Pisidian Antioch and Lystra

Today we had lots of bus travel, but the two sites we stopped at were definitely worth it. We were in the region of the Galatians, and we stopped in Pisidian Antioch and in the unexcavated land of Lystra.

In Pisidian Antioch, we discussed how Paul was passionate about going to Rome, but also swore he would first preach the gospel in all the provinces in which it had never before been heard. Pisidian Antioch was nearly an exact replica of Rome, from the people, to the architecture, and everything in between, so Paul was certainly there. One of his disciples throughout his ministry was John Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark. Considering this and Paul's liking to Rome, it makes a lot of sense that Mark's gospel was directed at a Roman audience. John Mark uses dramatic language in his gospel and makes Jesus look like some type of superhero, because that's the kind of story a Roman would want to read. Sitting in the ruins of a coronation site, we went through the Caesar coronation process step by step. How eye opening and mind blowing it was to see how these steps corresponded so closely with the process of Jesus' crucifixion. John Mark makes clear to his Roman gospel readers that Jesus isn't about their peace mantra: PIETY. WAR. VICTORY. PEACE. He clearly communicates to them Jesus's way, and the true way to peace: GRACE. PEACE. This lesson brought in so many missing contextual pieces of the way I read my gospels, and sitting there brought the stories to life.

Tel Lystra was very different from Antioch in that it was full of primitive tribal groups, not controlled by Rome. It also had some religious Jews who lived through obedience. Paul came here and changed the life of an illegitimate boy, born of a Jewish mother and absent Greek father. This boy was considered an outsider or, as they were called back then, a mumzer. Since the Jews in this region were all about their justification through obedience and their call as Jews, this boy had no chance. He wasn't allowed to read Torah or attend synagogue, and he had no real future ahead of him. However, when Paul kept returning to Lystra, this boy knew the stories Paul taught. He knew his Text and soaked in all the teachings. In a way that shows the true character of God, Paul took this boy, this mumzer, in as a disciple and raised him up in the faith. Amazingly enough, we know this mumzer boy to be Timothy, one of the great leaders Paul sent to head one of the biggest early churches in Ephesus. What an encouragement this story is and what an amazing message it sends us about who our God is. God loves mumzers, he loves to use them in his story, and we need to love them too.

Written by Meghan