Day 09 - Western Coast: Ephesus, Ephesus Museum

Our tour culminated in a visit to the ancient city of Ephesus. The location of Ephesus was unknown until the temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) was discovered in the 1860's, indicating that the area ruins were Ephesus. Once a bustling harbor City, Ephesus now lies 6 miles inland from the Aegean Sea, because of silt deposits laid down by the river throughout the decades, which have changed the coastline. Highlights include...

Regional Parliament building - which served all of Asia Minor, not just this one city. The upper rows of seating are missing the marble because local villagers took the marble tiles repurposing them in their own homes. The lower rows still have the marble because until excavation took place, these seats were all buried out of sight under dirt. 

Temple to Domitian - All that's left is a large platform which used to hold a giant statue looking out over the harbor.  

Carving of Hermes - messenger god. Note the winged feet.

Marble Street -  The short pillars that line both sides of the street used to display statues of prominent citizens who had made some generous contribution to the city. One of them basically says,  "Dear Ange of Fortune (Tiki), bless this person for _________ (his civic contribution)." Behind the statues are columns, behind the columns is a walkway, and behind the walkway are shops from every nation known at the time. International imports were carted here from the harbor, traded, and taken to other cities and countries, making Ephesus quite the global trade center. 

Library of Celsius

Terrace Houses -  were six connected elegant, opulent, luxury residential villas for the affluent featuring heated rooms, elaborate frescos on walls and mosaics on floors indoor plumbing, and private bathrooms. Once ruins are excavated they are exposed to the elements and begin to deteriorate. Sponsors paid $6 million to protect this phase of excavation with a large roof. 

Temple of Hadrian - at the top of the arch you can see Tiki, the angel of Fortune. This building was changed to an imperial cult building and decorated with bronze statues of emperors in later years. 

Men's Toilets - underneath these long stone benches with the multiple holes, water flowed several feet below, carrying waste to the sea. In front of the benches is a small 5-in. trench with flowing water for washing up.

Theater - seats 25,000 people, the largest excavated so far.

Harbor Basilica - a government law building. Later became the location for the Ephesus council of 431 AD which met to affirm the 325 AD Nicene Creed which attests to the fact that Jesus coexisted from eternity with the Father. 

Temple of Artemis -  The only thing standing here is one very tall pillar which was reassembled from sections found laying about the ground. A 1/100th replica is in the Ephesus museum.

Marty read from Acts 1. In Ephesus Paul found some God-fearers who weren't saved yet. Paul spoke boldly about the kingdom of God for 3 months and both Jews and Greeks became Christians and burned their magic books, stopped buying religious trinkets and statues, and stopped going to Artemis' temple with their offerings. This shows how Christianity done right can impact a society. These early Christians believed who they were in Christ: chosen and redeemed, holy and blameless and forgiven, adopted to rain, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. And they lived it out.

All this affected the income of Temple priests and craftsman, who started a riot in the streets and took it to the theater, chanting to Artemis for 2 hours. Paul wanted to follow the action to speak to them, but his traveling companions would not let him.

The city clerk came in to settle everyone down and told them that if they really thought they had a case they should do it lawfully - presumably in the aforementioned Harbor Basilica.

What an amazing experience to stand within shot of the theater and the basilica, knowing that Paul was right here engaged with this city and its people for the glory of God.

We have enjoyed this trip very much, and many of us relate to the thoughts one of our group members:

"It's one after another after another. It's spectacular, breathtaking and inspiring, and yet, despite the fact that I'm with 30 people, I feel lonely and alone, deep in my thoughts, deep in amazement, for what God has done for me and to me and through me and in me, sometimes it's so hard. Just contemplating Him in history and in me. It makes me feel so small..."

Small, on one hand, but we also feel the strength of being significantly connected to centuries of Christians who have paved the way for our own faith journeys. And we have a newfound appreciation for this land that God chose to be the jumping off point for the spread of His kingdom to the uttermost parts of the earth.