ottoman Empire until after World War I, when
it was transferred to Syria under French mandate. France allowed the town and
the surrounding area to rejoin Turkey in 1939.
The city has witnessed some significant
historical events. Just above Antioch,
in a cultivated field beside the sea, Alexander the Great inflicted a decisive
defeat on the Persians under Darius III in 333 BC. In Antioch, too, Alexander
almost drowned. Antioch was also where Mark Antony swooned over Cleopatra. She dressed up as Venus reclining on her
throne, being rowed up the Orontes river on her decorated barge.
Today Antioch is called Antakya or Hatay
and it is a shadow of its former self as to wealth.
Christian
History of the City
Antioch was involved in Paul’s three
missionary journeys and was the starting point for his first one. Spiritually, it had the right heart and
spirit. It also had some of the greatest
leaders in Christian history.
Many Diaspora Jews (those who lived outside Palestine and maintained their religious faith among the Gentiles) lived there. As in many other large Roman cities, they actively lived out their faith and even had a substantial following among the Greeks. Luke account mentions Nicholas of Antioch among the Greek-speaking leaders of the Jerusalem church. With the outbreak of persecution in Jerusalem, many Christian Jews naturally came to Antioch. They told the good news about Jesus to Jews and to Gentiles from varied cultural backgrounds. As a result, a strong church was formed there. It was, in fact, at Antioch that the followers of "The Way," as they were originally called, were first called "Christians." Although the term was used as a derogatory reference to the "devotees of the Anointed One" (Gr: Christianos) the believers accepted the title with honor.
The large number of converts in
Antioch didn’t escape the notice of the church leadership in Jerusalem. They sent Barnabas, a former Levite and
Christian Jew from the island of Cyprus to help with the work of ministry in
the city. He looked with favor on what
was happening, seeing evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work among the new
Christians. He also saw that more
teaching was needed. So he set out for
Tarsus to find Saul and bring him back to help in Antioch. It was Barnabas who
had earlier convinced his fellow believers in Jerusalem that Saul had genuinely
been converted. Together, they remained in Antioch for a year, teaching and
strengthening the church. (See my message: A Good and Thankful Person that I
preached November 18, 2001 on Barnabas’ encounter at Antioch)
Clearly, they were able to properly
instruct the new church because they developed a desire to share the faith with
others. The first missionaries came out
of the new church at Antioch. In the biblical period, only Jerusalem is more
closely related to the spread of the Gospel around the world. From this city Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark
were first commissioned as missionaries.
For Paul, the city was his base from which he also launched his second
and third missionary journeys.
Paul’s ministry in Antioch touched on
virtually all the issues of Christianity because he discipled the people there
for a full year. His ministry here was
also touched by conflicts with Barnabas and Peter. There had been conflict over what role the
Jewish law should play in the salvation of Gentiles. This had been a battle in
Antioch and included dubious conduct by both Peter and Barnabas.
When
Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the
wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles.
But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the
Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even
Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with
the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a
Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you
force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?[13]
The conflict was sufficiently sharp that
it lead to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.
That Council settled the fact that Gentile Christians were not to be
subjected to the Old Testament Law. In
this city with its strong Jewish presence along with the many Gentiles, the
issue of the role of the law in Christianity was critical. With such key
leaders it was important that they worked out the details. Paul held their feet to the fire, resulting
in the Jewish Christians accepting the mandate of the Jerusalem Council. Based on the passage in Galatians, we know
that both Paul and Peter played important roles in the city. It seems that Peter eventually played the
lead role. For that, the ancient church
is named for him.
Senpiyer
Kilisesi (St. Peter's Church) is cut into a cliff of Mount Silpius. According
to local sources, the church was built over the cave-church used by the
earliest Christians. If Paul suffered
persecution in Antioch, as he told the Galatians, then the location of this
church a short distance out of town might be a reasonable location for this
very ancient church. From the cave, a
view of the surrounding area was possible, as the picture below shows.
According to some, the grotto was the property of St. Luke the Evangelist. He made it available for the church where
both Peter and Paul preached around 50 AD.
Stone
steps lead us to the cave itself. The
ornate façade as we see it today was built by the Crusaders. Inside the cave
there's a small altar, part of a mosaic floor and some frescoes.
According to Eusebius, "Ignatius of
Antioch" was the second bishop of Antioch, and supposedly the
"successor to Peter." That is, Peter was the first Bishop here, and
Ignatius was the second. Ignatius of
Antioch wrote a letter to Polycarp, the Bishop in Smyrna to the north. His letter is among the earliest pieces of
Christian literature we have.
Location
and Setting
Antioch is located where the Lebanon
Mountains, running northward, and the Taurus Mountains, running eastward, come
together. Antioch on the Orontes, as it
is called sometimes, sits just 15 miles off the mouth of the Orontes River
between it and Mount Silpius in ancient Syria. The modern city of Antakya,
shown in the picture, is built on the site of ancient Antioch. For fans of Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade, Antakya is also known as Hatay.
For us, moving across the line in Syria
is a major step. Turkey and Syria are
not the most friendly neighbors. I hope
they will be getting along while we are here.
We have to change vehicles since Syria does not allow Turkish rental
cars. Why can’t people just get
along? We will cross into Syria arriving
first at Alleppo. Then we will “tour”
south ending up in Damascus.
Paul’s First Missionary
Journey
Part 1 –
The road to Damascus
Damascus means “silent is the sackcloth
weaver.” Its Arabic name, Dimashq
(meaning “the northern”) is derived from the pre-Semitic word Dimashka
suggesting that its beginnings go back to a time before recorded history. According
to Josephus, Damascus was founded by Uz, grandson of Shem who was the son of
Noah.
Damascus,
in southwestern Syria, stands 2300 feet above sea level, and lies northeast of
Mount Hermon, about 60 miles east of the Mediterranean port of Sidon and about
170 miles northeast of Jerusalem over the ancient caravan route, normally a
10-day journey in Saul’s day.
The city owes its existence to the Barada
River, whose waters give life to the Ghouta Oasis, a vast expanse of gardens,
fields and orchards from which Damascus gets much of its food, making
settlement possible in an otherwise uninhabitable area. It is said to be the
oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and lays claim to being the
world’s oldest city (although Aleppo in Syria and Jericho also make this
claim). Archaeology cannot contribute much to the study of its history, since
its continuing existence makes excavation difficult. In the pictures we see part of the Old City
wall near St. Paul’s Church.
Explorations
indicate settlement from before 3,000 BC. Tablets from the Syrian center of
Ebla mention the city around 2,300 BC and Thutmose III of Egypt claimed to have
conquered it in 1475 BC. The Hittites battled Egypt for control of the city
until the Hittites were defeated by the Sea Peoples about 1200 BC. In the
Bible, Abraham chased invading kings north of Damascus to recover Lot, and
Abraham’ servant Eleizer came from Damascus. From then on, the name Damascus
appears throughout the Old Testament narrative. In the time of Elisha (825 BC)
this area was known as Aram or the land of the Arameans.
Both the major international highways of
ancient times—the Via Maris and the Kings Highway—ran through Damascus. Thus,
it has always been a great trading city and it was famous for its crafts and
wealth. The best testimony to this is the term “Damascene” which was used to
describe the best silk, swords and indeed, anything that was the symbol of
quality and fashion, like Paris today.
In 732 BC, Damascus was captured by the
Assyrians. Afterward the city became a captive state of the Babylonians,
Persians, Greeks, Ptolomies and Seleucids. Finally, Rome gained control in 64
BC.
The story of how Saul, the devout Jew and
zealous persecutor of the church, became Paul, a passionate preacher of the
faith, begins along the road going northward from Jerusalem to Damascus. As
Saul approached Damascus with plans to arrest those who “belonged to the Way,”
he had a vision that totally changed the direction of his life. Luke describes
the conversion three times in Acts (Acts 9:1-19, 22:3-16 and 26:4-18), and Paul
alludes to it in his letters to the churches in Galatia and Corinth (Galatians
1:16-21; 2 Corinthians 11:22-23).
At the time of Saul of Tarsus, Damascus
was briefly occupied by the Nabateans, an Arab merchant people based in Petra
(now in Jordan). Many Jews lived in the city, perhaps a legacy from the
commercial community set up by Ahab, the infamous ruler of the Northern Kingdom
of Israel in the 9th century BC. From this a community of Christian
disciples had grown up.
Saul
was one of many Jews who felt that the followers of Jesus posed a threat to the
Jewish religion. He had stood by approvingly at the stoning of Stephen, one of
the seven church deacons, for alleged blasphemy. Later, “breathing out
murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples, he went to the Jewish high
priest for permission to arrest any followers of “the Way” in the synagogues of
Damascus, where the Gospel was attracting converts. Acts 9 describes how Saul
traveled to Damascus to hunt out believers among the city’s Jewish community.
Somewhere along the road to the city, “a
light from heaven flashed around him.”
Saul fell to the ground. (Today
if this were to happen and he fell to the ground on the road he would be
promptly run over. Cars have priority over
pedestrians.) When Saul fell to the
ground, a voice that only he could hear said: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute
me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’
The brief exchange left Saul convinced
that the risen Christ had spoken directly to him, and that in persecuting his
followers he had been persecuting Jesus himself. According to Acts, the vision
caused Saul to lose his sight so that he had to be led by the hand to Damascus.
There his companions took him to the “house of Judas on Straight Street.”
With
its long straight streets, intersecting at right angles, the layout of the Old
City still follows the ancient plan. Bisecting it is the street historically
known as “Straight Street” (from Latin “Via Recta”). Above is the East Gate, Bab ash-Sharqi. It is a restored Roman gate at the east end
of that main east-west street. Nearly a
mile long, it was the main east-west thoroughfare of the city in Roman and
Byzantine times. In Saul’s day Straight Street was one hundred feet wide with
colonnades on each side; the central passage was for pedestrians, the side
passages were for carts and horsemen going in different directions. It was
joined at right angles by streets leading to various gates. Today the western
end is known as Sharia Medhat Pasha and it is lined with shops selling textiles
and clothes; at the east end it is called Sharia Bab Sharqi. Part of the street
is covered with a metal roof. Along
every part of the street are tiny shops.
With barely room for one car, and a sidewalk filled with hawkers, the
street is narrow, loud, smelly, and fun.
Inside the old Roman gate is the
Christian Quarter. About a hundred yards
down the first side street is the Chapel of Ananias. About half way between the gate and the Chapel
is the little shop where I bought the beautiful church fabric.
From
the moment of his encounter with Jesus, Saul fasts. He passed the time in darkness and constant
prayer. On the third day a disciple named Ananias was instructed to go to Saul.
At first Ananias was fearful, having heard of all the harm Saul had done. But
Jesus assured Ananias that Saul was his “chosen instrument” to spread the faith
to the Gentiles and the “people of Israel.” Ananias went to Saul and laid his
hands on him. “Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he
could see again. He got up and was baptized.”
I’m in Kineesat Hanaiya (Chapel of Ananias) in the Christian Quarter of
the Old City is reputedly the place where Ananias laid his hands on Saul to
restore his eyesight.
After
his conversion, Saul remained in Damascus for some time and began to preach his
new found faith in the synagogues, but he soon attracted the attention of
hostile Jews and government officials who plotted to kill him. Saul had to escape
over the city wall in a basket (Acts 9:25; 2 Corinthians 11:32-33), but some
time later he returned to the city (Galatians 1:7).
Kanissat Bab Kisan is, in English, Chapel of
St. Paul. It is a gate at the
southeastern part of the Old City where, tradition says, Saul was lowered in a
basket to escape the Nabatean governor. The reference 2 Corinthians to Aretas,
the Nabatean king, fixes the date of Saul’s conversion between 34 and 37
AD. Inside the relatively small and
simple church there are a couple of relief sculptures illustrating the two
great moments in the life of Paul.
After his revelation of Jesus there was a
long period in which Saul disappears from our gaze. Acts tells us very little
about these years, only that immediately after his eyesight was restored “he
began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” For a good
picture of what happened during this time, we need to merge two brief accounts
from Galatians (1:16b-21) and 2 Corinthians (11:22-23), with those in Acts (9:18-30;
22:13-21 and 26:12-20). This is the result:
After his conversion, Saul spent three
mysterious years in “Arabia” (also called Nabatea). During that time he no
doubt spent some time in reflection and meditation, while visiting such cities
as Philadelphia (now Amman, Jordan), Petra (the Nabatean capital now most
famous from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) and Jerash. It may be that he ran afoul of King Aretas
IV of Nabatea and was forced to flee back to Damascus. Here we have two aspects
of what happened next:
In Acts (9:20-25), we are told that his
teaching in the synagogues that Jesus was the long awaited “Anointed One” upset
the Jews and they sought to kill him. The Jews set a watch on the city gates,
but some of Saul ‘s followers “lowered him in a basket through an opening in
the wall” Acts emphasizes the role of the Jews.
In 2 Corinthians (11:32-33), Paul emphasizes the political side. He said his preaching angered the governor
under King Aretas, who was no doubt influenced by his Jewish detractors, and
who “had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. But I was
lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.”
Saul
then made his way to Jerusalem where he attempted to meet with Peter and James,
the brother of Jesus. At first they refused to see him, thinking it was a trick
to kill them off. It was through Barnabas, his future traveling companion on
his first missionary journey, that he gained an audience with the Apostles.
This became an important meeting, for it established Saul as a recognized
Apostle alongside the founders of the church at Jerusalem. Acts then states
that Saul moved “about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the
Lord.” But when he talked and debated with the Greek Jews, “they tried to kill
him.” When “the brothers” learned of this, they took him down to the seaport of
Caesarea and sent him off to his home in Tarsus. For “fourteen years”
(Galatians 2:1) he engaged in missionary activity in Syria and Cilicia. About
this period there is no information.
At left is Omayyad Mosque in modern
Damascus. Originally built in Byzantine
times as a Christian church, it was converted into a mosque in the 7th
century AD, and restored several times. The head of John the Baptist is supposedly
buried in the crypt.
After
the time of Saul:
Ancient
travelers heaped praises on ancient Damascus. Roman emperor Julian called it
“Pearl of the East.” The Koran described it as one “whose like has never been
built before.” Mark Twain recalled the ancient tradition of Damascus as the
Garden of Eden. Damascus’ greatest moment of glory was during the Omayyad
Caliphate, when it became the capital of an empire stretching from the Spanish
plains in the west to the steppes of Central Asia in the east. One of the
landmarks from this era is the Omayyad Mosque which reputedly contains the head
of St. John Baptist (the Prophet Yahia to the Muslims), a relic venerated by
both Christians and Muslims. It was kept in a casket in the Christian church
that previously occupied the site, and was recovered when this mosque was
constructed in 705 AD, under Caliph Al Walid. (Tradition also holds that John
is buried in the ancient town of Samaria, the former capital of the Northern
Kingdom of Israel. The picture is from
the museum in Istanbul showing bones said to have belonged to John the Baptist,
including a skull.) This period (661 to 750 AD) ended with the bloody downfall
of the Omayyads and the rise of the Abbasids, who set up their capital in
Baghdad. A period of decline set in until the arrival of the legendary
Salah-al-Din, known to the West as Saladin, who made Damascus the capital of
united Syria and Egypt. The city served as his base in his struggle with the
Crusaders. Saladin died in Damascus and his tomb can be seen there. This was
followed by a long period of decline, destruction (by the Mongols),
reconstruction, and stagnation until 1946, when it became the capital of an
independent Syria. Today Damascus (ash-Sham or Dimashq), with an estimated
population of six million, is Syria’s largest city.
Three-quarters of the Old City section of
Damascus is still surrounded by walls, creating a city within a city. The
Barada River acts as a moat along part of the north wall. First erected by the
Romans, the walls have been flattened and rebuilt several times over the past
2000 years. What stands today dates mostly from the 13th century.
They are pierced by a number of gates (bab), only one of which, the restored
Bab ash-Sharqi (East Gate), dates from Roman times, and thus the time of Paul.
In the northeast part of the Old City is
the Christian Quarter where there are a few churches.
Leaving
Damascus we will head northeast, going to Palmyra.
Syria
From Damascus to Palmyra
Palmyra is only about three hours by car, or 4 or 5
days by camel. We opted for the
car. This exact route is part of the
ancient “King’s Highway” that extended from Egypt to the Euphrates where it
joined the east-west roads. The spectacular ruins of the place remind us that many have
gone before us. The Semitic people of
ancient times knew it as Tadmor, or palm tree because it was a desert oasis
marked by palm trees.
Following the conquests of David, Solomon “built up
Tadmor in the desert.”[14] For Solomon, this strong city anchored the
northeast corner of his empire. From it
he could monitor those who came from the East and from the North.
An
oasis in the desert is important for those who live in the area because without
its water no one could live there. Even
more importantly for travelers, they need a place to rest and refresh and take
on more water before tackling the desert one more time. Palmyra sat astride the main east-west trade
route which ran from Mesopotamia to Canaan and on into Egypt. Indeed, its location made it an important
stop on the main north-south trade route as well. David and Solomon understood its strategic
importance as did every empire that followed.
Following Jewish control it fell to the Arameans. As trade continued to flourish, so did the
fortunes of this trade-route oasis.
The Greeks and Romans called it
Palmyra. During the years around the time of Hadrian, it was a very important
city, even rivaling Antioch. In the 3rd
century it was exempted from taxes and thus reached its zenith (anti-tax cut
democrats should remember this example).
Unfortunately, their wealth created such things as the Temple of
Bel. The Temple shown to the right is
the Temple of Artemis. Even though this
is some distance from Ephesus, the Artemis cult was everywhere in the ancient
world.
With the rise of the Persians and trouble to the East, trade fell and with it the fortunes of Palmyra.
At long last it drifted back into a place for bedouin to graze and water their flocks. If the city is to be known for anything beyond its spectacular ruins, I suppose it would be known for a couple of famous women rulers associated with it. First was Cleopatra who in 41 BC tried to plunder the city. Its residents simply left taking their treasures with them. Later, the city was the center of the kingdom ruled by Septimius Odaenathus and his wife, the legendary Queen Zenobia.
Paul's First
Missionary Journey
Perga
in Pamphylia
"From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in
Pamphylia..." (Acts 13:13).
Perga
(Greek
"earthy") Air
Perga
(also spelled Perge) was the capital of the province of Pamphylia
Secunda, a beautiful area located between the Taurus Mountains and the
Mediterranean Sea, and between the provinces of Lycia and Cilicia. Perga lay 11
miles northeast of Attalia (modern Antalya) and 7 miles from the Mediterranean.
The nearby Kestros River was navigable in ancient times but, like most Greek
colonies in Asia Minor, Perga was deprived of its harbor, which gradually
silted up, leading to its decline in later times. According to a clay tablet
discovered in the Hittite capital of Bogazköy, Perga was once known as
"Parha." Greek colonists came here after the Trojan War, and probably
displaced the earlier inhabitants. Alexander the Great passed through Perga
during his campaigns and used guides from there.
As
the picture above illustrates, only part of the city has been excavated. Much of it still remains buried under the
centuries of dirt. In the picture to the left Linda is exploring the baths of
ancient Perga. The excavated ruins of
the place are quite spectacular.
Unfortunately, it is not much by way of a Biblical site, but it is cool as
an archaeological site. Studying this
site gives understanding of the New Testament world. Many of its sites are amazingly well
preserved.
When Paul entered the city, it was
already well developed by the Greeks and Romans. The Greek entry gate into the city was lined
with niches for the various gods of the pantheon. Where I am standing was one such niche. There are hundreds of such places for
displaying their gods throughout the city.
There were many beautiful cities in this
part of the world in Paul’s day. Antioch
would have been one. Ephesus was
another. In terms of wealth and beauty,
Perga would have been in that category.
Like Ephesus and many other cities in
this region it has a temple to Artemis as one of its prominent buildings. We are unable to say with certainty where
that building was.
Walking
in Paul's footsteps--Perga:
Perga
is a major archeological excavation, as the photos show. As more and more of the city is uncovered,
even in ruins, it remains a majestic site. Most
of the remains seen today belong to the Roman period. The excavations began in
1946 and are continuing today. The rows
of shops shown here served the commercial interests of the city. The vaults for the shops also served as the
support structure for a U-shaped stadium that had 12,000 seats in it. The seats
for the stadium were built over the top of these vaults. The structure we see in this picture proved
the base for the seating. People were
literally sitting on top of the vaults.
Walking along the main north-south road
from the area of the theater and stadium you come to a gate in the south
city wall. In the photograph, I am
sitting at the old Roman gate. The Roman
gate provides the frame for the even older Greek gates in the background. Paul
and Barnabas would have passed through this gate, which was already 300 years
old when they arrived.
A small agora or
marketplace, shown here, is surrounded by a main street lined with
columns. The market area would be about
the size of a small city block. The
street goes around the market area on all four sides. The market section of the city was built in
the 4th century AD. Seeing the remains
of the marketplace is very impressive even after all these years.
There were hardly any other humans visiting Perga on this day. In fact we only saw one other American for a period of about three weeks. Because it was winter, very few visitors of any kind were present. A month or two later bus loads of tourists especially from Europe will descend upon this part of Turkey.
However, we were not alone in our visit to the site. Many goats and cows wandered through the ancient city. We saw scores of goats and probably twenty head of cattle in the city.
This particular cow seems very
impressed with the ancient mosaic she is walking upon. She seems to be wondering how she might have
looked if she were the subject of the ancient mosaic. Goats climbed over ancient sculpture. One has to wonder how much damage is
continuing to be done by these animals.
I suspect their damage is not as great as the human damage being
done. For example, there have been four
columns discovered here that have a unique feature. They are the only ancient examples of columns
carved with some relief upon them. If you look carefully at the photo to the
left, you can see the relief images near the top. The fourth column, not shown, had been robbed
of its relief image in the very recent past.
Since one of the images was of Artemis, some believe these columns
marked the entrance to the Artemis Temple.
Acts indicates that Saul, Barnabas and
John Mark sailed directly from Paphos to Perga. At the time Perga may have had
access to the sea by way of the Cestius River. Otherwise, the missionaries
would have landed at the nearby port city of Attalia and walked about seven
miles to Perga.
At Perga, Acts says, John Mark abandoned
Paul and Barnabas to return to Jerusalem. No reason is given, but commentaries
suggest various theories: that he was no longer able to bear the hardships of
missionary travel, that he was unwilling to take the gospel to Gentiles, or, as
suggested by Paul Maier in his book "First Christians," he resented
Paul taking over leadership of the mission from his cousin and friend Barnabas.
Whatever the cause of the defection, John
Mark's decision was not well received. Paul would later hold the action against
him causing him and Barnabas to go their separate ways at the start of the
second missionary journey (Acts 15:37-39).
Somewhere among these ruins these great men sat and argued over the
lackluster performance of John Mark.
Without stopping to preach the word in Perga, the two apostles embarked on a difficult trek across the formidable Taurus Mountains into Phrygia, the same route used by Alexander the Great for his invasion of the interior. Why did Paul and Barnabas avoid preaching in Perga at this time? It has been suggested that Paul may have fallen ill with malaria carried by mosquitoes from the many coastal marshes in the surrounding countryside, necessitating a change in plans. Paul mentions illness as the reason he first preached to the Galatians:
"As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself" (Galatians 4:14).
To recuperate, he needed to get to a drier, high-altitude climate, like that of Pisidian Antioch in the Roman province of Galatia, on the edge of the 3,000 foot-high Anatolian Plateau. (They would, however, preach the gospel in Perga on their way back to Attalia near the end of this journey, but no details are given--see Acts 14:25.)
Paul's
First Missionary Journey
From Antioch to the island of Cyprus
The account of Paul's First
Missionary Journey begins in Acts 13:1. For us, just before our visit to Syria,
we head west along the southern coast of Turkey until we come to Silifke which
has daily ferry service to Cyprus. We
catch our ferry and hope for better weather than Paul sometimes experienced
along this part of the Mediterranean. On
the way out it was very nice. Upon our
return trip to Turkey, it got choppy and several people got sick. The picture fails to capture the seas and
certainly can’t capture the fragrance of our small ship. Since it is still winter, the weather could
be anything, including stormy.
The island of Cyprus is surprisingly close to the coast of Turkey. On a clear day the mountains of Turkey can be seen from the Island.
Summary
of the First Missionary Journey
Acts
describes how Saul and Joseph (called Barnabas, probably meaning "son of
prophesy" or “son of encouragement”) accompanied by Barnabas' cousin John
Mark, set out from Antioch for Cyprus, visiting Salamis and Paphos. We arrived on the opposite side, in the
northern part of Cyprus which is controlled by Turkey. We came from Turkey to Cyprus whereas the
ancient travelers crossed from Cyprus to the mainland (modern Turkey), landing
at the Mediterranean port of Attalia. From there they proceeded inland to the
cities along the military road in the southern part of Asia Minor. At Perga,
for unknown reasons, John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. Saul and
Barnabas then stopped at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, all in
the Roman province of Galatia, before retracing their steps to revisit the
congregations they had founded. Then it was back to Perga, where this time they
preached the gospel, and Attalia. But, instead of returning to Cyprus, they
sailed directly back to Antioch, Syria where they began their odyssey. There,
after, covering some 1,400 miles, Paul and Barnabas stayed "a long
time" (6 to 9 months).
The
Apostolic Journey Begins
With the church firmly established at
Antioch in Syria, the time was ripe for the Gospel to be taken farther afield.
Acts records that one day while members of the church were worshiping and
fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them:
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them" (Acts 13:2).
After they had finished their prayers and fasting, the Antioch disciples formally blessed Saul and Barnabas and sent them on their way. About 45 AD, Paul and Barnabas, with John Mark, set out from Antioch (Acts 13:4) for Seleucia, the port of Antioch, about 16 miles to the southwest.
Seleucia
Seleucia was established as the
seaport for Antioch in the 3rd century BC and it was normally referred to as
Seleucia ad Pieria to distinguish it form nine others towns of the same name,
all of which were founded during the Hellenistic period by Seleucis I Nicator,
one of Alexander the Great's generals, founder of the Seleucid dynasty that
ruled Syria after Alexander's death. The name Pieria refers to previous trading
center built on the site whose name, in turn, was derived from a special kind
of asphalt mined in the area. The major portion of the town was built on a
long, sloping spur of a mountain, and its walls ran down to enclose the harbor.
Seleucia was destroyed in 1268 and never rebuilt. The constant flow of silt
down the Orontes River converted the ancient harbor into a level, marshy expanse.
Today the ruins can be seen near the modern village of Samandäg, about 16 miles
southwest of Antakya, Turkey. (Photo: At Samandäg, ancient Seleucia ad Pieria,
with view of mountains into Syria.) In its heyday the port town had a
population of 30,000. Here you can still see the old city walls, while another
attraction is the Titus (or Gariz) Tunnel, a canal driven through solid rock at
the time of Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus in an attempt to divert the flow
of water and save the harbor from silting up (it didn't work).
From Seleucia, the trio sailed to the island of Cyprus, undoubtedly at the urging of Barnabas, a Cyprus native. Presumably they embarked with the opening of the sailing season near the beginning of March when the winds were most favorable for a direct voyage...
Cyprus
The
third largest island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is 140 miles long and 60
miles wide. Much of the island is mountainous; the Troodos Mountains (5,900')
dominate the the west and central sections, while the Kyrenia Mountains (shown
in the first picture) extend along the northern coast.
In recent years the island has been
divided. Since the Turkish invasion a
few years ago, the northern part of the island is under Turkish control. As a result, beautiful Gothic churches like
this one have been turned into mosques as the Christians left for the southern
part of the island. These modern
conflicts are only the tip of the iceberg to this historic island culture.
Historically, it was an important source
of timber, used in shipbuilding, and copper. Between 2000 and 1000 BC, Asia
Minor, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Crete, the Aegean Islands and Greece all
conducted trade with Cyprus. After 1000 BC, there were several city-states,
each ruled by a king. In 707 BC the Cyprus kings submitted to Assyria and
thereafter it was controlled by a succession of dominant empires: Egypt,
Persian, Alexander the Great and the Ptolomies. During this later period, many
Jews settled on the island, forming an important part of the population. Then,
in 22 BC, the Romans made it a province under the jurisdiction of the Roman
senate, governed by a proconsul at Paphos.
As a result of the persecution associated
with the stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem, Jewish-Christians fled to Cyprus and
preached the gospel to the Jewish community, thus setting the stage for the
visit of Saul, Barnabas and John Mark.
Barnabas
was a home-town favorite in Cyprus. Even
though he was a Levite, he owned property on Cyprus. Indeed, his tomb is not far from
Salamis. The little church at left is
built over the place of his grave. There
is a crypt below the main floor that is his tomb. It is one of only three apostolic graves that
I am aware of. John’s is in Ephesus,
Philip’s is in Hieropolis, and Barnabas’ is this little church in a now
abandoned monastery near Salamis.
After parting company with Paul at
the start of the Second Missionary Journey, Barnabas, with John Mark, returned
to Cyprus a second time (Acts 15:39). Later, Paul passed by the island, once on
his return to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3) and again on his voyage to Rome (Acts
27:4).
There were no passenger ships in the 1st century AD, only square-rigged cargo ships that regularly plied the Mediterranean sea between Africa, Asia and Europe. Most of the space on the ships of that time was taken up by cargo and crew, but there were minimal accommodations for passengers. Our little ship on which we made the trip was for passengers only.
The ancient travelers came ashore at Salamis, a large port city on the eastern shore of Cyprus, some 120 miles southwest of Seleucia. An influential Jewish colony had been founded there centuries earlier, and the men preached to the Jews in their synagogues. There may have been a small Christian group as well, founded by disciples who had fled Jerusalem.
Salamis (meaning "salt" probably from Greek salos, " the tossing or swell of the sea")
Salamis was
located on the east coast of Cyprus, just north of modern Famagusta. We arrived in a dolmus, or shared taxi. It cost about three dollars to cross the
island in this manner.
Today Salamis is only an archaeological
site, but in its day it rivaled the Roman capital of Paphos on the southwest
coast and finally superseded it. According to the Homeric epics, Salamis was
founded after the Trojan War by the archer Teucer, who came from the island of
Salamis, off Attica. This literary tradition probably reflects the Sea Peoples'
occupation of Cyprus about 1193 BC, and Teucer perhaps represents Tjekker found
in Egyptian records. Later, the city grew because of its excellent harbor; it
became the chief Cypriot outlet for trade.
We arrived in Salamis on a very warm
winter day. The area of the city is
actually quite extensive, far more than can be seen by walking. In this picture I am sitting in the apse of a
very ancient church. If you notice, the
layout of the “platform” of this church is very similar to what we saw at Nicea
and Myra. Just like we do today, they
copied successful church buildings.
The
ancient church also had a cemetery within it.
In the second picture I am lying in one of the tombs that used to be
associated with the church. I checked
before climbing in. There were no other
immediate occupants. In the far left of
the picture is the apse shown above. The
burial wing of the church was a long aisle that ran down the side of the
building. The burial wing was actually
inside the main structure of the building.
Typically these types of churches had three main sections. The center section was immediately in front
of the altar. The two outside sections
were also used by people during the worship services. The tombs were interspersed along the outside
aisle. The living and the dead attended
the same service!
Besides
the impressive church, there are many impressive remains with the ancient city
of Salamis. As in many places, the Roman
theater is in a remarkable state of repair.
Those things seem to stand up well against all sorts of natural disasters
and troubles. Of course, they are
basically just seats arranged on the natural earth with a big state and wrap
around walls, but even so, they are impressive.
At Salamis there are also the remains of other public buildings. Any decent Roman city would have extensive 
public baths and a large gymnasium. In this picture, I am highlighting a cross
carved into the floor of the courtyard attached to the gymnasium. The gym would be a square about the size of
four High School gyms. 
For the fun-loving Romans a good workout
followed by a session in the alternating warm and cold water of the baths would
invigorate the body. One can see the
results of these workouts in the statues that line the gym and baths. Here I am proving that I am in shape. I can say that because I have learned that
round is a shape. Ever since my interest
in Ephesus 
and its public toilets, I have tried to
take note of other similar units in other parts of the Roman world. The Roman toilets shared certain common
features. They are essentially long rows
of toilets 
that emptied into a ditch that flowed
beneath them. This must have been a
particularly elegant toilet because the back wall forms a half circle. Linda is taking a stroll through the latrine
highlighting the fact that the toilets were used by both men and women. Notice the deep ditch to the right along the
base of the curved wall.
Later
history: In 525 BC
Salamis came under Persian control and, in 306 BC, Demetrius I Poliorcetes of
Macedonia won a great naval victory there over Ptolemy I of Egypt. Salamis was
sacked in the Jewish revolt of 115-117 AD and suffered repeatedly from
earthquakes. It was completely rebuilt by the Christian emperor Constantius
II (reigned 337-361 AD) and given the name Constantia. Under Christian rule,
Salamis was the metropolitan see of Cyprus. It was destroyed again by the Arabs
(c. 648), and thereafter it was abandoned.
(Photo: Theater at Salamis, built
towards the end of the 1st century BC, with seating for 15,000.) At Salamis,
Saul and Barnabas established the pattern for later missions by first bringing
their message, when possible, to the Jewish community. In Acts, their entire
visit is summarized in one verse:
"When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in
the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper" (Acts 13:5) --Note:
The plural "synagogues" used here is an indication of the size of the
city's Jewish community.
From Salamis the three missionaries traveled overland to Paphos, a prosperous city on the southwestern coast of Cyprus.
Paphos
(Greek, of uncertain
derivation, "boiling or hot")
Paphos was a port city on the western end
of Cyprus some 90 miles from Salamis. In actuality Paphos was the name of two
ancient cities. The older ancient city ("Old Paphos") was located at
modern Kouklia; New Paphos, which had superseded Old Paphos by Roman times, was
10 miles farther north.
Old Paphos (Paleapahos), which was
settled by Greek colonists about 1184 BC (the time of the Biblical patriarchs),
was noted for its famous shrine to Aphrodite (Venus). It was the legendary site
where the goddess emerged from the sea foam. The Cinyrad dynasty ruled Paphos
until its final conquest by Ptolemy I of Egypt (294 BC). Old Paphos dwindled in
influence after the fall of the Cinyradae, the foundation of New Paphos, and
the Roman conquest of Cyprus (58 BC). It was finally deserted after the 4th
century AD.
New Paphos (Neapaphos) was founded in the
4th century BC. Previously it had been the port town of Old Paphos, and it is
the "Paphos" mentioned in Acts, where Saul, Barnabas and John Mark
met Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul.
Not much of the large and prosperous city
of New Paphos has been unearthed. Several impressive underground chambers,
dating from Hellenistic times (3rd century BC), can be seen. However, their
purpose has not yet been determined, although two--the so-called Tombs of the
Kings--are referred to as "catacombs." From this same period are an
unexcavated theater and a rock-cut sanctuary to Apollo Hylates. Surviving
structures from the Roman period include two large private dwellings, that of
Dionysus, another of Theseus, which may have been the residence of the Roman
governor. Both houses have splendid mosaic floors with scenes from Greek
mythology, attesting to the splendor of Paphos at the time of the visit of Paul
and Barnabas. Also noteworthy is the civic center with an agora (marketplace),
odeum (small covered theater for musical performances) and an Aesklepion
(ancient healing center dedicated to Aesklepios, the Greek god of medicine).
Later
history: New Paphos was
attacked and destroyed by Muslim raiders in 960 AD. Today its site is partially
occupied by the village of Kato Paphos which began to grow only after the
British occupation in 1878. The harbor shown left, center of the city's life,
was improved in 1908 and 1959 but it remains too small to handle large
commercial traffic and thus serves only an active local fishing fleet. Despite
economic difficulties arising from the settlement in Paphos of some 5,000 Greek
Cypriot refugees after the Turkish occupation of 1974, by the end of the decade
the city had become the focus of strong economic development. The city's
manufacturing consists of small enterprises producing clothing, footwear,
canned meat, beverages, and vegetable oils.
Paul preaches the Gospel in Paphos. At
Paphos the missionary trio met with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, the governor
of the island, who Acts describes as an intelligent man. Intrigued by the
arrival of the itinerant preachers, he "sent for Barnabas and Saul because
he wanted to hear the word of God." Like most heads of state, opportunists
hung out at 
his
headquarters and one of them was a Jewish prophet and sorcerer named Elymas*,
also called Bar-Jesus. Fearing that he would lose his influence if his employer
were converted to Christianity, he tried to stop Saul. But Saul snapped back in
some of the strongest language recorded in Acts: "You are a child of the devil and an
enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and
trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the
hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you
will be unable to see the light of the sun" (Acts 13:10-11). Struck with blindness, Elymas was led away.
Saul's action so impressed Sergius Paulus that "he believed, for he was
amazed at the teaching about the Lord."
(Note:
From 13:9 on, the Acts narrative uses the name Paul instead of Saul. This
similar sounding name was more familiar to Greeks and Romans who would now be
the focus of the gospel message).
*Elymas - A Semitic name meaning "sorcerer" or
"magician" or "wise man" (probably a self-assumed
designation). ...From Paphos, Paul, Barnabas and Mark booked passage on another
ship heading northwesterly, about 170 miles, for the southern coast of Asia
Minor (modern Turkey). From there they made their way 12 miles northeast to
Perga, in the low-lying, marshy region of Pamphylia. The "Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
of the Golden City," shown left, in the center of the village of Kato
Paphos, Cyprus. According to tradition, Saul was tied to one of the pillars in
front of the church and flogged 39 times for preaching the new faith.
Paul's
First Missionary Journey
From
Attalia back to Antioch
(a successful conclusion)
Attalia
(Modern Antalya)
Attalia (Greek Attaleia, meaning “Jah’s
due season”), in southern Turkey, was the seaport for Perga, 12 miles to the
northeast. The name is derived from king Attalos II Philadelphus of Pergamum,
who founded the city on the Pamphylian seacoast around 150 BC. Together with
Pergamum’s other possessions, it was bequeathed to the Romans by Attalos’
successor, Attalus III. However, settlement in the region stretches back to the
dawn of humanity as attested to by Paleolithic finds discovered nearby.
Later
history:
During Byzantine times Attalia was an
archdiocese and an important embarkation point for troops going to Palestine
during the Crusades. It was captured by the Turkish Selçuq ruler Kay-Khusraw in
1207 and soon became the most important town and port of the region. Although
it was first occupied by the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I in 1391, its
incorporation into the Ottoman Empire was delayed until the late 15th
century because of the disruption caused by the invasion of Timur (Tamerlane).
In the agreement of 1917 for the postwar division of the Ottoman Empire among
Italy, France, and the United Kingdom, Italy claimed the city and the
surrounding area. Italian troops occupied the district in 1919 but were driven
out in July 1921 by Turkish nationalist forces.
Walking
in Paul’s footsteps—Attalia:
Today,
ancient Attalia is known as Antalya (population 1,000,000) and, as it has been
for the last 2,000 years, it is the main port on the southern coast of Turkey.
With a subtropical warm climate and an abundance of ancient sites nearby, it is
also the chief tourist resort on the Turkish Riviera. The word “turkuaz” was
created in the Turkish language to describe the color of the Mediterranean and
Aegean seas. This color was adopted into English as “turquoise,” and nowhere
can you appreciate the intensity of the Mediterranean’s blues than at
Antalya. In this photo, we are looking
from Antalya west toward the Bey Mountains of the Lycian Peninsula.
From Attalia, Paul and Barnabas booked
passage for the return trip to Antioch in Syria. They must have been eager to
share their experiences with the home church, because they chose not to revisit
the fledgling congregations on Cyprus. Their entire journey apparently lasted 6
to 9 months, concluding before the storms of winter would have stopped ship
travel in the Mediterranean. Back in Antioch, they met with their fellow
believers and told them of their journey—the miracles, the escapes, the
hardships and the successes, and how God had “opened the door of faith to the
Gentiles.” Finally, Acts concludes its account of the first missionary journey
by telling us that Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch for “a long time”
(Acts 14:28).
How many other towns were visited by Paul
that are not recorded? How many other stories are not told? How much of Paul’s
30 years of ministry was simply ordinary ministry tucked between the healings
and riots?
Notable
monuments in the town include:
Hadrianüs Kapisi, Hadrian’s Gate, is also called Üçkaptlar, the Three Gates. It was built between two towers in the city walls to commemorate the visit to the city of the emperor Hadrian in 130 AD.
The 13th century Yivli
Minare (“fluted minaret”) is a former Byzantine church converted into a
mosque by the Selçuks. It has become a symbol of modern Antalya.
Kaleiçi (“around the
fortress”), the historic district of Antalya, occupies the summit of a low
cliff overlooking the old Roman harbor, now the yacht marina. It is surrounded
by fortified walls built by the Greeks and restored during the Roman,
Byzantine, and Selçuk periods. The
harbor was the city’s lifeline from the 2nd century BC until late in
the 20th century when a new port was constructed to the west of the
city.
From Antalya we will continue along the coast on highway 400 for a little side trip to visit old St. Nick Then we will continue on 400 Mugla. At Mugla we will take road 330. We are heading for Denizli from which we can explore several biblical sites including Kolosai, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Laodekeia, Philadelphia and Sardis.
Myra
As a biblical location, Myra does
not rank high. As a historical location,
Myra has some claim but still does not rank high. As a Christmas location, it has a claim to
fame. This is the hometown of old St.
Nick. I’m not sure how much is legend and how much is true, but there really
was a St. Nicholas and the south coast of Turkey, not the North Pole, was where
he hung out. Although he was actually born at nearby Patara, Myra is the place
most associated with him.
St. Nicholas was the Pastor of the
Church shown here. He pastored in the
early days of the fourth century just as Christianity was becoming legal. When the Emperor Constantine called the first
General Council of the Church at Nicea Pastor Nicholas attended and was
influential. He helped to shape the
language in which we express that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully
man.
Even though we know that Nicholas
pastored the Church here, the other elements of the story have probably been
considerably embellished over time. In
fact, the Catholic Church recently took away his sainthood since they no longer
believed that the two miracles attributed to him were credible. (You must have two miracles to your “credit”
before you can become a saint.)
The beauty of the mosaic floor and
the honor with which the church has been held are testimony to the respect that
St. Nicholas enjoyed over the centuries.
Even without Catholic sainthood I am confident that St. Nicholas will
forever be in the hearts of little boys and girls, especially around Christian
time.
Biblical
Reference:
Acts 27:5-6 “Paul's ship followed the coast
northward from Sidon. They sailed on the eastern side of Cyprus, which offered
some shelter from storms. They landed at the port of Myra on the southern coast
of Asia. There the Roman officer who guarded Paul and the other prisoners found
a ship that had come from Alexandria in Egypt and would take them to Rome.”
Context: Myra was an
important city of Lycia in southwestern Asia Minor. There was a port on
the coast, but the city itself was located several miles inland. The ship from
Alexandria that Paul's guard found at Myra was probably carrying wheat from
Egypt to Rome (cf. Acts 27:38). Myra had good relations with Rome, calling the
emperors Augustus and Tiberius their saviors and benefactors.
One of the things attributed to St. Nicholas were his prayers for sailors. According to local tradition, his prayers had been particularly powerful in saving sailors who would otherwise have been lost at sea. This is how the anchor became one of his symbols. The annual blessing of the fishing fleet is a tradition which very possible has roots in the prayers of this saint.
Above
the place where the church is located are the remains of an ancient Roman
theatre. The theatre is carved into the
hillside. In the cliffs above and beside
the theatre are Lycian rock-cut tombs, some of which are quite ornate.
Continue up the
coast on highway 400 to Fethiye. On up
400 to Mugla. Take 550 to Yetagan, then
west on 330 to Mila. It is about three
hours from Mugla to Efes. I will probably base out of Ephesus for my travels to
the immediate area.
Colossae (Kolosai)
Located just
east of Denizli
Several
hundred years before the time of Paul, Colossae had been a leading city in Asia
Minor. Celebrated ancient historian Xenophon (c.430-c.354 B.C.) called it
"a populous city, large and well off." It was located about 100 miles
east of Ephesus on the south bank of the Lycus River (a tributary of the
Meander) and on the great east-west trade route from Ephesus to the Euphrates
River. All that is left of Colossae is
the mound of dirt rising above the farmer’s vinyard.
Along with nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis
it was a center of the textile industry. Its dark red wool, called Colossinum,
was well known. But in the first century AD it had deteriorated to the status
of a second-rate market town when the road to Pergamum was rerouted to the west
through neighboring Laodicea.
The church in Colossae was established by
Epaphras (a Colossae native?) working under the direction of Paul during his
extended stay in Ephesus at the time of his third missionary journey (Col.
4:12-13). Although the church was the recipient of one of Paul's letters, he
may not have visited the city personally. Members of the Colossian church
included Philemon and his slave Onesimus (Col. 4:9; Philemon. 1:10).
Five
years after Paul departed Ephesus he found himself under house arrest in Rome.
For two years he was able to receive visitors in his residence. One was
Epaphras, and he brought encouraging news to Paul on the progress of the
churches in the region. But he also reported a strong tendency among the
Christians in Colossae to embrace heretical teachings. The Colossian church was
mainly Gentile. There were Greeks and native Phrygians, as well as Jews, who
clung to their own ideas and attempted to incorporate them into Christianity.
This included Gnosticism, angel worship and Jewish ceremonialism (circumcision,
food-laws and festivals), and they threatened to subvert the gospel of grace.
In response, Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians.
In 60 AD (during the reign of Nero), an
earthquake destroyed Colossae, and it never recovered. Although the disaster
occurred in Paul's lifetime, there is no mention of it in Colossians.
Apparently Colossians was written prior to the earthquake or before the news
reached Rome.
The site was abandoned in the eighth
century and it became a quarry for others residing in the Lycus valley. About
800 AD it was replaced by the new town of Chonae, modern Honaz, three miles to
the south. The site of Colossae has
never been excavated archaeologically.
Seeing the pieces lying about the ground I can let my imagination go to
what must be buried under the ground.
At
the moment, with the top a plowed field, the city acropolis rises maybe 75 feet
above the surrounding field. A remains of a small theater is on the city's
southeast side. The seating area is the
face of the hillside.
In this picture, I wanted to show the
stream that flows right by the ancient city.
The city is the green mound in the background. In the picture on the previous page the snow
capped mountains in the distance are clearly visible. The water source for the city would be the
melting snow high in the mountains. As a
result, their water is as cold as we have here in the northwest. 
The city’s springs and streams were fed from
high in the mountains. When we look at
Laodicea, we will understand the significance of Colossae’s cold water.
LAODICIA
“The
modern name for the city of Laodicea in modern Turkey is Eski-hisar, "the
old fortress." Founded in the middle of the third century BC by the Syrian
Antiochus II to control the gate to Phrygia, it was located at the juncture of
two imperial trade routes. The east -west road
led from the Aegean coast to Ephesus and then following the Maeander
River and the gentle ascent of the Lycus valley to the Anatolian Plateau. The
north-south road led from the provincial capital at Pergamum south to the
Mediterranean at Attaleia. Five of the cities John addressed were located on
this north-south highway _ Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
and then forty miles to the southeast, Laodicea.[15]
“Hieropolis,
six miles to the north, and Colossae, ten miles to the west, were its sister
cities in the Lycus Valley. 8000 foot mountains rose to the south of Laodicea
and the city itself occupied a square plateau hundreds of feet high, two miles
south of the river. Antiochus named the city after his wife, Laodice, and
settled Syrians and Jews from Babylonia in the new city.
By Roman times Laodicea had become the
wealthiest city in Phrygia. Sheep grazed on its fertile ground in the valley
and the glossy black wool of its prize animals was in demand throughout the
Roman world. The agricultural prosperity generated banking interests and when
the city was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 60, no funds from Rome were
necessary to rebuild. Thirteen miles to the north the temple of Men, Carou,
known for its medical school, stressed the avante garde idea of compound
medicines for compound diseases. A famous ointment from the spice nard was used
to heal ears, and an eye salve from Phrygian powder mixed with oil was coveted
to heal eyes.
“The city was a center for banking, for
textiles, and for medicine, but vulnerable to attack. Its water had to be
supplied by an aqueduct from the springs of Denizli located six miles to the
south. Cut this fragile thread and the city was helpless. The church in
Laodicea was vulnerable as well.
“Religiously, Laodicea boasted a strong
Imperial Cult and received a Temple-Wardenship under Commodus (AD 180-191). In
the religious mix over 7000 Jews lived in the city, and the Christian church
was probably established during Paul’s third missionary journey while he
ministered at Ephesus. The Epaphras, the founder of the church of Colossae,
probably made the brief journey to Laodicea and brought the gospel to this city
as well. The Apostle Paul wrote to this congregation as noted in Colossians
4:16, possibly our canonical Ephesians.”[16]
Probably the most notable thing about
what John wrote to this church are the words of God, “I know your works,
that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other!”
“Six
miles north across the Lycus valley the city of Hieropolis boasted of its world
renown hot springs. People came from all over Asia to experience their healing
power. But by the time these springs reached Laodicia and spilled over a 300
foot cliff about a mile wide the water was smelly with chemicals and lukewarm.”
“Colossae,
Laodicea’s other sister city in the Lycus valley, advertised its refreshing,
pure cold springs. Laodicea had neither healing hot springs or refreshing cold
springs. Even its drinking water was lukewarm by the time it journeyed six miles
by aqueduct from Denizli. Tragically, the church in Laodicea was in the same
condition.”
Laodicia had neither the heat of the
Spirit or the refreshing coolness of Christ’s living water. Jesus said he wished they were one or the
other, either warm or coolly refreshing.
When the Scripture is read in its geographical setting, it is easy to
understand what Jesus meant. They had
neither the healing heat of the springs of Hieropolis or the refreshing
coolness of the springs of Colossae.
Jesus fully described their problem. “Because you say,’I am rich. I have
acquired wealth by my effort. There’s nothing I need," but you don’t
realize that you are in fact wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.’”
The city was quite wealthy with their
strong textile industry and special eye salve.
They did not see themselves from God’s perspective.
“The church of Ephesus had lost its first
intimate love for the Savior. The church of Pergamum and Thyatira had allowed
idolatrous immorality to compromise their purity. Sardis had passed out
spiritually and was nearly dead. Finally, the church of Laodicea was arrogantly
self-satisfied and deceived. Only the persecuted churches of Smyrna and
Philadelphia did not need to be rebuked. Yet the gracious Jesus still seeks to
renew each fellowship. He knocks to gain a hearing. He wants to renew intimacy
with the believers in these congregations. But they must hear His knocking and
open the door to their lives.”
This picture shows the valley that
ends with Ephesus before entering the Sea (at the left of the picture). It is understandable that Ephesus because the
central point for the whole valley. At
the opposite end (right end) of the valley was Laodecia. The cities thus had many natural connections
to each other.
Hierapolis
"holy city;" modern Pamukkale, Turkish for "cotton
castle"
Hierapolis
was an important and prosperous city in the Roman province of Asia, situated
above the junction of the rivers Lycus and Maeander, 12 miles northwest of
Colossae, 6 miles north of Laodicea and about 100 miles east of Ephesus.
Founded soon after 190 BC by king Eumenes II of Pergamum, the city was built on
a plateau 150 to 300 feet above the valley and was surrounded by mineral laden
hot springs famous for their healing properties.
The white limestone deposits cascading
down the steep hillside resemble a petrified waterfall, from which the name of
the modern city of Pamukkale (meaning "cotton castle") is derived.
Because of the hot springs, Hierapolis was a popular resort. It also prospered
from the textile trade, including wool working, carpet weaving and purple
dyeing.
Hierapolis,
meaning "holy city," was an ancient center for pagan cults until it
was transformed into a Christian center in the 1st century AD. “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of
Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that
you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch
for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”[17]
In the picture, Linda is heading up the
path that will take her to the church built on the site where Philip was
martyred in 80 AD. I have looked in
eight books to try to determine if this was Philip the Evangelist or Philip the
Apostle. There was conflicting
information so I still do not know the actual answer. Among the sources where I will look next is
Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus (2nd century AD) who stated Philip was buried
here. Maybe he will have sufficient
qualifying statements to settle the matter.
Since Laodicia also makes a claim to be the burial place, maybe both
Philips were here and ended up being buried a few miles apart.
The church itself is a ruin. There are no signs or other markers on the
ground to indicate what the building is.
Only on the site maps is the place identified. However, the moment you approach the building
it is clear that it was either the burial place of a martyr or a place of baptism. Since there do not appear to be other worship
facilities in the area, we can safely conclude this was a church erected over
the site of a Christian martyr’s death.
The
ruins of the church we are looking at was apparently constructed in the fifth
century. It is quite large in size and
must have been the cathedral church for a substantial population. The floor was made of mosaic stones that now
lie loosely upon the ground. It makes me
feel sad when I see a ruined church, particularly one where the Apostle Philip
is buried. I sat at Philip’s grave and
contemplated his life and ministry.
Certainly buildings are only tools of ministry and not ends in
themselves. Even his grave is a
ruin. The marble slabs are cracked and
pieces are missing. Philip’s body has
long since turned to dust. His earthly
remains are in the same condition as the church building. When Jesus returns, Philip’s body will come
out of that grave to be reunited with his spirit which is already in God’s
presence. What a day that will be!
My thoughts were also political. There would be Christians here in this church
today except that their government lacked sufficient military might. The Moslem conquests changed all that. Terrorism is not new. It changes reality for Christians on the
ground. The final straw for Turkey’s
Christian population was the population exchange of the early 20’s where the
last of the Christians were moved to Greece.
This great land that was once the center of Christianity and Apostolic
activity is as spiritually dead as it was when the Apostles first arrived. Seems like it is time for history to repeat
itself.
During the Byzantine era the city had a
large Jewish population. The church in Hierapolis, like those in neighboring
Colossae and Laodicea, may have been established by Epaphras working under the
direction of Paul during his extended stay in Ephesus during his third
missionary journey.
Hierapolis
was completely rebuilt after destructive earthquakes in 17 AD (reign of
Augustus) and.60 AD (reign of Nero), thus it is a Roman city with few traces of
its Hellenistic (Greek) beginnings.
The road entering the townsite from the
north goes through a vast cemetary or necropolis (Greek nekros, corpse, and
polis, city; literally 'city of the dead'). It is lined with over 1,200 tombs
and stone-cut sarcophagi dating to the Roman period.
Straddling the old main street leading to
the city are the remains of a large 5th century AD basilica-style church
(formerly baths).
Next you come to the city's Frontinus
Gate, shown here, with its three arches. Named for its builder, Julius Frontinus,
the Asian proconsul from 84-86 AD, it was dedicated to the emperor
Domitian. Passing through the gate you
walking along the city's main north-south street with its 
double
colonnades. On your left is a huge Roman baths (2nd century AD) that could
accommodate 1000 people. It once had marble covered halls with typical hot,
warm and cold rooms and an area for athletics.
In the picture below, if you look
closely, you can see the ditch that runs along the wall. If you look back at the latrines of Salamis and
Ephesus you will see the common 
feature. The ancient toilets had running water beneath
them. The Romans were great builders and
had very sophisticated sanitary systems.
Much of the world today has yet to achieve the level of sanitation the
Romans enjoyed 2000 years ago. Please
pardon me, but in these ancients ruins I have two topics that intrigue me. They are toilets and temples. Maybe some day I will write a book on the
ancient world titled, “Toilets and Temples!”
Maybe I should make it a very small book and market it for light reading
in bathrooms.
APHRODISIAS
Aphrodisias
lay in the northeastern confines of Caria, a small empire in ancient times, in
the vicinity of the Maeander valley. It is on a high plateau, c.6500 feet above
sea level, at the foot of the Baba Dag range. The site is about 140 miles SE of
Izmir, near the present-day village of Geyre.
It is about 15 miles due west and 40 miles by road from Denizili.
The city
began as a humble caravansary when the caravans passed this way from Ephesus.
The city continued to flourish in the early Byzantine period, declining as a
result of the wars of the 7th century.
The
Aphrodisians built a temple, dedicated to Aphrodite, which the Romans called
Venus. In the early days of the Roman Empire, several prominent Romans claimed
to be descendants of Venus. This connection brought a privileged status from
Rome. Sulla, in Anatolia fighting Mithridates, claimed to be under special
protection of Venus. Later, Julius Caesar claimed to descendant from the
goddess, which special status was passed on to his adopted son Octavian. As
Augustus, Emperor of Rome, Octavian aided the city in its building programs.
Thus, having important
benefactors, as well as their donations, and also a nearby marble quarry, Aphrodisias
became the center of a school of sculpture. The city rapidly became a city of
marble, and remains can still be seen of a theater, stadium, and an odeum. An
inscribed wall within the theater complex relates to the status of the city in
the 3rd century AD.
The city
was also called Ninoe, after Ninos, a semi-legendary Babylonian ruler, and an
ancient goddess of Mesopotamia. Greeks identified the local deity with their
Aphrodite, hence Aphrodisias. The Romans then identified the goddess with their
Venus. Geyre is probably a corruption of Caria, the ancient name for the area.
Two miles
of the wall surrounding the ancient city can still be followed. This wall was
constructed in c.260 BC, long
before the Romans supplied aid.
Aphrodisia’s
theatre was built in c.1 BC, and
dedicated to the Julio-Claudian family, or the Roman Emperors of the time. An
interior wall was used to record important events and documents concerning the
city. It records privileges granted the Romans as well as treaties with nearby
countries. Sort of like the town courthouse. Marcus Aurelius remodeled and
restored the theater, deepening the orchestra section.
The
Odeon, a small theater, was constructed in 2 AD, the
floor of the circular orchestra section being covered with mosaics. Inside and
out, were many statues and magnificent sculptures, produced by the school,
which was located next door.
The heart
of the city’s religious life was the Temple of Aphrodite, built and rebuilt
between 41 BC and 130 AD. There
are 13 columns on the long side, with 8 on the short side with the cult statue
inside. The local sculptors decorated the building in Ionian style, with
reliefs and statues. The school for sculpture was next to the Temple, and part
of the temple. Many unfinished statues were found in the area between the
temple and the theater. Along with many sculpting tools, the evidence for a
school is overwhelming. Apparently the school was open to the air and nothing
of the building survived.
Throughout
the area, marble fragments attest to building about which we now have little
information. The Agora has been located, and an open field has been identified
as a market. An area with a pool is tentatively identified as a gymnasium.
Other monuments, gates, etc. have been found, indicating the city had a
prolific statuary output. As many highly decorated sarcophagi were found, this
must have been a specialty of the school.
Even a
stadium has been identified, which according to the ground plan of 860 x 200
feet, must have held about 30,000 people.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
was the name of several ancient cities. One was in Lydia, or western Asia Minor
(now Western Turkey). At the foot of Mt. Tmolus and near the location of modern
Alasehir, it was founded in the 2nd century BC.
The Church of St. John must have been
enormous. All that remains are these
pillars. There were six of them that
carried the weight of the building. The
sheer size of these columns are impressive even now.
Biblically it is most notable as the
sixth of the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 3.7-12). When John wrote his Revelation, Philadelphia
was a small town, yet out of all the churches it received the greatest praise
"To
the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who
is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut,
and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before
you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength,
yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who
are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but
are liars-- I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge
that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I
will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole
world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what
you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a
pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on
him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,
which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my
new name.” (The huge pillars are from the ancient Church of Saint John built
around 600 AD)
Ancient Philadelphia, was situated about 100 miles due east of Smyrna and 26 miles southwest of Sardis on the Cogamis River, a tributary of the Hermus. When compared to similar cities of Anatolia (the ancient name for Turkey), Philadelphia is a relatively young city. Established in 189 BC, it guarded an important pass through the mountains between the Hermus and Meander river valleys. It stood on two important roads, one leading from Smyrna to the East, another coming from Rome via Pergamum and Sardis. All east-west trade passed through Philadelphia. The city's founder, King Eumenes II of Pergamum (197-160 BC), named it out of love for his brother and successor Attalus II (159-138 BC), whose trustworthiness and loyalty earned him the nickname, "Philadelphos" ("one who loves his brother"). Eumanes established Philadelphia as a missionary city to spread Greek language and customs throughout the eastern parts of Lydia and Phrygia. His intent was to promote a unity of spirit and loyalty throughout his realm. After the death of Attalus III Philometor, the city, together with his entire kingdom, came under the jurisdiction of Rome (in 133 BC).
In
17 AD a great earthquake destroyed Philadelphia along with eleven other area
cities. While Sardis to the northwest seems to have suffered the most,
Philadelphia experienced dangerous tremors for the next twenty years, keeping
the citizens in a state of fear. Greek historian Strabo (c. 63 BC - c.21 AD)
wrote: "Philadelphia has no trustworthy walls, but daily in one direction
or another they keep tottering and falling apart." That a city should ever
have been founded in such a locality was astonishing to him, and he questioned
the sanity of the people for planning to return and rebuild. Because of the
constant fear of aftershocks, most of the people lived in huts outside the
city, working the fertile soil in the countryside. For the Christians of
Philadelphia, who lived in such an atmosphere of insecurity, the promise expressed
in John's letter: "never again will he leave it," would seem
especially poignant. In typical Cedar
Park fashion, the picture shows the tombstones of the city nestled around the
famous church. The monument I centered
on is a sad one. Its small size indicates
an infant’s burial place.
Another significant phrase to
Philadelphia's Christians is the reward promised by Jesus: "I will also
write on him my new name." The Philadelphians knew all about new names. In
gratitude for the aid given by the emperor Tiberias for rebuilding the city
after the earthquake, the citizens changed their city's name to Neoceasarea,
new (city of) Caesar. During the reign of Vespasian (69-79 AD), it was called
Philadelphia Flavia, after the emperor's family name. In the third century AD,
long after the time of John, the city was called "Little Athens" for
its remarkable number of temples and religious festivals. The "new
name" given by Jesus, would not be dictated by changing circumstances, it
would last forever.
For centuries after the time of John and
Paul, Philadelphia remained a Christian city, even after the Turks and Islam
spread across Asia Minor. It was not until the mid-fourteenth century that it
fell. Today the site of the ancient city is occupied by the Turkish town of
Alasehir, and even now there is some Christian presence.
Shown
here are the remains of an ancient temple on the city's acropolis. In typical fashion, pagan temples were often
situated on the highest piece of ground in a city. These temples would dominate
the city visually and spiritually. When
John wrote to the church here, the city was small but the temple was
substantial. According to one commentary, the phrase in John's letter,
"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God," may
have referred to such a temple. That is,
paganism may have had their physical temples, but Jesus has made us pillars in
a greater spiritual temple.
Sardis
Sardis was one
of the legendary cities of Asia Minor in what is today Turkey. In the seventh
century B.C., Sardis was the capital of the kingdom of Lydia. Gold was found in
the river near Sardis and the kings who lived there were renowned for their
wealth. The Persians captured Sardis in the sixth century and made it the
administrative center for the western part of their empire. The fabled
"royal road" connected Sardis with the Persian cities to the east. In
New Testament times, Sardis was part of the Roman province of Asia.
The Jewish community at Sardis had been in the
city for generations by the time that Revelation was written. Some of these
Jews were apparently Roman citizens. Letters from the first century B.C.
stipulated that Jews in Sardis were to have their own association and a place
to offer prayers. Officials were to make sure that food suitable for Jews was
available in the market (Josephus, Antiquities 14.259-260). The Jewish
community was allowed to collect and send money to Jerusalem for the support of
the temple. Some cities experienced friction between the Jewish and Christian
communities, but Revelation does not indicate that this was a problem at
Sardis. The enormous size and central location of the Sardis synagogue shows
that in the centuries after Revelation was composed, the Jewish community
thrived at Sardis.
By the end of the first century, when Revelation
was written, Sardis had a Christian community that had a good reputation.
Nevertheless, Revelation’s message to Sardis warned that the congregation was
spiritually dying. Its members were called to repent (Rev 3:1-6). The Christian
community at Sardis expanded in the generations after Revelation was written.
One of the community’s notable members was Melito of Sardis, an important
Christian writer of the mid-second century A.D.
Christianity was not without its
contenders. Even though the biggest
temple to Artemis was in Ephesus, there were many other temples to Artemis
around the empire, some thirty three with remains that can still be visited 
today.
At left are columns from the Artemis temple at Sardis.
There were many other gods as well.
Sardis had a priesthood dedicated to the goddess Roma by about 100 B.C. In 27
B.C. Sardis tried to establish Asia’s first temple to Caesar Augustus. Although
their initial attempt was not successful, the city had a local temple to
Augustus by 5 B.C. To show their devotion to the imperial family, the city also
consecrated a cult statue to Augustus’ son Gaius. Sardis competed for the honor
of building a temple to the emperor Tiberius in A.D. 26, although the privilege
was given to Smyrna (Tacitus, Annals 4.55-56). This was the environment that the Gospel
preachers found when they arrived in the city.
It was full of gods, but without the knowledge of God.
Smyrna (Modern Izmir)
The modern city of Izmir, with its
three million residents, gives little at first glace that indicates its ancient
past. From the biblical perspective, it
is one of the seven churches of Asia that John wrote to in Revelation. Further, Jesus said very nice things to this
church that suffered so much persecution including the noted death of one of
the great ones, Polycarp.
In may be that Paul founded the church in
his third missionary journey, although we do not know this. With Paul basing out of Ephesus, and
"all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and
Greeks,"[18] we presume this would include Smyrna.
Smyrna grew to prominence in the 9th
century BC. and “thrived before Lydians from Sardis destroyed the town in 600
BC. In 334 BC Alexander the Great
conquered Smyrna and refounded it atop Mt. Pagus, now called Kadifekale.” Left is the agora, or market place of the
ancient city.
“As early as 195 BC Smyrna foresaw the
rising power of Rome and built a temple for pagan Roman worship. In 23 BC
Smyrna was given the honor of building a temple to the Emperor Tiberius because
of its years of faithfulness to Rome. Thus, the city became a center for the
cult of emperor worship -- a fanatical religion that later, under such emperors
as Nero (ruled AD 54-68) and Domitian (ruled AD 81-96), brought on severe
persecution for the early church. Polycarp was martyred in the stadium at
Smyrna in 155 AD
Jesus referred to himself to this city as "the First and the Last, who was
dead, and came to life." He may
have chosen this reference for this city because he wanted to encourage the
Smyrnan Christians to be faithful unto death.
Paul observed that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).
We shouldn’t be surprised then that the two churches who didn’t need
correction were warned to expect persecution.
In Smyrna this came, in part from the "synagogue of God,"
those whom John called the "synagogue of Satan." This Jewish persecution can be contrasted
with "Satan's throne" which was in Pergamos (Rev. 2:13). Both Jews and pagans persecuted the
Christians.
“As
early as 195 BC a temple to Dea Roma ("Rome the goddess") had been
built in Smyrna. In 25 AD many cities of Asia Minor vied with one another for
the honor of building the temple to Tiberius -- the honor was granted to Smyrna
because of its worship of Rome. Shown
below is the Roman Imperial Priest, Flavius Damianus, wearing a diadem, the
crown of royalty.
When
Christians refused to burn incense to the emperor of Rome as god, they were
accused of treason and sentenced to die. Polycarp, an elder of the church at
Smyrna, was martyred for this very crime.
“Polycarp suffered much for Christ's sake
as Eusebius, the church historian, tells us. The Roman Proconsul commanded him
to swear allegiance to Caesar, saying, "Swear, and I will set thee at
liberty; reproach Christ." How courageous was Polycarp's reply:
"Eighty and six years have I now served Christ, and he has never done me
the least wrong; how, then, can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?"
Further efforts to make him deny his Lord failed, and Polycarp was condemned to
be burned at the stake.
When the day came for him to be burned
alive, those responsible for the burning wanted to nail him to the stake, but
Polycarp protested saying: "Let me alone as I am: for He who has given me
strength to endure the fire, will also enable me, without your securing me by
nails to stand without moving in the pile. He died on Saturday, February 23rd,
155 AD.”
Smyrna
was located at the end of a deep inlet making the harbor very protected. Like Ephesus, it was also at the outlet of a
great valley going deeply into the interior of Anatolia.
I have written extensively on
Ephesus in my book on that subject so I will not repeat all that information
here. It is available at www.cedarpark.org/library. Suffice it to say that Ephesus is possibly
the most extensive Roman ruin in the world.
Reference Notes
Places, Dates, and Journeys
The First Journey With Barnabas
Acts 13:1-14:28
1. Antioch, Selucia to Salamis
................ Acts 13:1-3
2. Through Cyprus to Paphos
............... Acts 13:6-12
3. Perga in Pamphilia
.............................. Acts 13:13
4. Antioch in Pisidia
.......................... Acts 13:14-50 *
5. Iconium
........................................ Acts 13:51-14:5
6. Lystra
.............................................. Acts 14:6-20a
7. Derbe...........................................
Acts 14:20b-21a
8. Returned to Lystra, Iconium
9. Antioch................................................
Acts 14:21b
10. Pisidia, Pamphylia,
then Perga ... Acts 14:24-25a
11. Attalia
.......................................... Acts 14:25a-26a
12. Antioch of Syria
........................... Acts 14:26b-28
*(Acts 13:14) At the time, Antioch may have actually been in PHYRGIA, although it later became part of Pisidia, in which case the wording would be Antioch “toward” Pisidia. Border lines were often obscure and constantly changing.
Paul's First Missionary Journey[19]
Map Courtesy of
Goodnews Christian Ministry
|
Scriptures:
See Acts 11:25-26, Acts 13-15.Significant
Events During Journey * |
|
|
Dates |
Events |
|
48 A.D. |
|
|
49 A.D. |
|
|
* Chronology/Events taken
from The Life & Epistles of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson |
|
The Second Journey
With Silas Acts 15:1-18:22
1. Through Syria and Cilicia.............................
Acts 15:41
2. Derbe and Lystra
......................................... Acts 16:1-3
3. Phrygia and Galatia
.................................... Acts 16:4-6
4. Opposite Mysia
............................................... Acts 16:7
5. Passed by Mysia to Troas,
then through Samothracia
(Samothrace) and Neapolis to Philippi
... Acts 16:8-40
6. Through Amphipolis and Apollonia
to Thessalonica
............................................ Acts 17:1-9
7. Berea (Beroea).........................................
Acts 17:10-13
8. Paul sent to coast, then to Athens.............
Acts 17:14-34
9. Corinth .......................................................
Acts 18:1-17
10. Cenchrea (Cenchreae)
................................. Acts 18:18
11. Ephesus
.................................................... Acts 18:19-21
12. Caesarea (Syria),
Jerusalem, & Antioch .... Acts 18:22
Paul's Second Missionary Journey
Map
Courtesy of Goodnews Christian Ministry
|
Scriptures:
See Acts 15-18:22 Significant Events
During Journey * |
|
|
Dates |
Events |
|
A.D. 50 |
|
|
A.D. 51 |
|
|
A.D. 52 |
|
|
A.D. 53 |
|
|
A.D. 54 |
|
|
* Chronology/Events taken
from The Life & Epistles of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson |
|
The Third Journey
Acts 18:23-21:25
1. Through Galatia and Phrygia
.............. Acts 18:23
2. Ephesus
............................................. Acts 19:1-41
3. Macedonia
.......................................... Acts 20:1-2
4. Greece, Macedonia,
Philippi........... Acts 20:3-6a
5. Troas
............................................... Acts 20:6b-12
6. Assos................................................
Acts 20:13-14
7. Mitylene, opposite Chios,
Samos,
Trogyllium (KJV), Miletus ............ Acts
20:14-36
8. Cos, Rhodes, Patara
.......................... Acts 21:1-2
9. Tyre
..................................................... Acts 21:3-6
10. Ptolemais
................................................ Acts 21:7
11. Caesarea ...........................................
Acts 21:9-15
12. Jerusalem........................................
Acts 21:16-25
|
Scriptures:
See Acts 18:23 - 21:17 Significant
Events During Journey * |
|
|
Dates |
Events |
|
A.D. 54 |
|
|
A.D. 55 |
|
|
A.D. 56 |
|
|
A.D. 57 |
|
|
A.D. 58 |
|
|
*
Chronology/Events taken from The Life & Epistles of St. Paul by
Conybeare and Howson **
NOTE:
The original map from Goodnews Christian Ministry showed Paul going
from Ephesus to Assos to Thessalonika (in Macedonia), and not from Ephesus to
Troas to Philippi. Conybeare/Howson show Paul leaving Troas for Philippi,
then retracing his steps in A.D. 58 when he leaves Corinth. The map has been
changed to reflect this research. |
|
Paul's Third
Missionary Journey
Map
Courtesy of Goodnews Christian Ministry
Paul’s Journey to Rome
Acts 21:26-28:31
Background, arrest, and
testimony
1. Antipatris..............................................
Acts 23:31
2. Caesarea
...................................... Acts 23:32-27:1
3. Sidon
................................................... Acts 27:2-3
4. Myra (Lycia).......................................
Acts 27:4-6
5. Cnidus
..................................................... Acts 27:7
6. Fair Havens (close to
Lasea) ............ Acts 27:8-12
7. Past Crete and Clauda
(Cauda)
across Sea of Adria
......................... Acts 27:13-30
8. Melita (Malta)
........................... Acts 27:39-28:11
9. Syracuse
................................................ Acts 28:12
10. Rhegium..............................................
Acts 28:13a
11. Puteoli
................................................. Acts 28:13b
12. Appii Forum, The Three
Taverns,
then to Rome
................................... Acts 28:14-31
Apostle Paul's Journey to Rome in Chains
Map
Courtesy of Goodnews Christian Ministry
|
Scriptures:
See Acts 21:18 - Acts 28 Significant
Events During Journey * |
|
|
Dates |
Events |
|
A.D. 58 |
|
|
A.D. 59 |
|
|
A.D. 60 |
|
|
A.D. 61 |
|
|
A.D. 62 |
|
|
A.D. 63 |
|
|
A.D. 64 - A.D. 68 |
|
|
* Chronology/Events taken
from The Life & Epistles of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson |
|
Biblical Sites in Turkey
Locate this chart at: http://www.rainbow.turkeylink.com/biblicalreferences.html
|
Place |
Reference |
|
Antioch
|
Acts 11:19-27 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. 27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. (NIV) Acts 13:1-2 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (NIV) Acts 14:26-28 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. (NIV) Acts 15:22-36 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. 30 The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord. 36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." (NIV) Gal 2:11-14 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? (NIV) 2 Tim 3:10-11 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings-- what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. (NIV) |
|
Assos
|
Acts 20:13-14 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to (NIV) |
|
Attalia |
Acts 14:25-26 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. |
|
Bithiniya Province |
