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Calvary Chapel Bible College
Life of Paul Study Tour 2006 Greece and Italy
Each year the Bible college offers opportunities for faculty and students to participate in study tours abroad. Our recent trip of twenty students and faculty visited Greece and Italy in an effort to better understand the spread of the gospel through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Each site visited would include a study or reading of the relevant passages in Scripture, worship, and then on to a local resturant to enjoy fellowship around your favorite tasty mediterranian dish. The trip is not only educational, for some it is life-changing, especially in one's reading of the Word of God that comes alive in vivid color. I encourage you to consider attending one of these powerfully significant trips. The goal of the trip was not only to develop an appreciation for what God has done in the past, but also to enlarge our perspective of ministry, missions, and church-planting as a worldwide endeavor not limited to geographical borders.
The group enjoying a tasty Greek meal at a local Athens restuarant run by a charming family. Oh what an experience!!
Mars Hill (Areopagus)
This rocky outcropping just below the Acropolis is where paul is said to have given his famous sermon to the supreme ethical court of Athens and to the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers (Acts 17:16-34). The court would convene here to settle and establish laws on religion and moral matters. About 400 years earliers, near this same place (perhaps below in the marketplace, agora) Socrates was put to death for leading the youth of Athens away from the state gods.
Rear view of the Parthenon
The parthenon (from parthenos meaning "virgin") is what is left of the structure that housed the goddess Athena. It is located on top of a hill which is known as the "Acropolis" which literally means "uptown" or a city that is high up. Most of the atheians in Paul's day would frequent this site since it was the center of pagan worship and devotion.
View from Mars Hill up to the Acropolis
The front center of the Acropolis where you see the pillars is known as the Propylae which served as an entrance to the ancient ruins. It is flanked on the right by the temple to Athena Nike which is currently under renovation.
The Bema Seat at Corinth
This is the platform of what supported the Bema seat (judgment seat) of the local officials in the city of Corinth. The seat would be used to award athletes for their performances (usually a wilted celery leaf) and to address legal charges brought against individuals. Paul was very familiar with the this seat since he was brought before Galio who was the proconsul of Achaia at the Bema seat (Acts 18:12). This seat was also what Paul refered to in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 as the "judgment seat of Christ" (the word "judgment seat" is "bema") where the Christian will receive an evaluation for works done in the body whether good or bad.
Acrocorinth
The acrocorinth (1900 ft.) was the hilltop fortification located above the old city of Corinth. It was common for a city to have a place to retreat in case of threat from other armies. The climb to the top is challenging (takes about 1 hour), but very well worth it due to the magnificent views and the ruins. On the top of the acrocorinth there are the remains of the temple of Aphrodite (only foundations left) and a view of the narrow isthmus that was later tunnelled to connect two bodies of water, which would eliminate the travel time and dangers considerably for ship merchants carrying their cargo from Ephesus Turkey to Rome Italy. In Paul's day, however, they had only a road (diolkos) they could roll the ship across after unloading its cargo. (see picture below)
David Holden (Joe's son) at the Top of Acrocorinth
Yes, he climbed it by himself!!
Erastus Inscription (ERASTVS)
In Corinth, along the paved area between the theater and the North Market area there is an inscription of particular biblical interest. This inscription, formerly in bronze lettering (all removed by looters except for two small punctuation marks), was set in gray acrocorinthian limestone in the 1st century A.D., reads "Erastus in return for his aedileship [i.e. the post of a chief city official] laid [this pavement] at his own expense." In Romans 16:23, Paul names the city treasurer (oikonomos), "Erastus," and since the name is not a common one, it is quite possible that this inscription was made by the same person. If this is so, it is quite important since it would be only the second name of a person discovered in connection with the Christian movement in the New Testament by archaeology. Sergius Paulus, governor of Cyprus and Paul's first convert on Cyprus, is the other. Unbelievers mentioned in the Bible have also been unearthed. To mention a few, Gallio, the proconsul (governor) over the corinthian area (Achaia), is the person Paul was brought before in Acts 18:12-17. This inscription was found in Delphi. Another is Pontius Pilate the prefect of Judea. This inscription was found on a stone slab in a Ceasarea ampitheater and is now on display in the Israeli Museum.
Temple of Apollo
At Corinth, the temple of Apollo (Sun god) was the center of religious attraction for travelers in Paul's time period. It is interesting to see that Apollo worship lies in ruins but the gospel of Jesus Christ is alive and well, "it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16)
Paul's prison at Philippi
Acts 16:12-40 records the first converts to Christianity on european soil in Philippi (Lydia and the jailer with his family). Philippi, named after Philip, who was Alexander the Great's father, was the prominent city and Roman colony in Macedonia in Paul's day. Paul and Silas were beaten put in prison and soon after the doors of the prison were shaken by an earthquake.
Ampitheater at Philippi
This ampitheater was built in the 4th century B.C. under Philip of Macedon, as such Paul would have seen or even attended this theater at one time or another. The acoustics are nearly perfect as Dave Shirley below speaks in a conversational voice which is heard clearly at the very highest seats.
Pantheon at Rome, Italy
The pantheon (lit. all gods) was built by M. Agrippa I around 27 B.C. and dedicated to all the gods (pantheon lit. means "all gods"). It received a renovation by Emperor Hadrian in the early second century A.D. and is currently used as a catholic meeting place. What is interesting about this building is that its concrete dome has no reinforced support and is considered an engineering marvel. The top of the dome has been left an open circle to add strength to the roof. When it rains, the water is drained away by dozens of drain holes in the center floor.
Colosseum in Rome, Italy
The colosseum was built by Vespasian (finished by his son Titus) to entertain the Roman populace. Paul would not have seen the completed colosseum since it was completed after his death in Rome. A short distance away through the Roman marketplace was where Paul was most likely held as a prisoner prior to his execution. (see inside below)
Engravings on the Arch of Titus (above)
Arch of Titus
The above two pictures are taken from the arch of Titus next to the Colosseum. Titus (son of Emperor Vespasian) built the arch to commemorate his military triumph over the Jewish rebellion in Jerusalem where he completely destroyed the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. (see Matthew 24). If you look closely at the engravings picture above the arch, you will see the depiction of Jewish slaves and temple furniture such as the minora being brought to Rome after their victory.
Arch of Constantine
Located next to the colosseum, the arch was built in honor of Emperor Constantine who in the early 4th century A.D. not only legalized Christianity in the empire, but proclaimed it as the official religion of the state.
Milvian Bridge
The Milvian Bridge (Ponte Milvio in Italian) had been first built over the Tiber River by Censor M. Aemilius Sacurus in 109 BC. Emperor Constantine and another named Maxentius. both claimed to be emperor. Constantine held control in the East and Maxentius in Rome and the West. Both were eager to rule alone and war ensued. In 312 AD, on the eve of the battle at the Milvian Bridge, legend tells that Constantine had a vision in which he saw a cross and the words In Hoc Signo Vinces. He did indeed defeat the Emperor Maxentius who was thrown from this very bridge into the Tiber and drowned. The following year, the Edict of Milan was signed granting freedom of worship and giving official recognition to Christianity. This bridge is the oldest functioning bridge in rome and serves today as a pedestrian crossing only (no cars).
Peter/Paul's Prison in Rome, Italy
This small, damp, cold, and uncomfortable stone cave is said to be the location of the prison that held the Apostles Peter and Paul. Paul's was executed under Emperor Nero (c. 68) and Peter later about 96 A.D. under a different emperor. Notice the upside down cross, which denotes the manner in which Peter was martyred. According to tradition Peter requested this manner due to his unworthiness to be killed in the same manner as his Lord Jesus.
Paul said "From the Jews five times I received forty strips minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, , in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness- besides the other things that come upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches" (2 Cor 11:24-28).
Pompeii, Italy
The four photos above depict the life and times of the citizens of Pompeii, which is one of the most well-preserved cities of the ancient world. The area, which was known for its immoral lifestyle, was completely destroyed by Mount Vesuvius when it erupted in 79 A.D. and subsequently covered in at least 20 ft of ash and lava flow which preserved it for almost 2000 years. Today the modern Pompeii has about 25,000 residents that see Vesuvius looming in the background of their landscape, last eruption was in 1944.
The picture directly above depicts the god Apollo in his temple courtyard. The second photo is a plaster caste of an inhabitant who died in the volcanic eruption. Several bodies have been discovered which have been perfectly perserved in their posture at the moment of death. Even loaves of bread freshly baked have been preserved. The third photo is of a fast-food cafe which offerred snacks and drinks to those who passed by. The refreshments would be placed into the round counter-top holes. Notice the art work on the wall in the background. The top image is a typical courtyard architecture for a wealthy citizen or city gymnasium.
Ancient crosswalk at Pompeii
The streets of ancient Pompeii have been mostly excavated revealing raised stone slabs that served as a "crosswalk" for pedestrians. This was needed since the sidewalks are sometimes two feet above the street level, therefore these crosswalks would prevent injury and expedite the flow of traffic. See the sidewalk step that has been chistled out to assist pedestrians to access the crosswalk. If you had a chariot to drive, no problem, just drive over the crosswalk and allow it to pass underneath. If you look closely at the stones in the street the groove impressions from chariot wheels are still visible in the streets. Even water drainage did not escape the attention of the street engineers, every street drains water to the gutters from the center of the road. In addition, two inch holes were chistled out of the sidewalk edge stone to allow water to drain into the streets from the sidewalk. The holes also aided in lifting and transportation of the stone (pulled by rope) from the quarry to the street where it was set in place.
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