Tag: silas

  • A cultural clash at the Agora in Roman Philippi

    A cultural clash at the Agora in Roman Philippi

    a Roman Government of Greek Culture

    The Roman-built forum in Philippi with its bustling traditional Greek agora resembled the forum in Rome (cover-photo remains of the Roman forum pillars shows some of the grandeur of these most-public areas of the Empires greatest cities.

    Archaeological Site of Philippi: General view of the forum with adjacent agora marketplace
    Archaeological Site of Philippi: General view of the forum

    Similar-sized pillars in the foreground of the Philippi Forum and agora (to the R) in this aerial view of the archaeological ruins at Philippi gives us a glimpse at the size and importance of this Macedonian City-State namesake of the father of Alexander the Great – a second Rome at the head of the Aegean.


    roman forum
    Roman Forum

    Agora

    Romans call it the public square, others the marketplace — Greeks called it the agora.

    From their own ancient traditions people worshiped there, bought and sold goods, conducted most public aspects of government over the governed and frequently gathered at the agora for general celebrations of social life preceding both religious and private parties.

    Everybody’s there for business seven days a week. The agora was where the paths of the powerful crossed publically with every-day classes of the city-state and also slaves employed to the gain of all.

    The Hellenist agora suited Rome as a place where Roman citizens could mingle with their colonists in Macedonia or any other defeated foe. Roman government was conducted formally from an adjacent forum and pavement for and gathering of citizens, people or slaves before the Prefect.

    You may not agree with my overview of the agora condensing some 500 years back to ancient Greece up to the era of Rome’s first century dominance of all of Europe, but as always check my sources for more details. More later.


    Philippi was ROME in western Macedonia.

    Antioch - Crossroads of Christianity and map of 1sr c. AD Roman Empire
    .. and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts of the Apostles 11:25b NASB

    We began an introduction to Philippi last time which partially answered what Alexander the Great has to do with a second missionary journey of the apostle Paulos and Luke’s account of the ACTS of this 1st c. A.D. Roman citizen in a city of Greece.

    a few additional thoughts that may change your mind about the significance of Philippi
    • Greece is NOT a country
    • City-States of ancient Macedon & Greece were separate from each other
    • Democracy gave way to Empire
    • Philippi was named for Emperor Alexander’s father
    • Alexander died in the same Susa of Persia and Babylon where the Jews had been taken previously
    • Augustus Caesar (mentioned in Luke’s Gospel) is the same Octavian who had defeated Brutus and Cassius in the Battle of Philippi
    • Roman roads connected the land all across Eurasia
    • Philippi as a port between Rome and Alexandria was strategically important SO..

    Rome had rebuilt Philippi as a ROMAN city.

    Think of Philippi as a 1st c. New YORK City to Roman colonies of a ‘new world’ similar to expansion seventeen centuries later when a current Roman conquest to the west Britannia would rule the seas.

    Enter Paul and Silas apostles sent into all the world from a gateway Roman city of Philippi.


    Acts of Paul and Silas

    “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

    v. 17b – a slave girl who had a spirit of divination

    “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”

    v. 18b – Paul, to the spirit in her

    And it came out that very hour.


    We don’t know how many more days have passed in Philippi, but Luke records that the young slave girl no longer has any demonic power to profit her owners. And of course these influential men want justice against any men who have impeded their profit by evil means.

    19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

    More about Philippi’s Forum & Agora

    We need to see the Philippi of A.D. 50 as Roman citizens and Hellenist merchants of this important city would have viewed this scene of commerce interrupted by these out-of-towners.

    forum adjacent to agora of Philippi ruins
    ruins of Forum in Philippi adjacent to agora

    agora, in ancient Greek cities, an open space that served as a meeting ground for various activities of the citizens.

    Agora – source Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “agora”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Dec. 2017, https://www.britannica.com/topic/agora. Accessed 13 March 2023.

    • surrounded by public buildings and by temples. Colonnades, sometimes containing shops, or stoae, often enclosed the space, and statues, altars, trees, and fountains adorned it.
    • the agora influenced the development of the Roman forum and was, in turn, influenced by it. The forum, however, was conceived in a more rigid manner than the agora and became a specific, regular, open area surrounded by planned architecture.
    • meetings devoted to ostracism were still held in the agora, where the main tribunal remained.
    • A distinction was maintained between commercial and ceremonial agoras
    • Men accused of murder and other crimes were forbidden to enter it before their trials. Free men went there not only to transact business and to act as jurors but also to talk and idle

    Democracy of the Marketplace

    20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said,

    “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 

    22 The crowd joined in attacking them,

    and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

    23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.

    24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.


    ACTS of Paul and Silas — To Be Continued…

  • Second Missionary Journey – Acts 16

    Second Missionary Journey – Acts 16

    ACTS 16 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. 


    (A quick glance at the Google Earth MAP cover for Paul’s Second Missionary Journey will reveal merely the start of this 2nd mission.)

    Start new

    The apostles’ intention was to return to churches of their first missionary journey but plans have changed. Paul’s journey must start on new roads into all the world without Barnabas.


    Have you ever had to start new journeys to places where you thought you knew the way?

    AND somehow your GPS great planning systems to travel back to where you have been before sends you in a completely different direction?

    THAT’S what happened to Barnabas and Paul.

    BUT there is a connection between these two missionary journeys we may have missed.

    (really all 3 mission trips of the Apostle Paul)

    Acts 15 – Connecting 2 Missionary Journeys

    In fact, the Holy Spirit had other plans for their new start to familiar as well as new and unfamiliar places.


    AD 49 – THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

    ACTS 15:36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas,
    “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

    Our conflicting Christian maps of what WE THE CHURCH plan to do in our MISSIONS to preach the Gospel to all of the world often blur a higher view from the perfect perspective of Holy Spirit of God plans.

    The heart of man plans his way,
    but the LORD establishes his steps.

    Proverbs 16:9 ESV

    Acts of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas sent by the Holy Spirit on a mission to the gentiles
    The Holy Spirit had sent our Paul and Barnabas from Antioch Syria to the gentiles

    Barnabas and Paul then planned to deliver a letter to all the followers of Jesus Christ — Jews and Gentiles — an important encouragement from their recent Council in Jerusalem with the Apostles and leading members of the Antioch Church in Syria.

    YET LATER..

    .. they separated from each other.

    Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed..

    ACTS 15:39b-40a ESV

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

    Two apostles of the Church separated?

    YES.

    Their second separate journeys to deliver encouragement of the Council in Jerusalem to distant new churches with Jews and Gentiles joined in the worship of the risen Lord Jesus Christ DID NOT go as THEY had planned.

    YET NOW,

    the apostles’ missions will include two more apostles sent forth [*] by the Holy Spirit: MARK with Barnabas and SILAS with Paul.


    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.

    Lystra, Derbe and Iconium in the Taurus mountains.

    Paul wanted to return to encourage new believers in these towns with the Council’s letter and instructions on his second missionary journey initially planned with Barnabas.

    Joseph of Cypress, his fellow apostle with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, had parted ways to encourage his fellow Cyprians. Their previous new start together occurred after a brotherly disagreement between Saul of Tarsus and Barnabas.

    That dispute also involved their assistant John Mark son of Mary, who remained at the foot of the Cross during Jesus’ crucifixion. They had also welcomed Peter into their home after the Apostles miraculous escape from Herod’s prison in Jerusalem.


    Before Paul’s 10 year Missionary Journey

    • + AD 30 – Jesus’ Crucifixion (Mark’s mother at the foot of the Cross
      • Jesus’ RESURRECTION! 3 days later
      • Pentecost with the Holy Spirit giving believers a new start in an eternal life and sending out hundreds of witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection into all the world.
    • AD 32 – Stephen martyred in Jerusalem with Saul of Tarsus as witness, who then is sent out by the Jews to terrorize Christ followers.
    • ~ AD 37 Jesus appears to Saul on a road in Syria and he witnesses the risen Lord!
      • After his return from Arabia Saul will start a new preaching of the Gospel
        • in Damascus (Syria),
        • Jerusalem,
        • Caesarea (Herodian port of Rome in Samaria near Galilee, all part of Roman Syria
        • and Saul’s home of Tarsus, a port city of Roman Cilicia.
        • Then this new start:
          • on ‘3 missionary journeys’
            • after about ten years of proven faith
            • Saul is now also known as Paul

    Paul’s nearly continuous MISSIONARY JOURNEY of 10 years

    AD 47-57

    SOON our outlined divisions of CHAPTERS & VERSES of Acts will navigate a new course — a journey so different from our mortal TIME that Christians often miss months and years in the blink of an eye between verses.

    In this brief section of ACTS of the APOSTLES we call:

    ‘The Second Missionary Journey of Paul,’

    the ‘apostle to the gentileswill join with many other apostles sent out into all the world of their first century with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    ALL will be sent out by the Holy Spirit whose plans may differ from our own.


    NEXT, God-willing, we will meet some of these new companions of the Apostle to the Gentiles as Paul continues his ‘2nd missionary journey’ …

  • Preaching Good News then a Parting of Paths to the Gentiles

    Preaching Good News then a Parting of Paths to the Gentiles

    First Missionary Journey

    SUCCESS! So after their first missionary journey and years together witnessing the Gospel you wouldn’t expect a parting of paths of these apostles Barnabas and Paul, right?

    map of Mediterranean coastline - Jerusalem, Antioch Syria Cypress & Antioch Pisidia on Paul's first missionary journey

    The Church at Antioch received exciting good news that their First Missionary Journey was successful. Then hey sent a delegation to Jerusalem to clarify some gentile issues in a Council meeting with the Apostles and Church. Barnabas and Paul return to Antioch with a clarification of doctrine and some brothers from the Jerusalem Church.

    The Council at Jerusalem sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.. down to Antioch.

    Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren – Acts of the Apostles 15:20 – KJV

    Previously:
    
    Acts 14:27 [in Antioch]
    And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. But some men came down from Judea [to the church at Antioch] ..
    
    And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 
    
    When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
    
    Excerpt from Acts of the Apostles 14:27 - 15:4

    A.D. 49 – Antioch Syria

    Acts 15:

    30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

    Preaching the Gospel to all in Antioch

    32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.

    35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

    [Let’s not miss this: Paul and Barnabas had spent some time with the Church in Jerusalem. Now Judas [Barsabas] and Silas ‘exhorted the brethren’ [KJV] in Antioch. And then they return [v.33b]

    Planning a Second Missionary Journey

    Take a look at our  map [cover]: 
    Barnabas and Paul preached the Gospel as they had sailed to Cypress, travelled along the coast and then sailed to Pamphylia where they journeyed to inland cities before sailing back to Antioch. ~A.D. 47-49
    

    36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas,

    “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

    37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.

    38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

    route of sailing from Paphos Cypress to Perga Pamphilia
    Do you recall the incident prior to their inland journey? (It too had caused a parting of paths and as mentioned previously became a time when Mark would write his Gospel.)
    
    Acts of the Apostles 13:13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem
    

    Barnabas wants to have his young cousin who had served them in Cypress to go with them again. As a reminder, Barnabas had also mentored the younger Saul of Tarsus (Paul) in his early days. But Paul disagreed.

    This sharp disagreement between Christians, brothers who worked side by side proclaiming the Gospel — even suffering severe persecution for the sake of the Gospel of Christ Jesus — Paul and Barnabas would NOW agree to a parting of paths to the gentiles, making separate mission journeys with new travel companions to witness the Gospel in yet more cities and towns of the Roman-ruled world of MOSTLY gentiles.

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

    Acts of the Apostles 15:39 – Second Missionary Journey of Barnabas and Mark begins.

    AD 49/50 {Between v.39 & v.40} It will take Paul some weeks or perhaps months to reorganize the 2nd mission to the Gentiles as the apostles and friends plan their parting of paths for two missions to MORE new Christians.

    A parting of paths of Barnabas (who sails again to Cypress) & Paul who now plans a 2nd missionary journey to Derbe by land through Syria and Cilicia.
    Cilicia – journey through Syria to Pamphylia

    40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

    Acts of the Apostles 15:40-41 – Second Missionary Journey of Paul and Silas begins.

    4 apostles De-parting on 2 Paths with 1 Gospel

    NEXT: A map of their NEW Missionary Journeys & Parting of Paths to the Gentiles, God-willing.

    ACTS on MISSION To Be Continued…


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