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  • Mission to Macedonia with more exhortation

    Mission to Macedonia with more exhortation

    Now after the uproar had ceased, Paul having summoned and exhorted the disciples, said farewell and left to go to Macedonia.

    Acts of the Apostles 20:1 Legacy Standard Bible

    Paul’s mission returns to Macedonia

    When we last left Paul in Ephesus the Apostle had been acquitted of causing a riot and was preparing to sail back to familiar destination of his second mission. Today we’ll briefly return to Macedonia and remind ourselves of the role of exhortation of Christ’s faithful.

    RIOTING TODAY! – Testimony from many stakeholders
    NOTE the Gallery of riots up to the Common Era that go back as far as Assyria in 722 B.C. & Babylon in 537 B.C.
    google earth of Aegean Sea coast between Troas and Macedonia

    ACTS 20:

    2 And when he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

    Districts of the Roman Empire including Italy, Macedonia, Asia, Achaia, Syria, Galatia and more..

    μέρος – 1st. c. districts

    In order to think like these apostles to the gentiles we must not picture countries from a 21st century Common Era map.

    ..Jesus withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon.

    ..Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi..

    ..He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha.

    Matthew 15:21, 16:13: Mark 8:10 – Strong’s G3313 – meros

    Now it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions G3313 and came to Ephesus and found some disciples.

    Acts of the Apostles 19:1 – when Paul first came to Ephesus – [‘through the upper country,’ – KJV ]

    Paul has just left Ephesus (a major Roman city). But think BIGGER: the mission of these apostles leaves Asia.

    The apostle Paul goes out again on mission to Roman Achaia (Greece in some translations) with rebuilt ancient Greek city-states [districts] of a former empire.

    map of kingdoms conquered by Alexander the Great

    Ancient districts and kingdoms including those of the Jews had all fallen in time to EMPIRES of

    Egyptians, Babylonians and Persians.

    More recently Greece had been conquered by a Macedonian King Philip (as in Philippi) and his son.

    Alexander the Great conquered most of the world to the west only to have his fourth century B.C. Greek-speaking Empire later fall to Rome in the East.

    An even more ancient Kingdom of David and far-reaching Empire of Solomon had fallen into a distant memory of a thousand years before. The Jews, however, had been dispersed into all the nations.

    In the first century A.D. time of a Galilean Jewish Messiah Jesus and a Cilician Jewish Roman citizen Paul, Jews sailed and traded from district to district with cultures within Empires from east to west.

    much exhortation

    Jesus Christ sends out apostles who in turn continue the sanctification of the saints won to the church. "and there they continued to preach the gospel. Acts 14:7 talkofJESUS.com

    THE EVANGELISM OF PAUL’S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS ALL INCLUDE EXHORTATION.

    If any thread of witness of the Lord Jesus Christ continues throughout Paul’s three missions none is more evident than his exhortation or ongoing encouragement of these new churches by letter and in person.

    Exhortation defined:

    παρακαλέω – parakaleō – beseech (43x), comfort (23x), exhort (21x), desire (8x), pray (6x), intreat (3x), miscellaneous (4x), variations of ‘besought’ (1x).

    Encouragement practically jumps off the page of Luke’s account outlining Paul’s travel from Ephesus to Achaia and Macedonia

    + to call to one’s side, + to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.

    ALL saints and members of the churches baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and changed forever by the Holy Spirit need exhortation.

    Paul is a humble teacher who loves and mentors his disciples or students. The Apostle encourages the Ephesians as he departs to Macedonia and later will exhort the Ephesians, Philippians as well as others by letter.

    Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them – KJV

    Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them and saying farewell – NET

    and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. – NASB95

    He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece,

    Acts of the Apostles 20:2 NIV
    Do you recall a few years earlier when Paul had first been called to GO TO MACEDONIA?
    Come over to Macedonia and Help us

    The Apostle’s heart longs to build up the living stones of Christ’s Church in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Map of Macedonia from the 300's B.C. at the time of Alexander the Great

    an 18th c. A.D. view of Macedonia

    Cultural commentary expressed here by a notable 18th c. A.D. American should not be read as a 21st c. C.E. commentary of TalkofJESUS.com and is provided as another historical perspective.

You may see his name on source links or at the bottom of this section. - R.H.

    Source: “The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution”.

    source Macedonia Documents: John Adams on Macedonia and its history

    1-..advocate for erecting three new independent republics on the European territory of the Ottoman Empire: Greece, Macedonia and Illyricum.
    2- Macedonia is mentioned separately from Greece, and with that, Macedonia is not part from Greece.

    Source: “The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution”.

    At first, within the Roman province of Macedonia were ancient territories of Boeotia, Southern Epirus, Thessaly, Lower Macedonia, Attica, Peloponnese (present-day Greece), Upper Macedonia and Paeonia (present-day northern Greece and southern FYROM), Northern Epirus and Southern Illyria (present-day Albania).

    After the defeat of Andriscus of Macedon (last Ancient King of Macedon) from Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus in 148 BC, region of Macedonia was divided into four client republics.

    After that in 27 BC, with establishment of the principate territories of Attica and Peloponnese were split off from Macedonia, and was founded new senatorial propaetrorial province named as Achaea.

    Province of Achaea included all Greece south of Thessaly, Macedonia and Epirus. It proves that separation, isn’t made by ethnic dimension (because if Greek inhabitants of Macedonia and Epirus, are questionable for Slavomacedonians and Albanians, then the case with Thessaly isn’t such).

    Also at 67 AD, whole Epirus (Epirus vetus and Epirus nova) has become imperial procuratorial province separated from Macedonia. Thessaly remained as part of Macedonia.

    Source: “The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution”.

    “Conclusion: Alexander and Ptolemy are mentioned as examples for understanding between Jews and Greeks.

    John Adams for Boston Gazette

    – series of papers signed as Novanglus [Newenglander], written in 1774.

    Timeline

    • 332 Before Christ – Alexander the Great captures Judea and Egypt, Hellenization begins
      • 330 Before Christ – Alexander captures Persia
      • 323 B.C. his Empire divided after Alexander dies in Susa
    • 42 B.C. – Battle of Philippi involving 200,000+ Romans in a civil war
    • 37 B.C. – Herod the Great becomes client King of Judea
    • 27 B.C. – Augustus [Octavian, victor at Battle of Philippi] becomes Caesar of the Roman Empire
      • Philippi named a Roman colony Colonia Victrix Philippensium built for veterans of the Roman civil war not returning to Italy.
    • Anno Domini 30 – Crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ
    • ~A.D. 55 – Paul DEPARTS EPHESUS for MACEDONIA
    • ~A.D. 67 – Paul will write a second letter to Timothy (who accompanies the Apostle on this mission and will become the Pastor of the church at Ephesus) just prior to Paul’s martyrdom by Nero in Rome.

    ~ in the year of our Lord 55

    The Jews plotted against him when he was about to set sail for Syria, and so he decided to go back through Macedonia.

    Acts of the Apostles 20:3 – Christian Standard Bible
    google earth map of third missionary journey of Paul - TalkofJESUS.com

    To be continued.. God-willing..

    In ACTS of the Apostles 20

    Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

  • Acts 15:39 Barnabas Sails off to Cypress

    Acts 15:39 Barnabas Sails off to Cypress

    Second Missionary Journey[s] – Departures:

    Acts of the Apostles 15:39

    Acts 15:39-40 Barnabas and Mark depart for Cypress while Paul will journey with Silas to Derby
    2 missionary journeys

    39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 

    Paul is stranded in Antioch [see map]

    NEW PLAN:

    • DO NOT PASS GO
    • Go BACK to Jerusalem
    • Bring Silas along to Antioch
    • GO BY LAND
      • From Antioch North through Syria
      • Preach the Gospel to NEW Towns in CILICIA
      • Continue from Derby to the Churches started on the First Missionary Journey

    Acts 15:40 (some weeks later)

    • ~AD 49 or AD 50

    40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 

    41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

    [See the Land route from Antioch to Derbe on the Google Earth Map of the Departures of the Second Missionary Journey]

    Acts 15:39 Barnabas sails for Cypress. Google Earth Map shows where Paul wanted to go (Derby)
    Map of departures of Barnabas and Paul

    16:15 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει

    And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

    Mark 16:15 – command of the Lord Jesus Christ after His Resurrection!

    Talk of JESUS .com

    Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

    NEXT, God-willing, ACTS 16 – the Second Missionary Journey of the Apostles to the Gentiles – Paul & Silas.

    To be continued…

  • Acts 13.2 – Sailing from Antioch

    Acts 13.2 – Sailing from Antioch

    ON OUR JOURNEY AHEAD from Antioch I’ll show you a 21st century view of Paul’s missionary journey from GOOGLE EARTH guided by brief scripture for each part of Paul’s first missionary journey.

    What do you know about Antioch?

    https://talkofjesus.com/an-antioch-blueprint-of-church-evangelism/
    Did any of you cartographers catch my wrong label for Antioch on this map?

    In my introduction to the first missionary journey of Paul we introduced you to some representative faces of the culture in Antioch, the most notable church outside of Jerusalem.

    Who shall we send? Barnabas and Saul
    In the year of our Lord [A.D.] 47 + about 14 years after the Crucifixion, Resurrection & Ascension of JESUS.

    About Antioch

    Rather than taking a traditional approach to Paul’s missions from a first-century view culturally rooted in Jerusalem, it may help us to think about Antioch and Paul’s departure from this IMPORTANT ROMAN CITY more like a Roman Citizen.

    After all, Saul of Tarsus (Paul), is not only a Jew, but a Roman Citizen who becomes somewhat of an ambassador between cultures, a man of learning and understanding of Romans, Jews and Greeks or Hellenists.

    Antioch on the Orontes – source
    • What you see above is a painting of ruins of the ancient wall of Antioch.
      • (I’ll show you an aerial view of this same area of the city [below]).

    About Antioch: a little before Paul, but NOT before ROME:

    The Great Commission – from Antioch

    Three hundred miles (480 km) north of Jerusalem, the Seleucids urged Jews to move to Antioch, their western capital, and granted them full rights as citizens upon doing so. In 64 BC, Pompey made the city capital over the Roman province of Syria. By AD 165, it was the third largest city of the empire.

    source
    21st c. comparison: FROM CINCINNATI OH to CHICAGO or Ashtabula OH 
WE might FLY to Chicago or DRIVE 400-500 km across Ohio, the same as from Jerusalem to Antioch {Syria, not Ohio}.
Jerusalem is a long walk from MOST of the Roman World!  
So Jerusalem in many ways is NOT such a great place to "go into all the world.'

TRAVEL: FLYING or even DRIVING 50+ mph for a day is NOT a first century option (obviously).
OUR DEPARTURE is for MOSTLY ROMAN destinations. 
And in fact, ANTIOCH is mostly Roman; therefore the Holy Spirit brings Paul, Barnabas and many others to establish the CHURCH in Antioch and from there, to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord JESUS."
    antioch on the Orontes in Syria
    Orontes River flows north along modern-day Lebanon and Syria toward Antakya, Turkey then SW to the Mediterranean.

    Antioch on the Orontes, an ancient Greek city on the eastern side of the Orontes River, was one of the most glorious of all the Greek cities in the world.

    Home to hundreds of thousands of people in its golden age, it was known as “The Second Rome” and subsequently “the Cradle of Christianity” before it experienced so many cataclysmic earthquakes and military conquests that it was reduced to a backwater.

    source

    ~A.D. 47

    ACTS of the Apostles 13:

    Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

    Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

    This Ancient Roman road connected Antioch and Chalcis.

    So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia…

    Acts of the Apostles 13:4a

    Caesarea! a model of Roman incursion into all the world of the Mediterranean - a key port for Romans, a city where Cornelius, Philip, Peter, Paul and others brought the gospel
    The Roman city is not unlike a more familiar Caesarea [a model pictured here], Jerusalem's Roman port also built by Herod the Great AND built even better for Rome by Herod Agrippa.
    ..and from there they sailed to Cyprus. – Acts 13:4b LSB

    ACTS 13 of the Apostles on Mission TO BE CONTINUED…