Thursday, May 03, 2007

Paul 1.2

We would spend the night with some brothers in Seleucia, the port village of Antioch, and then go up to Antioch the next day. The assembly of Seleucia met in the home of a wealthy widow by the name of Julia. Her servants were excited to see us at the door. It had been well over a year now since we had left for Cyprus. Barnabas and I reclined at table with her over bread and wine until well into the night at midnight. We told her and her eldest son of God's work in Galatia and the other regions we had visited.

They rejoiced with us that the Gentiles were believing on Christ. But they also told us that some in Jerusalem had questions about the turn our mission had taken. Mark had returned to Jerusalem and expressed some questions about some of the things I was teaching. He seemed to think that I had not let Barnabas take the lead as much as I should have.

The next morning we set out at dawn for Antioch, and by mid-day we arrived at the home of Manaen. He was delighted to see us and immediately sent word to the elders of the city to meet at his house to break bread that evening, even though it was only the fifth day of the week. Manean's family had been Essene in Jerusalem, and he had grown up with Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist. His grandfather had predicted Herod's father's rise to power, and his family had been rewarded accordingly.

But he had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. After Stephen was killed, he had moved to Antioch. The largest assembly in the city met in his house.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying the novel so far!
I think this storytelling approach would make a complement magnifique to a bible study as it warms up the way we visualize the events quite a bit more than what most readers of the Bible are used to when they haven't the education on all the background happenings.

Reminds me a bit of the Bishop books, "The day Christ Died" and so on.

Glenn Knepp said...

Were you aware that Johnny Cash wrote a "Paul novel" titled THE MAN IN WHITE (written by the man in black ha ha).

I have it. If you want to borrow it just let me know.

Ken Schenck said...

I'm sure it would look really choppy if you spliced these three paragraph vinettes together, but hey, it's a blog.

Hadn't heard of Johnny Cash's thing... sure mine will be different ;-)

Keith Drury said...

Hey Paul, I’m glad you are blogging now… I have a few questions on the journal fragment they must have recently found.
1. Were the “brothers” in Seleucia Christian brothers from the Christian Diaspora? How’d you find them?
2. Is this fragment of your journal from the return from what they now call the “First” missionary journey?
3. Did you are Barnabas drink new wine or low-alcohol wine (just kidding on that one)
4. So is the “Galatia” in your journal THE Galatia –the place you will write Galatians to? Did you visit there on the so-called “first” journey? Or is this a fragment from a later journey?
5. Yeah I always suspected that Mark did you dirty and squealed to the Headquarters bigwigs telling them about your free-wheeling free-grace teaching. Sore loser. If you had let his uncle Barney keep thinking he was the leader he’d have stayed on board and carried your suitcases… now you’ll need to find another young man to go along and do this now—they have a bright young fellow up at Lystra I hear.
6. I was wondering if the Manaen guy in Antioch still attends the (Jewish) synagogue and also the (Christian) assembly? How many assemblies did they have in Antioch at this time Paul?

Ken Schenck said...

Answering in character...

1. Were the “brothers” in Seleucia Christian brothers from the Christian Diaspora? How’d you find them?

The church at Antioch was founded by Greek-speaking Christian Jews who scattered from Judea after Stephen was stoned (Acts 11:19). At that time they spoke only to other Jews, particularly Greek-speaking Jews. Then the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas up to them who instructed them in AD 45-46 (19:22-23). Then he went up to Tarsus and got me around 46 (19:25-26).

2. Is this fragment of your journal from the return from what they now call the “First” missionary journey?

Yes, on the return of what you all call the first missionary journey.

3. Did you are Barnabas drink new wine or low-alcohol wine (just kidding on that one)

It was pretty dilute compared to what they sell at your stores ;-)

4. So is the “Galatia” in your journal THE Galatia –the place you will write Galatians to? Did you visit there on the so-called “first” journey? Or is this a fragment from a later journey?

They tell me this is an evangelical novel, so yes, this is THE Galatia I will soon write my first letter to ;-)

5. Yeah I always suspected that Mark did you dirty and squealed to the Headquarters bigwigs telling them about your free-wheeling free-grace teaching. Sore loser. If you had let his uncle Barney keep thinking he was the leader he’d have stayed on board and carried your suitcases… now you’ll need to find another young man to go along and do this now—they have a bright young fellow up at Lystra I hear.

Name begin with a T?

6. I was wondering if the Manaen guy in Antioch still attends the (Jewish) synagogue and also the (Christian) assembly? How many assemblies did they have in Antioch at this time Paul?

A few of the synagogues in Antioch went Christian as a whole, especially the smaller ones that met in houses already. Others started new synagogues in the homes of believers. But there were only a couple hundred believers total in the city--big by our standards, small by yours.