In the last issue we considered
some of the archaeological findings that come late with various persons,
places, and events recorded in the Gospels. In this issue we shall review
archaeological findings that relate to the Acts and the Epistles.
Straight Street
"There was a certain
disciple at Damascus named Ananias…. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and
go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas
for one called Saul of Tarsus" (Acts 9:10,11).
Damascus is considered to be the
oldest continuously occupied city in the world, dating back to around 2500 B.C.
Thus, archaeological digs are not necessary to confirm that the
"Straight Street" where
Saul of Tarsus once temporarily resided still today bisects the city from the
eastern to the western gate.
(The preceding was abstracted
from M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the New Testament.)
Rulers of Roman Provinces
Sergius Paulus is described as
the proconsul (“deputy" in KJV) of Cyprus (Acts 13:7). Gallic held the
same position in the region of Achaia in Greece (Acts 18:12). The rulers of Philippi before whom Paul and Silas were brought were called magistrates (Acts 16:20,22,
35,36). Some of the believers in Thessalonica who fellow-shipped with Paul and
Silas were brought before the politarchs ("rulers" in KJV) of the city.
In the past, Bible scholars and
historians have faulted Luke’s use of these different titles for rulers of
Roman provinces. However, archaeological findings more recently have provided
support for the words used in the Book of Acts.
At Soli, a city in the
northwestern part of the island of Cyprus, a Greek inscription was found which
contains the phrase, "under Paulus the proconsul."
The term "magistrates"
was not technically correct for the rulers of Philippi since the city normally
was governed by two "duumvirs." However, archaeological inscriptions
have revealed that the title of "magistrate" was employed as a
courtesy title for the chief rulers of a Roman colony.
The use of the title
"politarch" for the rulers of Thessalonica was once considered to be
erroneous. However, seventeen inscriptions have been discovered at Salonika
(modern name of Thessalonica in Greece) containing this term.
Finally, an inscription found at
Delphi, not far from Corinth in Greece, indicates that Gallic was proconsul of
Achaia in 51 or 52 A.D.
Iconium
"And it came to pass in
Iconium that [Paul and Barnabas] went both together into the synagogue of the
Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the
Greeks believed. … And when there was an assault made… to stone them, they
were aware of it and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia" (Acts
14:1-6).
Romans writers such as Cicero had long ago indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia; therefore, the implication in
Acts 14:6 that Iconium was not in the territory of Lycaonia caused scholars to
claim that the text of Acts was not trustworthy. However, a monument found in
1910 in Asia Minor by the prominent archaeologist, Sir William Ramsey, showed
that Iconium was considered to be a city of Phrygia, not Lycaonia. Further
discoveries corroborated this finding.
(The preceding was abstracted
from J. P. Free, Archaeology and Bible History.)
Lystra
"When the people [of Lystra]
saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of
Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called
Barnabas, Jupiter [or Zeus], and Paul, Mercurius [or Hermes], because he was
the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter… would have done sacrifice with
the people" (Acts 14:13).
The cultic devotion of the
citizens of Lystra to the gods Zeus and Hermes is corroborated by
archaeological findings. An inscription found near Lystra in 1909 lists the
names of several "priests of Zeus." Another inscription relates how
two persons devoted to the local cult crafted a statue of Hermes along with a
sun-dial, and dedicated it to Zeus.
Mars’ Hill
"Then Paul stood in the
midst of Mars’ Hill, and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things
you are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I
found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God…. For in Him we
live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have
said, For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:22-28).
Mars’ Hill, a 377-foot high hill
in Athens, can still today be climbed by steps hewn out of the rock. At the
summit of the hill are benches cut out of the rock, forming the meeting-place
of the ancient Athenian court.
No inscription, "To the
Unknown God," has yet been found in Athens by archaeologists, though such
an inscription has been found in the ruins of ancient Pergamos in Asia Minor. The second century A.D. geographer, Pausanias, wrote extensively of his visit
to Athens around 150 A.D. and declares in his Description of Greece that he saw
"altars of the gods named Unknown."
The Apostle Paul, in his Mars’
Hill sermon, quoted from one of the Athenians’ own poets. This is from a poem
by Aratus, a Stoic of the third century B.C.:
Zeus fills the streets, the
marts,
Zeus fills the seas, the shores,
the rivers!
Everywhere our need is Zeus!
We also are his offspring.
A similar line is found in the
writings of an earlier Greek poet, Cleanthes.
(The preceding two sections were
abstracted from M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the New Testament.)
Ephesus
"And when they heard these
sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the
Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion; and having caught
Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed
with one accord into the theater. And when Paul would have entered in unto the
people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia [or Asiarchs], which were his friends, sent unto him…. All with one voice above the
space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And.. .the town
clerk… appeased the people" (Acts 19:28 -35). The ancient city of Ephesus has been extensively excavated from 1863 into the twentieth century. The Temple of Diana, one of the so-called "Seven Wonders of the World," was 342 feet long
and 163 feet wide, with over 100 columns six feet in diameter and sixty feet
high supporting the roof. Numerous inscriptions have been found in Ephesus attesting to the popularity of the goddess Diana and to the ascription of Diana as
"Great."
The amphitheater that was the
scene of the riot can be clearly seen today on the slope of Mount Pion. It was about 495 feet in diameter and could accommodate about 25,000 spectators.
Inscriptions have been found in Ephesus referring to Asiarchs (Acts 19:31) as well as to persons holding the position of
town clerk (verse 35).
(The preceding was abstracted
from H. F. Vos, An Introduction to Biblical Archaeology and M.F Unger, Archaeology
and the New Testament.)
Erastus
"Erastus the chamberlain of
the city salutes you" (Rom. 16:23).
During the excavations of Corinth in 1929, a pavement dating back to the first century A.D. was found inscribed,
"Erastus, curator of public buildings, laid this pavement at his own
expense." It is quite likely that this is the same person the Apostle Paul
referred to in his Epistle to the Romans, written from Corinth. A chamberlain
was an important official and thus an exception to the apostle’s statement that
not many wise or mighty or noble men after the flesh are called (1 Cor. 1:26).
(The preceding was abstracted
from J. McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict.)
The Church in a House
"They, continuing daily with
one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their
meat with gladness and singleness of heart" (Acts 2:46). "Aquila and
Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church [or assembly] that is in
their house" (1 Cor. 16:19; Rom. 16:3,5). "Salute the brethren who
are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house" (Col.
4:15). "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto
Philemon.. .and to the church in your house" (Philem. 1,2).
We see from these passages that
the meeting-places of early Christians were in private houses for the most
part.
An example of one such house that
was used for gatherings of Christians in the third century A.D. was excavated
in 1931-32 at Dura-Europos in eastern Syria on the Euphrates River. The house, outwardly indistinguishable from the houses around it, consisted of a series
of rooms around a paved open courtyard. An inscription indicated that the house
was built in what would correspond to 232-33 A.D. One of the rooms had been
used as a chapel, which was later enlarged by the opening of two more rooms so
that the whole could seat about 100 people. There were paintings on the walls
of Christ as the Good Shepherd, David and Goliath, the Samaritan woman, Peter
attempting to walk on the water, and the healing of the paralytic.
(The preceding was abstracted
from G. E. Wright, Biblical Archaeology and G. Cornfeld and D. N.
Freedman, Archaeology of the Bible Book by Book.)
Philadelphia
"And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write…Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the
temple of My God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the
name of My God, and the name of the dry of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which
comes down out of heaven from My God; and I will write upon him My new
name" (Rev. 3:7,12).
Ruined temples and broken pillars
were a characteristic sight in this region that was often hit by earthquakes.
The physical instability of the city of Philadelphia provides a striking
background for the promise of eternal security ("a pillar in the temple of
My God") to the faithful believers in that city amid the insecurity of the
temporal scene.
The second part of the promise in
verse 12 is also meaningful in view of Emperor Tiberius Caesar’s rebuilding of
the city after a catastrophic earthquake in 17 A.D. The rebuilt city was given
a new name, Neokaisareia or "New Caesar" in honor of the Emperor’s
kindness. This was in effect the Emperor’s writing his name upon the city since
this action could be taken only by imperial authority. In the course of time,
the original name of the city, Philadelphia, was restored, totally replacing
Neokaisareia by 50 A.D. In Rev. 3:12, the church in Philadelphia is promised
that upon it will be inscribed the Name of the eternal God, not the name of a
temporal ruler.
(The preceding was abstracted
from M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the New Testament.)