On My Way to Rome

within me was disturbed at the sight of the city being full of idols. So I began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the "God-fearers", and in the market square everyday with the people that happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers started meeting with me. Some asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others, because I proclaimed the Good News about Jesus, the Messiah and the resurrection, said, "He seems to be an announcer of foreign deities."

  They took me and walked me to the Areopagus, the Mars Hill auditorium, named after the agriculture and War-god, known as Mars to the Romans and Ares to the Greeks. They shouted, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? Some of the things that we are hearing from you strike us as strange, and we would like to know what they mean." All the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their spare time talking or hearing about the latest intellectual fads. The Greek were always seeking wisdom while the Jews always wanted to see a miracle or a sign. So I stood up in the middle of the congregation at Mars' Hill, and said, "You men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way! For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which has been inscribed, 'To An Unknown God.' So, the one that you are already worshipping in ignorance, this is the One I'm proclaiming to you."

  The Mars Hill auditorium was silent as I spoke to them. I had got their full attention. I proclaimed with all boldness, "The God who made the universe and everything in it, He is Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in man-made temples, nor is He served by human hands, as if He is lacking something. It is He Himself who gives life and breath to everything and everyone. From one man, Adam He made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth. He fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. God did this so the people would look for Him and perhaps reach out and find Him - although in fact, He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist. Indeed as some of the poets among you have said, 'We are actually His children.' So, since we are children of God, we shouldn't suppose that God's essence resembles gold, silver or stone shaped by human technique and imagination."

  I had the crowd where I wanted them, curious about the God of heaven. "In the past, God overlooked such ignorance," I continued, "but now He is commanding all people everywhere to turn to Him from their sins. For He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man He has designated. And He has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man Jesus, from the dead."

  At then mention of a resurrection of people from the dead, some began to scoff at me, while others were curious and said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." So, I left the meeting, but some men stayed with me and came to trust, believing on the Lord Jesus. Including the High Council member Dionysius. There was also a woman named Damaris, and others with them who came to believe. Timothy and Silas had not yet joined me in Athens, so I left word where I was heading. I decided to leave without them and go to the city of Corinth.

  Cassius started to gain a more deeper understanding about why my fellow Jews detested me so greatly. He could not believe how they made an effort to follow me to distant cities to make trouble for me, while I loved them deeply and prayed passionately for them. He now fully understood why they treated me the way they did that day in Jerusalem, the day we first met, when he came to my rescue.

  I am Paul, now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.

  Amen, so be it.

  The God of All Comfort. #15

  I departed alone from Athens, and went to Corinth, the capital city of the Province of Achaia. It had three temples to the gods there, Apollo, Poseidon and Aphrodite. There were one thousand priestesses in the temple of Aphrodite, who were ritual prostitutes. There I met a Jewish man by the name of Aquila, originally from Pontus but having recently come with his wife Priscilla from Rome in Italy. They left Italy due to the fact that Claudius, the Roman Emperor had issued an edict, decreeing that all the Jews be expelled from Rome. So I went to see them. This was a divine appointment. They had the same occupation and trade as me, making tents. I stayed on with them and we worked together making tents. I also continued to carry out discussions every Sabbath in the synagogue, where I tried to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus being the Messiah. By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, I was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing in depth and testifying to the Jews about the Messiah.

  Again the unbelieving Jews set themselves against me and began hurling insults at me. Finally I shook out my garments from all the dust against them. I said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads! From my part, I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles!" So I left them and went into the home of a "God-fearer" named Titus Justus, whose house was right next to the synagogue. Crispus was the president of the synagogue who had come to believe on the Lord, along with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians who heard me preach came to believe and were baptised in water.

  One night, the Lord said to me in a vision, "Don't be afraid Paul, but keep speaking and don't keep silent. For I am with you, and no man shall assault you and harm you. I have many people in the city who believe and they will protect you." There is nothing like knowing that God is with you and on your side. If God is with you, who can be against you. I am amazed how the enemy will always try to keep you silent from speaking God's word. This word that I received from God, caused me to settle down among the Corinthians for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God to them.

  When Gallio became the new governor of the Province of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a concerted attack on me and took me to court, saying, "This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the Law of Moses and the Laws of Rome." I was just about to open my mouth in my defence, when Gallio said to the Jews, "Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime against Rome, I could reasonably be expected to hear you patiently. But since it involves questions about words and names revolving around your own Jewish law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I decline to be a judge of such matters and I have no intention of trying such matters." Then the Greeks all grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and gave him a beating in full view of the bench. But Gallio showed no concern and paid no attention to any of this, instead he had us ejected from the court.

  After this incident, I remained in Corinth for a short time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to the Province of Syria. I had my hair cut short and shaved my face in Cenchrea, a port town in Corinth as I had taken a vow. Priscilla and Aquila met up with me there. I was hoping that the hair cut would make me un-recognizable to the unbelieving Jews. They had become a real thorn in my side by following me and stirring up trouble everywhere I went. However, I was given this thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to pound away at me, so that I wouldn't become exalted above measure and be overly proud. I begged the Lord three times to take this hindering thing away from me. But He told me, "My grace is enough for you. For My strength and My power are made perfect in your weakness."

  Therefore I'm very glad to boast about my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ, the Messiah may rest and dwell upon me. I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions and distresses. For when I am weak in human strength, then I am truly strong in divine strength. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we don't know what we ought to pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings and sighings that cannot be expressed in words.

  When we arrived in Ephesus, I left the others there. Ephesus was a huge city as it was the leading port of Asia, on the major trade routes. The Ephesians were Roman citizens who worshipped the goddess Diana. Like in the city of Corinth her priestesses were cult prostitutes. I went into the synagogue by myself and held dialogue with the Jews, rea
soning with them. When they asked me to stay with them longer, I declined. However in my farewell I said to them, "I will come back to you, if God is willing." Then I set sail from the port in Ephesus, leaving Priscilla and Aquila there. I couldn't thank them enough as they had risked their necks to save my life. They were loyal fellow workers for the Messiah with me. They were so sacrificial that they hosted a church in their own home.

  After landing at the port in Caesarea, I went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church there. Then I went down to my home base church at Antioch of Syria. After staying there and spending some time there, I left and went from place to place, systematically travelling through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing the "Disciples of the Way" and imparting new strength to them. For I'm always yearning and longing to see the saints, that I may impart to them some spiritual gift, that they may become strengthened and fully established. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ, since it is God's power