tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post2254897948789233874..comments2024-03-17T10:13:20.234-04:00Comments on Common Denominator: Paul Novel: Galatians 2Ken Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745548537303356655noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-57215374235903521192009-03-16T01:28:00.000-04:002009-03-16T01:28:00.000-04:00Ken,I think you are right to speculate that south ...Ken,<BR/><BR/>I think you are right to speculate that south Galatia was not in the original plan. If it had been in the plan they would have gone overland through the Cilician Gates to south Galatia and then travelled south to Perga and then sailed east to Cyprus. This would have avoided the difficult sea voyages against the prevailing winds from Antioch to Salamis and from Paphos to Perga. Paul always sailed east and walked west.<BR/><BR/>I also agree that the change of plan can help explain why Mark turned back. But I suggest that the change of plan occurred at Perga. If the decision to go to Galatia was made at Paphos, Mark would not have embarked on the difficult and dangerous sea voyage against the prevailing winds to Perga, only to do a 180 degree turn almost immediately and return to Jerusalem. So it seems to me that Perga WAS in the original plan.<BR/><BR/>According to Stephen Mitchell's map there was a good road from Perga to Pisidian Antioch via Comama and Apollonia, and the highest elevation on this route was only about 1500m. I don't think the terrain was what made Mark turn back. I suggest that it was the certainty of persecution in south Galatia. The group suffered no real persecution until they reached Pisidian Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. Furthermore, it was the Jews of the region who required that Timothy be circumcised. They seem to have been very strict, and Mark would surely have known their reputation. Mark would surely have been more concerned about getting flogged or beaten up or stoned than about tired legs on the road.<BR/><BR/>This is confirmed by the fact that Paul and Barnabas had a bitter dispute about whether to take Mark with them on their later expedition. Paul had zero tolerance for those who compromised their convictions to avoid persecution from strict Jews, while Barnabas was more accommodating (see Gal 2:11-14). The sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas of Acts 15:36-40 is therefore explicable if Mark had turned back at the prospect of persecution from Jews in Galatia who were strict on circumcision.<BR/><BR/>What caused the change of plan that took them to south Galatia? In your novel the change of plan is prompted by Paul's missionary success in Cyrpus, but Sergius Paulus is the only conversion that Acts mentions. Also, Cyprus was already part of he Christian network (Acts 11:19), so Paul would surely have known what to expect there. It is therefore less likely that he had unexpected successes there.<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that Paul's physical infirmity of Gal 4:13 provides a better explanation for the change of plan. I suggest that the group had originally planned to head north-west through Asia to Macedonia, and that Paul developed his infirmity in Perga, and that this caused him to choose the physically less demanding option of visiting south Galatia instead.<BR/><BR/>My 'novel' would read: After Peter's escape from prison he found Mark in his family house and Mark helped him escape to Antioch. Paul, Barnabas and Mark planned to preach in Cyprus, Pamphylia, Asia and Macedonia, but Paul developed a health problem in Perga, so he decided to visit south Galatia instead of heading west into Asia. Mark knew that the Jews of south Galatia would object violently to the gospel, so he sailed back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued to south Galatia and were predictably persecuted there. Barnabas refused to Judge Mark for his fear of Jews who were strict on circumcision, just as he refused to condemn Peter in Antioch later. Paul, however, had no tolerance towards the similar behaviors of Mark and Peter. Paul and Barnabas parted company over this issue.Richard Fellowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06777460488456330838noreply@blogger.com