We use cookies to collect general visitor statistics but not personal information. Privacy policy

The plea to help in Macedonia

Paul is called to take the gospel into Europe.
CC BY-NC-ND
Personal & teaching use permitted Personal & teaching useCommercial use prohibited Commercial useDerivative works prohibited Derivative worksA.I. adaptations prohibited A.I. adaptations
1
After Timothy joined Paul and Silas, the trio travelled through Galatia and Phrygia (modern central Turkey) preaching the gospel of Christ (Acts 16:6). – Slide 1
2
As they travelled west, they came to Mysia (modern western Turkey), and then attempted to travel north into the region of Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit would not allow them (Acts 16:5). – Slide 2
3
They finally arrived at Troas, a large Roman colony in northwestern Mysia, with a population of some 100,000. Troas was an important seaport linking Macedonia and Asia Minor. Its man-made harbour was the best in the region, and the city became prosperous from trade. – Slide 3
4
This harbour had massive stone breakwaters and marble wharfs, as well as statues of Poseidon and Neptune. – Slide 4
5
In the harbour, you would usually see Roman merchant vessels, optimized for carrying bulk goods like grain, wine, olive oil (in amphorae), garum (fish sauce), and other trade items. – Slide 5
6
While in Troas, a vision appeared to Paul in the night (Acts 16:9). – Slide 6
7
He saw a ‘man of Macedonia’ pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ (Acts 16:9). – Slide 7
8
After Paul had seen the vision, he got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel in that region. – Slide 8
9
Acts 16:10 begins one of the ‘we’ sections of the book of Acts, where Luke, the author of the book, includes himself in the travels of Paul (cf. Acts 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16). Paul would later refer to Luke as ‘the beloved physician’ (Col 4:14). We have portrayed Luke dressed in the typical Greco-Hellenistic style of educated, professional men in the eastern Roman provinces. – Slide 9
10
As a physician, he wears clean, white, sober garments to project hygiene and authority. He has on a lightweight linen tunic beneath a himation—a large rectangular woollen mantle draped over his chiton, covering both shoulders and reaching to his calves. This was the most characteristic outer garment for adult men, similar to the Roman pallium, conveying dignity and commonly worn by philosophers, teachers, and professionals such as physicians. In his right hand, he carries a staff, sometimes associated with the Rod of Asclepius. – Slide 10
11
Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke boarded a merchant ship heading for Macedonia. – Slide 11
12
Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke left the harbour at Troas, not knowing what adventures awaited them in Macedonia. – Slide 12
13
The Romans had several kinds of merchant vessels, and we have no way of knowing what type of vessel they employed. – Slide 13
14
Merchant vessels were primarily broad-beamed, sail-driven wooden ships (known as corbita in Latin) designed for cargo capacity rather than speed. – Slide 14
15
They relied primarily on a large square mainsail. Oars were strictly for manoeuvring in and out of the harbour. – Slide 15
16
On the way to Macedonia, their ship headed for Samothrace, a small island in the northern Aegean Sea with peaks rising 5,000 feet (1,700 m) above sea level (Acts 16:11). As open-ocean sailing at night was risky, vessels often took advantage of the island of Samothrace as a natural waystation and overnight place to anchor and shelter. – Slide 16
17
The following day, they landed at Neapolis in northeastern Macedonia. After leaving the ship, with the harbour behind them, they walked up out of the city on a Roman highway known as the Via Egnatia. Paul would visit this port again on his third missionary journey (cf. Acts 20:6). – Slide 17
18
After a journey of about ten miles (16 km), Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke found themselves on the outskirts of Philippi, a Roman colony (Acts 16:12). – Slide 18
19
At Philippi, Paul would preach the gospel for the first time on European soil. First, to Lydia and her household (Acts 16:13–15); then to the jailer and his household (Acts 16:22–40). – Slide 19
20
Slide 20