I found out something else rather interesting this morning, as I was reading a commentary on 1 Thessalonians by the remarkable and enigmatic Ernest Best. He's absolutely brilliant, although by modern standards, we'd consider him a little archaic in his theological interpretation. I wouldn't personally, but you know what I mean. This chap writes a massive 400 page book on both epistles, but they are thorougly gripping.
This morning I was doing some research, in preparation for Sunday, on the historic nature of Pauls mission to Thessalonica. Why did he go there? What was the point in picking that particular place?
Best explores this is in great detail, demonstrating that Paul's decisions about where to go were not just random thoughts, but considered strategic spiritually decided places. Thessalonica takes its place as one of the greatest ancient trade hubs - and no wonder - it was hugely important. I didnt know this, but at its very greatest (around the time of Pauls mission) the city was host to well over 100,000 people. Not only was it great in number, but it was great in diversity: it had greeks, jews, persians, asians, and arabs. As a important part of the Via Egnatia, and then laterly the silk road, this place was buzzing with trade.
Imagine Paul, with Timothy and Silas, entering that city for the first time. We get lost in modern times by thinking that all this travel happened in a few hours, or at most a few days. The journey to Thessalonica was step by step, and it took weeks, if not months. Paul would've been glad to have arrived - although he made plenty of stops along the way. Look at the map below:
You can se that Paul's journey was mostly by land at this point. He travels to Antioch first (read more in Acts 13:13-42) before popping over to his home town at Tarsus, then heading onto Derbe, Misia, Troade, Phillipi, and then finally landing in Thessalonica. Best suggests that Paul would've been setting up small house groups, possibly of Jewish Christians first, and then some gentles mixed in, as he went along. Who can forget that he would've met Lydia in his stopping off at Phillipi. She would go on to finance and support the church there (the same church Paul writes to in Phillipians). You get a full understanding of some of this journey in Luke's diary in Acts 17:1-10.
The Company of Men
I wrote on the authenticity of Luke/Acts in University, and realised then something i didn't know: Luke wrote both of the books, and he was with Paul for a large chunk of the missionary journey. It seems that on leaving Israel, Paul left with Silas and Timothy, but also with Luke - the writer of the Gospel. But, and this is the interesting but, he seems to have not gone to Thessalonica, and probably stayed in Phillipi, maybe even helping Lydia and the house group there, establish the Philippian church. We know this because there is a change in the way words are used. I'll give you an example of a change:
in Acts 16:10, Luke writes this:
“After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia…”
So here is Luke getting ready to leave with Paul to Macedonia (the area where Thessalonica is)
But, in Acts 17:1, it suddenly says:
“They passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and came to Thessalonica…”
So it seems something happened that caused Paul and Silas and Timothy to head onto Thessalonica, and for Luke to remain behind. What happened?
Well Best really brings this to life for me this morning. It hinges on alot of theory, because in truth, we don't actually know why. But Scholars and theologians have surmised why.
The key to understanding why Luke never went further, is that we must remember he is a historian and a medic. He's quite a pedantic writer, and he loves detail. Perhaps he stayed behind to record and understand the first church plant outside of Judea? We also know that many of the Christians in Phillipi were beaten up during the riots, and what if Luke stayed behind - in his capacity as a doctor - to treat and tend to patients. It may also be the case that Luke took a separate journey in the event that Paul and Silas are captured and imprisioned. Luke has a god-given responsibility to document not just the life of Christ, but the life of the early church. It is because of him, that we know any of this occured.
I think there is a greater resposibility on us to know what it takes to plant a church. At Mossneuk we are seeing extraordinarty things happen in the community, but we are not a brand new church - and yet as pastor it can still be overwhelming. I like to think that Paul asked Luke to stay behind, to tend to the new flock of christians there. To make sure they are safe, and encouraged. Perhaps they would be the first readers of his yet-to-be published biography of Jesus life.
There's today's snippet for you. Will report back later.
Geo x
