Marketplace Mentors: Priscilla and Aquila
Priscilla and Aquila served as spiritual mentors to Apollos (Acts 18:24–26), updating his theology and increasing his effectiveness in the spread of the gospel. For more on the importance of the mentoring process, see “Kingdom Mentoring” at Acts 9:26–30. To learn about this mentoring couple with whom Paul partnered in business, see their profile at Romans 16:3–5.
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Name means: “Destroyer.”
Home: Alexandria, Egypt.
Occupation: Itinerant teacher of John the Baptist’s message; became an evangelist so eloquent and popular that the Corinthians set up a faction around him; perhaps to avoid causing further controversy, he did not return to Corinth despite Paul’s request (1 Cor. 16:12).
Best known for: Being taught “the way of God more accurately” by Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:26), which made him even more “mighty in the Scriptures” (18:24).
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The Ephesus Approach: How the Gospel Transformed a Community
Evangelism in Ephesus was explosive and unpredictable when the Holy Spirit brought together a diverse coalition of believers from vastly different backgrounds. The Christians at Ephesus had a far-reaching impact on the city’s culture and economy, shaking the metropolis to its core.
Laying a Foundation
The work started with Priscilla and Aquila, an entrepreneurial couple whom Paul had met at Corinth (Acts 18:1–3). They joined Paul and sailed with him to Ephesus, a major city of 350,000 inhabitants. Paul traveled on to Palestine and Galatia, but Priscilla and Aquila stayed behind, set up contacts, and made a living manufacturing tents (18:18–23). One beneficiary of their efforts was Apollos, a powerful orator from Alexandria who stirred things up in Paul’s absence. Eloquent in delivery but incomplete in theology, he learned the facts about Jesus from Priscilla and Aquila, who sent him to Greece to strengthen the Christians there, including their old friends at Corinth (18:24–28; 1 Cor. 3:6).
The Message Takes Hold
Back in Ephesus, Paul encountered a new breed of religious disciples. Like Apollos, they were unaware of Jesus and knew only about John the Baptist. But they became ecstatic as Paul explained the fulfillment of John’s ministry in Christ. Twelve received the Holy Spirit, attracting the attention of the religious establishment (Acts 19:1–7). Paul exploited the attention with a three-month campaign in the local synagogue. When obstinate synagogue Jews publicly maligned the movement, Paul relocated to the school of Tyrannus. For two years he engaged the Ephesians in a dialogue on Christianity during their midday breaks (19:8–10).
Rapid Growth
This concentrated focus brought extraordinary results. The Christian message proved contagious among open-minded Jews and intellectually curious Gentiles. People from Ephesus and throughout Asia Minor were exposed to the news about Jesus, so that “all … in Asia heard the word of the Lord” (19:10). Philemon’s house church in Laodicea, and probably other nearby churches, were started by those who attended Paul’s lectures.
God validated Paul’s message with dramatic miracles among the sick and diseased. This drew jealousy from esoteric healers. The seven sons of Sceva attempted to imitate the apostle through an occult ritual but were routed by the powers they claimed to control. The incident produced even more new disciples, driving many occult practitioners and publishers out of business—but not all (see “Counterfeit Christianity” at 2 Tim. 3:8, 9). The growing community of Christians ignited a bonfire that consumed the magic books they had formerly used, valued at four hundred thousand hours of wages (Acts 19:11–20).
Economic Impact
Civic leaders heard complaints about the economic impact of the message. Paul’s meddlesome habit of attacking idolatry threatened tourism and idol manufacturing centered around the Temple of Artemis, acclaimed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Metalworkers led by Demetrius mobilized the entire city to save a key industry. Recruiting associates in other trade guilds, they fomented a riot and rushed to the amphitheater.
This forced officials to act. A civil servant struggling to keep order—and his job—finally silenced the crowd and urged them to address their grievances in court. His tactic bought time, saved the economy, and preempted violence against Paul and his companions (19:23–41).
An Established Community
The riot ended Paul’s teaching but not the gospel’s impact. As he departed Ephesus, Paul left behind a dynamic church pastored by his young protégé Timothy (16:1–3; 1 Tim. 1:3). The maturing Christians continued to transform their community with the message of Christ and reached out to travelers to and from their strategically placed city—tourists and religious pilgrims, shipping merchants, sailors, military personnel, and political refugees. Dozens of churches sprang up throughout Asia Minor because of the Holy Spirit’s decision to use three tentmakers (Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul), a fiery evangelist (Apollos), a young pastor (Timothy), and countless unnamed Christians to inspire many to follow Christ.
More: For more on Ephesus, see the introduction to Ephesians and the city’s profile at Eph. 1:1. The Ephesian outreach spawned churches across Asia Minor. See “The Church at the End of the First Century” at Rev. 1:20.
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When Paul declared, “I must also see Rome,” he was stating his audacious intention to carry the gospel to the capital of his world. Rome was the center of the system that drove his universe. Jerusalem was an important starting point, but his ultimate goal was Rome.
A marble obelisk once stood in the center of Rome displaying the distance from that point to every significant destination in the empire. It was a startling visual reminder of Rome’s influence. Paul seemed to have an internal marker always reminding him how far he was from Rome and how intent he was to get there. Every city he visited became a milepost on his way.
The boldness of his plan is rather shocking. A tiny group from the empire’s periphery aimed to conquer the cities and capital of the mightiest empire in history with its new and strange beliefs. Incredibly, the movement prevailed.
More: Spreading Christ’s message involves more than just broadcasting facts. See “Faith Impacts the World” at Mark 16:15, 16. Learn more about the imperial capital in Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
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Home: Ephesus, a major tourist center renowned for its Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Occupation: Silversmith and leader of the local guild specializing in statues of the goddess Artemis (Diana).
Best known for: Instigating a riot in Ephesus to get rid of Paul.
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Paul later charged “Alexander the coppersmith” (2 Tim. 4:14), possibly the man mentioned in Acts 19:33, with doing him much harm. See “Alexander the Enemy” at 2 Timothy 4:14, 15.
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• Seaport located against a 700-foot volcanic hill overlooking the Gulf of Adramyttium on the Aegean Sea; also known as Assus.
• Site of Behram Köi in modern-day Turkey.
• Impressively fortified with a thick wall two miles long and 65 feet high; also home to a theater, public baths, and a rectangular marketplace.
• Competed with other Greek cities for the largest shrine by building a Doric temple dedicated to Athena. Emperor-worship was also widespread; like most Greek cities, Assos wanted Caesar to view it favorably.
• Home to the philosopher Aristotle for three years (348–345 B.C.).
• See the location of Assos on the map at Chios, Samos, and Trogyllium’s profile at Acts 20:15.
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• Principal city of the island of Lesbos off the coast of Asia Minor in the Aegean Sea.
• Its sheltered, deepwater harbor faced the mainland, making it a logical overnight stay for anyone traveling along the coast.
• A favorite holiday resort for Roman soldiers.
• See Mitylene’s location on the map at Chios, Samos, and Trogyllium’s profile at Acts 20:15.
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Chios
• Small, mountainous island between Lesbos and Samos, just five miles off the coast of modern-day Turkey in the Aegean Sea.
• Historically torn between conquest by empires, treaty alliances, and revolt for independence.
• Renowned for wine, wheat, citrus fruits, figs—and today for a substance used in chewing gum.
• Claims to be the birthplace of Homer. Tradition holds that he gathered students at the foot of Chios’s Mount Epos.
Samos
• Small, mountainous island in the Aegean Sea separated from Asia Minor by the narrow Samos Strait.
• Important maritime island for Greece; later declared a free state by Rome.
• Known for producing fine wine, fruit, olives, and cotton.
Trogyllium
• Located 20 miles south of Ephesus on land that protrudes into the Aegean Sea within one mile of the island of Samos.
• Influenced by neighbors to the north, the Lydians, who were the first to establish permanent retail shops and mint gold and silver coins to stimulate economic activity.
• Some New Testament texts omit the single reference in Acts 20:15.
• A modern-day harbor in this region on the western tip of Trogyllium is designated St. Paul’s Harbor.
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• Seaport on the west coast of Asia Minor and southernmost of the great cities of Greek culture.
• Located just south of Söke in modern-day Turkey.
• The civil planner Hippodamus of Miletus rebuilt the city after its destruction during the Graeco-Persian Wars (c. 546–448 B.C.). Using a grid of right angles with boulevards 30 feet wide, he created the “Hippodamian City,” a model recreated throughout the Roman empire.
• Leading merchants founded a marketing empire linking 70–90 smaller towns and cities further north along the coast of the Black Sea.
• Exported its culture, philosophy, and a trade language that became the common-speech Greek of the New Testament text.
• Noted for strife between workers who wanted democracy and the rich who preferred dictatorship. At Miletus Paul warned the Ephesian elders against similar discord among Christians (Acts 20:28–35).
• Already in decline commercially and strategically by the time of Paul’s visit (c. A.D. 57) due to the silting of its waterway.
• See Miletus’s location on the map at Chios, Samos, and Trogyllium’s profile at Acts 20:15.
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Paul’s emotional farewell to the Ephesian elders ended with a shout: “I have not coveted!” Paul took pains to emphasize that he was not a deadbeat who took advantage of their generosity. He instead worked, making tents to provide for himself and his companions and to “support the weak” (see “Paul’s Tentmaking” at Acts 18:1–3).
These words deserve attention. They reveal a biblical work ethic that renounces greed in favor of honest labor and a trust in God to provide for the basics. As God blesses, a worker’s abundance should overflow in generosity toward others. This pattern recurs throughout the New Testament (Matt. 6:24–34; Luke 16:9–13; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:6–15; 1 Tim. 6:6–10, 17–19).
Paul’s statement also applies to modern churches and Christian organizations. Many outsiders see ministry as nothing more than an excuse to amass money for a greedy class of professional Christian workers. Paul must have faced similar attitudes and therefore chose to pay his own way at Ephesus and elsewhere.
Christian leaders should consider Paul’s concerns if not his practice. But his words also challenge the rest of the church. How do we see work, income, and material possessions? Where do we fall on the spectrum from greed to generosity?
Generosity is more than a nice virtue. “You must support the weak,” Paul urged (Acts 20:35, emphasis added), because it is exactly what Christ taught. That must have shocked the citizens of the extraordinarily affluent city of Ephesus. It certainly exhorts us to act.
More: For more on coveting, see “You Shall Not Covet” at Ex. 20:17. Jesus spoke an uncompromising command to guard against craving things that are not ours. See “Guard Against Greed” at Luke 12:15. Paul learned how to be happy whether he had a little or a lot. See “Finding Contentment” at Phil. 4:10–13.
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Cos
• A large, mountainous island just off the west coast of Asia Minor.
• Settled by the Greeks but known to rebel against Greece and side with Rome, which returned the loyalty; the island’s benefactor was Rome’s client Herod the Great, and Emperor Claudius proclaimed it exempt from paying Roman taxes.
• Prominent as a health resort known for its dry climate and hot springs; traditional site of Greece’s first school of medicine and home of the famous physician Hippocrates; a shrine to Asclepius, god of healing, was built there.
• Excavations have located a stadium, a wall, and Roman baths dating to the time of Paul’s journey.
• Known to modern Greeks as Kos, to Italians as Koo, and to Turks as Istanköy.
Rhodes
• Largest and easternmost island of the Aegean Sea, opposite the southwest coast of Asia Minor.
• Name may derive from Rhodē (“Rose”), daughter of the Greek god Poseidon; some believe it comes from erod, the Phoenician word for snake; a poisonous species still survives there.
• Important center of commerce, culture, and year-round tourism.
• Site of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; it was destroyed in an earthquake in 226 B.C.
• Paul stopped briefly at the island as he hastened to Jerusalem for Pentecost.
Patara
• One of the largest and most prosperous cities of Lycia, a rugged coastal area of southwest Asia Minor shut off from the interior by 10,000-foot mountains.
• Freed by the Greeks from Persia in 546 B.C.; the Lycians adopted Greek customs and language.
• Excellent harbor gave it commercial success as an overhaul and crossover point with favorable trade winds for ships venturing across the Mediterranean.
• One of the largest cities in the Lycian League, a group organized for mutual defense.
• Home to a magnificent temple to Apollo, a prominent theater, an archway, and public baths.
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• Seaport located in northern Palestine 12 miles south of modern-day Lebanon and across the bay from the Port of Haifa.
• Originally called Accho; renamed Ptolemais by Ptolemy I, ruler of Egypt (323–285 B.C.) and descendant of one of Alexander the Great’s generals.
• The only natural harbor on the eastern Mediterranean south of Phoenicia.
• Likely one of the 20 cities King Solomon gave to Hiram of Tyre in exchange for building materials for the temple (1 Kin. 9:11–14).
• A retirement town for veterans under Emperor Claudius, who declared Ptolemais a colony of Rome.
• See Ptolemais’s location on the map at Cos, Rhodes, and Patara’s profile at Acts 21:1.
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Lacking honesty, we are nothing. If we can learn to be open with God about our own sinfulness (Ps. 51) and ongoing struggle with doing wrong (Rom. 7:14—8:1), we will be less prone to mislead others about sin and faith.
As Paul stood before the hostile Jewish Council, he could honestly declare his clear conscience (Acts 23:1). He made the same claim when he appeared with his accusers before Felix (24:16). Paul’s moral clarity gave him the freedom to be bold even when his opponents were at their most hostile.
Paul never claimed to be perfect, and he was upfront about his failures. He apologized, for example, after lashing out in anger (23:5). He did not cover up his mistake in an attempt to look good.
Jesus does not ask us to try to keep up an impossibly perfect image—in fact, that attempt would be a lie of the worst kind. He wants us instead to be candid about our failures and quick to receive His forgiveness (Mark 11:25). When we are honest about ourselves, it gives others hope and can move them toward our gracious God.
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Not to be confused with: Ananias the liar (Acts 5:1); Ananias the disciple who befriended Saul (9:10–19).
Home: Jerusalem.
Occupation: High priest; greedy and open to bribes and extortion; a collaborator with Rome, he was murdered by a Jewish mob in A.D. 66 for his pro-Roman activities.
Best known as: The high priest before whom Paul appeared following his arrest after returning to Jerusalem (c. A.D. 58).
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Name means: “Happy.”
Home: Caesarea, administrative center of Roman rule in Palestine.
Family: Husband of Drusilla, his third wife and youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I.
Background: A Greek; a favorite of Emperor Claudius, who made him a freedman, and also of Emperor Nero.
Occupation: Procurator (governor) of Judea (A.D. 52–59).
Known for: Ruling with impunity because of his influence over the courts, at least until he was recalled by Nero; when Paul was brought before him, he expected a bribe; described as heavy-handed, a procrastinator, and a man disposed to cruelty and lust; it has been said that he exercised “the powers of a king with the outlook of a slave.”
Best known for: Giving Paul a fair trial and keeping him in protective custody with liberal visitation rights, thus foiling a Jewish plot to kill him.
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• Border town between Judea and Samaria 25 miles south of Caesarea along a military road from Jerusalem.
• Former Canaanite city of Aphek (“Strength” or “Fortress”), where the ark of the covenant fell into Philistine hands (see “Israel Hits Bottom” at 1 Sam. 4:11).
• Rebuilt as a military outpost in the decade before Christ by Herod the Great and renamed in honor of his father Antipater.
• Modern-day Ras el-’Ain, near modern-day Petah Tiqwa, Israel. The tell (mound) of the former city is now one of the largest archaeological sites in the country.
• See Antipatris’s location on the map at Fair Havens and Lasea’s profile at Acts 27:8.
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This broken world does not always reward our care for others, our efforts to speak the truth, or our sincerity in trying to live with integrity. When God’s grace exposes people’s sin and guilt, we become a handy target for anger. Paul experienced intense hostility from the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. They mustered several forms of opposition as he stood before Felix:
• They recruited a skilled orator, Tertullus, who flattered the governor as he argued their case against Paul (Acts 24:1–3).
• They trumped up accusations that amounted to little more than name-calling (24:5, 6). Jason of Thessalonica had experienced similar treatment simply for entertaining Paul and his team (17:5–9).
• They arrested Paul and accused Commander Lysias of violence even though they were the ones on the verge of a riot (23:7–10; 24:6, 7).
• They engineered testimony against Paul (24:9).
• They demeaned the entire Christian movement with terms like “plague” and “sect” (24:5, 14).
• They played political games with Felix, who was obviously used to settling disputes through bribes and other deals (24:26; 25:9).
Learning to recognize this pattern can help us avoid taking attacks on our faith personally. The hostility we face for our beliefs is more often rooted in our opponents’ guilt or fear of judgment than in an accurate assessment of who we are or how we act.
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Name means: “Eastful” or “Joyful.”
Home: Caesarea.
Occupation: Successor to Felix as governor of Judea (A.D. 59–61).
Best known for: Insisting that Jewish leaders meet with Paul in Caesarea; by meeting where the apostle was protected, he foiled a murderous plot against him. Festus later suggested a retrial in Jerusalem as a favor to the Jews.
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Home: Rome.
Family: Son of an insanely controlling mother, Agrippina, who became the fourth wife of Claudius; great-great-grandson of Augustus; raised and tortured by his menacing, mentally deranged uncle Caligula. His family history was rife with incest, physical abuse, and political conspiracy.
Occupation: Emperor of Rome (A.D. 54–68). Noble in his youth, he later made himself out to be a new god. He was the Caesar to whom Paul appealed for justice (Acts 25:9–11).
Reputation: Ascetic and maniacal in his devotion to music and the gods; capricious as a ruler, he signed countless death warrants yet once banned capital punishment; laughed at revolts; regarded by early Christians as the Antichrist; died by suicide.
Best known for: Allegedly playing the violin while Rome burned to the ground (he was 35 miles away from Rome at his villa at Antium) and for persecuting Christians.
More: Learn more about other major leaders of the Roman empire and Palestine at “New Testament Rulers” at Luke 3:1 and “First-Century Roman Politics” at Luke 22:25.
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King Agrippa and Bernice showed up at a crucial moment. The relatively inexperienced Roman governor of Judea, Festus, was faced with a religious conflict between the Jews, led by their council, and the growing Christian movement, represented by Paul. Agrippa and Bernice arrived just as Festus began to rule on the case. Festus, the Jews, and Paul all benefited from the couple’s expertise in Jewish history and affairs (25:23; 26:3). The brother and sister had watched their father govern Judea for years before Agrippa inherited the office himself (see “The Herods” at Acts 12:1, 2 and “Families of the Early Church” at Acts 16:31–34).
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Some Christians have the idea that the message about Christ can be communicated with the same old formula time after time, as if everyone we meet brings the same ideas, concerns, and doubts to the conversation. But Paul had no prepackaged gospel message. He varied his approach to fit the situation at hand. He was just as aware of the differences between his audiences as he was of the content of his faith. Acts records encounters that highlight his ability to adapt:
Jews in the Synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia
• Paul reviewed the history of the Jewish faith, summarizing it from the Old Testament (Acts 13:17–22).
• He explained how that history led to Jesus (13:23–37).
• He pointed out his audience’s need to accept Jesus as their Messiah (13:38–41).
• He responded to their resistance by clearly explaining the alternative (13:46–48).
Results:
• Many chose to follow the way of Christ (13:43).
• Others reacted negatively and opposed Paul (13:45).
• Troublemakers incited city leaders to persecute Paul and his companions (13:50).
Intellectuals at Athens
• Paul prepared by observing and reflecting on the local culture (17:16).
• He addressed them on their own turf, the Areopagus (17:19, 22).
• He established common ground by beginning with things familiar and meaningful to them (17:22, 23, 28).
• He bridged to a description of God as the creator and sustainer of life, distinguishing Him from the pagan idols the Athenians worshiped (17:23–29).
• He challenged them to repentance and appealed to Christ’s resurrection as proof that what he was telling them was true (17:30, 31).
Results:
An Angry Mob at Jerusalem
• Paul built a bridge by reminding them of his own Jewish heritage (21:30).
• He reminded them that he too had once detested Jesus’ followers to the point of violently persecuting them (22:4, 5).
• He explained how he had changed his mind and joined a movement he once opposed (22:6–17).
Result:
• Already in a frenzy (21:27–30), the crowd erupted violently and demanded Paul’s death (22:22, 23).
High Officials in a Roman Court
• Paul described his religious heritage (26:4, 5).
• He stated his view of his opponents’ charges against him (26:6–8).
• He explained his previous opposition to Jesus’ followers (26:9–11).
• He told the story of his own life-changing encounter with Christ (26:12–19).
• He explained the fundamentals of Jesus’ message and why it mattered to his non-Jewish listeners (26:20–23).
Results:
• The rulers listened carefully (26:24, 31, 32).
• They challenged his application of the gospel to them (26:24, 28).
• They passed him on in the Roman judicial process, foiling a Jewish plot against him (26:31, 32).
The gospel itself is forever the same, but as Christ’s followers we must shape our message to fit our audiences. We can think about how our family and friends and coworkers differ from each other. We can speak freely and creatively to their specific needs. We might highlight different ways God has worked in our lives. We can start with aspects of the Good News that they are most likely to understand and accept. And we can ask them to give us feedback on what might help them most. Like Paul, we won’t always be successful, but we know we are doing our best when we open a dialogue rather than read a script.
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• Port city in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey on the mouth of the Andriacus River about two miles from the Mediterranean Sea.
• Capital of Lycia and a leading city in the Lycean confederation.
• Now called Demre by the Turks.
• The Alexandrian vessel that Paul and others awaited (Acts 27:6) was the largest type of ship available, renowned for its seaworthiness.
• St. Nicholas—the source of the Santa Claus story—was born in nearby Patara and was the city’s bishop under Constantine (fourth century A.D.).
• See Myra’s location on the map at Fair Havens and Lasea’s profile at Acts 27:8.
More: Constantine the Great was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. See here for an article on his life.
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• Fair Havens was a small bay on the southern coast of Crete; Lasea was five miles inland.
• First-century historian Pliny the Elder called Fair Havens one of the more important harbors in the world. Because the port was five miles away from the town of Lasea, it was not an optimum location for wintering.
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• A tiny island group in the Mediterranean Sea about 60 miles south of Sicily.
• Its strategic location has set the surrounding territories vying for control of the Mediterranean in both ancient and modern times.
• See Malta’s location on the map at Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
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• Harbor city near the strait of Messina between Sicily and Italy.
• Initially a Greek colony; overthrew its Athenian tyrants during the Peloponnesian War (415–413 B.C.). For centuries Syracuse and Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia) shared prominence as the key cities west of Greece.
• Captured by Rome in 212 B.C.; made a Roman colony by Caesar Augustus.
• Described by Cicero as the “largest and loveliest of all Greek cities”; boasted impressive public buildings: a temple to Athena, a theater, a large amphitheater, a marketplace flanked by a forum, a town hall, a senate house, and a temple to Jupiter. Christian catacombs have also been found there that date to the third and fourth centuries A.D.
• Noted for shipbuilding and fishing; once fielded the world’s best navy.
• See Syracuse’s location on the map at Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
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Rhegium
• Port city near the strait of Messina, a treacherous body of water off the coast of Sicily. The strait’s shoals, shallows, and narrow width spelled shipwreck for centuries of sea captains because it was passable only under the most favorable conditions. Ships harbored at Rhegium until the weather or winds changed, contributing to the city’s maritime prominence.
• Messina was feared as the site of the mythical Scylla, a sea monster dominating shoreline rocks, and Charybdis, a whirlpool large enough to devour entire ships. Both are featured in Homer’s Odyssey.
• Modern-day Reggio, Italy.
• See Rhegium’s location on the map at Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
Puteoli
• The best harbor in Italy, located on the Bay of Naples in southern Italy; stopover for seagoing vessels and cargo heading to and from Rome.
• The largest ships—including Alexandrian ships such as the one Paul embarked on (Acts 28:11)—could dock there.
• Sizable Christian community already functioning when Paul arrived.
• Modern-day Pozzuoli, Italy.
• See Puteoli’s location on the map at Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
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Joy in jail is rare—unless your cause is just (Acts 28:25–28), your conscience is clear (23:1; 24:16; 26:19), and your friends are loyal (28:15). That confidence can give imprisonment a totally different perspective.
As Paul neared the end of his journey to face trial in Rome, disciples from in and around the city welcomed him along the Appian Way from Puteoli to the capital (28:13–15). He had written them three years before, describing his deep longing for them (Rom. 1:9–15; 15:22–29). Even his chains and the prospect of prison could not dim Paul’s joy in connecting with these fellow believers.
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• Appii Forum (or the marketplace of Appius) was a town 43 miles southeast of Rome on the Appian Way, an ancient road to the Adriatic Sea built by Appius Claudius.
• Three Inns was located at a junction of the Appian Way and a road connecting Antium and Norba, 33 miles south of Rome.
• Travelers tended to frequent Three Inns more often than Appii Forum. The latter was inhospitable, with marshes, gnats, and intolerable drinking water, along with innkeepers and merchants who were notorious for taking advantage of weary travelers.
• See the locations of Appii Forum and Three Inns on the map at Rome’s profile at Acts 28:16.
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• Political capital of the Roman empire; by the first century A.D., the realm extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf, and from north Africa to northern Europe.
• Located on the Tiber River on seven hills about 15 miles inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• Along with Xian in China, Rome was one of the two largest cities in the world during the first century; population estimated at one million people but declined to 50,000 by the sixth century because of plagues, economic disasters, and a declining birth rate.
• The walled city of less than 25 square miles encompassed the royal palace, ornate fountains, elaborate baths (some housed libraries and social clubs), the 50,000-seat Coliseum, and the Circus Maximus, a stadium used for chariot races and other games. Paul likely defended himself and the Christian movement in the Forum, a plaza where citizens engaged in political, religious, and commercial interactions.
• Some 82 temples were built or remodeled during the first half of the first century.
• Eventually became the center of the church in the West.
More: When Paul arrived in Rome, he found a community of Christians already thriving there. See the introduction to Romans to learn more about Rome and to see a diagram of the city.
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As disciples called to proclaim the message of Christ, our role is not to change people; that job belongs to the Holy Spirit (see “Whose Job Is Evangelism?” at John 16:8). Our task is to provide a full and honest disclosure of what God has done for us. And we carry out that assignment with the knowledge that it might result in rejection.
Paul knew that following Christ would lead to hostility and rejection (Acts 28:19). But as he responded to criticism and defended himself legally, he nevertheless made sure that his judges had the benefit of a full explanation—even though it necessitated a special all-day meeting (28:23). Yet even that careful effort did not completely right the record or convince all of his hearers (28:24, 29).
Scripture records a long tradition of God-sent messengers whose words fell on deaf ears:
• Isaiah was told ahead of time that God was sending him to people who would not listen (Is. 6:9–12).
• Jesus came to those who would not receive Him (John 1:11; 12:37–43).
• Barnabas and Paul turned to the Gentiles at Pisidian Antioch after Jews rejected their message (Acts 13:44–46).
• Paul preached to the Gentiles at Corinth after Jews rejected his message (18:5, 6).
• Paul grieved over his people’s rejection of the gospel (Rom. 11:7–10).
We are to make sure we give our hearers a genuine chance to consider Christ based on a faithful and sincere presentation. But our best efforts may result in personal cost, and our realization of that truth is vital to our journey of faith. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “To you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29).
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Paul felt compelled to reach Rome (Acts 19:21; Rom. 1:15), no doubt because it was the empire’s capital city. But he also intended to make Rome a stopover on his trip west to Spain (Acts 15:28).
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah predicted that in the end times Gentiles would join Jews at Jerusalem to worship God, signaling a breathtaking new era (Is. 66:19–24). Isaiah’s text refers to “Tarshish,” thought to mean Spain. Paul may have believed that taking the gospel to Rome and going onward to Spain was a way of bringing about Isaiah’s glorious vision (Acts 26:23; 28:28; see also “Isaiah’s Vision and Our Mission” at Is. 66:18–21).
We have no record of Paul ever reaching Spain. He remained under house arrest in Rome until his trial before the emperor (Acts 28:16, 30, 31). He may have been temporarily released, but tradition says that he was eventually condemned and executed under Nero.
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Paul rented a house at his own expense, possibly in south Rome. He spent his time under house arrest reaching out to Jews but even more to Gentiles (Acts 28:28, 29).
The restrictions Paul faced should have inhibited his efforts to broadcast the gospel, but his imprisonment actually furthered his cause (Phil. 1:12). Confined to his lodgings and continually handcuffed to one of the soldiers who guarded him in four-hour shifts, he freely received visitors and spoke with them about the gospel. The guards and the official in charge of presenting his case would have understood in detail his reason for being in Rome. The message of Christ became a topic of discussion among them (1:13), and Paul’s circumstances encouraged Christians in Rome to become bolder in witnessing to the faith than ever before.
More: Paul’s house in Rome was probably where a runaway slave named Onesimus came to faith. See the introduction to Philemon.
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