MichaelRinehart.com

June 19-30, 2024

Cathi Bruhn 
David Buco 
Tom Edgar 
Kathy Fediw 
David Hansen 
Megan Hansen 
Rasmus “Chris” Hansen 
Norma Hansen 
Martha McWilliams 
Ernie McWilliams 
Cynthia Mills
Paul Monroe 
Marie Monroe 
James Mushinski
Michael Rinehart
Susan Rinehart 
Joye Roll 
Michael Roll 
Jill Waldrop

Faces

Philippi Archeological Site

Ancient Philippi is a site to behold. There were archeologists and students working tirelessly as we walked around.

The city is smaller than modernize expect, all within a wall for protection.

The Via Egnatia, the Roman road that connected Europe and Asia, goes right through Philippi. It is the main thoroughfare along which Paul certainly walked.

Our guide, who used to work for the Ministry of Culture at an archeological site, said that people imagine the jail where Paula nd Silas were detained was here, in an old cistern, which were sometimes used as jails since they were sealed off.

Inside Philippi are the remains of a 5th century octagonal church, built when Philippi was still a bustling city. The site is covered due to the mosaics and patterned flooring.

Of particular interest is the Theater at Philippi, which dates to 350 BC, during Philip II of Macedon’s reign. 2370 years years old, so not built by the Romans. It was a classical Greek theater, for drama. During the Roman era, this theater was converted for gladiator battles with wild animals. These photos don’t capture the remarkable view of this theater, built into the countryside to be in harmony with the natural environment.

Lydia

Not far from the old city walls of Philippi is a place down by the river, close enough to walk on the Sabbath, where Paul may have met Lydia. We held an Affirmation of Baptism here.

Lydia Chapel

Near the river there is a chapel dedicated to Lydia.

Kavala (Neapolis, Acts 16)

Kavala is the port town where Paul would have landed. Today it is a bustling city. 

The Church of St. Nicolas was a mosque that was turned into a Greek Orthodox Church. Nicolas is the patron saint of sailors, so an apropos choice for a port city.

Thessaloniki

Beroea (Veria/Veroia/Βέροια)

Acts 17:10-15

Paul, Timothy, and Silas went to Veria after leaving Thessalonica in a hurry. Then Paul was sent on to Athens while Timothy and Silas stayed behind. They would meet up again with Paul in Corinth.

In town, there was an area dedicated to the visit of Paul to Veria.

Vergina (Βεργίνα) and Philip’s Grave

Philip II of Macedon chose Vergina as the Capital of the ancient Kingdom of Macedon in the mid-4th century after consulting the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi on the best location. Apollo said, “Follow the goats.”

In the late 1970’s , when I was in high school, the tomb of Philip II of Macedon was discovered. The town of Philippi was named after him. Philip was the father of Alexander the Great. Philip’s wife was buried with him. There is also an elaborate grave for Alexander IV, Alexander the Great’s son, who was killed at the age of 13 (310 BC) to remove him as a potential heir to the throne. These two massive tombs were surrounded by smaller less significant tombs.

The archeological site has been turned into an award-winning museum. Visitors can see the tombs, along with their contents, frescoes, and artifacts with low light to preserve some of the color, in a comfortable, underground, air conditioned housing. The site was incredible.

Philip II and Alexander IV’s tombs were massive mausoleums with armor, vessels, and other belongings.

Below is a replica of what was found inside the tomb and how it was laid out.

Inside were his bones and those of his young wife (see the box below). (He married seven times, often to cement strategic alliances.) There were also several crowns, and many other artifacts. Her crown was 22 carat gold, with leaves so thin, they fluttered when the crown was in motion.

There was much, much more to be seen, but this archeological museum gave us an understanding of the history of Greece leading up to the Christian era.

Meteora

There are six monasteries at Meteora. Monks have been moving to caves to live the solitary life for centuries. Eventually they organized into monasteries.

The views are breathtaking.

Morning in Meteora then off to Delphi…

Delphi

We began at the Delphi Archeological Museum, which helped us understand the layout of the ruins and see some of the artifacts. The massive, expensive structures give you a sense of the power of Greece and later Rome. Empire was driven by religion, which drove war, which drove victory, which led to “peace.” The advice of Apollo delivered through the Delphic Oracle at the Temple of Apollo, was coveted by rulers seeking to know the outcome of immanent wars to everyday people seeking business advice. Religion, government, power, and war were all woven together.

The Charioteer of Delphi is a bronze statue discovered in the Sanctuary at Delphi in 1896. Most bronze statues were melted down for the metal. The Charioteer was saved because it was buried under a rockfall. It dates to the 5th century BC.

Mykonos

Ephesus

Ephesus was once a port city. In time the harbor filled up with silt from the river, and now Ephesus is five miles inland. We docked at Kusadasi, Turkey and wound our way through the marketplace to our bus.

For me, personally, Ephesus was the highlight of the trip thus far. The most complete ruins I have ever seen, with the exception of Machu Picchu.

There are numerous recreations of how the library would have looked. Here are two. The Romans loved color. Many recovered artifacts in antiquity had brightly painted stone.

It is nearly impossible to capture the theater, which holds 24,000 people, more than the Wortham or the Compaq Center in Houston. Today they hold concerts like Sting and Elton John in this theater.

Patmos

From Kusadasi, we sailed through the Mycale Strait between Samos and Turkey.

Rhodes

Rhodes was visited by Paul according to Acts 21:1, and that about all we know. The island is mentioned only once in passing in the New Testament.

There are traditions that Paul landed at Lindos and that he traveled around the islands, but there is no archeological or literary evidence confirming these details. 

Herod the Great visited Rhodes more than once: on his way to Brundisium 40 years before Christ (Ant 14:370-78; War 1.277-81), and after Antony’s defeat at Actium in 31 BC. The emperor confirmed Herod’s rule and honored him by rebuilding the temple of Apollo Pythios on Rhodes.

Beautiful Rhodes

Rhodes is stunningly beautiful. It is surrounded by a high wall which the Knights of St. John (see below) built on top of an older Byzantine wall. You can see where one begins and the other ends. For example, in the next picture if you look carefully, you can see the bigger Byzantine blocks below, and the smaller medieval blocks above.

And then the flowers! Bougainvillea, lantana and things I couldn’t identify.

Our group split up to explore different areas.

One group went to the Philomenos Church, Hellenistic Temple of Apollo, the Palace of the Knights, and other sites beginning at the Acropolis of Rhodes.

Another option was the Acropolis of Lindos, the Doric Temple of Athena, and the Citadel of the Knights.

A third group chose to explore Rhodes on their own.

Colossus of Rhodes 

The Colossus (ὁ Κολοσσὸς Ῥόδιος or Κολοσσός της Ρόδου) was a statue of the Greek sun god Helios on the Greek island in 280 BC. It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 

The Colossus commemorated the island’s victory over Demetrius I of Macedon in 304-303 BC. It depicted the sun god Apollo (Helios) and may have also have served as a lighthouse. The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake in 227-226 BC, and its remains were carried off by Arab raiders 800 years later. According to tradition, it took 1,000 camels to haul the pieces away.

Some believe that the colossus straddled the harbor entry.

Others believe it more likely stood on one side:

Some believe it was located elsewhere or not at all. I believe it did exist. It is well attested in literature, having been built for the sun god Helios in 280 BC. It lasted 55 years, until it was toppled by an earthquake in 225 BC. The oracle of Delphi dissuaded Rhodians from rebuilding it. Its destruction was a sign of Helios’ displeasure.

Contemporary reports claimed it was 70 cubits, or 108 feet high, about the size of the Statue of Liberty. Since it collapsed in 226 BC, it would not have been here when Paul visited.

While there, I visited the site that is marked as a possible location for the colossus. Atop the pillar in the foreground is a deer. Across the water, on the another pillar is another deer, just it the right of my ear. It is fun to image, however improbably, one foot here and one foot there, straddling the entrance to the harbor.

You will see images of the deer Dama-Dama all around Rhodes. This species only exists here on the island. Rhodes was called Elafioussa in the antiquity, which means with a lot of deer. 

The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the World:

• Great Pyramid of Giza (2584-2561 BC)
• Colossus of Rhodes (280 BC)
• Lighthouse of Alexandria (280 BC)
• Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (351 BC)
• Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (550 BC)
• Statue of Zeus at Olympia (435 BC)
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon (600 BC)

The Knights of St. John

The Knights of St. John (a Catholic military order) had their headquarters here 1310-1522, which is plainly visible the architecture and layout of the Old City. The Knights were charged with keeping the Holy Land and protecting Dustin pilgrims. They ruled the island. 

Lindos and the Temple to Athena

We did not get to Lindos, an hour drive from our port, but there one can find the Temple to Athena.

In Lindos a stele is inscribed (the Lindos Chronicle. It is dated that dated 99 BC. It was discovered when someone was attempting to reuse as it as a paving stone in a church below the acropolis of Lindos. It consists of a list of three columns of votives, and three epiphanies of Lindian Athena. There are also mythological figures and kings, including Minos, Herakles, Telephos, Helen of Troy, the city of Cyrene, Kleoboulos, Pharaoh Amasis, and Alexander the Great.

The Temple to Athena is at the Acropolis of Lindos, which was at that time the capital of the island. The Temple itself is dated to the 6th century BC. It was rebuilt in the 4th century, in the Doric style. Alexander the Great offered sacrifices here. 

We found the friendliness and hospitality to be outstanding. after our lunch, Artín at Mare d’estate Cafe offered us a complimentary ouzo. Susan opted for a cherry tea instead.

Crete

Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands, located 100 miles south of the mainland. it was an autonomous state within the Ottoman Empire 1897-1913. Before that, Crete was ruled by Venice.

Crete is the center of the Minoan civilization the oldest European culture. The best visit here is to the Palace of Knossos.

This morning at breakfast we received news that our dog had passed away in the early morning hours (evening in Texas). Susan and I spent the morning dealing with all of that, so missed the Minoan Palace of Knossos. I will post some pictures from the groups.

Mid-morning I strolled up 25th Avgustou Street to the Church of St. Titus and then the Central. Market.

The Koules (Κούλες) Fortress on the Sea

The fortress at the port of Heraklion was built 1510-1523, though the area was fortified by the Arabs 500 years earlier. In the mid-1500’s an older Byzantine tower was demolished and the Venitians build the Castello a Mare. By 1630 it had 40 cannons.

Crete: The Palace of Knossos

Part of our group went to the Palace of Knossos, a ruin from the oldest civilization in Europe: the Minoans.

Santorini

On the way back to Athens the group stopped for a short time at Santorini. Santorini consists of five islands, which form a caldera around an ancient volcano, still active but underwater.

The town that people love to visit is Oia (pronounced “ee-uh”), on the island of Thira, about 30 minutes’ drive from the port. It is undeniably beautiful, but as the most popular Greek island, it is packed with hungry tourists, anxious to do everything and get their iconic photo.

Corinth (Κόρινθος)

The city of Corinth is located on the narrow (4 miles) ithsmus that connects northern and southern Greece. It separated mainland Greece from the Peloponnesians in the south.

The area has been occupied since before 3,000 BC. the first written historical reference is 900 BC. In the 400’s BC, Corinth allied with Sparta to the south against Athens in the north in the Peloponnesian Wars.

In 146 BC, the Romans captured and destroyed Corinth. It was rebuilt as a Roman city in 44 BC. The ruins are sparse but interesting.

Paul arrived in this port city in around 52 AD. Corinth was located on the imperial trade route. The town was known for its Temple and Temple prostitutes plied their trade here, descending the hill from the temple, making this a popular place for sailors. The city was so known for its lewd reputation, the name of the city became a verb: to “Corinthicize” meant to have carnal relations.

Reading

• 1 and 2 Corinthians
• Acts 18:1-19:1

We learn a lot from Paul’s own writing in 1 and 2 Corinthians. Paul was in Corinth 51-52 AD. We know this because there is archeological evidence that Gallio was proconsul in 52, and Luke’s account has Paul brought before Gallio. So, the letters to the church at Corinth were written after that, are perhaps 53 or 54 AD, earlier than I Thessalonians and possibly Galatians. 

The letters themselves indicate that there are other letters. In A Heart for Reconciliation: A Walk through 2 Corinthians, Megan Hansen and I wrote:

2 Corinthians is one of many letters that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, a city in Greece.

1. The Warning Letter: In 1 Corinthians 5:9 says, “I have written you in my letter…” So we know Paul wrote a letter prior to 1 Corinthians. This is sometimes called the “warning letter.”
2. 1 Corinthians: Then we have 1 Corinthians.
3. The Severe Letter. In 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 and 7:8, Paul refers to an earlier “letter of tears.” 1 Corinthians clearly does not match that description; so this “letter of tears” may have been written between 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.
4. 2 Corinthians. Refers to the Severe Letter and mends fences. Reading a letter is like listening to one side of a phone conversation.

The Corinthian correspondence includes quite a few struggles, including a sexual misconduct. Paul addresses severe conflicts in the church, and dissension among some other apostles. The rich are arriving to the assembly early, eating the best food and drinking a bit too much, which the poor arrive later, after work. Paul criticized this practice as out of sync with the egalitarian nature of the body of Christ. Such practices are not the Lord’s Supper. 

These divides must certainly have strained Paul’s understanding of the transforming work of the Spirit, which he believed transformed people into children of God. They probably also deepened his theology of sin. His apostolicity was questioned and as a result, it appears he never returned to Corinth, a church he founded. 

I Corinthians also contains one of the most beloved passages of Scripture, I Corinthians 13, Paul’s treatise on love.

As in Romans 16, where Paul mentions 35 people, in I Corinthians Paul mentions eight: Sosthenes (“our brother”), Chloe (whose people have been reporting to him), Apollos, Cephas (Peter) and Christ (who all have factions named after them), Crispus and Gaius (who Paul claims are the only people he baptized there), and Stephanus (whose household Paul suddenly recalls also having baptized). Paul claims to be writing I Corinthians from Ephesus (16:8). 

Additionally, Paul says in Romans 16:23, “Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.” Paul is sending the Romans greetings from people in Corinth, from where he is writing.

Gaius is attested in an inscription in Delphi, that can be found the archeological museum there. See above. He appears to be housing Paul personally in Corinth, and also allowing the church to meet in his home.

Erastus, Paul says, is the city treasurer. He is mentioned in Acts 19:22 and 2 Timothy 4:20. Erastus is also attested in a large inscription in Corinth. I found and photographed it this week.

This is a donor inscription in a public square near the theater. It says in Latin,

ERASTUS•PRO•AED[I]LIT

S • P • STRAVIT

The S. P. stands for “SUI PECUNIA” which means “his money,” or “his own money.” The third word has pieces missing, so we extrapolate “AEDILIT” which means “he built.”

So, the inscription might read: “Built by Erastus with his own money.” He funded the public square.

Erastus is an uncommon name, so it is highly likely that this is the same Erastus who Paul mentions as city treasurer in Romans 16. If so, I would observe two things.

1. It would make sense for a city treasurer to clarify that he built this with his own money and not out of city funds.

2. Paul was finding converts in the highest offices of city government.

Luke reports (Acts 18), that Paul went to Corinth after his time in Athens. He met Pricilla and Aquila there, Jews that had come from Rome after Claudius expelled the Jews (49 AD?). So we can safely place Paul in Corinth after that time. 

Paul also mentions Pricilla and Aquila in Roman’s 16:3-4 and I Corinthians 16:19, calling them “coworkers in Christ Jesus.” In Romans Paul says they risked their lives for him and that there is a church that meets in their house, so apparently by the time Paul’s letter to the Romans, likely his last letter, was written (late 50’s?), Priscilla and Aquila have left Corinth and are back home in Rome. 

Luke tells us that Priscilla and Aquila were in the same trade: tentmaking. Tents were large, expensive items, made out of leather. Paul and his tradesfolk were taxidermists, a trade that would have been hard to do and remain kosher at the same time. He probably stunk. I

In Corinth you can see the remains of the streets. Off in the back of this photo you can see where the theater was.

Photos from around the ruins

Photos from the Archeological Museum at the Ruins

While there I bumped into some friends leading a three-synod trip.

Finally, the Corinthian Canal

In Paul’s day, ships avoided the long trip around the southern tip of Greece by dragging their ships across the ithsmus on tracks, called the diolkos. In 67 AD, Nero began work on a canal, using Jewish slaves. The work stopped when he died and didn’t begin again until 1881. By the 9th century ships had become too large to drag. Completed in 1893, it cost a bundle and didn’t become the strategic passage it was intended to be. Below is the nearly 4-mile Corinthian Canal. The water is 40 feet deep.

In 1858, Ancient Corinth (Αρχαία Κόρινθος), southwest of the modern city, was totally destroyed by an earthquake. New Corinth was then built to the north-east, on the coast of the Gulf of Corinth. In 1928, another earthquake ruined New Corinth, which was then rebuilt in the same location. In 1933, there was a great fire, and the new city was rebuilt again.

Port of Kechries (Κεχριές, Cenchreae in the Bible)

After Corinth, we did a short drive-by of the excavation of the Port of Kechries (Cenchreae), which was Corinth’s main port. Horne. Romans. Paul cut his hair. Excavating. Port.

Below are some stock photos with more detail. The pillars are from a temple to Isis that later became a basilica.

Athens (Αθήνα)

Sunrise June 29, 2024, last day. A cappuccino on the roof of the hotel at 6 am.

We began our climb to the Acropolis around 7:45 am.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theater

The Ωδείο Ηρώδου του Αττικού was built into the southwestern slope of the Acropolis in 161 BC.

The theater still hosts performances. Frank Sinatra sang here in 1962. Pavarotti, Sting, Yanni. Just this past month, Coldplay recorded their singly”Feels Like I’m Falling in Love” in this theater. Watch a video clip HERE.

And HERE.

Parthenon

What can I say about the Acropolis and the Parthenon? Simply breathtaking. It was a particularly windy morning. We were on top by around 8 am, beating the crowds and the heat.

The Parthenon was constructed in 500 BC, over 2,500 years ago. It was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena.

Sadly, 90% of the carved marble scenes from the top of the Parthenon are in the British museum. Efforts to bring there back here where they belong have not been successful.

Here is some size perspective.

The Erectheion

The Erechtheion is a side temple, also dedicated to Athena. It is called the Erechtheion after the god/king Erechtheus (Poseidon), who some scholars believe was also honored at this temple. This is debated.

In official documents, the temple is called “… το͂ νεὸ το͂ ἐμ πόλει ἐν ο͂ι τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἄγαλμα” (the temple on the Acropolis within which is the ancient statue). The current building is only the most recent of several temples built in that site. It is believed to have been built around 430 BC.

In the 6th century it became a church. At some point in the late Medieval period (1400?) it became the bishops residence.

The Parthenon was a pagan temple for 900 years, then a Christian church for 800 years, then a mosque for 400 years, and now a museum the last 200 years. It became a ruin in 1687 when it was bombarded by the Venetians, trying to oust the Turks, who stored a powder magazine in the Temple. It blew up. In the early 1800’s the Turks gave permission to Thomas Bruce, Lord Elgin to remove many of the sculptures. He sold them to the British Museum. Some other sculptures can be found in the Louvre in Paris, and in Copenhagen.

Athens city life

Athens is a city of 5-6 million people in the wider metropolitan area. About the size of Houston.

Travel Home Day

Final breakfast on the roof of our hotel.

We said goodbye to our beloved coordinator Maria Papadopoulos. She shares a last name with the maker of these cookies, which she gave to us as a parting gift.

Our flight left Athens for Istanbul 69-minute flight) at 10:30 am. Then we began the 13-hour flight from Istanbul to Houston. Oy vey.

In Summary

There is no way to copy into this post all the learnings, surprise, ah-ha moments, scriptures read, warnings, and questions raised during this time. You experience things that cannot be put into words.

This was a good group. Thoughtful, punctual, open. There was no whining or complaining (well, okay, maybe a little) when days were early, long, and tiresome. We walked thousands of steps a day. No one got terribly sick and we returned with the name number (and same people) that we took.

I probably wouldn’t use a cruise ship again. The ferries are just fine. The ship was fun, but crowded. It was hard to communicate with one another as the ship’s cell tower and WiFi were ridiculously expensive.

This was my first time leading a group since our Reformation Trip in 2017, pre-pandemic. Prior to that we had annual trips to Luther/Reformation sites in Germany, Peru, CAR, or the Holy Land. Pastor Giannantonio leads a group to Rome every year. Pastor Don Carlson leads a group to Greece and Turkey every year, In Search of Paul. Pick one and save up the next few years to attend.

Pastor Don Carlson’s itinerary is excellent. He has done this trip many years and knows it well. Many of our leaders have learned volumes. A letter about the next trip can be found at the bottom of this post. You read this far?

Pastor Carlson created a fund to give scholarships to young leaders. They have awarded 44 scholarships to people rostered 10 years or less for a total of $62,754 over ten years; averaging $1426. If you are willing to give to this fund, it needs replenishment. To donate, just need to go to https://leadconnects.org/give/. Make sure you check the “In Search of Paul” scholarship button.