Daniel Chapter 3

[JLG]

17- Paphos

From Salamis, Barnabas, Paul and Mark traveled to Paphos, on the other side of the island. In this seaport, magic reigns supreme. It is just if we do not grant him the rank of religion. Its supporters are inspired by doctrines that have their roots in Egypt or Mesopotamia. Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, gladly welcomes magicians and philosophers of all tendencies to his palace. He is always happy to engage with them in a debate that the intellectuals of antiquity loved.

Before the proconsul Sergius Paulus. Paul blinds the magician Elymas.

Having learned of the presence in Paphos of three new preachers, the proconsul wanted to meet them. “He invited Barnabas, Paul and Mark and expressed the desire to hear the word of God”. One would rather believe that, being bored on his island, the representative of the emperor probably sought to distract himself by meeting these unusual visitors.

It was the first time that the Gospel penetrated the aristocracy of Roman society. It is easy to understand that for this occasion it was Paul, the Roman citizen, who played the main role. The privilege of Roman citizenship gave him a certain prestige in the eyes of the governor of this senatorial province.

Sergius Paulus became the first prominent Roman to convert (Cornelius, baptized by Peter, was only a centurion). The proconsul may have been one of those "God-fearing" people who in every city went to the synagogue, drawn by the moral richness of the Jewish faith.

Sergius Paulus, from a noble family, is presented to us by Pliny as a cultured man, an important personage, an authority in the natural sciences, a member of the imperial commission for the regulation of the Tiber, the river which crosses Rome, a connoisseur of philosophical questions and nuns. Seeking the truth, he had none of the jaded skepticism of Pontius Pilate. Luke calls him "a wise man", because he obviously sought access to the world of the supernatural.

His administrative occupations in the small island left him a lot of leisure time which he devoted to intellectual work. As proconsul, he was surrounded by a court composed of young Roman patricians, preparing for their future career as administrators.

“Saul” will disappear, giving way to “PAUL”. Paulos, in Greek, means small.

From these meetings with Sergius Paulus will result an important event in the life of Paul. The apostle who until now was called Saul, will add to his name that of Paul. He will be known by this new name “for all eternity.” For a time the Tarsiote used both names: Saul dit Paul. But quickly, “Saul” will disappear, giving way to “Paul”. Paulos, in Greek, means small. Besides the reality of his small size, Paul no doubt wanted to underline in his own eyes his condition as a servant compared to the infinite power of God.

From this moment, the Evangelist Luke only names the Apostle with his name Paul. In this Greek and Roman name (Paulos - Paulus) we find a new opening for “the apostle of the Nations”.

It is interesting to note that Saul's name never appears in Paul's letters. He does not mention it even when he evokes his life preceding his conversion and this encounter in Paphos. He refers to himself as "Paul". It is only in the Acts of the Apostles that we encounter the two names of Saul and Paul. Before his conversion, Luke names him “Saul”. The only passage where the two names are used side by side is in Acts 13:9 which simply says, "Saul, also called Paul." This is the last time that Luke uses this name "Saul".

In Cyprus, we see Paul pass imperceptibly from the supporting role to that of head of mission.

Another significant change: in Cyprus, we see Paul pass imperceptibly from the supporting role to that of head of mission. So far the texts have spoken of “Barnabas and Paul”. It will no longer be a question, from now on, of “Paul and Barnabas”.

After spending a few months in Cyprus, Paul decided to go to the continent and Barnabas let himself be carried away by his friend's ardor.

Marc, however, expressed his disagreement and protested strongly. What were they doing up there in those wild mountains? There will be no Jewish communities, no synagogues, only impassable paths, bordering abysses, bridges and walkways torn down and merciless brigands. This is not how he had imagined the journey. The courage of the young man from Jerusalem, who knew nothing of wild nature, was flagging. He didn't want to continue. Paul's audacious ardor was beyond him. He did not feel able to face the difficulties and dangers of these inhospitable places. He spoke about it to his cousin, Barnabas, and communicated to him his decision to take the first boat bound for Caesarea Maritime, to then enter Jerusalem. This desertion of young Marc deeply hurt Paul and it will later become one of the causes of conflict between Paul and Barnabas.

Makc, author of a gospel, cousin of Barnabas, disciple and collaborator of Peter, once again a companion of Paul.

Mark had grown up in Jerusalem among the first apostles, he had been brought up in the Judaic tradition which still strongly linked the young Church to the Synagogue. Paul, that fiery apostle, was determined to tear the Church from the Synagogue. Back in Jerusalem, Mark will become Peter's pupil and collaborator and his interpreter for the Greek language. He will take the road with him. The chief apostle speaks of “my son Mark” in one of his letters (1 Peter 5:13). Marc will accompany Peter on his missionary journeys and learn all about Jesus of Nazareth. This will fully qualify him to write the first of the four gospels, which is also sometimes called the "Gospel of Peter".

Mark will later be able to overcome this youthful defection from Paphos, and he will again become a valued collaborator of the apostle Paul. Prisoner in Rome, Paul writes: "Aristarchus, my companion in captivity, greets you, as well as Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, about whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, make him welcome." (Colossians 4, 10)

After this departure from the port of Paphos, Paul never set foot on the island of Cyprus again. He considered this island as the stronghold and the foundation of Barnabas, and he did not want to build "on the ground of others".

 

[JLG]

- According to the Acts of the Apostles, Paul's life is marked by three great missionary journeys. The first begins in the year 46, when Paul is 41 years old (Acts 13.1-3). He begins the second in 50 and the third ends in the year 58, with his arrest in the Temple of Jerusalem (Acts 21, 27-34). In all, twelve or thirteen years of adventures on the roads and on the seas! These trips have nothing to do with the comfort of travel today. Only the main roads of the Empire had inns every thirty kilometers, where travelers could find refuge at the end of the day. On the secondary roads, it was necessary to spend the night in makeshift shelters.

- Paul and Barnabas, who probably traveled on foot, joined one of the many caravans that moved from one city to another. They traveled between thirty and thirty-five kilometers per day, a speed slightly lower than the average speed of a person on foot today. Road conditions were much worse than they are today.

- During his twelve or thirteen years of mission, Paul visited several large cities of the Empire: Antioch, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome. These cities welcomed a mixture of nationalities and people from all over the world rubbed shoulders there, just like in our cities today!

- Arriving in towns and villages, Paul and Barnabas always proceeded in the same way. They went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. This meeting was intended to convince their co-religionists that Christ was the Messiah. Generally, they rallied some, the others were hostile. This they knew in advance, but they considered that their preaching should first be addressed to the Israelites.



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18- On the roads of the empire

From Paphos on the island of Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas decide to go to Asia Minor. In this very busy port, boats sail in all directions. Just choose. We must act quickly because the dangerous period of autumn, which prohibits sea travel, is fast approaching. Among the destinations that Paul might be interested in are Ephesus, a coastal city and a major transit center. But he prefers Attaleia. The person who influenced this decision is undoubtedly Sergius Paulus who probably has relations and contacts likely to be useful to the two missionaries.

Paul never had a definite travel plan. He responded to opportunities that presented themselves. Sergius Paulus offered him to go to Attaleia and from there to Antioch of Pisidia and this destination seemed to him interesting. As we mentioned earlier, Mark took the ship to Caesarea and from there he will reach Jerusalem.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Paul's life is marked by three great missionary journeys. The first begins in the year 46, when Paul is 41 years old (Acts 13.1-3). He begins the second in 50 and the third ends in the year 58, with his arrest in the Temple of Jerusalem (Acts 21, 27-34). In all, twelve or thirteen years of adventures on the roads and on the seas! These trips have nothing to do with the comfort of travel today. Only the main roads of the Empire had inns every thirty kilometers, where travelers could find refuge at the end of the day. On the secondary roads, it was necessary to spend the night in makeshift shelters.

Roman roads in the Empire

Via Appia near Rome

Under construction - sketch of a section

Old Roman road, near Pelussin

The Romans had built, in their provinces around the Mediterranean, a quite remarkable road network whose first destination was military: indeed, the legions had to be able to move quickly to be where their intervention was necessary. For this reason, the Roman roads were drawn in a straight line and always connected two strategic points.

The oldest of these roads, the Via Appia, linked Rome to Capua. It had been built in 312 BC. J.-C. At the beginning of the Christian era, all the countries around the Mediterranean were furrowed with traffic routes. The road network will have more than 350 lanes, covering nearly 80,000 km.

Roman engineers had developed very efficient construction techniques that were used on all roads in the empire. Wide from 5 to 7.50 meters, they were built of five superimposed layers of materials, with a surface covering of stone slabs. Milestones or terminals indicated the distances between two cities. The military, aided by local workers, were in charge of building these roads and the many bridges, retaining walls and tunnels that made it possible to cross natural obstacles. The army was also responsible for maintaining the road network.

The Roman roads were at the service of all the inhabitants of the empire. Leaders, dignitaries and the wealthiest citizens traveled in comfortable cars, escorted by horsemen. Simple individuals, according to their means, traveled in groups in heavy covered wagons, on horseback or mule, or on foot.

Paul and Barnabas, who probably traveled on foot, joined one of the many caravans that moved from one city to another. They traveled between thirty and thirty-five kilometers per day, a speed slightly lower than the average speed of a person on foot today. Road conditions were much worse than they are today.

During his twelve or thirteen years of mission, Paul visited several large cities of the Empire: Antioch, Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome. These cities welcomed a mixture of nationalities and people from all over the world rubbed shoulders there, just like in our cities today!

The Gospel came from the rural world, from the interior of Palestine, and Paul had to be able to incarnate it in this new reality of the urban world. Difficult task! He had in mind the prophecy of Pentecost which wanted the Good News to reach all nations. Luke enumerates the peoples present in Jerusalem at the feast: “How is it then that each of us hears them in his own language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and that part of Libya which is close to Cyrene, Romans in residence, both Jews than proselytes, Cretans and Arabs, we hear them publishing in our language the marvels of God!” (Acts 2, 8-11) Throughout his travels Paul shows how the Gospel reached all these peoples and many others. Thus the prophecy of Pentecost is fulfilled.

Arriving in towns and villages, Paul and Barnabas always proceeded in the same way. They went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. This meeting was intended to convince their co-religionists that Christ was the Messiah. Generally, they rallied some, the others were hostile. This they knew in advance, but they considered that their preaching should first be addressed to the Israelites.

Of all those churches founded during Paul's sweaty and laborious first journey - Salamis, Paphos, Perge, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe - virtually nothing remains today. The call to prayer launched by the muezzin from the top of the minaret tells another story.

 

[JLG]

Towards the end of his stay in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul must already have considered a break with the synagogue: “The following Sabbath, almost the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. At the sight of this crowd, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and they replied with blasphemies to Paul's words. Emboldened then, Paul and Barnabas declared: “It was to you first that it was necessary to announce the word of God. Since you reject it and do not deem yourselves worthy of eternal life, well! we turn to the pagans. For thus has the Lord commanded us: I have made you a light of the nations, to make you salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13, 44-47)

We note the power of Paul's message!

Which causes the jealousy of the Jews!

As in the case of Jesus!

This did not prevent them from pursuing their activity with force!

Incredible examples to follow that push us to action!

The opposite of inactivity!


Because of these confrontations with some Jews in the synagogue, the two missionaries were no longer allowed to speak. That is why they taught in private homes, on terraces and in the open air. However, the final rupture only occurred during Paul's stay in Corinth, when he left the synagogue and settled nearby in the house of Justus, who was a proselyte (Acts 18:6).

Which shows that all means are good to transmit the message of Jesus!

Despite Jewish opposition, the Word of the Lord, through Paul and Barnabas, took root throughout the region. The good seed had been sown.

The work of Yah.weh cannot be stopped!

It must continually spread!

It is life itself that is stronger than anything!



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19. Perge and Antioch of Pisidia

Perge, in Pamphylia, near Attaleia

Paul and Barnabas leave the port of Neo-Paphos, to go to Attaleia, in Asia Minor. It took thirty-six hours of sailing to get there. Attaleia Bay was protected against corsairs by a crown of forts and bastions.

From Attaleia, they reach the city of Perge in less than half a day's walk. “They announced the word to Perge,” says Luke. (Acts 13,13) They stayed in this city for some time and then they crossed the Taurus mountains and a semi-desert area to reach Antioch in Pisidia. “From Paphos, where they embarked, Paul and his companions reached Perge, in Pamphylia. But John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. As for them, pushing beyond Perge, they arrived at Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the heads of the synagogue sent word to them: "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement to speak to the people, speak." (Acts 13, 13-15)

Antioch of Pisidia, in a mountainous region

While Tarsus and Antioch of Syria are barely 80 meters above sea level, Antioch of Pisidia is at 1,200 meters, Iconium at 1,027 meters and Lystra at 1,230 meters. These territories had been dangerous regions, filled with gangs of thieves and killers. To put an end to this robbery, the Emperors Caesar-Augustus and Claudius had recourse to a very effective means: they founded colonies of veterans. Antioch had thus become a Roman colony under Italian law. The settlers came mostly from the Celtic legion, recruited in Gaul.

Augustus's decision to establish a veterans' colony there had given new life to the town. The veterans demobilized after the battle of Actium (31 BC) against Mark-Antony, Cleopatra and Brutus, obtained land there which they cultivated, but on one condition: to bring order among the population, for which they were perfectly prepared. Antioch was a replica of Rome: administration, religious traditions, division into districts, theatre, baths, aqueducts, etc. It was nicknamed "little Rome". In his will, Emperor Augustus mentioned the colonies of Pisidia as one of the important achievements that marked his reign.

Certainly, Paul knew great cities: Damascus, Antioch of Syria, Tarsus, Jerusalem, Ephesus. He would never have thought that a Roman metropolis could be found in the middle of a region that Luke would describe as barbaric and savage? Antioch of Pisidia had all the infrastructure of a large city and was protected by Roman walls. It was also a "holy city", dedicated to the worship of the male god of the moon, named Men or Lunus. During the illuminated nights, wild orgiastic liturgies took place, during which the inhabitants of the city offered their sacrifices to the moon and indulged, in the company of numerous hierodules (prostitutes) of the temple, in unbridled debauchery and Dionysian celebrations. Paul alludes to it in his letter to the Galatians, when he writes: "Once it is true, when you did not know God, you were slaves of the gods who possessed no divinity" (Galatians 4:8).

In this region of pastures and livestock, in the center of southern Asia Minor, Paul and Barnabas will lay the foundations of many churches. Throughout this period, the two missionaries were in constant danger from the Jewish communities in these remote towns.

The Jews, attracted by the leather trade, enjoyed here as everywhere else many privileges since the time of Caesar, their great benefactor and their debtor.

Confrontations with some Jews in the synagogue.

Paul must have already considered a break with the synagogue.

Towards the end of his stay in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul must already have considered breaking with the synagogue: “The following Sabbath, almost the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. At the sight of this crowd, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and they replied with blasphemies to Paul's words. Emboldened then, Paul and Barnabas declared: “It was to you first that it was necessary to announce the word of God. Since you reject it and do not deem yourselves worthy of eternal life, well! we turn to the pagans. For thus has the Lord commanded us: I have made you a light of the nations, to make you salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13, 44-47)

Because of these confrontations with some Jews in the synagogue, the two missionaries were no longer allowed to speak. That is why they taught in private homes, on terraces and in the open air. However, the final rupture only occurred during Paul's stay in Corinth, when he left the synagogue and settled nearby in the house of Justus, who was a proselyte (Acts 18:6).

In Antioch, to fight Paul and the Christians, the Jews began to use a tactic which would often return in the future and which would be favorable to them. Thanks to their business sense and their money, they maintained very good relations with influential circles. Many Jewish women married Greek or Roman officials and had their friends among the wives of the rulers of the city. This is how the Synagogue easily won over the municipal police to its cause, thanks to the pious ladies. It was explained to the guardians of public order that the two apostles were introducing a new cult, which was forbidden by law, and that they were proclaiming a certain Christ as king, which made him an adversary of Caesar. This Jesus had been condemned to death in the time of Pontius Pilate, for having fomented an insurrection against the Roman authority. In the eyes of the rulers, the Christians were therefore guilty of high treason.

By bribing a few dubious individuals, a popular riot was provoked. City officials realized that they could no longer guarantee public order if foreigners did not leave the city immediately.

Where the Jews failed to gain civil authority, they applied the punishment of the whip themselves, in the basements of their synagogues. This barbaric pain would henceforth return with obsessive regularity throughout the life of St. Paul.

After several months, Paul and Barnabas were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia: “The Jews shook their heads at the ladies of rank who worshiped God as well as at the notables of the city; they thus aroused a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their territory. These, shaking off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium. As for the disciples, they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13, 50-52)

This witch hunt and unjust treatment was only possible in small provincial towns without a proconsul, such as Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium and Philippi. In the great cities of the empire, Paul's Roman citizenship protected him from these abuses.

Despite Jewish opposition, the Word of the Lord, through Paul and Barnabas, took root throughout the region. The good seed had been sown.

 

[JLG]

- Paul likes to meet the Jews of the Diaspora and to pray with them in the synagogue. There is a familiar atmosphere.

- In the first place, he followed the path of the Jewish emigrants, those who were called the Jews of the Diaspora. Colonies were established in different cities of the Roman Empire and had developed a whole network of synagogues. This allowed Paul to quickly find a familiar atmosphere.

- Then he chose the places where he could practice his trade. This allowed him to live among hard-working artisans, to get to know them better and to remain financially independent. Barnabas acted in the same way.

- Arriving in a city, Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish quarter and looked for work there. According to Eastern custom, they were received in the community, and Paul immediately began to practice his trade of weaving. On Sabbath days, the two missionaries went to the synagogue.

- Imperial law forbade openly preaching a new religion (religio illicita). Only the Synagogue had express permission to proselyte. This favored Christians because for decades non-Jews did not distinguish between Christianity and Judaism. It seemed to them to be the same religion.

- Speaking before the congregation, Paul begins by giving a traditional interpretation of the scripture; then he announces the message of Jesus

- Paul had a dual scheme of missionary preaching: the first for the use of Jews, the other for the use of non-Jews. In the Acts of the Apostles (13, 15) Luke has preserved for us the broad outlines of a missionary reflection addressed to a synagogue audience.

- Paul's speeches used to deeply move his listeners, Jews and Gentiles. In Antioch of Pisidia, it is talked about throughout the week, and the following Saturday, the synagogue is full to capacity. In the midst of the pagans eager to listen to foreign preachers, the Jews find themselves in a minority and they are furious: "At the sight of this crowd, the Jews were seized with fury, and it was insults that they opposed to the words from Paul. Paul and Barnabas then had the boldness to declare: It is to you first that the word of God should be addressed! Since you reject it and deem yourselves unworthy of eternal life, then we turn to the pagans. For such is indeed the order we have from the Lord: "I have made you a light of the nations, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth". (Acts, 13, 44-46)

- On the other hand, Yah.weh is a God of order and his servants must reflect this order!

- Paul is a good example!

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[JLG]

20. Paul's working method

We can wonder if Paul had a method of work that he used systematically in his missionary journeys. Although he didn't always have a set plan, he knew what he wanted and where he was going. We find two constants in his movements.

Paul enjoys meeting Diaspora Jews and praying with them in the synagogue. There is a familiar atmosphere.

First, he followed the path of the Jewish emigrants, the so-called Diaspora Jews. Colonies were established in different cities of the Roman Empire and had developed a whole network of synagogues. This allowed Paul to quickly find a familiar atmosphere.

Then he chose the places where he could practice his trade. This allowed him to live among hard-working artisans, to get to know them better and to remain financially independent. Barnabas acted in the same way.

Arriving in a city, Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish quarter and looked for work there. According to Eastern custom, they were received in the community, and Paul immediately began to practice his trade of weaving. On Sabbath days, the two missionaries went to the synagogue.

Imperial law forbade openly preaching a new religion (religio illicita). Only the Synagogue had express permission to proselyte. This favored Christians because for decades non-Jews did not distinguish between Christianity and Judaism. It seemed to them to be the same religion.

In the Jewish quarter of Antioch, on the Sabbath, all the bazaars were closed. Many Jews and many "God-fearing" (non-Jewish sympathizers) went to the synagogue. Above the front door were two olive branches framing the inscription: "Temple of the Hebrews." In the basement there were bathrooms. Anyone who had touched forbidden meat or a corpse had to perform the ritual purification ablutions first. Upstairs was the prayer hall, where the seven-branched candelabra stood. In the middle of the room was the reading desk, and behind a curtain were the scrolls of the Bible. During the prayers and reflections, the women were seated at the side, behind a wooden grill.

Addressing the congregation, Paul begins by giving a traditional interpretation of the scripture; then he announces the message of Jesus

News of the arrival of two scribes spread quickly. Paul and Barnabas wore the white and brown mantle (the tallit) which distinguished them from the proselytes. Paul presented himself as a doctor of the law and Barnabas as a Levite. After the reading of the scriptures, Paul was invited to address the congregation.

Ben-Chorin, a Jewish writer, believes it was traditional to invite Paul, a disciple of Gamaliel, to deliver the day's reflection. He then begins by presenting a traditional interpretation of the Scripture; then he announces the message of Jesus, which is regularly resented as a scandal by his Jewish listeners.

Paul had a dual pattern of missionary preaching: one for use by Jews, the other for Gentiles. In the Acts of the Apostles (13, 15) Luke has preserved for us the broad outlines of a missionary reflection addressed to a synagogue audience.

Every Sabbath, the Jews read Psalm 22. They knew it by heart and considered it a messianic psalm. The inspired ancestor painted, a thousand years before Paul, a grandiose picture of the sufferings of the Messiah. This is the psalm that Jesus recited on the Cross: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Ps 22, 2)

Referring to this psalm, Paul told the Jews that it is not their dream of world domination that the Messiah will realize, but this other dream of the prophets: the conversion and reunion of all peoples and the constitution of the universal kingdom of God , through the sufferings of the Messiah. Psalm 22 ends with this vision of the future: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh. All the families of the heathen nations will bow down before his face. For the dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”

The clash is due to the fact that Paul seems to belittle the Law of Moses and that, on the other hand,

he advocates absolute equality between pagans and Jews, which amounts to suppressing the Election of Israel.

In his presentation, Paul appeals to the intimate experience of each: “You know well that the Law of Moses did not make you righteous (did not justify you). It is in Jesus that you will find the remission of sins, peace and reconciliation with God.”

Paul was treading on minefield by asserting that the Law of Moses had limits and that these limits could be crossed? Only one had done it before him: Etienne, and they had put him to death. Not only does Paul follow in his footsteps, but he goes even further.

Paul's letters are full of quotations which he draws from the Greek version of the Septuagint. He was the first to call the Scriptures "the Old Testament" (2 Cor 3:14). He understood that Christ had come to fulfill the promise. For him, Christianity is in the continuity of this extraordinary history of salvation which began with Abraham and which was realized in Jesus Christ.

Paul's speeches used to deeply stir his listeners, Jews and Gentiles. In Antioch of Pisidia, it is talked about throughout the week, and the following Saturday, the synagogue is full to capacity. In the midst of the pagans eager to listen to foreign preachers, the Jews find themselves in a minority and they are furious: "At the sight of this crowd, the Jews were seized with fury, and it was insults that they opposed to the words from Paul. Paul and Barnabas then had the boldness to declare: It is to you first that the word of God should be addressed! Since you reject it and deem yourselves unworthy of eternal life, then we turn to the pagans. For such is indeed the order we have from the Lord: "I have made you a light of the nations, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth". (Acts, 13, 44-46)

According to Ben-Chorin, “if Paul had contented himself with announcing the Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, he would not have provoked such a conflict with the synagogue. The confrontation is due to the fact that on the one hand, he seems to depreciate the Law of Moses and that, on the other hand, he advocates absolute equality between pagans and Jews, which amounts to suppressing the Election of Israel.” Paul explains that Israel's privileged position played its part, but with the coming of Christ it ended. It is not belonging to the chosen people that decides salvation, but faith in Jesus Christ. The Messiah came to break down the wall that separated Jews and Gentiles: "In Christ there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between free men and slaves, between men and women."

Paul and Barnabas continue to score points and the anger of the Jews reaches its climax. The women show themselves to be the most exalted. They assail the notables of the city with their complaints. The result is not long in coming: it is the troublemakers that the leaders are attacking. They are driven out of town. “These, having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium; as for the disciples, they remained filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13, 51-52)

Among Christians, Paul is the one who best understood the universalist spirit of Christ. For having preached salvation for all, he will be persecuted as an apostate and the hatred of his people will pursue him relentlessly, wherever he goes.

 

[JLG]

- During the year that they spent in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas undertook missionary expeditions in the surroundings, in these numerous peasant villages, located on the slopes of the mountains. They founded small rural communities there, which would later be administered by the Church of Iconium. With Antioch, Iconium will remain, for many years, a point of support for the Christian Churches of Asia Minor, and will hold the patriarchal title over fourteen cities.

- Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the “Good News” but very quickly they came up against the refusal of the Jews who were manipulating the crowds against them. At some point it was decided to seize the two missionaries and stone them. Warned, they slipped away in time and joined the Roman road which, at the time, ended at Lystres. A day of walking in one of the most beautiful regions of central Anatolia.

- “At Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a great crowd of Jews and Greeks embraced the faith. But the Jews who remained incredulous stirred up the Gentiles and indisposed them against the brethren. Paul and Barnabas prolonged their stay for quite a long time, full of assurance in the Lord... The population of the city was divided. Some were for the Jews, others for the apostles. Among the pagans and the Jews, their chiefs at the head, one prepared to mistreat them and to stone them. But realizing this, they went to seek refuge in the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe and the surrounding region. There too, they announced the Good News.” (Acts 14, 1-7)

- Paul took a liking to the young man, while unaware that one day he would lay hands on him. Timothy will become his most faithful collaborator, the one who will one day be the consolation of his old age. Several years later, Paul will remind him of the painful hours of Lystra: "Remember, O Timothy, what I endured at Lystra!" (2 Tim. 3, 11). This family became the gathering place of the Christian Church. Following this family, several people of the village converted.

- The man understood the invitation by the tone of voice and the gesture that accompanies it. He obeys. He leaps. He walks ! The townspeople think that Paul and Barnabas are gods who came down to their village! They want to honor them.

Meanwhile, the rumor of the success of the two missionaries reached Iconium and the Jewish community, which believed to have gotten rid of them. They rush to Lystra to enlighten the naive and put an end to the work of the impostors.

- the miracle, Paul is venerated as a god, then everything turns for the worse: he is stoned until he is considered dead

- Like Stephen many years ago, Paul is dragged out of town and thrown to the ground. Furious, the townspeople gather stones and the stoning begins. When the people of Lystra and the Jews who aroused their anger see Paul unconscious, they believe him dead and leave him face down. Barnabas and the Christians come running. We lean towards Paul. The heart is still beating. The head is intact. Apparently, he did not receive any major injuries. Escaping stoning is a miracle.

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[JLG]

21. Iconium and Lystra

Paul and Barnabas stayed about a year in Antioch in Pisidia. They left the city in the year 46, heading east. Taking the Sebaste Way, they traveled to Iconium, located on the edge of a lake, beyond salt marshes. They probably wanted to find some solid points of support, on the high plateau of southern Galatia. This population of simple people had won Paul's heart.

Iconium, 100 km from Antioch of Pisidia

The people of Iconium were proud of their city's past. Emperor Claudius had established a colony of veterans and for this reason the city liked to call itself Claudiconium, in honor of the emperor, which later became Iconium. The population included Hellenized Galatians, Roman officials, army veterans and Jewish citizens. Iconium was an important center of wool weaving. Paul easily found accommodation and practiced his profession.

During the year that they spent at Iconium, Paul and Barnabas undertook missionary expeditions in the surroundings, in these numerous peasant villages, situated on the slopes of the mountains. They founded small rural communities there, which would later be administered by the Church of Iconium. With Antioch, Iconium will remain, for many years, a point of support for the Christian Churches of Asia Minor, and will hold the patriarchal title over fourteen cities.

Iconium is located over 1,000 meters above sea level. Among the ruins of the city, even today there is a large, half-destroyed citadel.

After a year of appreciated and fruitful preaching, Paul and Barnabas were persecuted and forced to flee.

Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the “Good News” but very quickly they came up against the refusal of the Jews who were manipulating the crowds against them. At some point it was decided to seize the two missionaries and stone them. Warned, they slipped away in time and joined the Roman road which, at the time, ended at Lystres. A day of walking in one of the most beautiful regions of central Anatolia.

“At Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a great crowd of Jews and Greeks embraced the faith. But the Jews who remained incredulous stirred up the Gentiles and indisposed them against the brethren. Paul and Barnabas prolonged their stay for quite a long time, full of assurance in the Lord... The population of the city was divided. Some were for the Jews, others for the apostles. Among the pagans and the Jews, their chiefs at the head, one prepared to mistreat them and to stone them. But realizing this, they went to seek refuge in the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe and the surrounding region. There too, they announced the Good News.” (Acts 14, 1-7)


**************************

Paul and Barnabas leave Iconium and take refuge in Lystra. This is where Paul meets Timothy.

In Lystra, an almost totally pagan city, Paul and Barnabas found a warm welcome in a Jewish family. It is interesting to note how much the piety of Judaism could remain alive within a family isolated in such an environment. This family consisted of three people: grandmother Lois, her daughter Eunice, whose pagan husband had died, and her son Timothy. The father was probably a Roman or Greek official. In the diaspora, such intermarriage was common. The mother and grandmother lived in the hope of the "salvation of Israel", and they had initiated Timothy, from his childhood, into the Holy Scriptures.

Paul takes a liking to the young man, unaware that one day he would lay hands on him. Timothy will become his most faithful collaborator, the one who will one day be the consolation of his old age. Several years later, Paul will remind him of the painful hours of Lystra: "Remember, O Timothy, what I endured at Lystra!" (2 Tim. 3, 11). This family became the gathering place of the Christian Church. Following this family, several people of the village converted.

Today, all that remains of the city of Lystra, founded by Augustus in 6 BC. J.-C., only scattered stones, a fragment of the enclosure, a few houses of the village and gutted sarcophagi. A small mosque stands guard. Nothing reminds us that it was at Lystra that Paul almost lost his life.

Paul healed a handicapped person and this was the beginning of his problems: “There was a man in Lystra who could not stand on his feet. He was crippled from birth, he had never walked. The poor man's eyes devour Paul who meets this gaze. "Seeing that he had the faith to be saved", the Tarsiote fixes him and, in a loud voice, orders: Get up, straight on your feet! (Acts 14, 8-10)

The man understood the invitation by the tone of the voice and the gesture which accompanies it. He obeys. He leaps. He walks ! The townspeople think that Paul and Barnabas are gods who came down to their village! They want to honor them.

Meanwhile, the rumor of the success of the two missionaries reached Iconium and the Jewish community, which believed to have gotten rid of them. They rush to Lystra to enlighten the naive and put an end to the work of the impostors.


After the miracle, Paul is revered as a god, then everything turns for the worse:

they stone him until he is considered dead

In a short time, the inhabitants of Lystra turn against Paul. By curing the cripple, this magician has set them on a wrong path, they think now! The people of Iconium ask them what they are going to do with the false god Hermes who healed the cripple? Answer: Stone him!

Like Stephen many years ago, Paul is dragged out of town and thrown to the ground. Furious, the townspeople gather stones and the stoning begins. When the people of Lystra and the Jews who aroused their anger see Paul unconscious, they believe him dead and leave him face down. Barnabas and the Christians come running. We lean towards Paul. The heart is still beating. The head is intact. Apparently, he did not receive any major injuries. Escaping stoning is a miracle.

Paul and Barnabas decide to leave Lystra before their enemies realize that Paul survived the stoning. To go from Lystres to Derbé - the last planned stage of their mission - it is necessary to travel forty kilometers, that is to say about eight hours of walking. But in Paul's condition, the journey will be much longer. Barnabas had to borrow a cart on which he lays Paul. In several stages, he is taken to Derbe. There he will recover and be able to resume his mission. (cf. Acts 14, 20)

For centuries, the Churches of Galatia were able to maintain themselves. A number of Armenian Christians were the last to remain faithful to the Christian faith. They were cruelly decimated during the war with the Turks. Thus the Churches founded by Paul and Barnabas, their heritage, the fruit of their efforts and their sufferings, will be completely destroyed.

 

[JLG]

After Paul was stoned at Lystra, his adversaries, believing their enemy to be dead, did not pursue him. And so it was that the two missionaries were able to find peace, in the peaceful town of Derbe, a Christian community recruited entirely from pagans. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that they gathered “quite many disciples”.

In Derbe, the activity of Paul and Barnabas lasted at least a whole year and it extended to the high valleys near the lake. Pastoral relations with Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia were never interrupted because the young Timothy was an always available messenger. We know this from the excellent testimonies given to him by these communities when Paul returned a few years later: “At Lystra there was a disciple named Timothy, son of a Jewess who had become a believer and of a Greek father. The brethren of Lystra and Iconium bore him a good testimony.” (Acts 16:2).

Following these foundations, the Good News spread from Galatia to all the surrounding regions. These towns and villages would later give the Church brilliant doctors of theology. Christianity in this region was able to develop and flourish into flourishing communities thanks to the diligent work of Paul and Barnabas.

After saying goodbye to the community of Derbe, they turned back to visit Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia. From Antioch they again crossed the Taurus Gorge to join the last community on their plan of action, that of the city of Perge.

During this first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas succeeded in founding Churches in seven cities of the Empire before returning to their base: Salamis, Paphos, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and Perge. During these four years, Paul assumed his role as mission leader and developed his missionary style.

Before leaving the communities they had founded, Paul and Barnabas encouraged Christians to stand firm in times of trial. They choose leaders and entrust them to the Lord. It is a question here of “elders” (presbyteroi), whereas in his letter to the Philippians Paul will speak of episcopes (episcopoi) and deacons, which indicates a continuous development of tasks and responsibilities in the young Churches.




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22 Derbe, Perge, return to Antioch of Syria

Derbe, a town that has now disappeared,

south of present-day Turkey.

Paul and Barnabas founded a community there recruited entirely from pagans.

They stay there for a year. It's one of the few towns they leave without being forced to by persecution.

Derbe, a solitary mountain village at the extreme limit of the province of Galatie, was once a dangerous nest of brigands. This small town, which became a prosperous colony of veterans and freedmen under the Emperor Claudius, experienced a period of expansion during Paul's time. Today, nothing remains of this Greco-Roman city.

After Paul was stoned at Lystra, his adversaries, believing their enemy to be dead, did not pursue him. And so it was that the two missionaries were able to found in peace, in this peaceful provincial town, a Christian community recruited entirely from pagans. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that they gathered “quite many disciples”.

The Church of Derbe, like the other three churches in Galatia, was born in pain. Paul alludes to this birth when he writes to the Galatians threatened in their faith by the actions of the Judaizers: "My little children, for you I endure again the pains of childbirth, until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4, 19).

In Derbe, the activity of Paul and Barnabas lasted at least a whole year and it extended to the high valleys near the lake. Pastoral relations with Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia were never interrupted because the young Timothy was an always available messenger. We know this from the excellent testimonies given to him by these communities when Paul returned a few years later: “At Lystra there was a disciple named Timothy, son of a Jewess who had become a believer and of a Greek father. The brethren of Lystra and Iconium bore him a good testimony.” (Acts 16:2).

Following these foundations, the Good News spread from Galatia to all surrounding regions. These towns and villages would later give the Church brilliant doctors of theology. Christianity in this region was able to develop and flourish into thriving communities thanks to the diligent work of Paul and Barnabas.

Since the departure of the two missionaries from Antioch of Syria, their mother Church, more than four years had now passed. During difficult times, they undoubtedly felt nostalgia for their original community with whom they could hardly communicate. At very irregular intervals and thanks to certain caravan leaders, they sent messages, but the opportunities were not very numerous.

Instead of returning directly to Antioch of Syria via Tarsus, Paul and Barnabas decide to retrace their steps

Derbe is barely 200 km from Tarsus and Paul and Barnabas could have reached Paul's homeland in a few days, crossing the Taurus Mountains. However, the apostolic responsibility towards the newly founded communities encouraged them to retrace their steps and retrace the path already traveled in order to once again visit these young centers of Christianity.

After bidding farewell to the community of Derbe, they turned back to visit Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia. From Antioch, they crossed the Taurus Gorge again to reach the last community on their plan of action, that of the city of Perge.

During this first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas succeeded in founding Churches in seven cities of the Empire before returning to their base: Salamis, Paphos, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and Perge. During these four years, Paul assumed his role as mission leader and developed his missionary style.

Duration of first trip: 4 years

Paul and Barnabas succeeded in founding Churches in seven cities of the Empire

Before leaving the communities they founded, Paul and Barnabas encourage Christians to stand firm in the face of trial. They choose leaders and entrust them to the Lord. Here we are talking about “elders” (presbyteroi), while in his letter to the Philippians Paul will speak of episcopes (episcopoi) and deacons, which indicates a continuous development of tasks and responsibilities in the young Churches.


From Perge, Paul and Barnabas reach Attaleia, about 80 kilometers to the south-west, in order to return to Antioch in Syria by sea. They follow the coasts of Cilicia. This is the only trip that Paul will make along the southern coasts of Asia Minor, sailing from west to east. This journey of several days was uneventful.

At the end of the race, the boat loads its sails in front of the port of Antioch in Syria.

The Acts of the Apostles recount: “From Attaleia they sailed to Antioch, whence they had set out, commended to the grace of God for the work they had just accomplished. When they arrived, they called the church together and began to report all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” (Acts 14, 26-27)

Thus ends the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas.

 

[JLG]

To allow a fraternal understanding between the two parties, as a wise man, James proposes a compromise likely to be acceptable to all. He asks the uncircumcised to have regard to the feelings of Judeo-Christians on the following three points:

1. Avoid participation in meals of pagan sacrifices.

2. Abstain from the sexual excesses fashionable in temples, in the form of ritual prostitution.

3. Observe the use of kosher meat at communal meals (i.e. do not eat animals that have not been bled).

- There is also a fourth point that is not mentioned here: refrain from consuming blood!

- At this meeting in Jerusalem, Paul had wanted to achieve two specific goals: to preserve Christian freedom vis-à-vis the Law of Moses and to be recognized as an apostle by the mother Church. He succeeds in achieving both of these goals.

- Christian freedom was preserved thanks to the openness of the participants. The Spirit blew and the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles crumbled. God gave his apostles the wisdom and the firmness necessary to complete a work indispensable to the establishment of a universal religion.

- Paul will have to continually defend his status as an apostle. A text shows him presenting his defense to the Church of Corinth, which he founded, against the Judeo-Christians who came from Jerusalem: “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If for others I am not an apostle, for you at least I am; for the seal of my apostolate is you who are it, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 9, 1-2).

- In Jerusalem, this recognition on the part of Peter, John and James is therefore of great importance for Paul in his ministry. He emphasizes this in his letter to the Galatians: "Recognizing the grace that had been bestowed on me, James Cephas and John, these notables, these columns, held out their hands to me and to Barnabas, as a sign of communion: we would go to the pagans, they to circumcision.” (Galatians 2, 9)


______________________________________________________________________________

 

[JLG]

24. Results of the Council

We know well the main characters of the Council of Jerusalem:

Peter, the chief apostle

After having listened to the arguments of the participants, with the authority that all recognize him, he intervenes by saying: "You know it: from the first days, God chose me among you so that the pagans hear from my mouth the word of the Good News by embracing the faith. And God, who knows hearts, testified on their behalf, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as to us, since he purified their hearts by faith. Why provoke God by imposing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor ourselves were able to bear?... It is by the grace of the Lord Jesus, we believe, that we have been saved , just like them" (Acts 15:10-11).

His speech refers to his own experience and understanding of God's plan in Jesus Christ:

God has already taken the initiative to indicate the attitude that one should have towards the pagans, when he gave me the order to baptize the centurion Cornelius.

Due to man's weakness, the old Law cannot be fulfilled in all its rigor.

Salvation is granted to all freely, by the sole grace of God who acts freely in Jesus Christ.

By this wise and balanced discourse, the path is leveled, and the participants are ready to accept the point of view of Paul and Barnabas.

John, the apostle whom Jesus loved
Arriving in Jerusalem, Paul and Titus meet a character whom Barnabas had already met. He was considered, like Peter, as one of the founding figures of the movement that was born after the death of Jesus. He had already founded some communities in Ephesus and on the coast of Asia Minor. During his last stay in this region, Paul had been able to see that his influence had not diminished and several communities in Asia claimed to belong to him.
This is John, the son of Zebedee, the apostle of Jesus, who, with his brother James, had been the first to be called by the Lord. He will play an important role in the development of the first century church and will leave us as a legacy his gospel and the book of Revelation (probably written by one of his disciples).

James, the brother of the Lord
He is an important figure in the church in Jerusalem. In his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul gives him a special place, presenting him as having been favored for him alone by an apparition of Jesus: “Christ appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once – most of them still remain and some have fallen asleep – then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And, at the very last, he appeared to me too, like a runt. (1 Corinthians 15, 3-8)
After his escape from the prison of Agrippa, Peter asks those around him: "Announce it to James." When all the apostles leave Jerusalem to proclaim the Good News, James stays behind. Because of him, many Pharisees embrace Christianity, including some priests of different social classes, who seem to have continued to exercise their Jewish priestly office. When Peter left Jerusalem (in 43 or 44), James replaced him at the head of this church.
After Peter's concluding speech, those who wanted to maintain a hard line on the obligation of circumcision, hoped that James, the conservative, would defend their point of view. Both parties were anxiously awaiting what he would say. Very simply, James stood up and declared to agree with Peter and Paul: salvation is unconditional and extends to all mankind.
To enable fraternal understanding between the two parties, as a wise man, James proposes a compromise likely to be acceptable to all. He asks the uncircumcised to have regard to the feelings of Judeo-Christians on the following three points:
1. Avoid participation in pagan sacrificial meals.
2. Refrain from sexual excesses in vogue in temples, in the form of ritual prostitution.
3. Observe the use of kosher meat at meals taken together.
Paul wanted to reach
two specific goals:
preserve Christian freedom from the Law of Moses
and be recognized as an apostle by the Mother Church.
Paul is very happy with the conclusions of the Council. He refused to have Titus circumcised so as not to “sacrifice the freedom given to us in Jesus Christ” and Peter, James and John accepted his proposal. Gentiles will not be required to follow all the rules of the Law of Moses. This opened the door to a Christianity offered to all. For Paul, to reintroduce into the churches the symbolic mark of the separation between the pure and the impure, between God's elect and the pagans, would be to annul the cross of Christ.
Christian freedom was preserved thanks to the openness of the participants. The Spirit blew and the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles collapsed. God gave his apostles the wisdom and firmness necessary to complete a work essential to the establishment of a universal religion.
As for Paul's second goal - to be recognized as an apostle in his own right - we must remember that since his conversion he had not been easily accepted by the Christian community. Acts indicate that fear remained among many believers. Ananias, to whom Paul had been sent after his conversion, responded to the Lord who had appeared to him in a vision: “Lord, I have heard many people speak of this man and tell of all the evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has full powers received from the high priests to put in chains all those who call on your name” (Acts 9:13-14).
During his stay in Jerusalem, after his three years in Arabia, Acts also speaks of an instinctive fear on the part of the Christians: “Arriving in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but everyone was afraid of him, 'unable to believe him to be truly a disciple' (Acts 9:26).
(Despite this acceptance)
Paul will have to continually defend his status as an apostle.
...It’s sad and Paul will suffer from it all his life.
Paul will have to continually defend his status as an apostle. A text shows him presenting his defense to the Church of Corinth that he founded, facing the Judeo-Christians who came from Jerusalem: “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If for others I am not an apostle, for you at least I am; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 9:1-2).
In Jerusalem, this recognition on the part of Peter, John and James is therefore of great importance for Paul in his ministry. He emphasizes this in his letter to the Galatians: “Recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James Cephas and John, these notables, these columns, extended their hands to me and to Barnabas, as a sign of communion: we would go to the pagans, they to circumcision.” (Galatians 2:9)
The Council of Jerusalem therefore underlines this acceptance of Paul by Peter, James and John. It will be a question of knowing whether there is a real agreement there or simply a superficial concession in order to avoid a rupture. The Epistles of Paul and the Acts of the Apostles of Luke will reveal to us that, for many Christians of the Mother Church, this was only a kind of tolerance granted with condescension to a minority. It’s sad and Paul will suffer from it all his life.
The decisions of the Council were communicated to the Church of Antioch by a letter, which two delegates, accompanying Paul, Barnabas, and Titus, were charged with carrying: Jude, surnamed Barsabbas, a native of Jerusalem, an early Christian, and Silvanus, a Hellenist of the diaspora, Roman citizen, bearing like Paul a Jewish name and a Latin name.

 

[JLG]

- A little later, we learn that Peter himself has decided to come and visit them. The news is greeted with great joy by the community. Many have never met the chief apostle, but he enjoys great prestige. Upon his arrival, the Christians showed reverence and enthusiasm and monitored Peter's behavior. The members of the Church of Antioch are happy to see the fisherman of Capernaum willingly share the meal of the non-Jews. This is for them an indication that the “first council” was fruitful.

- In Jerusalem, however, worry changes into distrust. The mother Church, inspired by James, judges that Peter goes too far. New messengers are sent to him to remind him that it is not because certain pagans want to become Christians that they are full members of the people of God. Jews who recognized Jesus as Messiah and Savior must maintain their identity by keeping a certain distance and separation from pagan-Christians.

- New arrivals are received with respect but they create a chill when we see them washing their hands every time they touch a non-Jewish Christian. They refuse any invitation from pagan-Christians and avoid sitting at table with the uncircumcised.

- As we said earlier, Peter until then had adopted the customs of the Christians of Antioch. He accepted invitations, visited families and participated in feasts on the Lord's Day. But as soon as the new delegates from Jerusalem arrived, it began to falter. Let us reread Paul's text on this subject: “When Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he had proven himself wrong. Indeed, before the arrival of certain people from James' entourage, Peter took his meals with the pagans; but when these people arrived, he was seen to shy away and stand aside, for fear of the circumcised.” (Galatians 2, 12)

- When Judeo-Christians decide to isolate themselves during feasts on Saturday evening, by sitting at separate tables, and they declare to the Antiochians: "If you don't allow yourself to be circumcised, you cannot be saved", the storm broke. We can believe that it was a rather violent scene. That's when Paul steps in. He did it with conviction but also with dignity. He resisted Pierre openly and not slyly, from behind.

- He reminded Peter of what had happened in his own house in Capernaum when Jesus was alive. Tax collectors, sinners and prostitutes stood around Jesus, freely entering his house. Now, by his refusal to eat with the uncircumcised, he was denying his Lord a second time.

- During the community meal (the agape), the establishment of two tables, one for the Jews and another for the non-Jews, constituted a rupture of communion within a community which confessed the same faith and shared the same bread. Paul accuses Peter of wanting to impose dietary rules on non-Jews to take part in meals. Such behavior contradicts the decisions of the assembly in Jerusalem.

- In this dispute, we already find the arguments of the Epistle to the Romans, testament to the thought of Saint Paul. In this letter, he will forcefully repeat that Jews and Gentiles have the same Lord. God does not reject Israel but offers salvation to all human beings and not only to the chosen people.

- The drama of Antioch did not only affect Peter because others had followed his example. The irony is that Barnabas, Paul's friend and companion, was among them. This was, in Paul's eyes, the worst that could happen: "And the other Jews imitated Peter in his dissembling, so that they led Barnabas himself to dissemble with them. But when I saw that they were not walking straight according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone: "If you who are a Jew, live like the Gentiles, and not like the Jewess, how can do you compel the pagans to Judaize?” (Galatians 2, 13-14)

- After these altercations, the friendship between Paul and Barnabas was broken. Some time later, Paul dismissed Mark from the next mission trip and Barnabas refused to leave without his cousin from Jerusalem. Paul will therefore undertake this second journey with Silas and Barnabas will return to Cyprus in the company of Mark: where they are. But Barnabas also wanted to take John, nicknamed Mark; Paul, on the other hand, was not in favor of taking the one who had abandoned them in Pamphylia and had not been at work with them. They warmed up, and they ended up separating. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. For his part, Paul chose Silas and left, after having been entrusted by the brothers to the grace of God. (Acts 15, 36-40)

- Time will restore the old friendship between the three companions. Later, Paul and Barnabas would again enter into a brotherly relationship and share information about their missionary work. As for Mark, the future will prove Barnabas right: he will become a courageous and disinterested man, a precious collaborator for Peter for many years and then for Paul at the end of his life. The fiery apostle of the nations did not hesitate to repair his error. From his prison in Rome, he wrote to the Colossians: “Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, greets you; you have already received orders about it. If he comes to you, welcome him” (Col 4:10). During his last captivity, Paul wrote to Timothy: “Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is of great help to me in my ministry” (2 Tim 4:11). And in his letter to Philemon (1, 23-24): “You have the greetings of Epaphras, my companion in captivity in Christ Jesus, as well as of Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my collaborators.

- This is in no way a mistake of Paul!

- He made a decision taking into account certain elements!

- Barnabas made another decision taking into account other elements!

- They decided to separate!

- Time will restore their friendship!

- The important thing is that they maintained their loyalty!


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[JLG]

25. Confrontation at Antioch

After the Council of Jerusalem, Paul, Barnabas and Titus return to Antioch in Syria. Judas and Silas, the official delegates of the Mother Church, accompany them. Once there, the latter did not hesitate to join not only the Judeo-Christians, but also the Pagan-Christians, which brought happiness to all the members of the Church of Antioch.

A little later, we learn that Peter himself has decided to come and visit them. The news is greeted with great joy by the community. Many have never met the chief apostle, but he enjoys great prestige. Upon his arrival, the Christians show reverence and enthusiasm and they watch Peter's behavior. The members of the Church of Antioch are happy to see the fisherman of Capernaum willingly sharing the meal of the non-Jews. This is an indication for them that the “first council” has borne fruit.

In Jerusalem, however, concern turns to mistrust. The Mother Church, inspired by James, judges that Peter is going too far. New messengers are sent to him to remind him that it is not because some pagans want to become Christians that they are fully part of the people of God. The Jews who recognized Jesus as Messiah and Saviour, must maintain their identity by keeping a certain distance and a certain separation vis-à-vis the pagan-Christians.

Paul openly resisted Peter

The new arrivals are received with respect but they create a chill when we see them washing their hands every time they touch a non-Jewish Christian. They refuse any invitation from pagan-Christians and avoid sitting at table with the uncircumcised.

As we said earlier, Peter until then had adopted the customs of the Christians of Antioch. He accepted invitations, visited families and participated in feasts on the Lord's Day. But as soon as the new delegates from Jerusalem arrived, it began to falter. Let us reread Paul's text on this subject: “When Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he had proven himself wrong. Indeed, before the arrival of certain people from James' entourage, Peter took his meals with the pagans; but when these people arrived, he was seen to shy away and stand aside, for fear of the circumcised.” (Galatians 2, 12)

When the Judeo-Christians decide to isolate themselves during the Saturday evening feast, by sitting at separate tables, and they declare to the Antiochians: “If you do not allow yourselves to be circumcised, you cannot be saved ", The storm breaks. We can believe that it was a fairly violent scene. That’s when Paul intervenes. He did it with conviction but also with dignity. He resisted Peter openly and not sneakily, from behind.

He reminded Peter of what had happened in his own home in Capernaum when Jesus lived. Tax collectors, sinners and prostitutes stood around Jesus, freely entering his house. Now, by his refusal to eat with the uncircumcised, he denied his Lord a second time.

During the community meal (agape), the establishment of two tables, one for Jews and another for non-Jews, constituted a break in communion within a community which confessed the same faith and shared the same bread. Paul accuses Peter of wanting to impose dietary rules on non-Jews in order to take part in meals. Such behavior contradicts the decisions of the Jerusalem assembly.

In this dispute, we already find the arguments of the Epistle to the Romans, a testament to the thought of Saint Paul. In this letter, he will forcefully repeat that Jews and pagans have the same Lord. God does not reject Israel but offers salvation to all human beings and not only to the chosen people.

The tragedy of Antioch did not only affect Peter because others had followed his example. The irony is that Barnabas, Paul's friend and companion, was among them. It was, in Paul's eyes, the worst that could happen: “And the other Jews imitated Peter in his dissimulation, to the point of dragging Barnabas himself to dissimulate with them. But when I saw that they were not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of everyone: “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles, and not like a Jew, how can you You force the pagans to Judaize? (Galatians 2, 13-14)

the friendship between Paul and Barnabas was broken


After these altercations, the friendship between Paul and Barnabas was broken. Some time later, Paul excluded Mark from the upcoming missionary journey and Barnabas refused to leave without his cousin from Jerusalem. Paul will therefore undertake this second journey with Silas and Barnabas will return to Cyprus in the company of Mark: “Some time later, Paul said to Barnabas: <let us therefore return to visit the brothers in all the cities where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see where they are. But Barnabas also wanted to take John, nicknamed Mark; Paul was not in favor of taking the one who had abandoned them in Pamphylia and had not been at work with them. We got heated, and ended up separating. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. For his part, Paul chose Silas and left, after being entrusted by the brothers to the grace of God. (Acts 15, 36-40)

Time will reestablish the old friendship between the three companions. Later, Paul and Barnabas will again enter into a brotherly relationship and share information about their missionary work. As for Mark, the future will prove Barnabas right: he will become a courageous and selfless man, a precious collaborator for Peter for many years and then for Paul at the end of his life. The fiery apostle of the nations did not hesitate to repair his error. From his prison in Rome, he wrote to the Colossians: “Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, greets you; you have already received orders about it. If he comes to you, welcome him” (Col 4:10). During his last captivity, Paul wrote to Timothy: “Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is of great help to me in the ministry” (2 Tim 4:11). And in his letter to Philemon (1, 23-24): “You have greetings from Epaphras, my companion in captivity in Christ Jesus, as well as from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my collaborators.



The great merit of Paul in Jerusalem and Antioch was to have been able to foresee the serious consequences of the rules to be imposed on new Christians.

The great merit of Paul in Jerusalem and Antioch was to have been able to foresee the serious consequences of the rules to be imposed on new Christians. He does not want them to be forced "to become Jews" in order to join the Christians and he puts an end to the Jewish exaltation of race, considered the only means of attaining justification.

After these incidents in Antioch, Peter disappears from the New Testament accounts. We will only find two epistles which bear his name and which were written after his death.

It is interesting to note the silence of the Acts of the Apostles on the conflicts of Antioch. Luke had certainly heard of it, since he was from this city. But he was a man of peace, aware of his responsibility. His book was published much later, perhaps fifteen years after the confrontation between Peter and Paul. When Luke wrote, the situation had changed. The reconciliation of the two parties had begun. Why reopen old wounds? And that's how Luke delicately passed over this event in silence.

After these controversies, Paul and Silas undertake the second missionary journey. This time they use the land route, while Barnabas and Mark go to the island of Cyprus. We are at the beginning of spring. "Paul, traveling through Syria and Cilicia, was strengthening the churches." (Acts 15, 41) There are already many churches that are flourishing in this region. Paul first visits those he founded on his first trip, before going further west.

 

[JLG]

- In this second trip, Paul simply wanted to visit the communities founded during the previous trip. He and Silas took the northern route. Crossing the Doors of Syria, they spent a few days in Tarsus, to then go to the region where they found the churches founded by Paul three or four years earlier.
- At Lystra, the place of the stoning, Paul will again meet Timothy, the son of Eunice. Now eighteen years old, still a devout Christian, the young man reminds him of the promise made three years earlier. Paul inquires: "His reputation was good among the brethren of Lystra and Iconium." (Acts 16, 2). Paul therefore decides to take him with him. Timothy's father probably died prematurely. Out of love for him, his mother had decided not to circumcise the young boy. This was a difficulty for Paul, given the demands of the Jews and Judeo-Christians. According to the Law, the child had to follow the religion of his mother and the fact that Timothy was not circumcised could attract criticism and persecution. Paul could never have taken him to a synagogue without offending the brothers he wanted to win over. Paul decided to have him circumcised.
- Timothy will become an exemplary collaborator. During the Apostle's many illnesses, when he felt exhausted, Timothy assisted him with his help and support. He will follow him to Corinth, Ephesus, Jerusalem and Rome. Knowing Greek well, he will be an excellent secretary. It is the grateful memory of all these services that will make Paul write, during his first captivity in Rome, this moving sentence: "I really have no one who will know how to take a sincere interest in your situation like Timothy. ... It was like a son to his father that he served with me the cause of the gospel.” (Phil. 2, 19-22).
- Troas is located on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, about fifteen kilometers from ancient Troy. In this port, Paul will meet Luke, another disciple who joins him. A Syrian from Antioch and a doctor by profession, he would be associated with Paul and his ministry for a long time. He left us two important books: the Gospel which he composed according to the traditions of those who had been the disciples of Jesus from the beginning, and the Acts of the Apostles which he wrote after having witnessed the development of the first century church.
- We must salute the moment when Luke meets Paul at Troas. The apostle of the nations will become his favorite subject. If Paul gradually took the place he occupies in Acts, it is thanks to this encounter. According to scholars, “the Evangelist Luke is a scholar trained in literary Greek.” (Édouard Belebecque) He perfectly understands the Hellenic culture and expresses himself with elegance. He wrote the purest Greek in the New Testament. He is conciliatory and has a character full of gentleness. A great admirer of Paul, he always remained independent and measured in his words and in his writings.
- From this meeting, we constantly see Luke alongside the Apostle. He shared his first and second captivity in Rome. Paul mentions Luke three times in the Epistles from the captivity: The first time in the letter to the Colossians: "Luke, the beloved doctor, greets you" (Col 4, 14). This sentence seems to echo Paul's deep gratitude, so often ill, for the medical care of his faithful friend. In his letter to Philemon, Paul counts him among his collaborators. During his last captivity in Rome, he wrote melancholy to Timothy: “Luke alone is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). According to tradition, after Paul's death, Luke preached the Gospel in Achaia and died in Boeotia, at a very advanced age. He would have been buried in Thebes.
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[JLG]

26. Phrygia and the Galatian region

Overview of Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey

After the Council of Jerusalem and the confrontation with Peter at Antioch in Syria, Paul resumed his task of evangelization. The departure is probably in the spring of the year 49, the season when armies go to war, when merchants go to foreign lands. Paul feels this great desire which carries him ever further, towards the West: Derbe, Antioch of Pisidia, Ephesus, Thessaloniki, Corinth, Rome, Spain. Silas, his new companion, was one of the two delegates from the community of Jerusalem, mandated to make known the results of the Council. He was a respected member of the mother church who would become the ideal comrade: faithful, generous, ready for all sacrifices, removed from the narrowness of Conservative Judaism. He had been very close to Peter. Liaison agent with the Church of Jerusalem, he was the visible sign of the approval that this one granted to the mission of Paul. Moreover, he was a Roman citizen, a precious quality vis-à-vis public authority.

The initial aim of this second journey was only to revisit the churches founded earlier: Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia In this second trip, Paul simply wanted to visit the communities founded during the previous trip. He and Silas took the northern route. Crossing the Doors of Syria, they spent a few days in Tarsus, to then go to the region where they found the churches founded by Paul three or four years earlier. When the Acts of the Apostles informs us that Paul and Silas traveled through "Phrygia and the Galatian region", it must be understood that they only revisited those communities founded earlier: Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia located in Southern Galatia and on the border of Phrygia and Lycaonia. The Churches of Galatia were full of vitality, like the people who had been established in the region for three centuries. “Galatians” is the Greek form of the name “Gauls”. Around the year 280 BC., a few tribes had left the surroundings of Toulouse to go to the Danube countries. By crossing Greece, they had entered Asia Minor. Along the way, they plundered to their heart's content, and finally settled on both banks of the Halys, where they founded the towns of Pessinonte, Ancyre (now Ankara) and Tavium. Their last king, Amyntas, had entered the pay of the Romans and had extended his domination over Armenia Minor, Pisidia, Lycaonia and Isauria.
Very early on, these Gallic tribes had aroused fear and dread in the Greeks, a detail that can be found in Hellenic art. In the year 240 BC., Attalus 1st of Pergamon had succeeded, by a resounding victory in driving the Galatians from his kingdom. In memory he erected on the Acropolis of Athens a monument adorned with numerous figures. Two of these very beautiful sculptures from the Pergamon school, “the dying Gaul” and “the group of Gauls”, are found today in the museums of Rome and proclaim the memory of the invasion of the Gauls. To the community of Derbe, Paul recalls the pitiful state in which he arrived in the town, after having been stoned to death in Lystra. His long convalescence had enabled him to make a large number of conversions. It is in this land of the Galatians that an illness will strike him down and nail him to the spot. Evoking this sad episode later, he recalled the miserable physical state in which his faithful saw him: “As trying as my body was for you, you showed neither disdain nor disgust. On the contrary, you welcomed me as an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. [...] I give you this testimony: if you could have, you would have torn out your eyes to give them to me. (Galatians 4, 14)

In Lystra, Paul meets young Timothy again and takes him with him. Timothy will follow him until he later becomes bishop of Ephesus and dies there as a martyr by stoning. At Lystra, the place of the stoning, Paul will again meet Timothy, the son of Eunice. Now eighteen years old, still a devout Christian, the young man reminds him of the promise made three years earlier. Paul inquires: "His reputation was good among the brethren of Lystra and Iconium." (Acts 16, 2). Paul therefore decides to take him with him. Timothy's father probably died prematurely. Out of love for him, his mother had decided not to circumcise the young boy. This was a difficulty for Paul, given the demands of the Jews and Judeo-Christians. According to the Law, the child had to follow the religion of his mother and the fact that Timothy was not circumcised could attract criticism and persecution. Paul could never have taken him to a synagogue without offending the brothers he wanted to win over. Paul decided to have him circumcised. We remember that at the Council of Jerusalem, in the case of Titus, Paul had refused circumcision, because he was of pagan descent. He had done it for a reason of principle. This case was different. The ceremony was all about expediency, and Paul was not used to tripping over minor issues. He had never asked the Jews not to be circumcised. What he did not find reasonable was to impose this law on converted pagans. This was wisdom on his part, otherwise he would have had to “become a Jew” before becoming a Christian.
Timothy will become an exemplary collaborator. During the Apostle's many illnesses, when he felt exhausted, Timothy assisted him with his help and support. He will follow him to Corinth, Ephesus, Jerusalem and Rome. Knowing Greek well, he will be an excellent secretary. It is the grateful memory of all these services that will make Paul write, during his first captivity in Rome, this moving sentence: "I really have no one who will know how to take a sincere interest in your situation like Timothy. ... It was like a son to his father that he served with me the cause of the gospel.” (Phil. 2, 19-22).

Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul decides to go to Troas, a seaport in northwest Asia

Minor (present-day Turkey)
Troas, a city that has disappeared today: remains of the baths of Herodes Atticus

 

[JLG]

Luke (evangelist and writer of Acts) meets Paul in Troas, admires him deeply and will henceforth follow him wherever he goes. After visiting the Christians of Antioch in Pisidia, Paul hesitates and wonders which direction to take. He had crossed Asia Minor from south-east to north-west, without having any precise plan, except that of visiting its Churches. He then decided to go to Troas, an important seaport which formed the link between Europe and Asia. In Paul's time, however, the notion of Europe and Asia did not exist. We were just talking about different Roman provinces. Caesar Augustus had made the city of Troas a colony of veterans. This is how Rome and Greece joined hands. Nowadays, there are still imposing ruins, aqueducts, arcades, granite columns, freestones from the stadium, ruins that testify to the power of Rome in Troas. In this seaport, Paul started a church that grew rapidly. Later, he will have collaborators of great value, such as Epaphroditus. Troas is located on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, about fifteen kilometers from ancient Troy. In this port, Paul will meet Luke, another disciple who joins him. A Syrian from Antioch and a doctor by profession, he would be associated with Paul and his ministry for a long time. He left us two important books: the Gospel which he composed according to the traditions of those who had been the disciples of Jesus from the beginning, and the Acts of the Apostles which he wrote after having witnessed the development of the first century church. We must salute the moment when Luke meets Paul at Troas. The apostle of the nations will become his favorite subject. If Paul gradually took the place he occupies in Acts, it is thanks to this encounter. According to scholars, “the Evangelist Luke is a scholar trained in literary Greek.” (Édouard Belebecque) He perfectly understands Hellenic culture and expresses himself with elegance. He wrote the purest Greek in the New Testament. He is conciliatory and has a character full of gentleness. A great admirer of Paul, he always remained independent and measured in his words and in his writings.

Statue of Saint Luke the Evangelist in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Amiens Eusebius states that Luke was from Antioch in Syria. His great nautical knowledge allows us to conclude that he was born in a maritime city and that he traveled a lot, like the Greek doctors, who were great travelers. At this time, Luke may have been practicing his trade in the port of Troas. The meeting of Paul and Luke was the starting point of one of the richest friendships in the history of Christianity. Luke will be, for all generations to come, the confident, devoted disciple, endowed with this rare quality that is admiration. In Greek universities, medicine was as highly regarded as philosophy. Luke therefore occupied a social rank in the society of his time similar to that of a doctor today. The Romans, on the other hand, had no respect for doctors, whom they considered charlatans. From this encounter, we constantly see Luke alongside the Apostle. He shared his first and second captivity in Rome. Paul mentions Luke three times in the Epistles from the captivity: The first time in the letter to the Colossians: "Luke, the beloved doctor, greets you" (Col 4, 14). This sentence seems to echo Paul's deep gratitude, so often ill, for the medical care of his faithful friend. In his letter to Philemon, Paul counts him among his collaborators. During his last captivity in Rome, he wrote melancholy to Timothy: “Luke alone is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). According to tradition, after Paul's death, Luke preached the Gospel in Achaia and died in Boeotia, at a very advanced age. He would have been buried in Thebes. Thanks to Luke and Paul, we have two pictures of the nascent Church: one in the Epistles, where Paul expresses himself passionately, the other in the Acts of the Apostles where Luke writes with a more even hand , that of the surgeon who handles the scalpel and the pen with the same confidence. While in Troas, Paul had a dream in which he and his companions were invited to go to the other side of the arm of the sea connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. “Immediately we sought to leave for Macedonia, convinced that God was calling us to carry the Gospel there” (Acts 16, 9-10).

 

[JLG]

27. The city of Philippi

From Troas (Asia Minor) to Philippi (Macedonia), via Samothrace, an island in the Aegean Sea, and Neapolis In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke contents himself with very brief notes on Paul's travels: "Embarking at Troas, we headed straight for Samothrace, and the next day for Neapolis, from where we reached Philippi, a city of first rank in this district of Macedonia and Roman colony.” (Acts 16, 11-12) We are probably in the year 49. When Paul crosses the strait, he does so to announce the Good News and seeks to advance westward. This did not prevent him, later, from returning to Ephesus for a long time.

Marathon Runner Announcing Victory in Athens

Victory of Samothrace

During this trip, Paul, who is very fond of sports and often uses the image of the race, must have had in mind the marathon runner (490 BC) who had brought to Athens the news of the first victory of the Greek fleet against the Persians. The messenger of this good news did not allow himself to be distracted on the way. He ran the 26 kilometers that separated him from the capital and, once he reached the goal, completely exhausted, he shouted “Victory” and fell dead. Paul, who loves running, considers himself a marathon runner, a messenger of God, responsible for bringing the news of an astonishing victory: the Son of God has descended to earth, the gods of Olympus are defeated, and humanity marches towards a future full of promise. On this journey west, Paul and his friends spend only a short night on the island of Samothrace, a long green mountain rising from the sea, made famous by its sanctuary. At the entrance to the port, a colossal marble goddess spreads her wings. It was later swallowed up by an earthquake and became stuck in the mud. After several centuries, in 1863, the vice-consul of France, Charles Champoiseau, had the chance to discover and exhume it, without however finding the head of this masterpiece of ancient sculpture. The Victory of Samothrace is today the pride of the Louvre Museum. Early the next morning, our travelers resume the crossing of the Aegean Sea. On both shores we speak Greek and we share the same culture. At the port of Neapolis where they anchored, the temple of Diana, camped on a rock overlooking the sea, greeted the travelers. A circle, traced on the pavement of the current St-Nicolas church, designates the place where Paul set foot on land “in Europe”. After leaving Neapolis, our travelers take the Via Egnatia to cover the twelve kilometers that separate them from the city of Philippi. This Roman road is one of the most important in the Empire. Crossing Thessalonica and Edessa, it reaches the coast of present-day Albania. From the port of Apollonia, the boats then go to Brindisi where they join the Via Appia, the one which leads to Rome.

Ruins of the city of Philippi. In Paul's time, it reflected the universal power of Rome, through its opulence, its architecture and its administration.

The amphitheater of Philippi.

The agora (market square) and, at the top of the mountain on the right, the acropolis. The city of Philippi, with its castle and its acropolis, was then a fortified town. It was built in 356 BC. by the father of Alexander the Great, King Philip II, who gave the city his own name. Apart from the well-preserved theater, which can still be seen on the side of a hill, only a few columns and the frame of a door remain in this city where Demosthenes resided. Philippi benefited from the generosity of Emperor Augustus and the arrival of veterans. Since the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Octavian, Caesar's adopted grandson, and Mark-Antony, the great Roman general, claimed to collect the political heritage of the head of the Republic. Initially, they reached an agreement to share power: Mark-Anthony, in the company of Cleopatra, would reign over the East from Egypt, while Octavian would govern the city of Rome and the entire region. west of the Empire. But their relationship quickly deteriorates and confrontation becomes inevitable. Mark Anthony, madly in love with the Queen of Egypt, divorced his wife, Octavian's sister. Cleopatra wants her son Caesarion, fathered by Julius Caesar, to become the next emperor. In 32, in agreement with the Roman Senate, Octavian (who would become Emperor Augustus) declared war on Cleopatra. The queen of Egypt was hated by the Romans but Mark Antony was still very popular in the capital. The two armies clash in Greece, off the promontory of Actium. It is September 31 BC. After the defeat of their powerful fleets, Cleopatra and Mark Antony returned to Egypt and killed themselves rather than fall into the hands of Octavian. In the city of Philippi, enlarged by the winner of the battle of Actium, the administration was rigorous. It experienced a revival when retired legionnaires came to settle there. These professional soldiers, who helped put an end to the ambitions of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, are rewarded by the emperor and receive lands, privileges and new responsibilities. Paul admires this city, its proud and bold genius, its passion for freedom and its respect for order, of the law, of sacred things. Philippi then became a true Italian city placed under the immediate jurisdiction of Augustus. He elevated it to the rank of colony, enjoying all the privileges of Italy and exempt from taxes. The veterans import the probity and way of life of the Romans, at the same time as their divinities. By the Roman road, which crosses all of Macedonia from East to West and which extends beyond the Adriatic to Rome, the ex-legionaries feel united with the metropolis and the Capitoline Jupiter. This is how Philippi became a little Rome with a forum, theater, capitol and surrounding walls. The people are proud of their liberal constitution, which allows them to elect each year, in the manner of Roman consuls, two leaders popularly called "strategists". In Philippi, in Paul's mind there arose the image of the universal power of Rome. He admires its proud and bold genius, his passion for freedom and his respect for order, the law, and sacred things. This missionary of Christ feels that his spirit was related to the Roman genius.

 

[JLG]

- Philippi was a city of tough and proud former legionnaires, and free and independent women who openly participated in political debates, influenced the annual elections of strategists, and brought about changes in governments. These women, converted to Christianity, would exercise great influence in the emerging Church. Paul will find among them his first and dearest collaborators. The city of Philippi promised to become a fruitful field of apostolate throughout the region of Macedonia.
- Lydia is “the first European Christian” whose name we know. She received the Gospel with enthusiasm and decided to offer hospitality to the missionaries. She was a non-Jew from Thyatira in Lydia, hence her name. A wealthy merchant, she had probably continued her husband's dye business after his death. The city of Thyatira was renowned for its purple trade since the times of Homer (9th century BC). This merchant well illustrates the condition of independent women in Greco-Roman society, wealthy traders, who will be attracted by the Gospel and its spirit of openness to all: men and women, rich and poor, slaves and freedmen, Roman citizens and non-citizens, Greeks and Barbarians, Jews and non-Jews... Lydia's capacity to make decisions is manifest in the text of Luke: after the baptism, she "forced" the group to stay at her home.
- Just as Jesus at Jacob's well in Samaria first initiated a woman into the mystery of the kingdom of God, Paul, entering "Europe", first preached the Gospel to women, "on the edge of the river” near Philippi. (See Christian reflection of the 3rd Sunday of Lent: The Samaritan woman finally finds the man of her life).
- As we see in the epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul had a deep understanding of female psychology. Unlike the people of his time, he always showed a lot of respect for the women he met, such as Lydia, the enterprising merchant, and Prisca, the one who introduced the scholar Apollos to the essentials of Christianity. In all his letters, Paul conveys greetings and praise to the women he knows and who accompany his missionary work. He highlights the services rendered by Chloe to Corinth. He trusts Phoebeus in the port of Cenchreae, she who will become the deaconess of his Church and to whom he will entrust his letter to the Romans. He thanks Rufus' mother who had maternal consideration for him. When he writes to the rich Philemon, he does not forget to greet his wife Appia. He shows his admiration for the daughters of Philip in Caesarea, who are gifted with prophetic charismas. He encourages courageous widows, who practice works of charity. Paul was much more open and much more sympathetic towards women than the vast majority of men of his time
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28. The first Christian women of Philippi
Philippi was a city of tough, proud former legionaries and free, independent women who openly participated in political debates, influenced annual elections of strategists, and brought about changes in governments. These women, converted to Christianity, would exercise great influence in the emerging Church. Paul will find among them his first and dearest collaborators. The city of Philippi promised to become a fruitful field of apostolate throughout the region of Macedonia.

Just as Jesus at Jacob's well in Samaria first initiated a woman into the mystery of the kingdom of God, Paul, entering "Europe", first preached the Gospel to women, "by the river » near Philippi.

Lydia, a rich merchant, an excellent organizer who became one of the pillars of the Church of Philippi, in addition to being a mother to the apostle and his companions Luke, who had arrived in Philippi with Paul, writes in the Acts of the Apostles: “From Neapolis, we reached Philippi, a city of first rank in this district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent a few days in that city, and then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the banks of the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. Sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered. One of them, named Lydia, listened to us; she was a purple merchant from the city of Thyatira; she loved God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she clung to the words of Paul. After having been baptized along with her family, she prayed to us: “If you consider me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay in my house.” And she forced us to do so.” (Acts 16, 11-15) As usual, Luke summarizes and condenses the events, keeping only the essentials, while adding a note of humor. Lydia is “the first European Christian” whose name we know. She received the Gospel with enthusiasm and decided to offer hospitality to the missionaries. She was a non-Jew from Thyatira in Lydia, hence her name. A wealthy merchant, she had probably continued her husband's dye business after his death. The city of Thyatira was renowned for its purple trade since the times of Homer (9th century BC). This merchant well illustrates the condition of independent women in Greco-Roman society, wealthy traders, who will be attracted by the Gospel and its spirit of openness to all: men and women, rich and poor, slaves and freedmen, Roman citizens and non-citizens, Greeks and Barbarians, Jews and non-Jews... Lydia's capacity to make decisions is manifest in the text of Luke: after the baptism, she "forced" the group to stay at her home.

Icon of St. Lydia of Thyatira
Paul joyfully accepts this generous hospitality and Lydia becomes one of the pillars of the Church of Philippi, a mother for the apostle and his companions and an excellent organizer for the young community. Paul later wrote: “You yourselves know, Philippians: in the beginning of the Gospel, when I left Macedonia, no Church assisted me by way of pecuniary contributions; you were the only ones, you who, from my stay in Thessalonica, sent me, and twice, what I needed.” (Philippians. 4, 15-16). It is very likely that these donations were sent through Lydia herself. This admission on Paul's part is all the more revealing since he did not accept financial assistance from any other Christian community. He always insisted on earning a living through his daily work. The preaching of the word of God was to be free! In his text about the city of Philippi, Luke also mentions Evodia and Syntyche, who have difficulty getting along and whom the Apostle will cordially invite to have better relations: “I exhort Evodia as I exhort Syntyche, to live in good understanding in the Lord.” (Philippians 4, 2) Just as Jesus at Jacob's well in Samaria first initiated a woman into the mystery of the kingdom of God, Paul, entering "Europe", first preached the Gospel to women, "by the river » near Philippi. (See Christian reflection of the 3rd Sunday of Lent: The Samaritan woman finally finds the man of her life). Paul was much more open and much more sympathetic towards women than the vast majority of men of his time.. Paul's great love for the Philippians will be the main theme of the Epistle he addresses to them. This letter evokes the bonds of tenderness which connect him to the Christians of this city: “I give thanks to my God each time I evoke your memory: always, in each prayer for all of you, it is with joy that I pray, because of the part you have taken with us in the Gospel from the first day until now.” (Philipians 1, 3-5) In his letters and in his visits to other Churches, Paul never ceased to give the Christians of Philippi as an example. No Church should have been more dear to him. On the European continent, she was his first love, “his joy and his crown” (Philippians 4, 1). “Yes, God is my witness, that I love you all dearly in the heart of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:8).

 

[JLG]

A violent tremor occurs and all the prisoners escape. Paul prevents the jailer from committing suicide and converts him. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Instantly all the doors opened, and the bonds of all the prisoners were released. Aroused from his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, the jailer took out his sword; he was going to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here.” The jailer asked for a light, ran in and, trembling, threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Lords, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and yours will be saved.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. The jailer took them with him that very hour, in the middle of the night, washed their wounds and immediately received baptism, he and all his people. Then he brought them into his house, set the table, and rejoiced with all his people that they had believed in God.”

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29. Flagellation at Philippi

Paul and his family willingly return to this river where they met Lydia. One day, they come across a young slave endowed with the gift of clairvoyance and shamefully exploited by her owners. She belongs to a group of priests from the temple of Apollo who make a lot of money thanks to this woman's donation.

Paul heals the clairvoyant slave exploited by the priests of the temple of Apollo

After a while, Paul healed the poor slave by casting out the demon inside her. According to her owners, this healing had the effect of making her lose the gift which allowed her to foresee the future. Furious at being deprived of their source of income, they mobilize the city authorities and its inhabitants against Paul. This incident will suddenly endanger the small Christian community of Philippi. Until now only the Jews had attacked Paul because, according to them, he endangered the Jewish religion. The pagans, on the other hand, will also attack him brutally when he defrauds them of their income. Later, in Ephesus, Demetrius will rouse the goldsmiths and have Paul put in prison and then driven out of the city. As the frustrated priests could not bring an accusation to the Romans on a religious level, they attacked Paul on a political level. Luke relates the event thus: “One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a servant who had a divining spirit; she made her masters earn a lot of money by delivering oracles. She began to follow Paul and us, shouting: “These people are servants of the Most High God; they announce to you the way of salvation.” She did this for many days. At the end Paul, exasperated, turned around and said to the spirit: “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of this woman.” And the spirit came out immediately. But his masters, seeing their hopes of gain disappear, seized Paul and Silas, dragged them to the agora before the magistrates and said, presenting them to the strategists: “These people are causing trouble in our city. They are Jews, and they preach customs which we Romans are not permitted to accept or follow.” The crowd rioted against them, and the strategists, after having their clothes torn off, ordered them to be beaten with rods. When they had beaten them well, they threw them into prison, recommending the jailer to guard them carefully. Having received such instructions, he threw them into the inner dungeon and fixed their feet in stocks. (Acts 16, 16-24.)

Paul and Silas cruelly scourged
As Roman citizens, Paul and Silas should never have been treated this way. In the midst of the tumult, it was impossible for the municipal judges to get an accurate idea of the situation, and even less so for the accused to speak in their defense. Since they were only two unknown and foreign Jews, the praetors did not inquire about their marital status. They summarily condemned them to the rods, that is to say, to flogging. Flogging was a cruel and often fatal torture. It happens, says the poet Horace, that the tortured person is “torn apart by the whips to the point of disgusting the executioner”. The instrument of torture, the flagellum, is a short-handled whip to which long, thick straps are attached. So that the blows tear the skin and flesh better, lead bullets or sheep knuckles are attached to the end of each of them. Luc continues the story of this arrest: About midnight, Paul and Silas, in prayer, sang the praises of God; the prisoners listened to them.

Paul and Silas, in prayer, sang the praises of God

A violent tremor occurs and all the prisoners escape. Paul prevents the jailer from committing suicide and converts him. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Instantly all the doors opened, and the bonds of all the prisoners were released. Aroused from his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, the jailer took out his sword; he was going to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here.” The jailer asked for a light, ran in and, trembling, threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Lords, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and yours will be saved.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. The jailer took them with him that very hour, in the middle of the night, washed their wounds and immediately received baptism, he and all his people. Then he brought them into his house, set the table, and rejoiced with all his people that they had believed in God.” “When it was day, the strategists sent the lictors to say to the jailer: “Release these people.” He reported these words to Paul: “The strategists have sent word to release you. So come out and go.” But Paul said to the lictors: “They beat us Roman citizens in public and without trial, and they threw us into prison. And now they're taking us out by stealth! Well no! Let them come and free us themselves.” The lictors reported these words to the strategists. Frightened upon learning that they were Roman citizens, they came to urge them to leave the city. After leaving the prison, Paul and Silas went to Lydia, saw the brothers again and exhorted them, then they left.” (Acts 16, 25-40) As usual, Luke quickly summarizes this whole story. It is with mischievous pleasure that he describes Paul's masterstroke. The revelation of his title as a Roman citizen had the effect of a bomb on the city officials. Paul refuses to respond to his judges' request to secretly leave the city and demands that those in power come personally to apologize and lead them with honor from their prison. Which they hasten to do, recognizing their mistake. Imposing the degrading sanction of flogging on a Roman citizen was a serious offense! Paul and Silas are in no hurry to leave town at all. They solemnly go to Lydia's house, where the Christians are assembled. Paul appoints presbyters (elders) as leaders and gives them the necessary instructions for the direction of the community. Luke, who was not compromised in this affair, will be able to remain in Philippi in order to support the growth of the young Church. Thanks to him, Paul will remain in contact with the Christians of this community. This was the only Church towards which Paul never blamed, and which he allowed to meet its needs. He had a very maternal tenderness towards this community. However, every time he remembers his stay in Philippi, he will think of the affront he was subjected to: “You know what we suffered, and how we were outraged in Philippi,” he wrote. he told the neighboring Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 2, 2). Paul then heads south. They are heading towards Thessaloniki. He and Silas shuffle but they walk. Timothy assists them as best he can. One hundred and fifty kilometers to travel on the Egnatia Way. Normally, we could do around twenty-five kilometers per day, so a trip of six to seven days. The pitiful state of Paul and Silas suggests that it took them twice as long to make this journey.

 

[JLG]

Paul works as a tent weaver
Barely arrived in the city, Paul went to Jason, his relative, who - hospitality obliged - opened his house to him. Learning that the traveler was destitute, moved by his injuries, he provided him with the means to practice his trade as a tent weaver. Jason seems to have run a small weaving workshop with fairly large premises. Paul and his two companions found a warm welcome there, shelter, bread and work. Since they were counting on a fairly long stay, Paul and his companions did not want to be a burden on their host. In Thessaloniki, the Jewish community had built a sumptuous synagogue, equipped by merchants and bankers. It was the meeting place for all the Jews of Macedonia. In this synagogue Paul found an audience open to religious questions. There he also met proselytes and many “God-fearers”, recruited especially from the female community. Three Sabbaths in a row, Paul spoke in the synagogue. The scriptures provided him with a common theme and set of principles that he used to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ. Using the texts of Isaiah, Paul explained that the Messiah must suffer, die and rise from the dead
Everywhere he went, Paul invited his listeners to the in-depth study of Scripture. For him it was the fountain of youth of Christianity. The Scriptures will always have a central place in Paul's preaching and the Thessalonians responded to his call by welcoming the Word “with eagerness and not as a human word” (1 Thessalonians 1, 6; 2, 13). In Thessalonica, Paul and Silas made many conversions. They both stayed for some time in Jason's house. But, once again, as had happened elsewhere, the success of Paul's teaching aroused the fury of the Jews who threatened the two preachers with death. They accused them before the city magistrates: “these people who have stirred up the whole world are now here. These individuals act against the emperor's edicts; They claim that there is another king, Jesus.” (Acts 17, 6-7) Paul's adversaries recruited “rascals who roamed the streets” (Acts 17:5) to organize a riot and sow disorder in the city. They invaded Jason's house shouting that they wanted to bring Paul and Silas to justice. Fortunately, both were absent that day. They then dragged Jason with a few other Christians before the city magistrates. Paul avoided another period of imprisonment because his host agreed to provide a large sum of money as security. Since Jason was known to be a peaceful and honest citizen, he was asked to send away these troublemaking strangers as soon as possible. That same night, Paul made an appointment with the leaders of the community and left them with his instructions. He thought his absence would be short-lived. It was otherwise. For more than eight years, he would not see his friends from Thessalonica again. The Christian community organized the nighttime departure of the two men for Berea, a small town 70 km to the west. They deviated from the Egnatian Way, to take a secondary road.
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[JLG]

30. Thessaloniki

Mount Olympus, the highest peak in Greece, near Thessaloniki. The Greeks of Paul's time believed that Zeus and the other gods lived there, in palaces camouflaged from mortal eyes by a thick and permanent layer of clouds.

Even today, Thessaloniki is a major port on the Aegean Sea.
Paul and his two companions, Silas and Timothy, leave the city of Philippi and head south through Amphipolis, one of the oldest cities in Greece, but they do not stop there. After a journey of 150 km, along the Egnatian Way, they arrive in Thessalonica (Acts 17, 1). Travelers see the snow-capped peaks of Mount Olympus (2,985 meters), the holy mountain of the gods. It is up there that Zeus, “the shaper of the clouds”, sat enthroned. The Greek looked at this mountain with a fear similar to that of the Israelite facing Mount Sinai. Cassander, king of Macedon, founded Thessalonica in 315 BC. and named it after his wife Thessaloniki, the sister of Alexander the Great. The Romans seized it in 68 BC. Enlarged and became the capital of Macedonia, it obtained, in 42 BC, the status of a free city. It had a large port on the Aegean Sea and provided for the needs of a large part of the surrounding countries. By creating the Egnatian Way, which extended the Appian Way to Byzantium, the Romans made Thessalonica an essential stopover. The city was connected to Rome and Asia. Four meters below the current road, the old Roman road was exposed. Politically, power was in the hands of a proconsul, governing on behalf of the Roman Senate. Thessaloniki had a cosmopolitan population. There was a mixture of the nations of the world: Macedonians, Greeks, Asians, Syrians, Egyptians, Jews, Roman employees and legionnaires. If the Gospel succeeds in gaining a foothold in Thessalonica, Paul reasoned, it will spread throughout the entire Mediterranean basin. And that's what happened. After only two years, Paul wrote from Corinth to the Thessalonians: “For from among you the word of the Lord has sounded, and not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has spread everywhere. .” (1 Thessalonians 1, 8).

Paul works as a tent weaver

Barely arrived in the city, Paul went to Jason, his relative, who - hospitality obliged - opened his house to him. Learning that the traveler was destitute, moved by his injuries, he provided him with the means to practice his trade as a tent weaver. Jason seems to have run a small weaving workshop with fairly large premises. Paul and his two companions found a warm welcome there, shelter, bread and work. Since they were counting on a fairly long stay, Paul and his companions did not want to be a burden on their host. “You remember, brothers, our labors and fatigues: night and day, we worked, so as not to be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed the Gospel of God!” (1 Thessalonians 2, 9).

Paul speaks in the synagogue

In Thessaloniki, the Jewish community had built a sumptuous synagogue, equipped by merchants and bankers. It was the meeting place for all the Jews of Macedonia. In this synagogue Paul found an audience open to religious questions. There he also met proselytes and many “God-fearers”, recruited especially from the female community. Three Sabbaths in a row, Paul spoke in the synagogue. The scriptures provided him with a common theme and set of principles that he used to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ. Using the texts of Isaiah, Paul explained that the Messiah must suffer, die and rise from the dead: “A man of sorrows and familiar with suffering, like one before whom one veils his face... He was pierced because of our crimes, crushed because of our faults. The punishment that gives us peace is upon him, and in his wounds we find healing... Mistreated, he humiliated himself, he did not open his mouth, like the lamb that allows itself to be led to the slaughter, like a mute sheep before the shearers.” (Isaiah 53, 3-7) The Messiah, he said, is this Jesus whom I announce to you. Paul explained that the Messiah awaited by the Jews, the victorious King, was only a dream. The true Messiah wore a crown of thorns, was crucified, and died for love of us. What a scandal! Most Jews could not accept a crucified Messiah! It will be especially among the pagans that Paul will encounter the most open hearts. As had happened elsewhere, the success of Paul's teaching aroused the fury of the Jews who threatened the two preachers with death. Everywhere he went, Paul invited his listeners to the in-depth study of Scripture. For him it was the fountain of youth of Christianity. The Scriptures will always have a central place in Paul's preaching and the Thessalonians responded to his call by welcoming the Word “with eagerness and not as a human word” (1 Thessalonians 1, 6; 2, 13). In Thessalonica, Paul and Silas made many conversions. They both stayed for some time in Jason's house. But, once again, as had happened elsewhere, the success of Paul's teaching aroused the fury of the Jews who threatened the two preachers with death. They accused them before the city magistrates: “these people who have stirred up the whole world are now here. These individuals act against the emperor's edicts; They claim that there is another king, Jesus.” (Acts 17, 6-7) Paul's adversaries recruited “rascals who roamed the streets” (Acts 17:5) to organize a riot and sow disorder in the city. They invaded Jason's house shouting that they wanted to bring Paul and Silas to justice. Fortunately, both were absent that day. They then dragged Jason with a few other Christians before the city magistrates. Paul avoided another period of imprisonment because his host agreed to provide a large sum of money as security. Since Jason was known to be a peaceful and honest citizen, he was asked to send away these troublemaking strangers as soon as possible. That same night, Paul made an appointment with the leaders of the community and left them with his instructions. He thought his absence would be short-lived. It was otherwise. For more than eight years, he would not see his friends from Thessalonica again. The Christian community organized the nighttime departure of the two men for Berea, a small town 70 km to the west. They deviated from the Egnatian Way, to take a secondary road.