9
Visitors in Worship
MIRYAM FOUND HERSELF something of a tour guide for her guests as they acclimated to Pella. Arranging a little time away from her children, Sarai went for a walk with Miryam through town. Their conversation inclined toward the patterns of worship in this Hellenistic city.
“Pella is a town with gods to suit anyone,” Miryam told Sarai. “The most recent is the temple dedicated to the worship of the Emperor Augustus and his successors. There seems to be a lot of money here going toward building that temple.”
“What about a synagogue?” Sarai asked. “There are Jews here, aren’t there?”
“There are some, but there have never been enough Jews in Pella to build a synagogue. In some ways, actually, that makes it easier for me and our fellow Christ followers here. We don’t have to deal with quarrels with synagogue officials. And since there has never been a synagogue here, we Jesus followers met in a home from the start.”
While Miryam was happy to be part of the weekly worship and fellowship in Pella, she felt a pang as she thought of the Jerusalem community and its worship. Here there were no apostles, nor any of the family of Jesus, so the excitement of being at the center of the Jesus movement was missing. In most ways the meetings here were like normal synagogue meetings.
Religion in Pella
Many religions coexisted in Pella in the first century. The oldest religion in town was Greek, since Pella was one of the ten cities of the Decapolis. But there was also a much more recent Roman temple to Mars, in addition to the temple of Augustus that Joanna mentions. Some of the old gods of the region were worshiped as well, and there was also an ancient Canaanite temple.
This was typical of the polytheistic environment of the Roman empire, where both the emperor cult and the Christian faith were new additions to the pluralistic religious scene. Peaceful coexistence was possible as long as no one religion claimed preeminence—a problem for both Jews and Christians.
The emperor cult, too, created problems for Christians—especially non-Jewish Christians, since Jews were exempt from the emperor cult. The Christians in Pella, though, were probably not facing ultimatums about emperor worship in the AD 70s.
“Perhaps you and Jason could come with me to the meeting tonight? We worship at night, but on the first day of the week rather than on the night of Shabbat. Our worship here is a lot like that in Jerusalem—after all, most of us originally worshiped in Jerusalem before we had to leave.”
Sarai took a deep breath and said, “I’d better not tonight—the children are a bit unsettled and insecure at this point—but I’m sure Jason will be pleased to come with you.” They turned back toward home.
The walk across the valley and up the steep hill followed a ridge path, and it took Miryam and Jason some time. The sun was setting earlier now, and cooler weather was beginning to set in. Miryam had brought a couple of hand lamps and some oil for their trip home from the meeting.
“I’ve noticed a number of people seem to be making their living from vineyards and olive trees,” said Jason as they walked.
Figure 9.1. First-century oil lamps
“Yes. And in my case, as you may have gathered, making and repairing women’s clothes has kept me fed and sheltered for a good while now. Your wife could perhaps help me with that, but we would need to find some more clients.”
Jason considered this. “It’s hard to know how long we will be in Pella. Even the prophecy didn’t tell us how long to stay, only to flee here.”
“Yes, as specific as that prophecy was, it doesn’t tell us everything we need to know,” Miryam responded, thinking aloud. “I guess that’s part of God’s design. If we knew everything in advance, we would not need to live by faith each and every day.”
Jason laughed and replied, “Yes, God does tend to reveal enough to give us hope, but not so much that we don’t have to live by faith. That’s probably a good thing.”
Villas
The classic design of a villa included the following elements: the entranceway, the impluvium in the atrium, the tablinum, the triclinium, the peristyle garden in the courtyard, the kitchens, the master’s study, the upstairs bedrooms, and the back gardens, to mention just a few of the rooms.
Figure 9.2. Schematic of a Roman villa
Miryam took the climb to the top of the ridge with the practiced pacing of a woman her age. Reaching the top of the ridge, she turned to take in the reward. The sun was setting over the Jordan River, with the promised land in the distance.
Aristobolus’s villa, with its brick walls and tiled roof, had come into view. Classic in its proportions, it was tastefully modest by Roman standards. On its southern and western exposures it was shaded by trees, and its setting at this elevation took full advantage of the hillside breezes—not to speak of a commanding view of the valley below. In the cooling refreshment of the evening air, its relative seclusion made it an exceptional venue for worship.
A servant was at the door, ready to admit the guests with a warm greeting. Miryam felt her pulse quicken as she returned the greeting. She always felt out of her element in this wealthy man’s house. Jason looked uncomfortable as well, so she whispered to him, “Don’t you feel a bit out of place here? I grew up in a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee, in such a humble little house. But Aristobolus and his wife, Ariadne, couldn’t be kinder. They know how to put people at ease. You’ll see.”
Miryam had often noticed that even Aristobolus’s servants seemed content and cheerful. It was easy to sense when servants were being mistreated, she thought. It showed in their faces, their posture, and their general demeanor.
As they entered the atrium, Aristobolus and Ariadne were there to greet her with a kiss and a welcome for Miryam’s new friend. Others stood beyond them with anointing oil, ready to anoint the head, hands, and feet of anyone who desired it.
In addition to greeting those who were entering, Aristobolus was also introducing people to a friend he had invited for the evening, named Julius, with whom he had long worked in Pella. Julius was a Roman, but he had an interest in “Eastern sects.”
Slaves in a Christian Household
In thinking about how early Christians approached slavery, we need to bear in mind that the so-called household codes in Colossians 3–4 and Ephesians 5–6 reflect an existing social situation, into which Paul injects some Christian sense and compassion. These household codes are an attempt to modify and make an existing social situation less abusive. They are “in-house” codes, intended for Christian households. Paul and other early Christians saw no immediate opportunity to change the social institutions of the empire. They did not live in a democratic world but one where authoritarian and totalitarian government was the norm.
Not surprisingly, then, the New Testament has little to say in the abstract about slaves or slavery. The only time the subject comes up directly is when there are slaves in a Christian household. Accordingly, there is no comment in the New Testament about slaves working in the mines or on ships or in other such venues that tended to be much more difficult and life threatening than domestic service. Nor, on the other hand, does the New Testament speak of domestic slaves who are rhetoricians or tutors. Domestic workers seem to be the only type of slaves commented on in Colossians 3–4 and Ephesians 5–6.
When we compare the household codes in Paul’s letters with other Greco-Roman texts, such as the advice given by a Plutarch or a Seneca on household management, there are striking differences. The pagan household codes do not give commands or orders to the head of the household. Instead, the heads of the households are given advice on how to keep their wives, children, and slaves in line. Nowhere is the master commanded to treat his slaves as persons rather than property, and nowhere are children treated as moral agents who must be respected. In other words, in pagan codes the exhortations are for the subordinate members of the patriarchal household. Nowhere do we hear exhortations to love one’s wife and consider one’s own body as belonging to the wife. Neither do we hear exhortations to treat and serve one’s slaves as one would want to be treated and served, bearing in mind one has a heavenly master. Nor do we hear exhortations to mutual submission between husbands and wives (cf. Eph 5:21) or to not be overbearing with one’s children. Yet we hear all this and more in Paul’s household codes. Clearly Paul is trying to reform and revise the existing household structure from within the context of the Christian household.a
aFor much more on this see Ben Witherington III, The Letters to Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007).
Julius turned out to be a diminutive man, barely over five feet tall, with close-cropped, curly black hair. He wore a clean white toga with a green border. Nearsightedness caused him to squint, which made him appear furtive or worried. Miryam’s internal alarm system responded. She did not like the look of the man. Remembering the word of the Master about not prejudging people, she resolved to keep an open mind. But she could not help watching the man closely and worrying that this visitor might lead to trouble.
As was the community’s custom, their worship was wrapped around a common meal. It was nothing short of spectacular. The main dish was turbot in a favorite pickled fish sauce called garum, which also went well with meat or even bread. The meal reminded Miryam of her home in Migdal, where a large fish factory was adjacent to the synagogue.
Gourmet Garum
Garum was made from the intestines of small fish and was produced through a process of bacterial fermentation.a Fishermen laid out their catch according to the type and part of the fish. This allowed makers to pick the exact ingredients they wanted. The fish parts were then covered in salt. Curing in the sun was a long process, lasting from one to three months. In the heat of the sun the mixture fermented and then liquefied, with the salt inhibiting decay. Garum, then, was the clear liquid that bubbled to the top. It was drawn off by means of a strainer inserted into the fermenting vessel. The sediment that remained was called allec. Concentrated essences of aromatic herbs might be added. Flavors would vary according to the locale, with ingredients coming sometimes from one’s own garden. The end product was very nutritious, very high in protein and amino acids along with minerals and B vitamins. Garum was also very rich in glutamic acid, making its use similar to modern monosodium glutamate. As with olive oil, there were various grades and qualities of garum, but a wealthy person like Aristobolus could afford the best.
Figure 9.3. Garum jugs
aSee Robert I. Curtis, “The Garum Shop of Pompeii,” Cronache Pompeiane 31, no. 94 (1979); see especially 5-23. See also Curtis’s later work, “Spanish Trade in Salted Fish Products in the 1st and 2nd Centuries A.D.,” International Journal of Nautical Archaeology and Underwater Exploration 39 (1988): 205-10.
Miryam made a point of complimenting Aristobolus and Ariadne on the wonderful food. She noted with satisfaction that the guests were all served the same food—often not the case in the highly stratified Roman world, where one’s place at dinner and even the quality of one’s food often depended on one’s social position.
“Tell me where you got that garum,” said Miryam to Ariadne. “I’ve never tasted a fish sauce with so much flavor!”
“We import ours straight from Baetia, and since Aristobolus has an import-export business, we are able to get the best. I can tell you, though, that over the last three to four years it’s been harder to come by due to all the troubles in Judea. Business has slowed down for both merchants and suppliers, since we are a good distance from any port on Mare Nostrum.” Miriam nodded in response and continued savoring her food.
The teacher on this evening was a man named Agabus, now quite aged. He was revered for having known not only the original Jerusalem apostles but also Paul, and for having spoken famous prophecies in both Antioch and elsewhere in Syria. Agabus made for a strange dinner guest, dressed as he was in a tattered outer garment, and with his scraggly beard, bald head, missing teeth, and notably foul odor. For some reason, Aristobolus had positioned him on the couch directly across from Julius, which made for quite the contrast with the neatly coiffed Roman in the expensive toga. Miryam watched as Julius kept trying to engage Agabus in conversation. But Agabus, being quite deaf, only spoke to the others immediately to his right, quite loudly. Julius eventually quit trying to speak to Agabus, turning away with a small frown on his face.
The time came for worship proper, and everyone adjourned to the peristyle, where the servants had set up benches for those who wanted to sit. Agabus, as was the Jewish custom, chose to sit while he taught. He was placed at the very end of the peristyle so everyone could see him. It made for a dramatic scene, since many had brought their hand lamps from the table to the peristyle; from Agabus’s end on down there appeared to be a long line of winking stars along each side of the garden.
Agabus had a good loud voice, and he began with a brief prayer, lifting up his hands to heaven.
“Lord, we ask for your presence and that of your Spirit here tonight. We know you are King of kings and Lord of lords, and we ask that you would rule and overrule this time of teaching, so that the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts might be acceptable in your sight. Amen.”
Dinner Discrimination
A famous epigram of the Roman pundit Martial attests to the stratification typically evident in Roman meals: “Seeing that I am invited to dinner, and am no longer, as before, to be bought, why is not the same dinner given to me, as to you? You partake of oysters fattened in the Lucrine lake; I tear my lips in sucking at a limpet. Before you are placed splendid mushrooms; I help myself to such as are fit only for pigs. You are provided with a turbot; I with a sparulus. The golden turtle-dove fills your stomach with its over-fattened body; a magpie which died in its cage is set before me. Why do I dine without you, Ponticus, when I dine with you? Let it be of some profit to me that the sportula exists no longer; let us eat of the same dishes.”a
aThe Epigrams of Martial (London: George Bell and Sons, 1907), 159.
He cleared his throat. “There are other prophets, by which I mean other than myself, among us this evening. Let one come forward and offer a word of knowledge before I begin to teach.”
Almost immediately a beautiful young woman, evidently a slave, stood up and began speaking: “Beware of the wolves—those who prey on the weak and lead astray God’s sheep. Beware of the wealthy and powerful who take advantage of the poor and defraud the widow. Beware of false friends like Judas, ready to betray a person for their own ends. Keep watch, be vigilant, for you know not the hour in which the wolf will strike.”
Her warning clearly enunciated, she sat down and spoke no more the rest of the evening. Agabus commended her for the useful warning and then said, “Friends, we are gathered here by our gracious hosts to worship our Master, of whom we are all servants. My teaching tonight will be based on one of his more famous parables, the parable of the pleading widow and the unjust judge. In case you do not remember the story, let me tell it once more . . .
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ And the Master added, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’”
Agabus folded his hands in his lap and began his teaching. “You might be tempted to think that Jesus was making the sort of complaint that we too often hear about women—namely that they nag away at us men until they get what they want. But notice that it is this woman and her persistence that is being presented as an example for us to follow. The story is about vindication and how widows are often taken advantage of by unscrupulous men. For example, they are often defrauded of property when their husbands die.
“Now the way the Jewish law works, as many of you know, is that whoever goes to the judge first and gets in a claim for some property is more likely to get it, especially if the judge himself is unscrupulous, like the one in the story. Though, of course, many judges do their best to be fair.”
Julius was sitting close by, listening to this tale and its explanation, and Miryam noticed he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
“As the story is told, the widow is already in difficulty because she did not get to the judge first, and the person who did is her ‘adversary,’ as the story says. Not merely a claimant, but an adversary. In other words, there is trouble. Now the judge is tempted to just ignore the woman or dismiss her as being too late. But the problem is, when he tries this tactic, she just keeps coming back . . . and coming back . . . and coming back. Like an annoying fly that won’t stop. Even though the man ignores the real G-d and doesn’t much care what the general public thinks of him, he is apparently a vain man, a man who doesn’t like being showed up or shamed in public. And certainly not by an old woman. In fact, he admits he had better give her what she wants before she comes and punches him in the nose, so to speak. In other words, self-preservation kicked in, and so the woman is vindicated against her adversary.
“Now, what is this little metaphorical story, this parabolas, really about? We must bear in mind that the story has a few symbolic elements, but it involves an analogy. So, for instance, it would be a mistake to simply equate in all or most respects this judge with G-d, the judge of the world. G-d is not an unjust judge, and when his Son, the Son of Man returns, he will judge the world completely fairly and even with mercy. The point, however, is like the point of so many Jewish stories—if even this man, a bad judge, finally vindicates the old woman, then how much more will G-d, the real judge, do so for his people, who cry out to him both day and night?
“The story is a reassurance that G-d will vindicate his people at the appropriate time. But as the ending of the story asks, when the Son of Man comes, will he find us faithful? The question is not whether G-d will be faithful and keep his promises and vindicate his people; the question is, will we continue to have faith in G-d? Will we continue to pray to G-d? This little story could be seen as an exhortation to be persistent in praying and to never give up. Not because G-d is a reluctant answerer of prayer, but because G-d knows what timing is best. G-d even knows whether answering a prayer in the affirmative would be good for us or not. Sometimes no is the answer to prayer we need, though not usually the one we want.”
On this evening those gathered seemed to be in more of a reflective mood, and no questions were asked after Agabus offered his teaching. Instead, following a collection of funds—the so-called poor fund, especially for widows and orphans, but also for single folk like Miryam—there was some singing. One song in particular moved Miryam deeply. It was a call and response between the men on one side of the peristyle and the women on the other:
The psalm, with its several verses sung slowly, resonated with the teaching of Agabus. Miryam’s tears welled up and flowed down her cheeks as gathered voices filled the evening air. She felt like that widow in the story. How often had she cried out to G-d when she was lonely and alone. On this night G-d seemed to be speaking to her. But what was the message? Was it that G-d had heard her cry, that he had sent Jason and his family to be a comfort and a help in times of trouble? Perhaps.
Men | Women |
Out of the depths I cry to you | Out of the depths I cry to you |
Lord, hear my voice | Lord, hear my voice |
Let your ears be listening | Let your ears be listening |
to my cry for mercy | to my cry for mercy |
As worship concluded, people gathered around Agabus and Aristobolus, thanking them for the evening. Miryam noticed that Julius had been the first to thank Aristobolus and then made a quick retreat through the tablinum to the front of the villa. As Miryam approached Jason, she saw his excitement on his face: “It’s been a good while since I shared in a good worship and fellowship time like that. What a blessing!”
“Yes it was,” smiled Miryam, “but we need to light our lamps and head down the hill.” After departing hugs of the host and hostess, Miryam and Jason began their descent, humming the psalm of ascent that they had just sung.