Day 08 - Corinth, Acropolis, Mars Hill

As our journey through the lands of the New Testament draws to a close, we spent our final full day walking the streets of two of the most iconic cities in the ancient world—Corinth and Athens. Both cities hold deep connections to the apostle Paul and to the earliest expressions of Christian faith in a complex and pluralistic world. Each offered us not only archaeological marvels but also theological and pastoral insights that still speak powerfully today.

In Corinth, we traced the footsteps of Paul among ruins that whisper of the challenges and opportunities he faced in writing to the young Christian community there. We stood near the bema where Paul was brought before Gallio (Acts 18), and we wandered through the marketplace and the temple districts where daily life collided with religious ritual and Roman imperial ideology.

One of the most profound realizations was how closely Paul’s metaphors and instructions in his letters to the Corinthians were tied to what was physically present in the city. We reflected on his “body of Christ” analogy—spoken to a city known for its votive body-part offerings, where individuals would dedicate sculpted limbs or organs to local deities in hopes of healing. What would it have meant for a Corinthian believer to hear Paul speak of a unified body called to love and serve one another?

We also stood beneath the looming presence of the Acrocorinth, where the famed temple of Aphrodite once crowned the city. In a place known for its glorification of eros and power, Paul’s exhortation that “love is patient, love is kind… it is not proud” (1 Cor. 13) takes on radical depth. In a culture that commodified bodies and relationships, Paul’s redefinition of love in terms of self-giving rather than self-gratification becomes both a rebuke and a revolution.

From there we journeyed to Athens, and the Acropolis did not disappoint. The Parthenon stands as a testament to human ingenuity, symmetry, and the longing for transcendence. Yet just below that temple to Athena lies a smaller rise—Mars Hill—where we gathered to read Paul’s speech to the Areopagus (Acts 17).

Standing on Mars Hill, we reflected on his strategy: he begins with connection, quoting their poets and acknowledging their altar “to an unknown god.” He builds a bridge of shared longing before revealing the One who has now been made known—the Risen Christ. Paul’s approach challenges us to consider: in our own culture of many altars to idols of self, how might we speak with similar grace and boldness? How can we begin with what people already feel and know, and guide them toward the truth of Jesus?

Now we set our sights on our final destination: Istanbul, the city that bridges East and West, ancient and modern. From there, we will make our journey home, filled with memories, new insights, and the bonds of shared discovery.

Please join us in praying for safe travel for our entire group as we conclude this unforgettable pilgrimage. May the stories we’ve walked through now take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives.

Until next time—grace and peace from the road.