Day 02 - Sardis

Day 2 was a success! 

After a great buffet breakfast, we made our way to the ruins of Sardis. Dating back to around 3000 BC, Sardis holds the distinction of being the first location where coins were minted. We stood on the stones of a main road and discussed how this was connected to the many towns for hundreds of miles in either direction. As we stood there, we contemplated how Paul through many of his journeys walked on roads just like this one to bring the message of Jesus to the Gentiles. 

As we walked through the excavation of Sardis, we came across several paint shops and stores, and were then ushered into the largest Synagogue in the ancient world that we know of. In this synagogue we talked about how the experiences of the Jewish people in the first century differed from place to place, as some were given permission to worship even next to a Roman gymnasium (as it is in Sardis!). 

From there we ventured out into the open area in front of the gymnasium, and Dr. Henning led us in reading Jesus’ letter to the church in Sardis within Revelation. Here he referenced the portion of “if you will not wake up, I will come like a thief..” May be regarding the two times Sardis was captured while they were sleeping. We also discussed the repeated theme of “name” in the letter. The people may be have been puffed up with pride for the great history and wealth they had before the 1st century, but this was no longer their reality. Lastly, we discussed the role of Religio Licita, a religious exemption the Roman Empire had for Jews who did not want to participate in the pagan cultic practices, and whether that was extended to Christians in the same way. 

After this we walked through the gymnasium and Dr. Henning with a few Greek students had fun deciphering the words on the walls while others explored the archeological site further. 

From here, we headed to the Temple of Artemis. Ozan explained that these massive temples were constructed to show the insignificance of humans compared to the gods. We marveled at these awe-inspiring ruins, where some of the original pillars still stand tall to this day. 

After a great meal of Turkish meatballs,  we headed to the hotel where many of us enjoyed the hot spring and the indoor pool. Others got some well-deserved rest!  We finished the evening eating together and sharing stories and laughs. 

We are excited for what awaits us tomorrow!