Looking for Paul

[JLG]

https://ilearnaboutthebible.blogspot.com/

Galatians 1:23

They
ἦσαν (ēsan)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

only
μόνον (monon)
Adverb
Strong's 3440: Alone, but, only. Neuter of monos as adverb; merely.

heard
ἀκούοντες (akouontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

the account:
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

“The [man who]
Ὁ (Ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

formerly
ποτε (pote)
Particle
Strong's 4218: At one time or other, at some time, formerly. From the base of pou and te; indefinite adverb, at some time, ever.

persecuted
διώκων (diōkōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1377: To pursue, hence: I persecute. A prolonged form of a primary verb dio; to pursue; by implication, to persecute.

us
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

{is} now
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

preaching
εὐαγγελίζεται (euangelizetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2097: From eu and aggelos; to announce good news especially the gospel.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

faith
πίστιν (pistin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

{he} once
ποτε (pote)
Particle
Strong's 4218: At one time or other, at some time, formerly. From the base of pou and te; indefinite adverb, at some time, ever.

tried to destroy.”
ἐπόρθει (eporthei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4199: To lay waste, destroy, ravage, harass. Prolongation from pertho; to ravage.

 

[JLG]

https://ilearnaboutthebible.blogspot.com/

Galatians 1:24

And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they glorified
ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1392: To glorify, honor, bestow glory on. From doxa; to render glorious.

God
Θεόν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

because of
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

me.
ἐμοὶ (emoi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

 

[JLG]

https://ilearnaboutthebible.blogspot.com/

- On the one hand, there are trainees who haven't finished their trainings!
- They have never been coaches, Jesus was their coach!
- Now time has come for them to become coaches!
- They have never led their own missions!
- Jesus was always there!
- Now it is time to take the lead!
- There are also a group of trainees!
- They must organize their actions between themselves!
- They must also free themselves from human tradition!

 

[JLG]

https://ilearnaboutthebible.blogspot.com/

- On the other hand, Paul has been a trainee for all his life!
- He has been on a mission for some time, chasing Jesus' disciples to put them into prison!
- He is a leading character in judaism!
- He is extremely zealous!
- There was no competition!
- He was the only head!
- He was only guided by Jesus!
- He was not influenced by the other apostles!
- He cut straight away with human tradition!
- And he went straight away!
- After his vision, he went to Arabia!
- There he could assimilate his conversion and all its implications!
- He spent three years there!
- He did his mission by himself away from the apostles!
- They didn't know him in Jerusalem!
- He only mixed with the apostles fourteen years later when he went to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus!
- And he met privately with the apostles!
- Because Yah.weh told him to do so!
- Then he could check he was doing well on his mission!

 

[JLG]

As the development of these celebrations took place very slowly, indications taken from later sources allow us to go back to the apostolic era. Once again, we note the evolution of religious practices! The practices of the first Christians are in the Bible! Very quickly, corruption took root everywhere! As in the case of Job, the devil seeks any means to destroy Job and his relationship with Yah.weh! Transform reality into a fiction that no longer has anything to do with it! His great specialty! It is too easy for humans to follow the wrong path that no longer has anything to do with the teaching of Jesus! In fact, the devil has a good back! Did Jesus use songs in his teaching? I must not have read the gospels well!

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36. First Christian Eucharists

It is in Paul's letters that we encounter the first mentions of the activities of Christians on Sunday, "the Lord's day." The frankness with which the apostle blames the abuses which had already crept into these meetings, helps us to lift the veil slightly on the celebrations of the early Church: “When you come together in common, it is not the Lord's Supper which you eat. As soon as we are at the table, in fact, everyone rushes to eat their own meal, and one is hungry, while the other is drunk. So you have no houses to eat and drink? Or do you despise God's Church and want to shame those who have nothing? What to tell you? Should we rent you? No, on this point I am not praising you.” (1 Corinthians 11:20-22) By rereading the two letters to the Corinthians, the account of the Sunday service at Troas, the indications of the Didakhê and the letter of Pliny written to the emperor Trajan (beginning of the 2nd century), we have a good idea of the Sunday celebrations during the first time of the Church. As the development of these celebrations took place very slowly, indications taken from later sources allow us to go back to the apostolic era.

According to Pliny's report on the interrogation of two Christian servants, we know that there were two religious services every Sunday. The first was celebrated early in the morning and the second during the evening. At the morning service, two choirs sang alternately a canticle addressing the divinity of Christ. During this morning meeting, Christians committed to living Christian morality in their daily lives. In the evening, the celebration consisted of a double meal: that of the feast and that of the Eucharist. At the morning service, a hymn addressing the divinity of Christ was sung alternately in two choirs. Sunday meetings were filled with singing and music. The Greeks loved music and had a refined sense of rhythm. We must remember the Greek comedies and tragedies where choruses were an essential part of the theatrical works. Paul encourages a liturgical program that meets this need for song and music: “Recite among yourselves inspired psalms, hymns, and hymns. Sing and celebrate the Lord with all your heart. (Ephesians 5, 19) Among the many charisms mentioned by Paul, there is one “to sing the psalms”. (1 Corinthians 14, 26) He is probably thinking of the hymns composed in a spirit of piety, and similar to the canticles of the Old Testament. The Gospels will transmit to us three of these canticles: the Magnificat of Mary, the Benedictus of Zechariah and the Nunc dimittis of Simeon.

Readership, a vital ministry

When in 386 Saint Augustine recounts that he was carried away by the song of the community of Milan and touched to tears, it was certainly not a boring and melodyless song. We must also mention the reading of biblical texts during these liturgies. In ancient times, people never read simply with their eyes. We read aloud, with all the nuances, inflections, variations of rhythm that brought joy to the participants. Among the Greeks, rhetoric enjoyed great favor and prizes were awarded to those who knew how to read well in public. The Church, which recognized the importance of reading well, established a particular ministry, that of the “reader”.

Growing influence of women in the Christian community

The services in Paul's churches left women with an important role. Among the Jews, women were eliminated from the liturgical service; she was relegated to a separate place. There was no effort to teach the little girls the Scriptures. For its part, emerging Christianity gave women a place of choice. This helps us understand the recognition they had for Christ and the attraction he had for them. They recognized in him a Savior who respected them, loved them and cared for them. In the Gospels, certain images characterize the new position of the woman and announce a true spring for her: Mary at the feet of Jesus in Bethany, Martha who makes her profession of faith at the death of her brother, the sinner perfuming the feet of Jesus at Simon the Pharisee, the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, the adulterous woman who owes her life to him! With Paul, we notice the ever-growing influence of women in the Christian community: Eunice and Lois, Lydia, Evodia, Syntyche, Damaris, Prisca, Phoebee, the daughters of Philippe... They play an important role in the development of Churches. After the death of Paul and especially after Christianity became the state religion at the beginning of the 4th century, the Church lost this openness and this deep respect that we had for women in Christian communities. She then adopted the macho culture of the Empire. In the evening, the celebration consisted of a double meal: that of the feast and that of the Eucharist During Sunday evening, the Christians gathered a second time for a fraternal meal. First there was the agapes or the potluck meal, one of the most beautiful inventions of the early Church. We should not be surprised to find in the catacombs numerous representations of this meeting preceding the Eucharist.

We brought small tables and placed them in the shape of a horseshoe or a semi-circle. The slave and the servant took their place next to the municipal tax collector Erastus, the former president of the synagogue Crispus, the businesswoman Phoebeus, the rich Titius Justus, and they were served by affable people, who circulated between the tables. The oldest person sat in the middle of each table, as we see in the catacomb frescoes. The master of the house provided the basic necessities: hot and cold water, olives, sardines, plates and dishes. A deacon, a presbyter or the master of the house said the prayer over the food: “Praise be to you, Lord, our God, King of the earth, you bring bread out of the ground..., you produce fruit and Vine". After the feast, those who had not yet been baptized left and the others went to the Eucharistic banquet in the upper room, which was on the upper floor. Many candles were lit there. The participants made a common confession of their sins, then they went to the offering table, and placed their baskets filled with flour, grapes, incense, oil, bread, wheat and wine. , food that will be offered to the poor and people in need. This is the origin of our “Sunday collections”. While these offerings are gathered, the Kyrie eleison is sung in chorus.

It is then that the main celebrant pronounces in a solemn tone the account of the Last Supper, as Paul received it from the Mother Church of Jerusalem: “This is what I received from the Lord, and what I transmitted to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and having given thanks, he broke it and said: “This is my body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of me". He did the same for the cup, after the meal, saying: “This cup is the new Covenant in my blood; do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:23-25). We see that these words are very close to those of the Last Supper in the account of the synoptic gospels. Paul's account is actually the oldest of all these texts. The community responded: “To you be glory throughout the centuries. The fragments of this bread scattered on the mountains have been united into one whole, so that your Church may be gathered from the ends of the earth into your Kingdom. For thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever” (Didakhê, ch. 9). After this recital of the last scene, the believers approached to receive fragments of the consecrated bread, and to drink from the chalice presented to them. They returned to their seats after giving each other the kiss of peace. The Eucharist was then taken to the sick, while a hymn of gratitude was sung, which will give its name to the entire ceremony (eucharist = thanksgiving). It all ended, according to the Didakhê, with a cry of nostalgia in view of the Parousia of the Lord: “Maranatha”, Come, Lord Jesus (Didakhê, ch. 10). All this information lifts the veil a little on the first celebrations of the Lord's Day.

 

[JLG]

The oldest document in the New Testament is the First Letter to the Thessalonians. We are so used to seeing the gospels appear at the top of the New Testament that we risk forgetting that they were written several years after Paul's letters. The first letter to the Thessalonians was sent approximately twenty years after the resurrection of Christ and is the oldest document in the New Testament. It is interesting to note that it was not until the end of the second missionary journey that Paul began to write to the Churches he founded. While in Corinth, Timothy arrives from Thessalonica and brings the good news of the faith and love of the Christians there. He says that they have fond memories of Paul, and that they want to see him again. In this first letter we have Paul's reaction, moved by this excellent news. The Thessalonians are on the right track. He rejoiced and said to them: “All you have to do is persevere until the day of the Lord’s return. »


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Paul's second missionary journey 37.

First letter to the Thessalonians The oldest document in the New Testament is the First Letter to the Thessalonians. We are so used to seeing the gospels appear at the top of the New Testament that we risk forgetting that they were written several years after Paul's letters. The first letter to the Thessalonians was sent about twenty years after the resurrection of Christ and is the oldest document in the New Testament.

It is interesting to note that it was not until the end of the second missionary journey that Paul began to write to the Churches he founded. While in Corinth, Timothy arrives from Thessalonica and brings the good news of the faith and love of the Christians there. He says that they have fond memories of Paul, and that they want to see him again. In this first letter we have Paul's reaction, moved by this excellent news. The Thessalonians are on the right track. He rejoiced and said to them: “All you have to do is persevere until the day of the Lord’s return. »

This letter to the Thessalonians was dictated in the poor workshop of Prisca and Aquila, in Corinth. Timothyobtained everything he needed to write: papyrus sheets, ink, quill, pumice stone to polish the rough parts of the papyrus, and to sharpen the quill, sponge to erase writing errors, wax and cords to seal the sheets of the letter. Thanks to Pliny, we know that there were nine kinds of papyrus (paper). The material came from Egypt and was very expensive. It is unlikely that Paul used parchment (animal skin), which the Jews used only for important religious documents. At the head of this epistle, as in all Paul's epistles, appear the names of the senders and those of the recipients, followed by a short salutation. Paul almost always writes with others: “Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ. To you, grace and peace!” Sixty-five times in his epistles he uses the pronoun “we”. Paul regularly involves his collaborators and friends in the founding of different communities. Paul's letters were not written in one go; they sometimes required several days. This explains the changes in tone and mood within the same letter. In this letter we hear for the first time in the New Testament the wonderful trilogy “of faith, hope and charity”. It is with this splendid harmony that the New Testament begins. This triad of virtues is at the root of all Christian life: “We remember, in the presence of our God and Father, the activity of your faith, the labor of your charity and the constancy of your hope, which are due to our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess 1:3) When he speaks to the Thessalonians and the Philippians, Paul knows that he is speaking to men and women proud of their history. Macedonia is the land of origin of the dynasty which, from the 4th century onwards. before Jesus Christ, united Greece. During the winter of 360-359, when Philip, originally from Pella, became king of Macedonia, he inherited a divided, decimated and culturally backward country. Twenty-five years later, he left it enlarged, unified, endowed with the greatest military power of the time and raised to a higher cultural level. Despite the “Philippics” of Demosthenes, vigorous protests of this Athenian orator against the king, Philip continued his policy of territorial conquests and succeeded in uniting Greece, whose cities were tearing each other apart. Thanks to the Macedonian phalanx, a new and very efficient war machine, he won all the battles and set himself the objective of defeating the Persians. After his assassination at Aigai in 336, his son Alexander resumed his dream of uniting the East with the West and achieved the conquest of the Persian Empire.


Paul recalls this victory which is at the heart of our profession of faith: “Jesus died and rose again” and what follows: “Christians who have died will rise again.” The community of Thessalonica was very dear to Paul's heart. He had suffered violent rejection from the Jews of the city but the community formed by non-Jews had supported him. After speaking of his friendship for them, the Apostle speaks of the hope that passes through death. The Christian carries this hope of a life that will be transformed: “We do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant about the dead; you must not despair like the others, who have no hope.” (1 Thess 4:13.) Who, in the distress of bereavement, has not heard these fraternal and consoling words at the funeral? This is the great victory over death that Paul preaches.


The Victory of Samothrace. Imposing statue that Paul saw upon arriving in Macedonia. But Paul thinks of another victory, much more important for the world: the victory of Christ over death. He was reminded of this victory when he crossed into Macedonia. Leaving Troas, in Asia Minor, he set sail for the island of Samothrace (Acts 16:11). Arriving on the island, he was able to admire the splendid Athena Nike, three meters and fifty high, perched on her ship's spur. The Victory of Samothrace, preserved today at the Louvre Museum in Paris, was a superb evocation of the first military victory of the Macedonians. It was sculpted in the 3rd century BC. Paul came to announce to the Thessalonians another victory, that over death. Each time, Paul will recall this victory which is at the heart of our profession of faith: “Jesus died and rose again”, and what follows from this: “Christians who have died will rise again”. Paul speaks of a gathering to the Lord (1 Thess 4:17). What is promised is not immortality in solitude, but a life-transforming reality of relationships with others. The Thessalonians were awaiting the “parousia”, the return of Christ. In the imperial era the word "parousia" meant the official visit of the Emperor. Heralds announced it, the roads were repaired, the city was decorated, we celebrated for several days, games were organized, and sacrifices were offered. While waiting for this coming of Christ, vigilance must be permanent so as not to be surprised by the visit of the Lord. Christians are awake while others sleep. In this letter, for the first time, the Apostle describes the armor of the Christian: the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope. In the third part of the epistle we find exhortations which precede the final greeting. Paul invites the Thessalonians to have esteem “for those who give of themselves from punishment, who watch over you in the Lord and rebuke you... (1 Thess 5, 12-13) Good order within the Church will be ensured if there is mutual goodwill and a spirit of peace: “We exhort you, brothers: rebuke those who live disorderly, give courage to those who have little courage: support the weak, be patient with all. Take care that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek good among yourselves and toward all.” (1 Thess 5:14) There follows a very beautiful text, a true guide to behavior for all Christians: “Always stay cheerful. Pray without ceasing. In all conditions be in thanksgiving. This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, do not depreciate the gifts of prophecy; but check everything: what is good, hold fast; keep yourselves from all kinds of evil.” (1 Thess 6:21) At the end, Paul adds: “I beseech you by the Lord, that this letter be read to all the brethren.” Such a recommendation was useful to ensure that the letters were read in all surrounding communities. This made Paul's letters "circular documents." Finally, Paul takes the pen from Timothy's hand, and he adds in his energetic writing: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you! Amen." The Church which had received a letter from Paul kept it and reread it during its liturgical meetings. After the death of the Apostle, certain Churches exchanged letters. Towards the end of the 1st century, someone had the idea of making a collection which was then passed down through the ages.

 

[JLG]

Paul's second missionary journey 38.

Second letter to the Thessalonians

This second letter to the Thessalonians repeats what was said in the first. Some specialists believe that it is not by Paul's hand. If it is his, it would date from 51-52. This letter is briefer than the previous one and was probably written in Corinth too, shortly after the first. This is the response to a letter supposedly from Paul which made Christians believe that the Day of the Lord was already there “above their heads, like a black cloud”: “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to him, do not be too quickly put out of sense or alarmed by the manifestations of the Spirit, by the words or letters given as coming from us, and which would make you think that the Day of the Lord is already here.” (2 Thess 2:1-2) At the beginning, Paul thanks God for the steadfastness of the Thessalonians: “We must give thanks to God because your faith is making great progress and the love for each other is increasing among you all.” (2 Thess 1, 3) Paul seeks to calm a feverish agitation caused in Thessalonica by an anxious expectation of the Lord's Return. In the second part, Paul returns to the advent of Christ, a subject already discussed in chapters IV and V of the First Letter to the Thessalonians, while dismissing the idea of his immediate proximity. To ease the anguish of Christians, he announced to them that Christ's return to earth would be preceded by signs: the first would be the abandonment of the faith; the second, the appearance of a man whom Paul designates under the names “Man of impiety”, “Son of perdition”, “he who rises up and exalts himself against God and whom we worship” . He is, in fact, the Antichrist, a term that Paul does not use but which will be used later by Saint John the Evangelist. (1 John 2, 18; 2 John 7)

Emperor Caligula "the man of impiety, who rises against God and is worshiped" In describing the man of sin, Paul is probably referring to Emperor Caligula (Gaius Caesar Germanicus), who 14 years earlier had ordered the erection of his statue in the temple in Jerusalem. The Temple would henceforth bear his name: “Temple of Caius”, the new Jupiter. The Emperor thus wanted to take revenge on the Jews who were the only ones not to recognize him as god. When Paul writes his letter, Caligula is dead and Claudius is emperor. His adopted son Nero was proclaimed prince imperial and is first in the line of succession. Agrippina, Nero's mother, recalled Seneca from his exile in Corsica, and appointed him as educator of the future emperor. Paul mentions some Christians who spread rumors of the end of the world and refuse to work. They prefer begging to fulfilling their state duties. They carry around faces haunted by the imminent catastrophe and interpret all kinds of warning signs that they may have witnessed. They say, “The day of the Lord is at hand.” They behave like people whose days are numbered. They base their “knowledge” of the end of the world on the so-called revelation of a prophet, or on a word attributed to Paul, or even on a letter (false by the way) from the Apostle. Paul invites them all to work and not to be idle, not to lead a disorderly life. He insists : “If anyone does not obey the instructions of this letter, note it, and, for his confusion, cease to associate with him; However, do not treat him as an enemy, but take him as a brother.” (2 Thess 3:14-15) Beware of nervousness while waiting for Christ, Paul adds. It is true that Christ must return, but that is no reason to fall into disorder: "We hear that there are some among you who lead a disorderly life, not working at all but getting involved in everything. We invite and commit these in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in peace and to eat the bread that they themselves will have earned." (2 Thess 3:11) For the Jews and for Paul, unlike the Greeks and Romans, work ennobles when it is organized according to humanist principles. Christians have before their eyes his example, he, the tent maker: “We did not have a disorderly life among you, we did not have anyone give us the bread that we ate, but night and day we were at work, in toil and fatigue, so as not to be not the responsibility of any of you. (2 Thess 3:7-8) Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him and for his companions Silvanus and Timothy: “Pray for us, asking that the word of the Lord may run its course and be glorified, as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from these erring and evil men – for faith is not given to all. But the Lord is faithful: he will strengthen you and keep you from evil.” (2 Thess 3:1-2) The third part of Paul's epistle is an exhortation to perseverance (2, 13 – 3, 16), with a final salutation (3, 17-18). “We must give thanks to God at all times concerning you, brethren loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctifying Spirit and faith in the truth: This is what he has called you to through our gospel, so that you may receive the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, hold on, firmly keep the traditions that you learned from us, orally or by letter.” (2 Thess 2:13-15) The epistle was probably dictated to Timothy. To ensure its authenticity, Paul adds, in his writing, the last greeting: “This greeting is from my own hand, Paul.” And to avoid any deception, he warns his recipients: “This is the sign that distinguishes all my letters. This is my handwriting.”

 

[JLG]

Paul's second missionary journey 39.

Paul accused of preaching illegal worship

In Corinth, the number of non-Jews becoming Christians increased day by day and the Synagogue recorded numerous defections. Its leader, Crispus, requested baptism, as did Stephanus. There was also Gaius, who sheltered Paul (Romans 16, 23). Another important figure claimed baptism; it was Erastus, the city treasurer (Romans 16, 23).

It was the masterpiece of the Apostle to succeed in bringing together at the same table, free men and women, slaves and freedmen, Jews, Greeks, Romans and Asians.

The composition of the community became more and more varied. According to the first letter to the Corinthians, we can distinguish three social categories in this Church: First, a class of people who are recruited among the owners and officials. Their houses were large enough to accommodate the members of the emerging community, and they were wealthy enough to provide what was needed for the feasts. To this category belonged the personalities mentioned above. Later, Sosthenes and a certain Zenas, a Jewish jurist, were added. (Titus 3, 13). There was also Phoebus, the deaconess of the Church of Cenchrea and the people of her house. Of the middle class, where the Roman element predominated, was Tertius, the future secretary of Paul to whom he dictated the letter to the Romans. However, the majority of the new converts belonged to the poor classes; they were slaves, freedmen and artists. Paul mentions this class of poor in his 1st letter to the Corinthians:

“So consider your calling, brethren: there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many well-born. But what is foolish in the world is what God has chosen to confound what is strong; what in the world is without birth and what is despised, this is what God has chosen.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)

Paul had never descended into popular circles as miserable and disreputable as those of Corinth. When he later reminds the slightly boastful Corinthians of what most of them had been before their conversion, he does not place them in flattering categories:

“Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor depraved, nor people of infamous morals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, revilers, or extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. And you certainly were, at least some of you.” (1 Corinthians 6, 10).

It was the masterpiece of the Apostle to succeed in overcoming these moral, social and national contrasts and to bring together at the same table, free men and women, slaves and freedmen, Jews, Greeks, Romans and Asians.

The Apostle's success infuriated the leaders of Israel. Paul saw the storm coming. He then wrote to the Thessalonians:

“My brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may continue its course and be honored everywhere as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from the wicked and the perverse” (2 Thessalonians 3, 1).

In the midst of these tensions, the Lord appeared to Paul to console him: “Do not be afraid! Keep talking, don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18, 9-10) This vision gave him the courage to persevere in his difficult mission. “If God is for us, who will be against us?” (Romans 8, 31). He could therefore look to the future with serenity.


Politically, by the spring of 52, the governorship of Achaia had become vacant. Rome took care to have such important positions occupied by prudent and conciliatory figures. For this reason, the Senate entrusted the office of proconsul of Achaia to one of the most sympathetic and cultured men of his time, Marcos Annaeus Novatus, who was still named, after his adoptive father, Junius Gallio. “My friend Gallio, prosecutor of Achaia”, these are the words that Emperor Claudius names him in an inscription found at Delphi. If Gallio was proconsul in the year 52/53, Paul's 18-month stay in Corinth would have taken place from spring 51 to fall 52.

Gallio's appointment was greeted by all of Greece with enthusiasm. He had distinguished himself in letters. Favorite brother of the philosopher Seneca, who was tutor to Nero, uncle of the Roman writer Lucan, he was a cultivated spirit, of noble and affable character.

Paul defends his teaching, by Giovanni Ricco

The Jews of Corinth thought of taking advantage of the new proconsul to take revenge on Paul who was beginning to be too well known, because the synagogues corresponded with each other. Exasperated by Paul's success, they dragged him before the proconsul's tribunal: "This individual is preaching an illegal cult," they told him. The laws of the Empire prohibited “new cults” and proselytism.

Paul was about to defend himself when Gallion declared:

“If it was a serious crime or misdeed, I would receive your complaint as it should be; but, since these are discussions concerning the doctrine, the appellations, and the Law which are specific to you, this concerns you. I don’t want to be the judge of these cases.”

And he sent them away from the court.

Then, to take revenge, the Israelites threw themselves on Sosthenes and beat him in front of the court, without Gallion reacting in any way.

Gallion, this man of high Roman society, met a tragic end. He died like his brother, Seneca, the death of the Stoic, that is to say by his own hand, by swallowing poison, on the orders of Nero. It was the only escape for the wisdom of the world in the face of suffering, violence and injustice. This is how Stoicism taught, a teaching that Seneca summarizes in a famous letter:

“The eternal law has established nothing better than to give us a single entrance into life, while it provides us with many exits. Should I wait for a cruel illness or a cruel man, when I am free to shake off all these adversities? This is the only reason why we have no right to complain about life: it holds no one back. It is an excellent institution. No one is forced to remain unhappy unless they want to. If you're satisfied, stay alive! If you are unhappy, you can return to the nothingness from which you came.”

In Corinth, in addition to Silas and Timothy, Paul had a large number of collaborators whom he sent in all directions of the peninsula. In the port of Cenchreae he had the faithful deaconess Phoebe, who worked in the sailors' quarters as "an angel of charity."

In Corinth, Paul founded a community that radiated throughout the Mediterranean basin.

 

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40. Paul returns to Antioch from Syria

After eighteen months in Corinth, Paul believes that it is time for him to leave this city. He sowed and the harvest was fruitful. Even if the Church he established only has a few hundred faithful, the result far exceeds that collected elsewhere. In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, he mentions the happiness that this community gave him and the good memories he kept of his stay among them: “I thank God always for you, for the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus. For you have been filled in him with all the riches, all that of the word and all that of knowledge, in proportion to the firmness that the testimony of Christ has taken hold in you. So do you not lack any gift of grace, as you wait for the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:4-7)

Paul is believed to have left Corinth in the fall of 52 AD. Previously, he had had his head shaved to fulfill a vow he had made. (Acts 18, 18) This recalls a Jewish custom, described in the sixth chapter of the book of Numbers: when a pious Jew had escaped a great danger (serious illness, assassination attempt, etc.), he could enlist by a vow of nazirite, that is, he promised God not to eat or drink no vine products (wine, grapes) for a certain time. The person who made this vow was a Nazir and, to demonstrate the provisional state of his vow, he had his head shaved.

Did the Apostle want, by this act of respect for the Mosaic Law, to disarm the Judaizing Church of Jerusalem which he was preparing to join? Did he want to call down God's blessing on a perilous journey or simply give thanks for the success of his missionary work? It is impossible for us today to find an answer to this question. By being shorn at Cenchreae, Paul once again marks his duality vis-à-vis the customs of his people: he who has just built the foundations of a Christian church open to all and no longer subject to laws and rites of Judaism, he wants to show that he also knows how to observe certain rites of Jewish Law.

He embarks in the company of Prisca, Aquilas, Silas and Timothy. This trip was to include several stages: Ephesus, Caesarea, Jerusalem, then Antioch of Syria.

By sea, they reached Ephesus, a large port city on the Aegean Sea (present-day Turkey). He can only stay one Sabbath in Ephesus. His messianic preaching is much appreciated, and he must promise to return as soon as possible. “I will come to you another time, God willing” (Acts 18:21). In Ephesus, Paul separates from Prisca and Aquila. Timothy continues with him. As for Silas, he disappears definitively from the narrative of the Acts of the Apostles. He was, throughout Paul's second journey, an enthusiastic and faithful companion.

From Ephesus, the boat travels along the jagged coast of southwest Anatolia. Arriving at the Palestinian port of Caesarea where he disembarks, Paul reaches Jerusalem. On the reasons for this visit, the texts give us little information. It is only said that Paul went to Jerusalem “to greet the Church” (Acts 18:22). It is interesting to note that after each of his trips, Paul visits Jerusalem. This demonstrates his attachment to the Mother Church and to those who lead it, despite the numerous conflicts which oppose him to several of its members.

As for Peter, an apostle of circumcision like Paul is of the uncircumcised, we constantly see him on the roads of the empire. Accompanied by his wife, he traveled across Syria to evangelize the Jews. Mark, who once followed Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus, no longer leaves Peter. For many years, he will hear the chief of the apostles tell about Jesus. From the memory of Peter, the words of the Lord will pass to that of Mark. After the death of the chief of the apostles in Rome, it was this devoted and faithful disciple that Christians asked to write down Peter's memories. Thus the first Gospel was born, that of Mark, which experts will also call the Gospel of Peter.

After a short visit to Jerusalem, Luke reports that Paul returned to Antioch from Syria, where he found the community that had sent him on his mission. He remained there for “some time,” preparing to depart again on a third missionary journey.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

41. Third Journey – Ephesus

Throughout the life of Saint Paul, the Acts of the Apostles inform us about his activities. Even if Luke's indications are sometimes too brief and occasionally inaccurate, it must be recognized that this text contains irreplaceable documentation. Without Luke, we would know little about the travels, the places visited, the people met, the battles, the trials, the victories of the great Saint Paul. As for the Epistles, they allow us to penetrate the thoughts of the Apostle.

After a break of a few months in Antioch in Syria, Paul left on a mission again. The year is 53. He successively travels through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting the Christians of the Churches he founded during his first two missionary journeys.

After Iconium, he went to Ephesus. It is a very important city and the Roman proconsul has his residence there. Strabo reveals to us that Ephesus has always had a bad reputation: corrupt in its morals, diverted from serious things by the indolence of the climate, only taking dance and music seriously, making "a bacchanal of public life" .

“Great is Artemis of Ephesus!”

In Paul's time, Ephesus was a bustling crossroads of activity, populated by merchants, sailors, tourists and pilgrims who came to admire the temple dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of the moon and the hunt. Its seaport is a large warehouse for all goods entering or leaving Asia Minor.

Ephesus was famous in Antiquity for its worship of Artemis in a temple whose sumptuousness ranked it among the seven wonders of the world.

If Ephesus is one of the cities most often mentioned in ancient texts, the Temple of Artemis is responsible for it. It was the most visited temple in Asia. It had four times the surface area of the Parthenon. It aligned one hundred and twenty-seven Ionic columns 190 meters long and 55 meters wide. In the 6th century BC, it took the fortune of Croesus, king of Lydia, to complete the construction of the prodigious ensemble. Praxiteles and Phidias were responsible for the decoration. Faced with such success, Antiquity placed Artemision among the Seven Wonders of the world.

Artemis Vatican Museum, Candelabra Gallery

The heart of the temple visit was naturally the statue of the goddess. Upon seeing her, visitors exclaimed: “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!” Luckily, the enormous marble statue, three meters high, has been preserved, and can be admired by visiting the Ephesus Museum. It is not so much the size that is striking as the incredible overload of sexual symbols that dot the statue of the goddess. It was long believed that the rough edges on the marble body were breasts; there was even talk of the goddess with a thousand breasts. The explanation accepted today is different: it would be the testicles of bulls that were sacrificed when the cult of the goddess was celebrated. That Artemis appeared in her time as the symbol of fertility, that she - a virgin - was considered the protector of pregnant women will surprise no one. The whole month of May was dedicated to him.

It was in the streets of Ephesus that the blind poet Homer walked. It was in Ephesus that Heraclitus “the obscure” had meditated on the outpouring of being. It was there that the name Logos (the Word) was pronounced for the first time, a word that Saint John will use to describe the Son of God, the Word (Logos) made flesh, the word of God. It was in this city that Pythagoras founded his school of asceticism and wisdom, and that Herodotus laid the foundations of historical science. It was there again that Thales of Miletus, “the father of Western philosophy”, declared that water was the principle of all living beings. In this center of world traffic, one could find all the richness of Greek thought.

With its Sanctuary of Artemis, Ephesus was seen as the center of oriental magic, the paradise of all pleasures, the crossroads of vices and the mysteries of the countries of the East.

The city of Ephesus, into which Paul entered, had been rebuilt by King Lysimachus, the great captain and successor of Alexander. One could breathe the international atmosphere of late Hellenism. When St. John described the riches and luxuries of the Roman Empire in his Revelation, he was probably thinking of the overflowing warehouses and international trade of Ephesus, so that it could be said that Ephesus was the Babylon of the 'Apocalypse.

Along with Athens and Jerusalem, Ephesus was one of the three holy cities of antiquity. With its Sanctuary of Artemis, it was seen as the center of oriental magic, the paradise of all pleasures, the crossroads of vices and mysteries of the countries of the East.

The old city was above all the city of the servants of the Temple. Under the authority of the high priest, hundreds of priests, all eunuchs, and an army of priestesses protected the image of the goddess. Around the sacred place were the guards, the cantors, the musicians, the prostitutes, the magicians and the fakirs. Their task was to maintain religious enthusiasm during the processions, by using cymbals or other musical instruments, by their songs and especially by their Bacchic dances.

The temple also enjoyed the right of asylum for criminals, and thus attracted, into its domain, all shady elements who tried to escape the rigors of the law.

“Great is Jesus Christ!” - “Great is the mother of God!”

Ephesus promised to be an admirable ground for the preaching of the Gospel. Paul first addressed the most humble population, those who most needed hope and consolation.

Later, Ephesus would house within its walls at least nine large Christian ecclesiastical assemblies. In 431, during a great council, the veneration of Mary as mother of God definitively triumphed. The expression “theotokos”, “Dei genitrix” passed into the usual Christian vocabulary. The month of May, dedicated to the goddess Artemis, will become the month of Mary.

“Great is Allah and great is his prophet!”

In the 7th century, Islam invaded this region of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse. The ancient episcopal seats, so venerated, soon found themselves threatened. In 1403, Ephesus fell to Tamerlane's Mongol hordes. Today, the systematic campaign of oppression on the part of the Turks has taken over the few Christians who still lived in the city.

In Ephesus, slogans have followed one another through the centuries: “Great is the Artemis of Ephesus!” - “Great is Jesus Christ!” - “Great is the mother of God!” - “Great is Allah and great is his prophet!”

 

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42. Paul in Ephesus

Paul decided to go to Ephesus by land because he wanted to see the members of “his churches” along the way. Such an adventure, at a rate of 25 to 30 kilometers per day, represented, in the heart of summer, eleven hundred kilometers across mountains, plains and valleys in temperatures which sometimes exceeded 50°. After a stop in Tarsus, his real home port, he visited the communities founded a few years earlier in Phrygia and Galatia. In the year 53, Paul arrived in Ephesus for a three-year stay. What we call his “third missionary journey” is, essentially, a long stay in this city, where he wrote part of his epistles. Capital of the province of Asia, Ephesus is a very important political, commercial, intellectual and religious center. Of this period of pastoral work, the Acts of the Apostles offer us some picturesque indications (19, 1-40). Paul stays in Ephesus for 3 years. According to his custom, he first preached in the synagogue but without success He then tried a new missionary method: public lectures outdoors, then, in winter, he rents a school. In Ephesus, the Jewish colony included a number of disciples of John the Baptist. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit. They replied that they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit! They listened to Paul and received baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus. As usual, Paul first preached in the synagogue but without much success. The Jews listen to it for a while, but after three months they can't stand it anymore. It’s total disagreement. (Acts 19, 9) Paul then breaks with them and leaves the synagogue. He then tried a new missionary method. As private homes were too small to accommodate a growing community, he began offering public lectures, in the manner of Greek rhetoricians. Everyone could take part, and free of charge, unlike the philosophers' conferences which required a monetary contribution. However, as winter approached, it became impossible to teach outdoors. Paul therefore looked for premises adapted to his needs. A certain grammarian named Tyrannus, presumably a new convert, offered to rent a large classroom for him. Tyrannus taught from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and resumed classes at 4 p.m. In Mediterranean lands, the midday period was devoted to meals and relaxation, but Paul knew no free time. In the morning, he worked at his weaving job to earn his food and pay his rent. He then washed and hurried to Tyrannus's classroom, which he occupied from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A very varied audience awaited him: students, merchants, employees, artisans, civil servants, slaves and freedmen. For more than two years, Paul continued this arduous work. After 4 p.m., his instructions completed, he visited the sick. When the Eucharist was celebrated, always in the evening, Paul sometimes preached until late at night. The arrival in Corinth of Judaizing missionaries, who came to harm Paul's evangelization, demonstrates that the people of Jerusalem had repudiated the agreement of the First Council, which exempted non-Jews from circumcision and certain rules imposed on Jews. -Christians. In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul will denounce this desire of the envoys from Jerusalem to annihilate the Churches he founded. His enemies make him a false prophet, a heretic, a scoundrel, an imposter who opposes the Temple and the Law of Moses. Its churches are referred to as “synagogues of Satan.” Despite these obstacles, Paul continues to proclaim the word of the Lord “to the Jews and the Greeks”. These three years in Ephesus will be strewn with hopes, successes but also struggles and failures. Nowhere during his apostolate did Paul stay so long in one place and endure such trying efforts. He often worked, he confided, “in tears and in the midst of trials.” That Paul chose Ephesus as the center of his missionary activities is not surprising. We note that the city is equidistant from Galatia and Thessaloniki (500 kilometers); it is 400 kilometers from Corinth, 445 from Philippi, 330 from Antioch of Pisidia. From Ephesus, one could, without too much difficulty, send and receive messages from all the Churches. Anyone who found themselves in Paul's entourage was drawn into the whirlwind of activities. There was never a dull moment around him. During the evening, after all the work of the day, the instruction of the catechumens took place. This preparation for baptism took place in the private homes of Christians and Paul entrusted the responsibility to his disciples. In no place did Paul find a field of action as vast as that of this province of Asia. It had nearly five hundred towns and villages, and Ephesus was its capital. “A great door” opened here to penetrate the Greco-Roman world (1 Cor 16:9). From Ephesus, Paul directed his missionary work. He received envoys from numerous communities, who stayed with him for varying lengths of time. It was a perpetual coming and going of messengers coming from the missions of the North and the South and especially from the East, the region “of the seven communities of the Apocalypse”. In Ephesus, Paul reached the pinnacle of his missionary life. His public lectures, his influence over the entire province, the probity of his character, did not fail to make a deep impression on the people of the city. We learn that several members of the provincial assembly, gaming directors, and merchants had become friends with him.

 

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43. Riot in Ephesus

Paul was accustomed to being challenged by the Jews in the synagogues. He did not at all expect the next attack which would come from a completely different direction: merchants from the temple of the goddess Artemis. This attack coincided with the great festival of May which transformed the city of Ephesus into a gigantic fair and a bacchanal like no other. It took place around the prestigious temple of Artemis. The entire month of May was dedicated to the goddess of all Greece. We have, on the subject of this festival, a historical document, engraved on a marble table and found in the ruins of Ephesus:

“As it is well known that not only among the Ephesians, but throughout all Greece, temples and holy places, images and altars are dedicated to Artemis..., as further, in great proof of the respect which is due to her rendered, a month called Artemision received its name among us..., considering it fitting that the entire month, which bears the divine name, be kept as holy and celebrated with dignity, the inhabitants of Ephesus decided to regulate its worship by the following decree: The month of Artemision, in all its days, will be holy. During the entire month, festivals, panegyrics and sacred solemnities will be celebrated. Our city will receive a new luster and will be prosperous at all times.” The large crowds who came to Ephesus on the occasion of the May festivals favored the expansion of Christian ideas, and Paul wanted to take advantage of them to broaden his field of missionary action. But his idealism sometimes prevented him from considering the real situation, and from having regard to people's secular interests. He did not realize that his activities could harm the income of several artisans. The personnel employed in the service of the temple of Artemis, the priests of the goddess and all this crowd of eunuchs, prostitutes, magicians, actors, flute players, fortune tellers and astrologers, were affected through the preaching of Paul. But those who had the most to lose were the city's merchants and merchants, the art makers and goldsmiths, the small merchants and sellers of religious objects, who risked seeing their income diminish. Christian success will end up stripping the goddess revered throughout the world of her prestige and causing hundreds of artisans to lose their work. In the early days, Paul's preaching did not disturb the devotees of the goddess Artemis. But as the number of conversions multiplied, rumors began to circulate. In the temple, the priests of Artemis were alarmed and even more so the goldsmiths who sold “souvenirs” near the place of pilgrimage. It brought in a lot of money. Travelers returning from Ephesus used to take a souvenir to their family: a silver or golden Artemis, an image of her temple, a medal that could be worn as an amulet. This is how the goddess gave work and bread to the city's artisans. That year, the link between Pauline preaching and the poor performance of business was quickly made. Demetrius, who perhaps himself employed, in his workshops, numerous designers and carvers who copied in plaster, lead, silver or gold, statues of the goddess, temple models, medals of all kinds, became the spokesperson for his corporation and the workers hired by the goldsmiths. The Acts of the Apostles records the speech he addressed to his colleagues: “My friends, it is to this industry, you know, that we owe our well-being. Now you see it and hear it said, not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul, by his reasons, drew a considerable crowd after him, by affirming that they are not gods, those who came out of the hands of men. This risks not only bringing our profession into disrepute, but also making the very sanctuary of the great goddess Artemis count for nothing, ultimately stripping of her prestige the one revered by all of Asia and the entire world.” (Acts 19, 25-27)

The agitation spread throughout the city and people rushed en masse to the theater, where Demetrius wanted to organize a protest meeting. The slogan went around: “To the theater! at the theatre! Paul before the people's court! Paul thrown to the lions!” Paul was determined to go to the assembly, but his disciples and friends prevented him from risking the theater. It was the first workers’ protest recorded in the Bible. The goldsmiths' concerns were not without foundation.

The theater's hemicycle could hold 25,000 people. Walkers and pilgrims, who didn't know what it was about; store, restaurant and bank staff; people coming out of the library; young men who were at the stadium, gymnasiums, baths and sports venues joined the crowd. Everyone was dragged away, and suddenly found themselves in the large amphitheater.

The story of the Ephesus riot is one of the most picturesque stories in the Acts of the Apostles. Luke brought his talent to bear, handling irony and drama in turn. The incident serves as a reminder that Christian evangelization does not only raise a religious debate; it sometimes triggers social conflicts, with economic repercussions. Demetrius was right: Christian success will eventually strip the goddess revered throughout the world of her prestige and cause hundreds of artisans to lose their work.

After the riot which could have cost Paul his life if he had appeared at the theater, several historians are of the opinion that the Apostle was taken captive in Ephesus. The texts of Luke and Paul do not speak directly of imprisonment but we can deduce that after the riot, he was put in prison. When Paul mentions shortly afterwards, and full of gratitude, in the letter to the Romans that he owes his life to Aquila and Prisca ("They risked their heads to save my life"), and that he names Andronicus and Junias "his parents and his fellow prisoners", it is difficult to speak purely of literary images.

All the while in Ephesus, bad news was coming from Corinth. Chloe's people had given Paul a letter from the elders, warning him of the dissensions which were overwhelming the Church. Some sought to diminish the authority of the Apostle and to disturb the communities he had founded. As if the Gospel borrowed its value from the one who announced it, some claimed to come from Paul, others from Apollos, others from Peter or Christ himself. It was probably from his prison that Paul then wrote the two letters to the Corinthians and those to the Galatians and the Romans. We will return to these letters in the weeks to follow.

Once released from prison, Paul wanted to leave to return to Antioch in Syria. When he was about to set sail, he learned that the Jews were plotting against him. He thwarted their intrigues by changing direction and heading towards Macedonia, which lengthened his journey home but protected him from enemies who wanted to take his life. On this trip, it was better that he wasn't alone. He was therefore accompanied by Sopatros of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus of the province of Asia. He first spent three months in Greece and visited several of its Churches. There he met Titus who, this time, brought good news from Corinth where he had been received “with fear and trembling”. This news moved the community and caused great joy.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

44 - First letter to the Corinthians

It is difficult to give a brief summary of Paul's letters. I would simply like to mention the main themes to help us better understand them and appreciate their depth.

If we want to know Paul, his fiery temperament, his passion for the Gospel, his freedom of speech and his determination, it is in the two epistles to the Corinthians that we must look for them. The first was probably written in the spring of 54. But Paul had already written to the Christians in Corinth. Two of his letters have been lost.

The community of Corinth was founded by Paul in the year 50. In Ephesus, he regularly received news from his Churches and he reacted by writing or sending collaborators. The situation in Corinth appears quite troubled. Judeo-Christians (Jews who converted to Christianity and remained faithful to Hebrew Law) have wreaked havoc and are responsible for much of the community's problems. Paul's authority is shaken. So he sends his spiritual son, Timothy, to check the situation. When he returned, Paul decided to write to this Church in disarray.

The problems are numerous. First there is the division into different factions: some call themselves disciples of Apollos, others of Paul, others of Peter and still others of Jesus Christ himself. All this divides the community. Then there are the behaviors that scandalize: incest, fornication, trials before the city courts. The liturgical assembly is troubled by unacceptable differences between rich and poor. Under the pretext of “science” and “freedom”, we indulge in sterile discussions on virginity and marriage. Paul offers us here the first reflections on a Christian ethics applied to the problems of love, marriage, the role of women in the Church, and social conditions.

The Gospel is a law that is not imposed from the outside, like the Mosaic law, but it transforms from the inside.

Paul traces the surest route to living the Gospel: brotherly love. The famous hymn to charity in chapter 13 describes this love by highlighting the disorders that disrupt the church of Corinth. The Corinthians tend to reduce the gifts of the Spirit to spectacular manifestations like “prayer in tongues” (glossolalia) and “prophecy.” Paul reminds them that it is not the spectacle that characterizes the gifts of the Spirit, but service to the community: “Even if I speak in tongues, that of men and that of angels, if I lack love , I am a resonating metal, a clanging cymbal. Even if I had the gift of prophecy, the knowledge of all mysteries and all knowledge, when I had the most complete faith, that which moves mountains, if I lack love, I am nothing . If I distribute all my goods to the hungry, when I deliver my body to the flames, if I lack love, I gain nothing. Love takes patience, love is of service, it does not jealous, it does not show off, it does not get puffed up with pride, it does nothing ugly, it does not seek its own interest, it does not does not irritate, he does not harbor grudges, he does not rejoice in injustice, but he finds his joy in the truth. He excuses everything, he believes everything, he hopes everything, he endures everything. Love never passes. The prophecies? They will be abolished. Languages? They will end. The knowledge? It will be abolished. [...] These three remain: faith, hope and love, but love is the greatest. (1Co 13, 1-13)

The hymn to love is a high point of New Testament writings. It is one of the most beautiful texts in world literature. It is often repeated during wedding ceremonies. Among the many charisms, the way of love is the charisma par excellence.

Freedom is one of the main themes addressed by Paul in this first letter to the Corinthians. He ardently defends Christian freedom against Judeo-Christians who want to impose the Law of Moses and Jewish customs on non-Jewish believers. He led this fight at the Council of Jerusalem and he will do it again in his epistle to the Galatians. In the Greek and Latin world, political and democratic freedom included the right to speak for all members of the citizens' assembly (the ekklesia) and the right to say everything (parrèsia), without fear of reprisals. Paul claims these rights for himself and for his churches.

Like the Stoics, Paul is a fierce defender of personal conscience. Regarding the consumption of meat offered to idols, he recalls that idols are nothing. We can therefore eat the meat offered to them (8, 4-6). But this freedom must be limited by fraternal charity towards those who risk being scandalized by this freedom (8, 7-13).

Paul does not intend to impose his own laws and he in no way claims to exercise spiritual tyranny: “It is not that we intend to rule your faith, we only want to contribute to your joy” (2 Cor. 1, 24). The Gospel is not a straitjacket. It is a law that is not imposed from the outside, like the Mosaic law, but it transforms from the inside.

According to Paul, Christians must change their view of Jesus as Paul himself did during his conversion in Damascus: Jesus must no longer be considered “cursed” because he was crucified, but as the “resurrected Lord”. The four gospels will mention the torture of the cross as the mode of execution of Jesus, but they will not do the theology of the cross. It is Paul who does it, and this for the first time in this epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 1, 18-31). This is his major contribution to Christian theology. The cross is a revelation. It tells us who God is for us. In the message of the cross, Paul discovers a God who surpasses all wisdom and all religion. It is there that he manifests his wisdom and his power, even where man sees only weakness and folly.

In this epistle, the Apostle's thoughts revolve around two poles: the Lord's Supper and fraternal love. The Eucharist is a source of nourishment for fraternal love. In Corinth, the feast had degenerated into a feast for some, while others did not have enough to eat.

Paul also answers questions received about the role of women during the celebrations. They asked to be assimilated to men in offices. They spoke there, and did not wear a veil. Paul advises the wearing of the veil, which corresponds to an almost universal habit in his time. We know that the prostitutes of Corinth went bareheaded. Christian women without veils thus risked being compared to the prostitutes of the port city. When it came to speaking in congregations, Paul followed Jewish custom in synagogues, which earned him the accusation of being a misogynist. It must be emphasized, however, that throughout his letters, women appear who campaign alongside him and play a leading role, a role that was forbidden to them in the synagogues and in Greek and Roman institutions. They have important positions in the Churches. In Corinth itself one is minister or deaconess of a community. Among the Christians cited by Paul in his epistles are nine women to whom, on several occasions, he expresses esteem and affection.

Paul devotes the last chapter of this epistle to faith in the resurrection (1 Cor 15). The letter began with “the language of the Cross” and ended with the proclamation of the resurrection of Christ and the announcement of the resurrection of believers. It is therefore framed by the Paschal mystery.

That's a lot of topics for one letter. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is long, extremely dense and surprisingly varied, but it is extraordinarily rich and allows us to take a look at the life of the early Church. However, it seems that it did not have the expected effect. During the summer of 54, when Timothy returned to Ephesus, he reported that he had been very poorly received in Corinth. Anyone other than Paul would have been discouraged. He holds on. He never gives up. The crisis will rebound and give rise to other interventions, to other visits from Paul and Titus, to other letters.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

45 - Second letter to the Corinthians

Paul in chains thinks of communities.

There is much controversy regarding the second letter to the Corinthians. The version that has come down to us is probably composed of several letters, including the “letter in tears”. Paul continues to respond to the agitations of the community of Corinth, defends his apostolic ministry and returns to the collection in favor of the faithful of Jerusalem.

Informed of the difficulties of the community, it seems that Paul made a brief visit to Corinth, during which painful incidents are said to have occurred. Returning to Ephesus, he wrote his “letter in tears” which we find, at least in part, in chapters 10 to 13 of the current epistle.

The Judeo-Christians of Jerusalem who undertook systematic opposition against Paul, present themselves as the true apostles, contest the validity of his mission and attack his person, his ideas and his work. They present themselves as prestigious missionaries, “arch-apostles” while Paul calls them “false apostles”. They claim to have known Jesus and shine with their mystical experiences. They have greater eloquence than Paul and, unlike the latter, demand substantial fees from the communities where they stay. Paul opposes their ambitions with a style of mission marked by the Cross.

The tactics of the adversaries are simple: inflate their authority as representatives of Jerusalem, diminish the person and work of Paul and impose the prescriptions of the Mosaic Law. Moreover, this tactic has already borne fruit in other Churches founded by the Apostle. These attacks provoke a violent reaction from Paul in this Epistle and in the Epistles to the Galatians and the Romans.

This letter was probably written in Macedonia, in 54-55, where Titus joined Paul. This time he brings good news. The Corinthians are now much more positive towards the Apostle. Paul is reassured and decides to write again. The main elements are as follows: The “false apostles” of Jerusalem only seek their profit. They demand high rates while Paul always offered his ministry for free and was never dependent on anyone.

If his rivals boast of their mystical experiences, Paul is not left out. He recalls the “visions and revelations” that the Lord granted him. But he does not insist because “the power of God is displayed in weakness.”

The true apostles are the servants of a new Alliance, their trials identify them with the destiny of Jesus and they are the ambassadors of a reconciliation offered to the world by God.

Frustrated by the attacks of his adversaries, Paul wants to come to a decisive settling of scores. The justification of his apostolic authority is therefore the essential aim of this letter. The sowers of discord present themselves with a letter of recommendation issued by the leadership of Jerusalem. Paul responds that he does not need letters of recommendation: “Our letter is you, Corinthians; you are a letter from Christ, written in luminous characters, so that everyone can know and read it.”

Paul was accused of being arrogant, of writing impertinent epistles, of being a false brother hungry for glory. Under the mask of Greek irony, Paul plays the role of the braggart that has just been attributed to him. Massive blows then fell on his detractors. These people accuse Paul of boasting, of selfishness, of a spirit of domination, while they themselves proclaim their friendship with the great ones of Jerusalem, walking around like lords, running from house to house, inviting themselves , speaking loudly while punching those who contradict them in the face. In a very noble manner, Paul avoids naming those who would have charged them with this mission of demolition, although, behind the actions of the adversaries, we can guess the shadow of important figures, whose emissaries abuse and distort the thought.

The true apostle stands out for his dedication, by admitting a weakness who likens it to destiny of the Crucified.

Paul recognizes himself as weak so that the Corinthians open their eyes to their own weakness. Let them stop letting themselves be deceived by parade preachers, and let them recognize in themselves the old man who must make way for the new man. May they remember Jesus who made himself poor for them, even though he was rich. We are like fragile clay that contains great treasure. If the first letter to the Corinthians is the richest in terms of thought, the second is the most passionate of all. Happy controversy which forces the accused to reveal himself and paint the portrait of the true servant of the Gospel!

Between the two main parts of this letter is inserted a passage concerning the collection for Jerusalem (ch. 8 and 9). This great work of charity was very important for Paul who wanted to maintain ties of friendship with the mother community. The Corinthians themselves had the idea. After talking about the collection, Paul goes on the attack again. He writes: “But am I inferior to those whom you call “arch-apostles” and whom I call “pseudo-apostles”. They exploit the community; they think they shine with their titles and their flashy rhetoric. The true apostle, for his part, is distinguished by his dedication, by the admission of a weakness which assimilates him to the destiny of the Crucified.

In 12:7-9, Paul mentions a thorn in his flesh. The hypothesis of a chronic illness is often mentioned. But, in the Bible, “the thorn” designates the enemies of Israel (Numbers 33, 55). Paul sees this as the action of an “angel of Satan”. However, it is his adversaries whom he has just characterized as ministers of Satan (2 Cor 11, 13-15). Already in the 4th century, John Chrysostom thought that the thorn in question represented the rivals who challenged Paul's preaching.

Titus and probably Luke and Aristarchus took this letter to Corinth. It seems that it was very well received by the Corinthians. This was the Apostle's testament to this Church which he loved deeply.

The year of the 2nd letter to the Corinthians coincides with the death of Emperor Claudius in 54. Agrippina, his second wife, had him poisoned. She had previously had Nero, the son of her first marriage, adopted by the man she was going to put to death. At seventeen, Nero was proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard. Thus begins, illegally, because Claudius had a legitimate son, Britannicus, the reign of one of the most bloodthirsty despots in history. In Ephesus, no soothsayer would dare predict that Nero will have Britannicus poisoned and his mother put to death, before encamping, in an episode that will sicken the Romans themselves, by massacring Christians. A breach opens in the grandeur of Rome.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

46 - Letter to the Galatians

During his first missionary journey in the company of Barnabas, Paul founded communities in the south of the Roman province of Galatia. Contacts with these groups of Christians were excellent: “You welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” A few years later, on two occasions, he visited these same communities. This province included, among other cities: Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

The Galatians (Gauls) are the origin of the Celts of northern and central Europe. Intrepid adventurers, they were also formidable warriors. A few centuries before Jesus Christ, they pushed their incursions as far as Spain and Italy. In 399, they besieged the city of Rome and around 360, some tribes headed east. After various military attacks, including the pillaging of the sanctuary of Delphi, they settled, at the beginning of the 3rd century, in northern Anatolia and made Pessinus their center. In 25 BC, the country of the Galatians was integrated into the Empire and the system of Roman provinces.

The first part of the letter is a powerful defense of his role as an apostle.

After Paul's visits to these communities, preachers from Jerusalem caused trouble there by proclaiming a Gospel different from his own. They emphasize the importance of being circumcised and following the entire Law of Moses. To Paul, this eleventh hour worker, they oppose the twelve apostles and James, the brother of the Lord. Paul, aware of the danger, sees in their demands a cancellation of the unique role of Jesus Christ. He then writes his letter to the Galatians. It is the first great synthesis of the pastoral and theological thought of the Apostle. It is not a question here of his authority, but rather of the very meaning of the Gospel: either the believer achieves his salvation through the Law of Moses or does he find it in faith in Christ?

To the Galatians, simple people who confidently followed Paul, the adversaries claim that they did not become good Christians because they were not circumcised. Jesus and the apostles were circumcised. In addition, circumcision is excellent for health, it prevents certain diseases.

First, the Galatians protest. They met Paul three times and they liked him very much. Why would he want to deceive them? The Judaizers respond that they love him too, but they let them know that Paul never met Jesus. Stupor among the Galatians: he who speaks of it so well! Another important element: did he admit to you that, in his youth, he persecuted Christians, that he had dozens of them thrown in prison? Terrified, distraught, Paul's friends remained silent: he had said nothing to them. In this relationship of trust between him and his dear Galatians, the adversaries have succeeded in introducing deadly doubt. According to the envoys from Jerusalem, Paul reworked the Gospel to attract as many pagans as possible. It is therefore here, in the territory of the Galatians, that the decisive battle takes place between Paul and the emissaries from Jerusalem. What follows, in Corinth and Rome, will only be the conclusion.

The epistle to the Galatians was written in one go. From the first lines, Paul affirms his mission as an apostle. By recalling the facts, he establishes the authenticity of “his gospel.” This text is valuable for the historical data it offers on Paul's early years. He recalls having received his Gospel during a revelation. We can therefore trust him. He recounts his conversion in Damascus and Arabia, his meeting with Peter and James, his participation in the Council of Jerusalem where his missionary activity was recognized. He also mentions the controversy with Peter at Antioch in Syria, because the leader of the apostles did not respect the Jerusalem agreement. Paul claims that his apostleship was officially recognized by the “pillars of Christianity” (Peter, James and John) who gave him responsibility for converting non-Jews. The first part of the letter is therefore a powerful defense of his role as an apostle. The first part of the letter is therefore a powerful defense of his role as an apostle. He affirms that he is neither a student of the Twelve nor a second-rate apostle.

Justification by faith

Paul then comes to the main subject of his epistle: justification by faith. Sometimes poorly understood, this justification nowhere teaches passive quietism. Paul speaks here of primary justification, that is to say the passage from the state of sin to the state of grace. This forgiveness is a pure gift from God, a consequence of the atoning death of Christ, without any personal contribution on our part.

After having used the vigorous weapons of argument, Paul suddenly becomes tender like a mother, and he gives free rein to his feelings:

“I would like, like a mother, to endure the pains of childbirth again for you and to transform my voice, to speak to you as a mother speaks to her child!”

Paul brings together in himself a ruthless logic, combined with maternal tenderness.

Christian freedom

After this break, he goes on the attack again. Having already experienced the freedom of Christ, would the Galatians now be ready to place themselves again under the yoke of the Law and thus lose their freedom? Like Israel when they left Egypt, they experienced a new Exodus. They went from slavery to the freedom of the children of God. This freedom is at the very heart of the Christian vocation:

“It is so that we remain free that Christ has freed us. So stand firm and do not return to the yoke of slavery.” (Ga 5, 1.)

Two dangers await those who have experienced freedom: to deny it by returning to the slavery of the Law, or to abuse it by believing that everything is permitted (for example, engaging in prostitution under the pretext that the Christ has freed us from all constraints).

Christians must welcome salvation as a free gift from God, an attitude difficult to accept for the marathon runners of legalism who want at all costs to become saints by their own means.

According to Paul, the Law is good and it was necessary, but it is at the service of Salvation. It must take second place when Salvation arrives. Like scaffolding in a construction work, once the building is finished, they disappear. “Christ has led us to freedom, it is indeed to freedom that you have been called.” Written in the early years of the Church, these pages on Christian freedom still question today an institution which, by nature, tends to favor the law to the detriment of freedom. Christians must stop believing that salvation is obtained like an Olympic medal through increasingly complicated performances. They must welcome salvation as a free gift from God, an attitude difficult to accept for the marathon runners of legalism who want at all costs to become saints by their own means.

The people who carried the letter from their beloved Apostle to Antioch of Pisidia had no idea of the precious treasure they were carrying: it was a document of historical importance! It was among the Galatians that the notion of “Christian freedom” first resonated.

This letter from Paul is the earliest testimony presenting the apostle's message regarding justification by faith. We cannot read the Epistle to the Galatians without being carried away by Paul's oratorical torrent. It is a question of life and death for him and for his Galatians. We only catch our breath at the conclusion. We see Paul taking the stylus from the writer's hands: "See these big letters: I am writing to you with my own hand...".

After Paul's death, for many years, his influence disappeared almost entirely in the Church. It is at the moment when it concerns itself with choosing the authentic texts of its history that it will give back to Paul all the place which belongs to him by recognizing in his writings the fundamental value of Christian theology. Paul then once again became a pillar of the Church.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

47 - Epistle to the Romans

Paul writes his epistle to the Romans to prepare for his meeting with a Church he does not know.

Before his departure for Jerusalem, in the year 57, Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, a sort of “calling card” to prepare for his meeting with a Church he did not know. This letter, probably written in Corinth, is a synthesis of Paul's thoughts. It has been almost fifteen years since the Apostle founded Churches in Cyprus, in Pisidia, in Lycaonia, in Phrygia, in Galatia, in Macedonia, in Achaia, in Asia. He now considers that in this eastern region his task as founder has come to an end. He is thinking of the west, of Spain especially, "the end of the world", where he plans to go via Rome.

Paul first wants to bring the collection to Jerusalem himself, which his friends strongly advise him against, because of the dangers he runs in returning to the city where he has so many enemies. After Jerusalem, he intends to visit the imperial capital, to meet members of the Church of Rome:

“But now, as I no longer have any field of action in these countries and since, for many years, I have had a strong desire to go to you when I go to Spain. I indeed hope to see you during my visit and receive your help to get there after having first been fulfilled, even if only a little, by your presence.” (Rom 5:23)

Rome, the capital of the world, inspires him with the universal conception of the Church.

He entrusts the letter to his faithful friend, the deaconess Phoebeus, who must go to Rome in the spring. This is the only letter written to a Church that he did not found. In these reflections on the Gospel, his thoughts take on considerable scope because he is in full possession of his means.

It is important to remember that Paul had no intention of leaving Judaism at all: it simply would not make sense to him. The “Christian religion” had no independent existence at that time! It was part of Judaism and Paul simply wanted to integrate both the Resurrection of Christ and the extension of the promise to non-Jews. To do this, he looked for a denominator common to Jews and pagans: this unifying element is faith in Jesus Christ.

The letter to the Romans becomes a theological treatise on the new situation created by Christ. This is the most important of Paul's letters.

The thought that he had begun to develop in the letter to the Galatians comes back to his mind. This letter had been the cry of a passionately agitated heart. He now wants to return to the question calmly, and give a more in-depth presentation. The letter to the Romans thus becomes a theological treatise on the new situation created by Christ. This is the most important of Paul's letters. We find there the talent of someone who is capable of unifying critical thinking with the expression of a deep and enlightened faith. He develops the following themes: justification by faith, hope, the consequences of sin, grace, freedom, the Church body of Christ, relations between Jews and Pagans, reconciliation. Nearly 25 years after his conversion, his theological reflection has reached great maturity. If the epistle to the Romans were the only letter from Paul to reach us, we would have a good insight into his thinking.

As a framework, Paul uses on one side fallen humanity grouped around Adam and on the other hand “justified” humanity grouped around Christ.

The parentage offered is a completely free donation and not the result of the observance of the Law or the practice of good works

In the account of Genesis 3, Adam wanted to be like God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He initiated the time of revolt against God: “Through one man sin entered into the world.” We are therefore preceded by this irresistible natural tendency to take ourselves for a god and to refuse our condition as creatures. But despite this revolt, God does not abandon “his benevolent design” towards us. Through Abraham, he grants salvation by pure grace: “Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” This happened when Abraham was not yet circumcised. The ancestral rite is therefore not the source of its justification, it is only the sign. The sonship offered is a completely free gift and not the result of observance of the Law or the practice of good works.

- (Not Adam but Eve!)

- (Adam didn’t want to lose his wife!)

But justification (being accepted as children of God) is only a beginning, a first step. It is an essential step then enriched by the Eucharistic, fertilized by the creative energies of the Risen One, under the sun of the Holy Spirit.

In the first eight chapters of the epistle to the Romans, Paul contrasts two paths, two ways of being "justified" before God: on the one hand faith in Jesus Christ and on the other the Law of Moses and the " works”. Only faith in Jesus Christ justifies all men, Jews and Pagans. Salvation is therefore not found in belonging to the chosen people or in a life of holiness and good works. It is found in a word external to the human being, a benevolent decision of God received freely in faith.

Paul’s discussion of “justification by faith” is the theological translation of Jesus’ welcome to the rejected and excluded. Jesus, who ate with tax collectors and sinners, prostitutes and lepers, made a symbolic gesture that covered the political, the social and the religious at the same time.

Salvation is offered freely: “Today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus said to the thief on the cross.

Christ is the “anti-Adam.” He replaces the curse of the Garden of Eden (Adam and Eve driven out of paradise) with a blessing (Come to me, all you who are burdened). If through Adam death was the fate of man, through Christ he finds life. Men and women are invited to live in the trust and hope of the daughters and sons of God, a filiation freely granted thanks to Christ.

After the vast presentation on Salvation, the gift of God (Rm 1 – 8), comes next, quite naturally, the question of the status of Israel in the new reality inaugurated by Christ (chapters 9 to 11). Paul insists that all are sinners, Jews and Gentiles. This situation is the opportunity chosen by God to justify us in Jesus Christ. Neither works, nor ethnic origin, nor clan, nor blood are conditions for salvation. All that matters is the generosity of God. Paul reaffirms his solidarity with his people and rejects the idea that Israel is rejected forever. If he who was a Pharisee and a persecutor obtained mercy, so will all the Jews. In the third part of the epistle, Paul comes to practical considerations on the life of Christian communities: “I urge you therefore, brothers... to action”.

It was the Christian slave Tertius who served as scribe to the Apostle. He points this out at the end of the letter.

The great themes of this epistle were present in the hearts of the women and men of Paul's day... They continue to be of interest to women and men today.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

48 - The great collection

Since his conversion in Damascus, Paul has traveled extensively and visited the mother Church in Jerusalem five times. During the meeting with Peter, James and John, at the first council, he had the idea of a large collection in favor of this poor Church. The proposal was not among the conditions of a peace agreement, but on a personal level, Paul committed himself to it and in Ephesus, he decided to take action: the collection would be done in the Churches of Asia Minor and of Greece, to come to the aid of the Church of Jerusalem.

The collection was a large undertaking carried out for charitable purposes,but it also had a “political” purpose: to promote the unity of the Church.

It is a duty for the more fortunate Churches to help this mother Church which has few means. Paul also believed that this generosity would promote unity and at the same time ease disputes between pagan converts and Judeo-Christians.

At the beginning of the project, the Christians of Corinth were very enthusiastic, but over time their fervor cooled. Paul therefore encourages them to share:

“Just as you excel in everything, faith, speech, knowledge, willingness of all kinds, charity that we have communicated to you, you must also excel in this liberality. This is not an order that I give; I only want, through the eagerness of others, to experience the sincerity of your charity. You know in fact the liberality of Jesus Christ, who for your sake became poor, from being rich, in order to enrich you through his poverty. This is an opinion that I give on this; and this is what suits you, who, last year, were the first not only to undertake this work, but also to want it. (2 Cor 8:7-10)

Will this letter be enough to encourage the Corinthians to generosity? Tite is responsible for explaining and defending its content.

At the beginning of March 58, when winter was over, during a religious ceremony in honor of Isis, the Egyptian goddess protector of the seas, Rome announced the resumption of navigation and Paul prepared his departure for Jerusalem. From there he plans to go to Rome. He was not unaware of the risks he ran in bringing the product of the collection carried out with so much difficulty to Jerusalem himself. However, for him, the unity of the Churches was most important. Some representatives from all the districts where he had worked were to join him on the way.

It is at this point that Luke mentions the plot hatched against Paul:

“A plot hatched by the Jews against him when he was about to embark for Syria decided him to return via Macedonia” (Acts 20, 3).

Because of this eleventh-hour change, Paul had to travel an additional seven hundred kilometers to escape his enemies.

As the text of several manuscripts suggests, Paul, accompanied by Luke, then took the land route to Macedonia, while his other companions, to detect the adversaries, went to Troas by boat. There, later, the two groups were to meet. The original plan to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem was now unfeasible and Paul decided to participate in the celebration in the city of Philippi, among his friends. On the Tuesday after Easter, he took leave of the Philippians and found, in the port of Neapolis, a ship bound for Troas.

After crossing the Aegean Sea, he joined the group which was already at Troas. Luke gives us their names: Sopatros, of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, of Thessalonica; Gaius, of Derbe; Timothy, Tychicus, Trophimus, from the province of Asia. (Acts 20, 4-5) Obviously, these companions of the Apostle transport the money from the collection in favor of Jerusalem. Paul had neither wife nor children, he had no family ties. However, God gave him many friends. Few people have had such fierce adversaries, but few have had such devoted and loyal friends.

Luke mentions that the stopover at Troas lasted about a week. He will witness an incident that he will not forget:

“On the first day of the week we gathered together to break bread; Paul, who was to leave the next day, spoke with them. He continued his speech until the middle of the night. There were a good number of lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. A teenager, named Eutychus, who was sitting on the edge of the window, let himself fall into a deep sleep, while Paul was still talking. Carried away by sleep, he fell from the third floor down. He was found dead. Paul came down, leaned over him, took him in his arms and said: “So do not be agitated: his soul is in him.” The young man rose to his feet, and Paul went up again, broke bread and ate: and he spoke for a long time until daybreak.” (Acts 20, 7-12)

Luke, as we see, has lost none of his qualities as a chronicler. He does it delicately and with a certain irony. In the 18th century, Jonathan Swift, renowned author of Gulliver's Travels and dean of St. Patrick's Church in Dublin, chose the theme of one of his sermons: "From Sleep to Church." He will base his homily on this accident at Troas to demonstrate that even the great Saint Paul put his listeners to sleep.

From Troas, Luke will accompany Paul throughout the journey to Jerusalem. Thanks to his medical and nautical knowledge, he will be an ideal companion. We find again in the Acts of the Apostles the pronoun "we", and from this moment on, the itinerary and the facts are related in the form of a diary, which gives the description an incomparable appeal.

 

[JLG]

49 - The last journey to Jerusalem

Before returning to Jerusalem, Paul admits that he fears the dangers of this visit: "I ask you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, contend with me in the prayers which you pray to God for me, so that I may escape the unbelievers of Judea and that the help I bring to Jerusalem may be well received by the healthy. And so, coming to you (in Rome) with joy, God may grant me a taste with you some rest. (Romans 15, 30-33)

The closer Paul approaches Jerusalem, the more his anguish grows. The Jews and Judeo-Christians hate him, and they are all-powerful in the holy city.

In Assos, on the north coast of the Gulf of Edremit, Paul and his companions share the collection. The historian Flavius Josephus mentions the rules to follow when transporting large sums of money: we reduce the different currencies into gold which we distribute among the carriers. The pieces are then sewn into each person's clothing.

Thanks to the story of the Acts of the Apostles, we know the stages of the journey of Paul and his companions: from Assos, the boat heads to Mytilene, port of the large island of Lesbos, from where it reaches the island of Chios , homeland of Homer. A stopover in Samos, a stopover in Trogyllion and we arrive in Miletus. This will be Paul's last stopover in Asia.

In Miletus, located a few kilometers from Ephesus where he spent three years of his life, Paul decided not to go to the city: “he was determined to avoid the stopover in Ephesus so as not to waste time in Asia,” writes Luc. (Acts 20, 16) The truth is that he is afraid of being attacked in Ephesus. He still wishes to meet some of his faithful and asks them to join him in Miletus. Luc strives to reconstruct his words addressed to those who come to meet him. The elders of the community go to the port of Miletus to see their apostle one last time. The farewell scene is one of the most moving scenes in Luc's diary:

“And now, chained by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, without knowing what will happen to me there, except that, from city to city, the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and tribulations await me. But I attach no value to my own life, provided that I complete my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus: to bear witness to the Gospel of the grace of God.

“And now, I know, you will never see my face again, all of you among whom I passed proclaiming the Kingdom. This is why I testify before you today: I am pure from the blood of all. For I did not shy away when it was necessary to announce to you all the will of God. Be attentive to yourselves, and to all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians to shepherd the Church of God, which he purchased through the blood of his own son.

“I know that after my departure there will be introduced among you terrible wolves who will not spare the flock, and that from among you even men will arise speaking perverse things with the aim of leading the disciples to their sequel. Therefore be vigilant, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not stop reproaching each of you with tears. And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which has power to build the building and to provide the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

“Silver, gold, clothes, I have not coveted from anyone: you yourselves know that my needs and those of my companions have provided for these hands. In any case, I have shown you: it is by toiling in this way that we must come to the aid of the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said: there is more happiness in giving than 'to receive.

Intense is the emotion:

“At these words, kneeling down, he prayed with them all. Then they all burst into tears, and throwing themselves on Paul's neck, they embraced him, grieved above all by the words he had said: that they should never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the boat.” (Acts 20, 22-38)

Paul and his companions set sail and the winds are favorable all the way to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and, on the third day, Patara. As the ship on which they are traveling continues on its way to another destination, they continue on a merchant ship which goes to Tire where they disembark after six or seven days of navigation. A Christian Church already exists there and, by welcoming Paul, it expresses concern about its fate.

At each stage we would like to prevent him from going to Jerusalem but always in vain.

Everyone tries to convince him not to go to Jerusalem. After a week, he took his leave aboard a boat heading towards Ptolemais, where in the 12th century the Crusader fortress of Saint-Jean-d'Acre stood. From there, Paul and his people leave for Caesarea, a two-day walk (fifty-five kilometers). For about a week, they stayed with Philip, one of the seven deacons.

Driven by the Spirit, the prophet Agabus, whom Paul knew well in Antioch, comes down from Jerusalem to prevent him from continuing his journey:

“As we were spending several days in Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us and, taking Paul's belt, bound himself hand and foot with it, saying: “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews will bind the man to whom this belt belongs like this to Jerusalem, and they will deliver it into the hands of the Gentiles.”


At these words, Paul's companions and the local Christians began to beg him not to go up to Jerusalem. So he replied:

“Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

As there was no way to persuade him, we ceased our entreaties, saying: “Let the will of the Lord be done!” (Acts 21:10-14).

In the story of Acts, the entire journey from Miletus to Jerusalem is both a triumphal procession and a mourning procession. Churches everywhere welcomed Paul warmly, in an atmosphere of celebration mixed with concern. At each stage we would like to prevent him from going up to Jerusalem but always in vain.

The caravan began the final stage of the journey. Some disciples from Caesarea accompanied him to the holy city. Paul found refuge in the house of a former disciple of the Lord named Mnason. The official Church of Jerusalem did not offer hospitality to the greatest of its Apostles.

 

[JLG]

50- Fatal advice

Paul and his companions probably arrived in Jerusalem shortly before Pentecost in the year 57. They brought offerings from the brothers in Galatia, Macedonia and Greece to the Christians of the Mother Church.

Paul's reception in Jerusalem seems to have been cold and unbrotherly. On this occasion, Luke doesn't even mention the name of the Holy City and simply says: "He went up and greeted the community." This Church seemed to be growing ever more isolated. In Jerusalem, Paul stayed with Mnason, a Hellenist from Cyprus, rather than with the Judeo-Christians. This is a significant fact for Luke, who seems a little embarrassed. He doesn't even mention the delivery of the collection. The climate is not propitious for Paul and his entourage.

This is the fifth and last time the Apostle has been in Jerusalem since his conversion.

Jewish zealots and terrorists rule the streets. James had grown old and no longer had the strength to impose himself on the converts of the Pharisee party. In his letter to the Corinthians, Clement of Rome claims that "envy" was responsible for Paul's misfortunes. We must therefore believe that Paul was the victim of a collaboration between Jews and Judeo-Christians. The leaders of the Christian community were certainly correct towards Paul, but they found themselves paralyzed in their actions by Paul's enemies, who were destroying his reputation in the churches.

The Acts of the Apostles recounts the important episodes of this visit to Jerusalem: the arrival in the city, the meeting with the Church leaders, the seven days in the Temple, the arrest by Roman soldiers, the appearance before the Sanhedrin, the assassination attempt, the trial in Caesarea, the two years of imprisonment and the appeal to Caesar.

According to Luke, Paul's meeting with the leaders of the Jerusalem Church was brief and disappointing. In short, they proposed the following:

"You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have embraced the faith, and they are all zealous supporters of the Law. Now about you they have heard that, in your teaching, you urge the Jews who live among the Gentiles to defect from Moses, telling them to stop circumcising their children and following the customs. So what's to be done? Surely the multitude will not fail to gather, for word will spread of your arrival. So do as we tell you. We have four men here who are bound by a vow. Take them with you, join them in the purification and pay for them to have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there's no truth in what they've heard about you, but that you too behave as an observer of the Law." (Acts 21:20-24).

So Paul had to rehabilitate himself by professing, so to speak publicly, that he belonged to traditional Judaism! He would have to spend seven days in the temple, with people he didn't know, and pay the considerable costs associated with this purification: for five Nazirites, he would have to sacrifice fifteen ewes, as many baskets of bread, cakes and cakes, and several jars of wine; on top of this came the cost of living for seven days. It will be remembered that on his last trip, Paul had taken such a vow of Nazireat, but on his own initiative. Now he was obliged to perform a public penance. According to the leaders, this would enable him to justify himself to the Jews, but Paul knew that this maneuver risked being very badly understood by Christians who had come from paganism.

Paul reluctantly accepted the proposal of the Church leaders, but as Renan observed:

"Never perhaps, in his life as an apostle, did he make a more considerable sacrifice to his work ... During those days of humiliation, when, through deliberate weakness, he performed with ragged people an act of outdated devotion, he was greater than when he displayed the strength and independence of his genius in Corinth or Thessalonica."

Towards the end of the seven days at the Temple, Jews from Asia recognize Paul. Anger stirs them. They seize him, stir up the crowd:

"Men of Israel, help! Here he is, preaching to everyone and everywhere against our people, against the Law and against this place! And here he is again, bringing Greeks into the Temple and profaning the holy place". (Acts 21, 28)

The Temple in Jerusalem consisted of two distinct parts: the Gentile forecourt, where anyone could go, and the sacred precincts, where only Jews could enter. The latter was surrounded by a low stone wall that marked the boundary that no non-Jew could cross. In several places, the following prohibition was written in Greek and Latin: "All strangers are forbidden to cross the barrier and enter the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will himself be responsible for the ensuing death. Now that's categorical. Paul is not only accused of betraying his religion, but - even more seriously - of deliberately violating the sacred precincts by bringing in pagans. It's impossible that Paul could have committed such a provocation. For him, the Temple remains a sacred place. But perhaps he led a companion too close to the wall, and his enemies seized the opportunity to accuse him.

From the fortress, near the surrounding wall, Roman sentries observed the incident. The tribune Lysias rushes with his soldiers to the bottom of the stairs. He frees Paul and takes him to the citadel. The people followed, shouting: “To death!” All the while, Paul maintained his presence of mind. He remains in control of the situation: “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, and a citizen of a city which is not without reputation. Please; allow me to speak to the people” (Acts 21, 39), he asks the tribune. Strange question from a man who has just risked his life. But Lysias allows the prisoner to speak to the crowd. The noise subsides and Paul addresses them in Aramaic. He tries to demonstrate that he is not against the People, the Law and the Temple, but his speech does not succeed in calming the cries of hatred of the crowd.

To somewhat appease popular passion, the officer then orders the centurion to put Paul “to the question”, in order to find out the reasons for the popular fury. The instrument of torture was the whip (flagellum) equipped with points and lead bullets. Paul was stripped naked, laid out on the easel, and tied by his wrists and ankles. When the centurion approached to supervise the operation, Paul calmly asked him: “Is it lawful to flog a Roman citizen, and that without trial.” The representatives of Rome had great respect for the one who bore the title of Roman citizen. “Civis Romanus sum”, these words worked miracles! The centurion rushed to the tribune. “Tell me,” the latter asks, “are you a Roman citizen? “Certainly” replied Paul. False use of this title was punishable by death. So no one dared to abuse it. Lysias cast a questioning look at Paul: “I bought this right of citizenship very dearly.” Paul replied: “And I am born with it.” Lysias began to feel uneasy. Roman criminal law prohibited questioning by whipping at the start of a proceeding. Paul was untied and taken to the fortress.

 

[JLG]

51. Paul before the Sanhedrin


The day after Paul's arrest, the tribune Lysias wanted to know what the Jews were accusing the prisoner of and he had him appear before the Sanhedrin. At the start of the meeting, forgetful of his dignity and the respect he should have towards the accused, “the high priest Ananie ordered his assistants to strike him on the mouth”. (Acts 23, 2) It was the supreme insult. Paul, whose blood was boiling, cried out to Ananias: “It is God who will strike you, you whitewashed wall. What! You sit to judge me according to the Law, and, in defiance of the Law, you order me to be beaten!” (Acts 23, 3) The Pharisees who had lost all moral sense approved the act of the high priest, and considered Paul's lesson to be sacrilege. The image of a “whitened wall” well characterized this High Priest, this character in complete decline, who tried to simulate virtue, honesty and righteousness, while internally he was perverse and rotten.

Faced with the Sanhedrin composed of Pharisees and Sadducees, in a sudden intuition, Paul used the advantage that the situation offered him, and raised the problem of the resurrection. He then said this simple sentence: “Brothers, it is because of the hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am put on trial.” The Sadducees burst out laughing and the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection began to argue with the Sadducees. The whole procedure degenerated into a theological dispute, and both parties came to blows. Some respectable rabbis even declared themselves openly in favor of Paul. Lysias, the representative of Rome, who understood nothing of this theological debate and was afraid for the life of his prisoner, called the guard, and had him taken to a safe place. “I was barely able to force him out of their hands,” he wrote about this in his letter to Governor Félix (Bèze manuscript).

Paul's situation was very delicate. Only the military force of the Romans could still save him. He realized that due to the partiality of the court, justice was impossible. It was then that he resolved to rely on Roman justice. Until now he had always considered himself a rightful member of the Jewish race, and he had repeatedly submitted to Jewish jurisdiction. Now, seeing that it was impossible to be judged fairly among the Jews, he will definitively detach himself from his people, politically and legally, and he will submit to the law and the power of Rome.

The day after the meeting of the Sanhedrin, around forty Zealots made a vow not to eat or drink again before having assassinated Paul. They decided to set a trap for him and informed the Sanhedrin of their plot, asking for its participation. To what decline had the highest Jewish court reached! :

“When it was daylight, the Jews held a council, where they committed themselves by anathema (that is to say by calling upon them the divine curse if they failed in their commitment) not to eat or drink before for killing Paul. There were more than forty of them who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said to them, “We have committed ourselves by anathema not to take anything until we have killed Paul. You therefore now, in agreement with the Sanhedrin, explain to the tribune that he must bring him to you, under the pretext of examining his matter more thoroughly. For our part, we are ready to kill him before he arrives.” (Acts 23, 12-15)

Fortunately, the Christian intelligence service was vigilant. Paul's nephew learned of the plot and his sister sent him to bring the news to the fortress. He received permission to see Paul and told him about the situation. Hearing this, Paul begged the centurion to bring his nephew immediately before Lysias. Thus, before receiving the delegates of the Sanhedrin, the commander of the fortress was informed of the premeditated assassination. The young man said to him:

“The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, under the pretext of investigating his case more thoroughly. Don't believe them. More than forty of them are waiting for him, who have committed themselves by anathema not to eat or drink before having killed him. (Acts 23, 20)

The tribune now had sufficient reason to hand over the trial to the Roman prosecutor in Caesarea and gave the order to transfer the prisoner under cover of night:

“The tribune called two centurions and said to them: 'Be ready to leave for Caesarea, at the third hour of the night, two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred men-at-arms. horses to mount Paul and take him safely to Governor Felix." (Acts 23, 23-24)

At dawn the next day, the little troop was halfway there. We stopped at Antipatris, and Paul had the opportunity to rest for a few hours. All danger having disappeared, most of the escort returned to Jerusalem and only the cavalry detachment accompanied the apostle to Caesarea.

The port of Caesarea, which had received its name from its builder Herod the Great, in honor of Emperor Caesar, served the Romans as a supply base and military center for the region. The city housed a garrison of five cohorts and a squadron of cavalry. Through their taxes, the Jews themselves paid for the maintenance of these troops who held them in servitude. Hence the hatred of the Jews towards this tax paid to Rome and the question asked to Jesus: “Should we pay tribute to Caesar?”

The prosecutor lived in luxury in the royal palace. High-profile prisoners were taken to the headquarters guard post, located in the palace itself. The captain of the squadron gave Lysias' report to the prosecutor Antoine-Félix, and presented his prisoner to him. In Paul's presence, Felix read Lysias' letter aloud. It was a completely Roman model of precision, objectivity and clarity declaring itself favorable to the prisoner: it was only a Jewish religious matter. As Paul came from Cilicia, an imperial province, the court of the imperial prosecutor had jurisdiction in the matter. Felix then said to Paul: “I will hear you, when your accusers also arrive. And he kept him in Herod’s praetorium.” (Acts 23, 35)