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- 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.
______________________________________________________________________________
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
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).
- 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.
______________________________________________________________________________
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
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).
- Again you repeat yourself!
- Are you not tired of criticism?
- Have you ever heard about historical context to understand the bible?
- When these sources are finished, I will publish other sources!
- Then you will say but it is not Catholic, it says the contrary!
- Don't you know that any piece of information can help understand the Bible?
- You miss something and then you misunderstand the whole because you think as people think today!
- But it has never worked and it will never worked!
- We are supposed to be in the twentieth century!
- We are supposed to live in modernity!
- I only see regression!
- People who are unable to look for the facts and understand them!
- How is it possible to make so many mistakes?
- It is not possible to keep drinking milk!
- Come on, wake up!
- it is not possible to keep thinking like a baby!
- Religion lies!
- I am speaking about human religion which is quite different from God's word!
- You always mix everything!
- Apparently, you don't see the difference!
- Definitely!
- As you say Roman!
- I could add and Greek!
- Because the Romans copied the Greeks who influenced all religions through the Greek empire!
- Then when Christianity became state religion in the Roman empire, they mixed all kinds of beliefs!
- And it became a mixture, a hamburger like those people buy in fastfoods!
- Completely wrong!
- Basic history!
- You should review your knowledge about history!
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.
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.
- 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
___________________________________________________________
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).
- 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
___________________________________________________________
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).
- Is that the only thing you are interested in?
- I must repeat again!
- I am only interested in the historical context!
- it is part of the document!
- And there are mistakes too!
- So what?
- If you find a better document about the historical context connected with Paul's life, you can publish it here!
- No problem!
- When i finish with this document, I will publish something else with other origins!
- Only because it brings something additional!
- If the majority likes it, that's what matters!
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.
___________________________________________________________
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.
- That's your point of view!
- I only cite the Bible!
- That's the big difference!
- In Acts 1:14, they keep praying! (maybe you think they were wrong)
- Then Peter speaks about what has just happened! (maybe you think he is wrong)
- And he explains why they have to replace Judas (maybe you know better than Peter)
- You think they were wrong!
- Nowhere in the Bible anything is said about that!
- Apparently many know better about many things in the Bible!
- That's not my case!
- I am just looking at what is written!