Hello Everyone,

[Rome. Ostia Antica (port for Rome). Decumanus Maximus Road (East-West artery), near the necropolis.]

Our flight from Athens, Greece to Rome, Italy was delayed. This would cause our original plans to be modified. We were to visit Ostia Antica, eat lunch, walk about two miles of the Via Appia, and tour the catacombs at San Sebastiano before arriving at our hotel for the evening. A decision had to be made and was executed quickly. The Roman caesar may have spoken but the students influenced by the Greek democracy would not let Dr. Rigsby forget which one he eliminated.

I especially enjoy visiting Ostia because it is here that the imagined becomes reality. “Flesh” is added to the “bones” in our understanding of the first century. The bricks, cement, and arches of Rome come to life in a way that could not without the three weeks of preparation among the columns, theaters, and agoras in Turkey and Greece.

Ostia Antica is the ancient port of Rome. When Paul came to Rome, he walked the road called the Appian Way from Puteoli (near Naples). If Paul traveled to Spain (as non-Biblical sources say), he would have left through the port of Ostia.

Ostia was founded in the seventh century B.C. as a military outpost to guard the mouth of the Tiber River. This Roman colony was in continuous use until the fifth century A.D. when the harbor became so silted it could not accommodate the ships. For the next 1200 years Ostia was covered by marshy swamps and malaria. With the swamps drained, archaeologists could began excavating in 1914. They found many undisturbed ancient “treasures.” While by different means, both Pompeii and Ostia were frozen in time. Some have quipped that in Pompeii you can see how Romans vacationed. But in Ostia you can learn how Romans lived and worked. From the ruins, the inscriptions, and the documents discovered much could be observed about their wealth, urban planning, the development of Roman civilization, their commerce, and even their religious practices. In Ostia there is not just one temple but many, each commemorating a variety of deities. There is also a synagogue near what was at one time the water’s edge. This indicates there would have also been a large number of Jews in the area. Ostia had become a multi-cultural, pluralistic society.

Among the many findings in Ostia were granaries and warehouses. Ships from Africa would bring grain in order to feed Rome’s populous. It was suggested that Ostia alone may have had a population of 100,000 people. At one point in our tour we stood among the ruins of a bakery. How did we know it was a bakery? There were two stone mills for grinding the grain. Three and four story apartment blocks still exist as does the “Thermopolium,” the pub or local restaurant. Again, how do we know? Mosaics on the wall depicting food may have been used for their menus (now there’s a unique idea). A big hit in the lecture was hearing the directions for making Garum, a local ancient recipe. The following is not the recipe we heard but it is close enough.

Ancient Garum (a spicy fish sauce) Recipe
The intestines of fish are thrown into a vessel and salted. Small fish, either the best smelt, or small mullets, or sprats, or wolffish, or whatever is deemed to be small, are all salted together and, shaken frequently, are fermented in the sun. Add dried, aromatic herbs possessing a strong flavor, such as dill, coriander, fennel, celery, mint, oregano, and others, making a layer on the bottom of the container; then put down a layer of fish (if small, leave them whole, if large, use pieces) and over this, add a layer of salt two fingers high. Repeat these layers until the container is filled. Let it rest for seven days in the sun. Then mix the sauce daily for 20 days. After that, it becomes a liquid.

Did the Romans really consume this sauce? While there are ancient documents with similar recipes, some chefs today who specialize in ancient recipes dispute whether accurate translations and interpretations have been made. The disagreement over one recipe by leading intellectuals gave me a new appreciation for the laborious work it is to translate and interpret the Scriptures.

Whether ancient Romans ate this or not didn’t matter to us because when you are hungry even garum would have been mighty tasty.

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[Corinth. Cenchrea harbor where Paul would sail from. Part of the group exploring the remains now under water (or getting ready to jump in).]

Cenchrea lived in the shadow of Corinth. We’ve all heard about the mythological deity Poseidon but none remember his son, Cenchreas. His is the name of this harbor. We’ve all heard of Julius Caesar. Had he not rebuilt Corinth in 44 B.C. he would never have enlarged Cenchrea by adding two manmade breakwaters. Corinth had a western port for ships sailing to Italy. Now Corinth would have an eastern port on the Aegean Sea. To some people living in the area Cenchrea became an additional gateway for Corinth’s perversions. Citizens of Corinth concerned for their safety and the well-being of their families watched as sailors made their way to the “red light district” at the Acrocorinth. Even the economy of Cenchrea was dependent on Corinth.

Luke states that Paul preached and taught the believers at Corinth 18 months. Yet Cenchrea is only mentioned as his port of entry and exit. We know Luke has to be selective in the amount of material he included in his book on the Acts of the Apostles. His only other citation of Cenchrea is shrouded in obscurity as the place where Paul made a vow and cut off his hair. Luke does not comment on just what that vow was or why.

In spite of Cenchrea’s “we don’t get no respect” personality, Paul entrusted the delivery of the most doctrinal letter he ever wrote to Phoebe, a citizen of Cenchrea and sister in Christ (Romans 16:1). We don’t know if Phoebe was a last minute decision or carefully planned.

The church that lived in the shadow of the better-known church seven miles away was given one task that we know about. The effect of completing that assignment has continued from that time until the present. We speculate, “if Phoebe had failed, what would the church be like today?” We know that God accomplishes His desires regardless of our shortcomings. From the church in Cenchrea there was a faithful lady who “just delivered the mail.” Postmarked “from the shadow of Corinth.”

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[Athens, Greece. This is the north side of the acropolis at night. Visible and lighted in the center is the first temple built there, often called the Temple of Erectheon, because it was built in stages and dedicated to many of the gods.]

An entire day in Athens would contrast ancient with modern. No tour would be complete without seeing the all marble stadium used in the first modern Olympic Games in 1898. The stadium was used again in the 2004 Olympic Games. At the foot of the acropolis is the Temple of Olympian Zeus with a few of the 104 original columns. Even though it took 700 years to complete the remnants now stand symbolically as the guard to the acropolis. The acropolis in Athens isn’t the highest hill in the city but this is where the Temple of Nike, the Parthenon (which means “House of the Maiden”), and the Erechthion were built behind the monumental gate called the Propylaia. Bombing by the Venetians in 1678 and erroneous preservation attempts by archaeologists in the 1830s have not destroyed this ancient landmark. The Parthenon has been situated on the acropolis since 432 B.C. On Mars Hill we read and discussed Paul’s defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Athens. Mars is the Roman name for the Greek deity Ares. In the agora, the commercial market place, we continued our study of Acts 17. An agora developed into more than a place to shop. People interacted socially and often conducted other official business. The Stoa of Attalus in the commercial agora is the place where business and the exchange of information and ideas would occur. Today there is a reconstruction of the stoa as it was in the first century.

Athens was a significant city in the ancient world. I assumed that Paul’s method in spreading the Gospel was to 1) go where no church was yet established, and 2) target key sites where others could continue to expand the message of salvation. Athens would be a primary place to go.

In piecing together a chronology of Paul’s travels, do you remember how it is that Paul came to Athens? He left Thessalonica because the Jews became irate at the message preached. This same group followed Paul, forcing him to leave Berea. For his safety, Paul was put on a ship headed to Athens. The plan was for Timothy and Silas to catch up with Paul later in Athens. The text implies that Athens was not one of the cities where Paul intended to go. With such an influential city and apparently no group of believers, Athens would qualify under Paul’s plan. I wonder why Athens wasn’t included in Paul’s strategy. However, Luke doesn’t tell us something without a reason. While Paul may not have planned to go to Athens, the Holy Spirit had another idea. The point? I should never assume 1) that I know what Paul was going to do, or 2) what the Holy Spirit will do.

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[Are you sure this is Greece? The view is from Delphi looking toward the Gulf of Corinth.]

The world’s most famous Oracular Temple is at Delphi, Greece. The name “Delphi” has something to do with the worship of a deity in dolphin (Greek for dolphin is delphinios) form. The cult worship originally came from Crete and was eventually established at what has become known as Delphi.

Delphi is built high on the side of a mountain. Because there are two geologic faults that cross one another this area was nicknamed the “navel of the earth.” On the very spot where the two faults intersect, a temple was erected. Several structures have been constructed over the “navel” since the 10th century B.C. The last was the Temple of Apollo. Pieces are still visible today.

We can’t say conclusively that the practice of divination was always the same through the centuries. At one time those seeking direction on major decisions would journey to Delphi to ask and receive an oracle. A priestess would breathe the noxious fumes escaping from the caverns below the surface of the earth where the two faults crossed, as well as drink a potent solution that would cause her to hallucinate. While in this state, seekers would ask their question. She would give a pithy answer that could be interpreted a couple of different ways. This gave the oracle an out if the person’s desired answer did not actually come to pass. With such a fail-safe system in place, the oracle was never wrong.

There is no record that Paul or any of the other early church leaders ever visited Delphi. But they would have known about it because this “religious” practice was at odds with Christianity. I’m sure Paul and the others must have encountered those who would want to dilute the Christian faith and syncretize the “best” parts of each together. I was told Corinth is 30 miles from Delphi, as the crows fly. From Paul’s two letters to Corinth in the Bible we are aware of how doctrine and practice of the faith was confused and altered. These perversions may be due in part to the influence of the practices at Delphi.

Now twenty centuries later nothing has changed. The influence of the “navel of the earth” is not limited to Delphi. And, maintaining the purity of the doctrines of the Scriptures is not just Paul’s responsibility.

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[This monastery in Meteora is named “Holy Trinity” and dates to the 1460s. It is built in the cruciform style on top of the rock formations a thousand feet or more above the valley below.]

Today had little to do with the journeys of Paul or the Bible. Up to this point there had been no planned “free time.” Visiting Meteora was a good change of pace from the academic and Biblical to a little touristy sight-seeing.

What a sight we saw! This isn’t the Greece you see on the postcards. It is too far inland for the blue water. The brilliant white buildings with their blue roofs seen on the coast and islands doesn’t exist.

In this region of north west Greece are these sandstone pillars that seem as if they are suspended in the air. They should appear suspended because that is the meaning of the word “Meteora.”

Perched in the highest points of these pillars are Greek Orthodox monasteries. At one time there were more than twenty monasteries for priests and nuns. Today only six remain. Each one could have accommodated many people looking for solitude to pray, study, and seek Christ undistracted. However, each monastery currently houses a dozen people or less.

Originally, access to these lofty dwellings involved rock climbing, ladders, and a rope and pulley system hoisting large nets. Today there are trails and steps for access and electric winches, if necessary. At least one monastery has a small cable car strung high above the valley floor. The reason for easier access is tourism. The days of solitude in these monasteries is limited, if at all existent.

We visited two monasteries. The Holy Trinity (the one with the cable car) for monks and St. Stephen’s for nuns. Both displayed the simple rooms that were used at one time. Both had what we would call “chapels” for religious services. These chapels were uniquely built in the Greek Orthodox style, usually including a dome and the floor plan in the shape of a cross. Inside the dome and on the walls of the chapel were fresco paintings of scenes from the Bible. These paintings were used as teaching tools during a time when copies of the Scriptures was limited and literacy was low. It was not specifically mentioned whether the frescoes aided the monks and nuns to know and remember the Scriptures or others not part of their cloisters had need of the paintings. These monasteries were begun in the 1400 to 1500s.

In my opinion, the best sight was just beyond the walls of the buildings. The view of the Thessaly valley and the surrounding terrain was spectacular. Adding quite a bit of “mystique and charm” (as our gracious Greek guide, Kalliope, would say) were layers of thin fog and hovering clouds just below the ridges of the surrounding mountains. Because the area had received rain a few days before our arrival, all the shades of green in the grasses and trees were sharp. The setting was perfect for photos. I think we all had far more photographs than will ever be used. That rain was responsible for a tree falling across the road preventing us from seeing the location of each of the six monasteries. But it didn’t matter. We were treated to some rare and unusual sights that we will all long remember.

Back down in the valley, our day included a brief stop at a factory where icons are made. A brief demonstration was given as a way of announcing the 40% off sale in the store.

We still had a long drive which included a late lunch break. By the time we arrived at our hotel in Delphi, it was dark and time for dinner.

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[The mosaic mural at Berea commemorates Paul's Macedonian call and his teaching the noble-minded. In the center are the steps that led to the Bema Seat in the Jewish Synagogue.]

There’s nothing archaeologically to actually see at Berea (modern Veria) today. There have been some excavations but most are now covered.

There are a few nuggets of history worth noting about Berea and its people that I did not know.

The abundance of springs in the area gave Berea its name, which means “place of many waters.” The city itself lies on a tributary of the Haliacmon River.

Berea lay a few miles south of the Egnatian Way, putting it “off the beaten path.”

Berea was the first city in Macedonia to surrender to Rome in 168 B.C.

During the first century A.D. there was a large Jewish population.

Luke said of the Berean people, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

This is certainly a high commendation and is also an admirable goal for believers. Have you ever read that verse then felt guilty because you know how difficult it is just to read a few chapters each day, let alone investigate and study? Don’t despair yet. Continue on to verse 12.

“Therefore many of them believed….”

Those “noble” Bereans, the ones we hold up as the ideal way Christians should approach God’s Word, were not yet saved. Surprised? It was as unbelievers that the people of Berea received the word eagerly and searched the Scriptures daily.

Was there some unknown motivation for the people of Berea to check out what Paul was saying? How did the first century believers serve as a channel of God’s grace that may have assisted the Bereans to eagerly receive Paul’s teaching? Is that kind of attitude “normal”? Should we anticipate a similar response from others today to the claims of Christianity before coming to faith in Jesus Christ? Why does God’s Spirit move on one people and not another, like He did at Berea but apparently didn’t with the Thessalonians? Is His selective work normal? Can we, as believers, prepare ourselves today to encourage a Berean-like response?

Jim

Hello Everyone,

[Thessalonica Archaeological Museum. Roman mile stone from Via Egnatia with the mile number engraved.]

At Thessalonica, the ancient city lies buried under the modern city. By accident a portion of the ancient agora was discovered when a bus station was being moved in 1962. Now this large empty area has few of the original discoveries in place. Either the treasures are in storage or on display in the museum.

Paul journeyed on to Thessalonica, the third capital of Macedonia (and today the 2nd largest city in Greece). This city was founded and named by General Cassander in honor of his wife, Thessaloniki, who was Alexander the Great’s half sister. Thessalonica was an important commercial center and remains so today because of the meeting of major roads at the harbor in this seaside city. It is possible Paul saw the potential communicating the Gospel could have here and that it would reap much fruit.

Following his pattern, Paul went first to the Jews, even though he came to this continent to primarily reach gentiles. Maybe there is something in his strategy that we haven’t yet understood. After he reasoned and taught in the Synagogue for three weeks many devout Greeks were converted! Why were there so many gentiles attending a Jewish Synagogue? Were these gentiles, searching for the true deity attracted to the Synagogue by the way the Jews’ faith affected their manner of living? We don’t know.

However we do know, the Jews who were not convinced Paul’s teaching was true incited a mob to riot against him, forcing Paul and Silas to escape by night. Before we arrived there had been some rioting over the escalation of conflict between Gaza and Israel. The only potential for real danger for us in Thessalonica would be to get a closer look (then eat an onion, which neutralizes the effect of pepper spray). Because it was raining on the night we were there, the riot was canceled.

Thessalonica became a testing ground for the doctrine of the blessed hope of Christ’s return. Paul would later write to this church about this crucial doctrine to these same dear people.

The message is clear. We are saved by grace through faith, it is true. While on this earth, we also live by faith with confident anticipation at what Jesus will do.

Jim