The Divine Lamp

What follows is part of the rough draft for a talk I am supposed to give to a discussion group latter this month, in preparation for the Jubilee Year of St Paul. You can read Part 1 HERE. And Part 2 HERE. Please keep in mind these are only rough drafts, and no attempt has yet been made to edit them.

As would so often happen, Paul’s preaching raised opposition, and a plot was formed to kill him:

²³ When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him; ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

After this event, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians, he went into Arabia where he spent 14 years, then he returned to Damascus, then went up to Jerusalem. Luke passes over the time in Arabia, and has probably combined into one event the two sojourns in Damascus. He then narrates the visit to Jerusalem:

²⁶ And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, ²⁹ preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰ And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

Barnabas was a Jew from Cyprus but had apparently lived for many years in Jerusalem. He was a prophet, a leading figure in the Jerusalem Church, well-respected and trusted. We’re not sure when he met up with Paul, but clearly his action was instrumental in getting Paul accepted by the Jerusalem Christians.

Notice how Luke once again emphasizes the reversal Paul has undergone. As a Hellenist Jew, Paul had disputed with, and tried to kill Hellenist Jewish Christians such as Stephen. With his conversion, he became a Hellenist Jewish Christian, and was probably opposed by the very same men he had once sided with. Once again, we see that the former persecutor has become the persecuted one. Paul is forced to leave Jerusalem, and he returns to his native Tarsus.

At this point Luke once again breaks off his focus on Paul. His purpose in doing this is to show that the mission to the uncircumcised and non-proselyte Gentiles, opens, not through Paul, but through Peter. Only after Peter has preached to, converted, and baptized Gentiles, does Paul’s ministry to non-Jews begin.

Once the Peter narrative is ended we read of the Gospel spreading to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. When the news reached Jerusalem, the Apostles sent Barnabas to Antioch in order to strengthen them in the faith. It seems that so many were embracing the faith that Barnabas decided to travel about one hundred miles northwest to Tarsus, where he enlisted the aid of Paul. The two returned to Antioch and spent a year there preaching and converting many. It was at this time that the followers of Jesus began to be called Christians. Sometime during their stay in that city, some prophets came to them from Jerusalem, and one of them, a man named Agabus:

Stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the whole world , and it happened under Claudius. So the disciples determined that, according to ability, each should send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. This they did, sending it to the presbyters in care of Barnabas and Saul.

There was indeed a widespread famine throughout much of the Roman world during the reign of Claudius, AD 41 to 54. Things were so bad, in fact, that the emperor himself was mobbed in the streets of Rome. The famine did not hit all at once, rather it struck various places at different times. Judea was affected between the years 46 and 48.

At this point, Luke once again breaks off his focus on Paul, this time turning his attention to King Herod of Judea.

We read of Herod’s persecution of Christians, including the martyrdom of the Apostle James, and the imprisonment of St Peter, who was, apparently, to stand before a mock tribunal and then be handed over to death. All of this reminds us of the fact that Paul had persecuted, imprisoned, and condemned Christians to death.

After detailing Peter’s miraculous release from prison, which, incidentally, has numerous allusions to Christ’s resurrection, Luke goes on to talk about Herod’s dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon.

²⁰ Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. ²¹ On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. ²² And the people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of man!” ²³ Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied. ²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark.

Notice that while Paul and Barnabas were delivering famine aid from Christians in the territory of Antioch, to People in Judea, Herod was engaged in using the famine and the food he had to gain leverage in a dispute with people from outside his territory. The famine aid from Antioch to Judea came, in spite of the fact that many in Judea were disputing the status of Gentile Christians as members of God’s people. A dispute which I have not focused on, but which will come to a head in chapter 15.

This contrast between Herod and Christians continues in the account of Herod’s death, and the circumstances surrounding it. The Christians of Antioch had acted in accord with prophecy, the voice of God coming to them when the man Agabus spoke. Herod, in contrast, is honored as a God because of his speech. He did nothing to correct this and he dies, his intestines being eaten by worms, a fact confirmed by the first century Jewish historian Josephus, a contemporary of Luke’s.

Having completed their famine relief in Judea, Paul and Barnabas(John Mark was with them also) return to Antioch. While celebrating the liturgy there, some prophets, including Paul himself, received a revelation from the Holy Spirit who said: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

The prophets laid hands on the two men, commending them to the Lord, and thus began what is commonly referred to as Paul’s first missionary journey.

The two men (who have John Mark with them as an assistant) made their way to the large island of Cyprus, the birthplace of Barnabas. They traveled through its cities preaching in the Jewish Synagogues, and finally entered the city of Paphos. There they met the Roman Proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was accompanied by a Jewish magician named Elymas, who was also called Bar-Jesus, meaning “son of Jesus.” The proconsul requested that the missionaries preach the Gospel to him. Luke writes:

But Elymas the magician…withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight roads of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

There is irony here, and once again Luke is calling to mind Paul’s conversion. The Magician, who is named “Son of Jesus,” is called “son of the Devil” by Paul. He is condemned for “making crooked the straight roads of the Lord.” This calls to mind the fact that Paul the persecutor was baptized while residing in a house on ‘Straight Street.” And just as Paul had been blinded for a time, so that he had to be led by the hand to get to Straight Street, so too, the magician was blinded for a time, and forced to seek people to lead him about by the hand. As a result of all of this, the Roman Proconsul embraced the faith.

From Paphos, the missionaries sailed to the city of Perga, where John Mark abandoned them and returned to Jerusalem. From Perga, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Antioch in Pisidia, which should not be confused with Antioch in Syria where their mission began. At Pisidian Antioch they entered a Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath and are asked to give an exhortation to the people. Paul stood up and addressed a sermon to them which, in many ways, was similar to sermons preached by both Peter and Stephen earlier in Acts.

The response Paul gets is mixed, nonetheless, the missionaries are asked to return on the next Sabbath to speak further on the subject. In the mean time, they apparently continued to proclaim the Gospel in the city, so that, when the next Sabbath came, a huge number of the cities inhabitants were present to hear them. Also present, however, were a number of Jews who opposed their teaching. Luke writes:

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.⁴⁶ Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,

⁴⁹ and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region.

⁵⁰ The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory.

⁵¹ So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. ⁵² The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.

The experience of Paul and Barnabas, beginning with their call to mission in Syrian Antioch, mirrors the experience of Jesus at the beginning of his mission.

Jesus, as his mission began, received the Holy Spirit, then went into the wilderness where he battled and bested the Devil. He then preached a sermon in a synagogue among his own fellow Nazarenes. The sermon had two parts, the first part was received favorably, the second was not, and led to Jesus being driven out of the city. In similar fashion, Paul and Barnabas are designated for a mission by the Holy Spirit. They confronted a Magician whom the call “Son of the Devil.” They preached in a synagogue and, at first, received a favorable response, but then, in a second sermon, they are opposed by their fellow Jews and driven out of the city.

Recall that in his sermon at Nazareth, Jesus had declared that no prophet was without honor except among his own people. He went on to remind his people that during the times of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, it was gentiles who had received God’s favors. Essentially, he was predicting the rejection of the Gospel by the Jews, an event that opened up the mission to the gentiles, and which we see coming to fulfillment in Paul’s mission.

Having been driven from Pisidian Antioch, the missionaries make their way to Iconium. Once again they entered a synagogue and began preaching to the Jews, and once again they received a mixed reception and intense opposition. So, again, they started preaching to the gentiles. As opposition increased, they are forced to move on, making their way to the city of Lystra in the area of Lyconia (what is today central Turkey). Here we see that missionary activity among gentiles had problems all its own. Luke writes:

⁸ Now at Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet; he was a cripple from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, ¹⁰ said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and walked. ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, because he was the chief speaker, they called Hermes. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the people. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out among the multitude, crying, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways; ¹⁷ yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ With these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Notice that Paul, because he is the main speaker, is thought to be Hermes, who, among the pagans, was the god who governed speech and prophecy. The event narrated here calls to mind what took place earlier in Acts, where Herod, speaking to gentiles from Tyre and Sidon, was hailed as a god and, because he did nothing to correct this, brought death upon himself. Death was a fitting end to someone who made such pretensions, for throughout the Old Testament, the pagan gods and idols are portrayed as lifeless, whereas the true God is often called “The Living God,” a phrase Paul himself uses here.

With difficulty the missionaries were able to keep the people from worshiping them, and, apparently, they were able to make some disciples. However, some Jews arrived from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium and persuaded many to reject the missionaries. They stoned Paul and, thinking him dead, dragged him from the city. But Paul, surrounded by disciples, recovered, and entered the city for the night. The next morning, he and Barnabas left for the city of Derbe, where they preached the Gospel and made many converts. From there they began to make their way back to Antioch in Syria, where their mission had begun. Thus ends what is commonly referred to as St Paul’s first Missionary Journey.

This post continues an earlier post, A LIFE OF PAUL. It is a very, very rough draft of a talk I am to give to a discussion group in June, in preperation for the year of St Paul.

At some point and time, were not sure when, Paul was sent-or perhaps his family moved-to Jerusalem. According to Paul, in Acts 22:3, he was “brought up,” and “educated” in Jerusalem, suggesting that a large part of his life had been spent there. While in Jerusalem he began his training as a Rabbi under Gamaliel. Gamaliel was, and remains, one of the most important and influential teachers Rabbinic Judaism ever produced, and it’s possible that one of his greatest students, Shammai, was a fellow student with Paul. During this training Paul would have learned rabbinic methods of interpreting Scripture, arguing and debating, and theological traditions. Paul employs all of these things in varying degrees in his letters.

We first meet Paul in connection with the martyrdom of Stephen. This event is introduced at the end of chapter 6 of Acts:

• 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” (Actes (RSV) 6)

Notice that among those who could not best Stephen in debate were men from Cilicia! And recall that Paul was from Tarsus in Cilicia. Was Paul, then, among those whom Stephen bested? Was he one of the ones who instigated false witnesses against Stephen? I think he was. Look at what is said at the end of the Stephen account:

• Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul…And Saul was consenting to his death.

According to Jewish Law, the witnesses against someone found guilty of a capital offense were required to throw the first stones. The reason for this is obvious. If they were guilty of giving false witness, and this was discovered, they would be liable to the same punishment as the falsely condemned suffered. Now, in Acts, the image of laying one’s possessions at the feet of another symbolizes that persons authority and influence. Essentially, what Luke is telling us is that Paul had a major role to play in what is transpiring. Furthermore, our translation says that he was “consenting” to the stoning; but the Greek word implies much more: he was in collusion with the stoning.

This event, Stephen’s martyrdom, begins a persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem, and most are forced to flee throughout Judea and into Samaria. At the same time, Paul begins an active persecution of the Church:

• And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

The wording of the Greek text here is quite strong. The verb used for ravaging refers to great harm, both physical and emotional. And the the verb for “dragged off” is also quite strong. One gets the impression that Paul is a very violent man. Paul himself tells us in Galatians 1:13 that he persecuted the Church beyond measure, and tried to annihilate it.

At this point, Luke breaks off his focus on Paul, and begins to focus on the movement of Christianity to Half-Jews, namely the Samaritans and to pagan prozylites to Judaism such as the Ethiopian eunuch. When we next meet Paul he has received authority to hunt out Christians in the synagogues of Syria and is heading to the capital of Damascus.

• 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. 4 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; 6 but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Here begins the defining moment of Paul’s life. He himself speaks of it often in his letters, and it is so important for Luke’s teaching that the conversion is told three different times in Acts. Each account is slightly different, bringing out further details. According to this account Paul is still breathing threats and murder against Christians and is acting as an official representative of the Jewish leaders. At this time Paul was absolutely convinced that he was doing the right thing. In chapter 26, when he recounts his experience he says:

• 9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme; and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.” And in his letter to the Galatians he says: 13 For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, 14 and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. (Galates (NAB) 1)

But his conversion experience led Paul to see himself as he truly was. The one who-as we have just seen- tried to get Christians to blaspheme, came to recognize that he was the blasphemer; the one who tried to annihilate Christianity became its greatest propagator; the one who thought Christians were faithless sinners worthy of death came to see that he himself was an unbelieving sinner of the worst magnitude. All of this was for the sake not only of Paul alone, but for the sake of all who would here him preach; hear and read his letters; or hear of his conversion. In 1 Timothy he writes:

• 12 I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. 13 I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. 16 But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. (1Timothée (NAB) 1)

Paul, now blind because of his encounter with Jesus is led into Damascus where, neither eating or drinking, he waits for three days for a further revelation from Christ.

• 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,
  19 and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
  20 And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed, and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests.” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. (Actes (RSV) 9)

Here we see what Christ’s plans are for Paul. He is to be an instrument of Christ, and therefore an instrument of the Gospel. An instrument gets its power from an outside source, and throughout his letters Paul attributes the power and success of his ministry to the Triune God. The idea of instrument calls to mind Christ’s words in Luke 10:16: “He who hears you, hears me.” Likewise it calls to mind the beginning of Acts of Apostles where Luke writes: “In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all Jesus began to do and preach,” thus implying that Jesus is still at work in the Church. We also see that Paul will be shown how much he must suffer for the name of Jesus. The one who, as Ananias said, had authority from the chief priests to imprison those who called upon the name of Jesus will now himself suffer for the sake of that name. The Greek word for suffer is dei, and it is a key word for Luke, implying divine necessity. In Luke 9:22, the first passion prediction, Jesus had said “the Son of Man must suffer…,” and in speaking to the Disciples on the road to Emmaus the risen Jesus said, “Was it not necessary (dei) that the Messiah suffer…?” Paul’s life will now be lived in imitation of his new-found Lord.

I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia; no mean city. I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless.” In these words, garnered from Acts of Apostles and his letter to the Philippians, St Paul tells us a good bit about his origin and upbringing.

The Man we know as St Paul was probably born sometime between BC 6 and AD 10. Most scholars lean towards a date late in the first decade of the Christian era on the basis of the fact that Luke Describes Paul as a neanis, a young man, at the time of St Stephen’s martyrdom. Such a designation would put Paul’s age at that time to somewhere between 24 and 40 years of age. Now we don’t know exactly when this event occurred, but most scholars think it is likely to have taken place after the dismissal of Pontius Pilate by the Roman Legate in Syrian, which happened in AD 36. While Pilate was more than willing to see injustice done, he would not have tolerated the ignoring of his authority and, given the absence of any information of collusion on the part of the Romans in this affair, it is logical to conclude this event took place “post-Pilate.” Also, it should be noted that the Roman Legate in Syria, a man by the name of Lucius Vitellius, was rather sympathetic towards Judaism, as was Pilate’s successor, Marcellus. Inasmuch as Christians were viewed as venerating as a King a man who had been crucified for rebellion against Rome, it is unlikely that these men would have had much sympathy for them.

Tarsus was the capital of the Roman Province of Cilicia, in what is now modern day Turkey. Eastern Turkey, to be exact. Tarsus was a splendid, cosmopolitan city which spanned both sides of the Cyndus River, it was located about thirty miles south of the Tarsus mountains, and about ten miles north of the Mediterranean Sea. People would disembark at the harbor and be transported up the slow moving river in light boats. For this reason Tarsus was considered a port city and was a major travel stop in the ancient world.

The city was declared a free city by imperial favor in 146 BC, which means its citizens were granted legal Roman citizenship with all the perks that went along with it. For several centuries-and this includes St Paul’s day-the city not only rivaled, but surpassed both Athens and Alexandria as the center of learning in the Roman Empire. A list of some of the people who taught there, were educate there, lived there, or who passed through there reads like a who’s who of the ancient world. Alexander the Great, Strabo, the famed Historical geographer, Cicero, the Roman statesman, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, Athenodorus, the Stoic philosopher who taught Caesar Augustus are just a few of the names. It was indeed “no mean city.”

According to some scholars, Paul was from a wealthy family which had some influence in Jerusalem. This is possible, but speculative, and need not concern us here. Even if Paul was from an extremely wealthy family, he would have-in accordance with ancient Jewish custom-learned a trade. The wisdom and practicality of such a custom is not hard to see: if a man suffered a reversal of fortunes he could still provide support and sustenance to himself and his family. According to Paul’s own testimony, he worked to support himself and his apostolic labors so as not to burden his converts financially. On several occasions he makes reference to this fact; sometimes to defend himself against the charge that he is preaching solely for profit; a charge often leveled at the traveling philosophical and religious guru’s of the day. At other times he refers to the practice in order to provide himself as a model for how Christians ought to behave.

Paul describes himself as “a Hebrew born of Hebrews;” meaning that he was a full-blooded member of the chosen people. Paul was justly proud of this status, and it forms an important part of his theology.

Paul was circumcised “on the eighth day” in accordance with the law of Moses. It was at this time that he would have received his Hebrew name Saul, or, as it is pronounced in Hebrew, saw-ool. Some scholars speculate that since Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin, he was named in honor of the most famous Benjamite in the OT, namely, King Saul. However, King Saul ignored the words of the prophet, usurped priestly functions, forfeited the dynasty that had been offered to him by God, brought down upon himself divine condemnation, persecuted David, descended into madness, and died an ignominious death. I find it highly unlikely that Paul was named to honor such a man.

It is interesting to note that King Saul is described in the OT as being an exceedingly handsome man who “stood head and shoulders above his fellow men.” In contrast, early descriptions of St Paul describe him as the exact opposite. He is described as being short of stature, slump-shouldered, with bowed legs, a uni-brow and a large, hooked nose. Was there a conscious attempt to suggest a contrast between the two?

It was a common practice in Paul’s day for Jews to possess not only a Hebrew name, but also a Greek or Latin one as well. The Latin name Paulus means “small,” or “little,” and down through the centuries preachers and panygerists have made much of this fact. Aquinas, for example, in his first lecture on First Corinthians writes: “Suffice it to say here that this name is mentioned as a token of humility, for Paul means a small amount, which pertains to humility: thus, in 1 Samuel 15:17 we read: ‘though you are Parvulus, that is to say little in your own eyes, are you not at the head of the tribes of Israel?” “Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to parvulus, meaning babes’ (Matt 11:25).” Parvulus is derived from the same root as Paulus, and such an application as Aquinas makes is very common in the tradition. While the idea has value in presenting St Paul as an example to be imitated, and has been used to great effect down through the centuries, it should be kept in mind that Scripture itself does not give any significance to the name as such.

Paul describes himself as a Pharisee. That term seems to be derived from an Aramaic word which referred to a fence-builder. A Pharisee is someone who built a fence around the Law of Moses by observing rule and regulations which went well beyond the Law’s requirements. This provided protection against breaking the actual Laws. Unfortunately, the practice was subject to hypocrisy, and the effect was that the Pharisees built a wall around themselves by which they were separated from the common herd of non-pharisaic Jews, and through which they looked down upon them as not being truly faithful to the Law. When Paul describes himself as “in observance of the Law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the Church, in righteousness based upon the law I was blameless”- these words should be taken as hanging intimately together. It was Paul’s pharisaic upbringing which led to his views concerning the law and righteousness, and which led to his Persecution of the Church.

This completes my presentation of Paul’s background. I will now proceed to speak of his life according to Acts of apostles, with some “fleshing out” from his letters.

Note: This and the next two posts on First Thessalonians were published 6 months ago.  I republish them here because I intend to begin posting further notes on that letter.
Authorship:

Virtually all scholars agree that this letter was written by Paul. In fact, the authorship was never seriously questioned except by F.C. Baur, who’s thesis was quickly rejected. There is some question as to how much input Paul’s companions had in the composition. The opening address clearly identifies Silvanus and Timothy, who had helped evangelize the city (2:1-16), as co-senders of the letter, other passages, however, clearly refer to Paul alone (5:25, 27). This has led some scholars to the conclusion that the opening address and the “we” sections of the letter are the result of a literary nicety on the part of Paul to include his co-workers as co-senders of the work. Most scholars rightly (in my opinion, for what it’s worth) reject this and think T and S had an active hand in determining the content of the letter.

Background:

After Attending the Council of Jerusalem and fulfilling the task assigned to them, Paul and Barnabas decided to make a tour of the churches they had founded to see how they were doing. Barnabas wanted to take along his cousin, John Mark, who had deserted them during what is commonly called Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:13); but to this Paul objected, not wanting a repeat performance of that event. As a result of this, Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement and parted company, with Barnabas taking Mark and going to Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas (aka Silvanus) to accompany him through Syria and Cilicia to “strengthen the churches” (see Acts 15). They came to the region of Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, and there met Timothy, a young convert of Jewish and Greek ancestry. He was highly spoken of by the Christians who knew him and he must have impressed Paul, for the apostle asked him to accompany them on their missionary endeavor (Acts 16:1-5). They made their way through Asia Minor and came to Troas, where Paul had a vision that he should evangelize Macedonia, thus began the evangelization of Europe (Acts 16:6-15).

They made their way into Philippi, “a leading city in the district of Macedonia and a Roman Colony.” While there, Paul healed a slave-girl of what Luke terms a “Python spirit,” meaning a demon that gave the girl oracular statements. The girl’s ability had been used by her owners to make money, and the fact that Paul had cured her did not sit well with them, as a result, something nearly like a riot started which resulted in Paul and his companions being beaten with rods and imprisoned. Paul, because he was a Roman citizen, and therefore protected by due process of Roman law, complained to the magistrates about this treatment, which led to the authorities seeking to placate him (Acts 16:16-40).

After this, the group left Phillippi and proceeded to Amphipolis, Apollonia, and into Thessalonica, which had a very sizable Jewish population. How much time they spent in that city is unknown, but they did spend three Sabbaths in the Synagogue preaching and demonstrating that Jesus was the Messiah. Some Jews, and a large number of Greeks were converted. This infuriated some of the Jews who then employed certain men of dubious character to search out the missionaries. Unable to find them they grabbed some other Christians and dragged them before the magistrates, accusing them of causing a disturbance and rejecting the decrees of Caesar. The Christians were ordered to pay some kind of a fine and released. As a result of this, Paul and Silas (and presumably Timothy) left the city for Beroea, where they preached in the synagogue and converted many. However, some Jews from Thessalonica, hearing of this success, came to Beroea and began to make trouble; as a result, Paul was forced to go to Athens, leaving his companions behind, though telling them to join him as soon as possible(Acts 17:1-15).

How much time Paul spent in Athens is unknown, but his stay was probably short. It appears he made an attempt at evangelizing the city but met with little success. From Athens he proceeded to Corinth where he began preaching in the synagogue. It was here that Silas and Timothy rejoined him and the three men spent a year and a half preaching in the city (Acts 17:16-18:11). It was during this stay in Corinth that word came to them about the persecution being suffered by the church in Thessalonica (Thess 2:14). Due to this report, Timothy was sent back to the city to strengthen them (1 Thess 3:1-5). He returned with a good report concerning them, and it is this report which occasioned the letter (1 Thess 3:6-8).

Outline

The letter is in three parts, with each part being sub-divided into three sections in concentric fashion.

Part 1. 1:1-2:16

A1) Salutation and thanksgiving for the Thessalonians reception of the word (1:1-10)

B) How the Missionaries acted among them (2:1-12)

A2) Another thanksgiving for the Thessalonians reception of the word (2:13-16)

Part 2 (2:17-3:13)

A1) The missionaries wish to see their converts “face to face” (2:17-20)

B) Timothy is sent to Thessalonica (3:1-8)

A2) The missionaries pray that they might see their converts “face to face” (3:9-13)

Part 3 (4:1-5:28)

A1) Exhortations concerning right and holy conduct (4:1-12)

B) The resurrection of the faithful and Christ’s second coming (4:13-5:11)

A2) Exhortations concerning right order in the community (5:12-28)

I will begin by providing the reader with links to several translations of the passage. I will then offer a brief summary of the text, then move onto a more detailed examination of individual sections. For this purpose I will be providing my own interpretive translation (Note: Although I will only be looking at the opening address in this post, I have chosen to summarize the whole of Chapter 1. Notes on the rest of Chapter 1 will be posted later today or tomorrow.)
Read the text:

According to the RSV –Douay-Rheims–Latin Vulgate–NAB

Summary:

Following the standard epistolary format of hellenistic times, the letter opens with an address consisting of three elements: 1. the senders; 2. the addressees; 3. a wish or blessing. This is then followed by a prayer of thanksgiving, which was also typical of ancient letters. The authors of the NT letters, and especially St Paul, often use these prayers (or blessings; see Eph 1:3-14) to indicate major themes or ideas dealt with and expressed in the body of the missive; therefore, readers should pay special attention to them.

Calling to mind the church’s origin in Thessalonica, the prayer celebrates the three theological virtues so active among the people (2-3). This prayer is motivated by Paul’s (and his companions) knowledge of how the church was elected or chosen through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in their mission (4-5). This knowledge is confirmed by the fact that, in spite of all the troubles and afflictions which came upon the people due to their acceptance of the gospel, they have not only remained faithful in imitation of the missionaries, but, like the missionaries, they have themselves become witnesses to the gospel as they await the return of the risen Jesus.

NOTES:

Vs 1 Paulos (Paul) and Silouanos (Silvanus,aka Silas) and Timotheos (Timothy) to the ekklesia (church; those called together; an assembly) of (i.e., made up of) the Thessalonians in (or “assembled by”) God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ: grace and peace to you. (Some texts add: “From God our father, and the Lord Jesus Christ)

Paul is, of course, the Apostle Paul; an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin (Rom 11:1); a rigid Pharisee and one time persecutor of the Church (Phil 3:5-6). While on the road to Damascus, “breathing murderous hatred” and seeking to arrest and imprison Christians (Acts 9:1), he was converted by by the risen Christ himself, manifesting God’s mercy towards this one time blasphemer and persecutor of the Church of God (1 Tim 1:12-17). Coming to realize that he had been chosen from his mother’s womb for the task to which he was called (Gal 1:15), he became the Church’s most zealous missionary by the grace of God (1 Cor 15:10).

Silvanus is most certainly to be identified with Silas, who is mentioned in the Acts of Apostle. A Christian prophet, he appears to have been an influential member of the church in Jerusalem. Along with a certain Judas/Barsabbas, he was chosen by the twelve apostles to accompany Paul and Barnabas to the churches of Antioch to make known the decrees of the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:22-35). Having fulfilled this function Judas and Silas returned to Jerusalem, while Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for a time, possibly to deal with some difficulties. after this they decided to go to Syria and Cilicia to deliver the council’s decision and strengthen the churches they had founded. However, a dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas and the two men parted company; as a result, Paul decided to choose Silas as his companion on the mission(Acts 15:36-41). (He must have sent word back to Jerusalem of what had transpired between him and Barnabas. Recall that Barnabas was from Jerusalem and provided a “Jerusalem connection” with the pagan-in-origin people who were predominant in the churches founded by Paul). Silvanus worked with Paul throughout much of the so-called second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-21:14), but disappears from Luke’s narrative after (18:5). Besides here, his name appears twice more in Paul’s letters; in the opening address of 2 Thess and in 2 Cor 1:19. He at some point joined up with St Peter in Rome, and may have acted as his amanuensis (1 Pt 5:12).

Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim 1:5). He was probably a native of Lystra or Iconium, and may have been converted by the preaching of Paul and Barnabas on the so-called first missionary journey. Though young (1 Tim 4:12), and apparently rather timid (1 Cor 16;10), he was well spoken of and respected by the Christians of the two cities just mentioned, this no doubt helped determine Paul’s decision to ask Timothy to accompany him on the mission (Acts 16:1-5). With Silvanus, he remained at Beroea for some time after Paul was forced to leave the city(Acts 17:10-15), rejoining him at Corinth (Acts 18:5), where the three men spent a year and half evangelizing (Acts 18:11). It was during this period that Paul sent him back to Thessalonica to ascertain the situation which is dealt with in the letter we are examining (see 1 Thess 3:1-8). Later, he, along with a certain Erastus, was sent by Paul into Macedonia, apparently to prepare for further mission work (Acts 19:22). It is rather clear from Scripture that Timothy became Paul’s right-hand man. At some point and time he was sent by Paul back to Corinth to deal with some troubles that had arisen there (1 Cor 4:17). Apparently, a second visit by Timothy was planned (1 Cor 16:10), but we do not know if it ever happened. The Same can be said of a planned visit to Philippi (Phil 2:19). Finally, two letters in the Pauline corpus are addressed to him. The words which St Paul uses to describe Timothy are full of affection and respect, I’ve always considered it unfortunate that we do not know more about him.

To the ekklesia (church) made up of Thessalonians… This is an odd way for Paul to describe the church, at least in comparison to his other letters; for Paul usually speaks of “the church of God” at such and such a place (see 1 Cor 1:2). Perhaps Paul speaks of the Church in this fashion here in order to emphasize the fact that one does not have to be a circumcised Jew to be a member of the people of God. Recall that this letter was written not long after the Jerusalem council.

Ekklesia is a Greek term designating a group called together:

751 The word “Church” (Latin ecclesia, from the Greek ek-ka-lein, to “call out of”) means a convocation or an assembly. It designates the assemblies of the people, usually for a religious purpose. ¹³⁹ Ekklesia is used frequently in the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people. ¹⁴⁰ By calling itself “Church,” the first community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is “calling together” his people from all the ends of the earth. The equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the German Kirche are derived, means “what belongs to the Lord.”

752 In Christian usage, the word “church” designates the liturgical assembly, ¹⁴¹ but also the local community ¹⁴² or the whole universal community of believers. ¹⁴³ These three meanings are inseparable. “The Church” is the People that God gathers in the whole world. She exists in local communities and is made real as a liturgical, above all a Eucharistic, assembly. She draws her life from the word and the Body of Christ and so herself becomes Christ’s Body. (Cat. Cath. Ch.)

The church is called together by God, through Christ, by the power of the Spirit at work in the Church’s ministry (see Col 1:3-8).

Which is in (or “assembled by”) God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… I accept Earl J. Richards view that the workhorse Greek dative en, which has many possible nuances, should be translated as “assembled by”. Grammatically and contextually, the dative could qualify any of the three parts of the salutation. It could relate to the missionaries, in which case it would be a witness to their authority “in” or “by” God. It could relate to the wish/blessing of grace and peace, denoting the origin of these gifts. In this regard it should be noted that in other letters Paul often speaks of the origin of the gifts as being “in” or “by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (see 1 Cor 1:3). No such phrase occurs here except in a few manuscripts. Scholars consider the phrase a gloss, not original. Also, as Richards notes, in the other Pauline letters, the phrase is introduced with the preposition apo followed by a genitive. He takes the dative en here in an instrumental sense and translates “assembled by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” In doing this he sees the dative as related to the phrase “the church (ekklesia, assembly) of the Thessalonians”, thus emphasising the initiative of the Father and Christ in establishing the church in that city. The fact that the letter associates both the father and Christ in this, using the single cunjunctive kai (and) strongly suggests the divinity of Christ.

grace and peace- Typically, letters written in Greek contained the wish charien (rejoice, have joy), but Paul replaces it with the related word charis, (grace). For Paul the word has the sense of “the saving will of God executed in Jesus Christ and communicated to men through him” (Dictionary of the Bible John L. McKenzie, S.J.). For more on grace, see here. And a more technical treatment here. See also these articles in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Peace reflects the Hebrew word shalom, meaning a total state of well being, especially in relation to God and Man.

On the vigil of the Solemnity of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul Pope Benedict XVI announced a special jubilee year dedicated to St Paul, which will begin June 28, 2008, and end June 29, 2009.  I have decided, in preparation for that event, to begin posting notes on the Epistles of Saint Paul.  By nature I am a terribly unsystematic person, seldom staying focused for too long on a given subject, as I am sure the three or four regular readers of this blog are aware.  It is, I think, time to turn over a new leaf, therefore, I have committed myself to this task and, hopefully, will be able to stick to it.

I will be looking at the letters of St Paul in their generally accepted chronological order.  Furthermore, I will be treating them all as genuine rather than holding some as deutero-Pauline, for I find the arguments against Pauline authorship of certain letters to be rather forced, highly speculative, and not altogether very convincing.

For Background on Paul:

Acts 7:58-59

Acts 9:1-30

Acts 11:25-30

Acts 13:1-28:31

Rom 11:1

1 Cor 15:8-11

2 Cor 11:22-12:12

Gal 1:11-2:14

Phil 3:4-6

1 Tim 1:6-18

2 Tim 3:10-11 

2 Tim 4:6-18

The Catholic Encyclopedia

The Journeys of Paul (protestant)

Paul’s life (protestant. This is part of a audio documentary series. You can also read the transcripts of the documentary)

A brief article from The Catholic Herald

Another brief article from EWTN

Father Mitch Pacwa (An audio series of 13 one-half hour shows)
Travel in biblical Times  (an article from SCRIPTURE FROM SCRATCH)

The Conversion of and its Influence on his understanding of Salvation by Faith (by Father J. Dupont)

Journeys of Paul (protestant)

The Letters of Paul and of the Pauline Tradition (protestant)

Paul and the Law (by Father John Paul Heil.  From THE BIBLE TODAY)

Christ, The Termination of the Law (Father John Paul Heil.  From THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY)

The Pre-Christian Paul (protestant. Barry D. Smith)

Paul’s Conversion (Protestant.  Barry D. Smith)

An Introduction to the Pauline Letters (by Father Henry Wansbrough)

The Life and Missionary Work of St Paul of Tarsus (Father Felix Just)

St Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen (Protestant.  W.M. Ramsey.  Online Book)

Paul and the City of Tarsus (Dim Bulb.  Sorry, couldn’t resist)

Paul’s Apostolic Career (Protestant.  Barry D. Smith)

“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ignoble city.”

With these Words Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Lord, introduced himself to a Roman commander as he requested to be allowed to address a mob of Jerusalemites persecuting him (Acts 21:27-40).

Tarsus was located in the province of Cilicia, on the Cydnus River, and not far inland from the northeast coast of the Mediterranean Sea (about 10 miles inland, actually). It was also located about thirty miles outh of the beautiful Tarsus mountain range, out ow which the Cydnus river flowed. It stood on a large fertile plain and, about six miles down the river the rivder broadened into a large lake named Rhegma. This allowed Mediterranean seacraft to anchor there in safety. This rich, fertile plain meant food was abundant. The lake/harbor meant an influx of ancient world travelers. These two facts combined to make Tarsus an important and large commercial center.

The origins of the city’s founding are obscure, but it dates back at least to 2300 BC. According to the ancient writer Strabo there was a tomb of King Sardanaplus of Assyria located in Anchiale, a city about 12 miles southeast of Tarsus. This same writer tells us that the tomb bore and inscription stating that the king, “built Anchiale and Tarsus in a single day.” Needless to say, modern scholars find this claim worthless.

The Greeks also laid claim to founding the city. Strabo states that it was founded by the Argives, while others attribute it to Heracles or Perseus. Again, modern scholars reject this. The oldest extant writing to refer to the city is the Famed “Black Obelisk of King Shalmaneser of Assyria which records his conquest of the city (circa 850 BC).

For many centuries it remained an oriental rather than a hellenistic city, and its history is almost blank. After the fall of the Assyrian Empire, Cilicia may have regained its independence, at least partially, but it subsequently became a province of the Persian Empire, paying to the Great King an annual tribute of 260 white horses and 500 talents of silver (According to Herodotus) and contributing considerable fleets, when required, to the Persian navy. From time to time we hear of rulers called Syennesis, who appear to have been vassal princes in a greater or lesser degree of dependence upon the oriental empires. Two clear glimpses of the city are afforded us, thanks to the passage through it of Hellenistic troops engaged upon eastern expeditions. Xenophon tells how, in 401 BC, Cyrus the Younger entered Cilicia on his famous march against his brother Artaxerxes, and how some of his Greek mercenaries plundered Tarsus, which is described as a great and prosperous city, in which was the palace of King Syennesis…Again, in 333 BC, Alexander the Great passed through the Cilician Gates on his way to the Battle of Issus, where he met and routed the Persian army under Darius III. Arsames, the satrap of Cilicia, failed to post a sufficient force at the pass, the garrison fled without resistance and Alexander thus entered the province without striking a blow. The Persians thereupon set fire to Tarsus (to keep it from being occupied?), but the timely arrival of Alexander’s Macedonian advance guard under Parmenio saved the city from destruction…(THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA. this text is in th public domain.)
With the overthrow of Persian power Cilicia and the city of Tarsus began a slow evolution from oriental to Hellenic culture. With the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the empire he carved out became divided up among his many generals. This meant that Cilicia fell under the influence of the Seleucid Kings of Syria, who made their capital the city of Antioch, on the Orontes River.

The city is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Maccabees 4:30 which mentions a revolt of the city against its king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This revolt took place in 171 BC and caused the king to rename the city Antioch on the Cydnus. Strabo records that at this time the library in the city held over 200,00 books. As an intellectual center, he saw the city as rivaling both Athens and Alexandria. No ignoble city indeed!

Cilicia and the city of Tarsus came under Roman authority under Pompey the Great, who made Tarsus the capital of Cilicia, now a Roman province. It was in Tarsus that the Roman governor of the province resided. About this time the people of the city were granted Roman citizenship. The famed Cicero resided there as Governor from the Summer of 51, to 50, BC. In 47 BC Julius Caesar passed through the city during his march from Egypt to Pontus. The city honored him by temporarily changing its name to Juliopolis (the City of Julius). During his stay Cleopatra came to be with him. This was immortalized in Shakespeare’s famous play:

She’s a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.

When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart, upon the river Cydnus.

I will tell you.

The barge she sat in, like a burnish’d throne,

Burn’d on the water: th poop was beaten gold;

Purple the sails, and so perfumed that

The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver,

Which to the tune of the flutes kept stroke, and made

The water which they beat to follow faster,

As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,

It beggar’d all description: she did lie

In her pavillion-cloth-of-gold tissue-

O’er-picturing that Venus where we see

The fancy outwork nature: on each side her

Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling cupids,

With divers-colour’d fans, whose wind did seem

To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,

And what they undid did.

O,rare for Antony!

In St Paul’s day the city was magnificent, containing palaces, fountains, a gymnasium, and a stadium.

Strabo, writing around 19 AD tells us the inhabitants of the city were renowned for their learning, especially as regards philosophy, and, as already noted, he thought it surpassed Athens and Alexandria as a center of learning and philosophy. Some of the famous people who were educated or taught in the schools of Tarsus include Antipater, Archedemus, Nestor, Athenodorus, and, possibly, Marcus Cato. These were all Stoic philosophers. It should be noted that St Paul sometimes employs in his letters a method of argumentation known as Stoic diatribe. Famous grammarians and poets were also known to have lived and learned in the city. The city may have had a dark side; at least that’s what Apollonius ofTyana thought when he came to study in the city. According to Philostratus, Apollonius found the city decadent, and its citizens insolent. Most scholars discount this late third century AD testimony of Apollonius’ view, for Philostratus had a nasty habit of fudging his facts.

St Paul, it seems, was proud of both his Jewish and Tarsian heritage, for he was “a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, no ignoble city.”

Thus, Paul’s pride in his native city was indeed justified, even as his Roman citizenship was ample reason for boasting. He was a citizen in an empire at the apogee of its long-lasting glory. He was born a jew in the complex and teeming world of a period in history designated by historians as “Hellenism.” It is indeed arguable whether anything less than that rich and variegated background could have equipped him so admirably to carry out the task he undertook and the mission to which he was called. God’s grace, after all, does not operate in a cultural vacuum. (PAUL, HIS LETTERS AND HIS THEOLOGY, Stanley B. Marrow)
For more on the life of St Paul:

The Catholic Encyclopedia

The Journeys of Paul (protestant)

Paul’s life (protestant. This is part of a audio documentary series. You can also read the transcripts of the documentary)

A brief article from The Catholic Herald

Another brief article from EWTN

Father Mitch Pacwa (An audio series of 13 one-half hour shows)

Here is an article from Scripture From Scratch: Travel in biblical Times