We continue west, following Paul’s expanding geographical witness of Christ until we reach the Aegean coastline. We will visit the vast site of Miletus, where Paul met with the Ephesian elders on his way to Jerusalem (Acts 20:15-38). Paul’s heartfelt address reveals his commitment both to individual conversion and community formation. The gospel requires a personal response of repentance and belief. At the same time, new believers need the full counsel of Scripture over time to reach maturity in Christ (Col 1:28; 4:12). Paul’s preaching and his letters show that he understood the gospel as the beginning of an entire new life in Christ.
For our new life to grow, we need patient instruction in the Old and New Testament Scriptures and living examples to follow. Paul carries out this sacred responsibility to declare “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Mature Christian discipleship requires instruction in the whole Bible. Without deep roots in God’s great redemptive story that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation, we are vulnerable to false teaching. We are easily exploited by self-centered ministries based on personal charisma and ego. Paul warns the elders of such dangers (Acts 20:28-30). Like Samuel before him, Paul conducts his ministry with personal integrity, diligent labor, and financial sacrifice (Acts 20:33-35; see also 1 Sam. 12:3). Paul’s teaching consistently directs people “to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). His preaching, letters, and own example reveal that transformation into Christ-likeness takes place over time through strong teaching rooted in the whole counsel of God’s word.
We will explore the large site of ancient Miletus with the theater that could hold 15,000 people. Inscriptions are still preserved on the seats marking the place where certain individuals or groups of people would sit. The most important inscription here is on the fifth row in the second section on the right. It read “the place of the Jews and the God-fearers.” Paul’s missionary journeys had a consistent pattern of trying to reach his own people as well as the nations. God-fearers are pagans who were drawn to worship the God of Israel but who had not fully converted. They are mentioned several times in Acts and represent an important group that responded enthusiastically to Paul’s preaching about Christ (Acts 13:43; 17:4, 17).
In order to appreciate the great challenges that Paul faced from his pagan hearers, we will also visit the well-preserved oracle of Apollo at Didyma. This site was visited by Alexander the Great, where he received oracular confirmation that he would be victorious over the Persians. The structure was originally built by one of Alexander’s successors, Seleucus, who also built the city of Antioch, which would later become Paul’s sending church (Acts 13:1-4). The oracle at Didyma played an active role in opposing the spread of Christianity. When the oracle was asked whether Christ was a god or a man, Apollo answered:
Key Scripture References:
Acts 20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-24, begin Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
Key Readings:
Peter Walker, In the Steps of Paul, chapter 10
Mark Wilson, Biblical Turkey, 267-78
David Palmer, CASKET EMPTY: God’s Plan of Redemption through History New Testament Study Guide, Pentecost part 2, Teaching part 2.
Additional recommended resources:
Dr. Constantine Campbell, NT Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, presents a series of onsite videos documenting Paul’s missionary journeys entitled: In Pursuit of Paul (available for purchase on Amazon or Discovery House).
Videos:
Reconstruction of ancient Miletus
Archaeology Illustrated drawings of Miletus when Paul visited the city
The oracle of Apollo at Didyma
For our new life to grow, we need patient instruction in the Old and New Testament Scriptures and living examples to follow. Paul carries out this sacred responsibility to declare “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Mature Christian discipleship requires instruction in the whole Bible. Without deep roots in God’s great redemptive story that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation, we are vulnerable to false teaching. We are easily exploited by self-centered ministries based on personal charisma and ego. Paul warns the elders of such dangers (Acts 20:28-30). Like Samuel before him, Paul conducts his ministry with personal integrity, diligent labor, and financial sacrifice (Acts 20:33-35; see also 1 Sam. 12:3). Paul’s teaching consistently directs people “to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). His preaching, letters, and own example reveal that transformation into Christ-likeness takes place over time through strong teaching rooted in the whole counsel of God’s word.
We will explore the large site of ancient Miletus with the theater that could hold 15,000 people. Inscriptions are still preserved on the seats marking the place where certain individuals or groups of people would sit. The most important inscription here is on the fifth row in the second section on the right. It read “the place of the Jews and the God-fearers.” Paul’s missionary journeys had a consistent pattern of trying to reach his own people as well as the nations. God-fearers are pagans who were drawn to worship the God of Israel but who had not fully converted. They are mentioned several times in Acts and represent an important group that responded enthusiastically to Paul’s preaching about Christ (Acts 13:43; 17:4, 17).
In order to appreciate the great challenges that Paul faced from his pagan hearers, we will also visit the well-preserved oracle of Apollo at Didyma. This site was visited by Alexander the Great, where he received oracular confirmation that he would be victorious over the Persians. The structure was originally built by one of Alexander’s successors, Seleucus, who also built the city of Antioch, which would later become Paul’s sending church (Acts 13:1-4). The oracle at Didyma played an active role in opposing the spread of Christianity. When the oracle was asked whether Christ was a god or a man, Apollo answered:
He was a mortal according to the flesh, a wise man with wondrous works,When a man inquired as to what god he should appeal after his wife had become a Christian, Apollo replied:
But when he was seized by Chaldean judges,
Nailed with stakes, he fulfilled a bitter death.
Let her continue as she wishes, persisting in vain delusions,With fresh conviction, we hear Paul’s courageous words written to the Corinthians from Ephesus, just north of the oracle at Didyma:
And singing in lamentation for a god who died in delusions,
Whom condemned by judges who deliberated justly,
The most ignominious death, bound in iron, destroyed.
We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:23-24).Key sites: Miletus, Didyma, Smyrna (Izmir)
Key Scripture References:
Acts 20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-24, begin Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
Key Readings:
Peter Walker, In the Steps of Paul, chapter 10
Mark Wilson, Biblical Turkey, 267-78
David Palmer, CASKET EMPTY: God’s Plan of Redemption through History New Testament Study Guide, Pentecost part 2, Teaching part 2.
Additional recommended resources:
Dr. Constantine Campbell, NT Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, presents a series of onsite videos documenting Paul’s missionary journeys entitled: In Pursuit of Paul (available for purchase on Amazon or Discovery House).
Videos:
Reconstruction of ancient Miletus
Archaeology Illustrated drawings of Miletus when Paul visited the city
The oracle of Apollo at Didyma
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