Q4: Describe in chronological order the various events and locations in Paul’s missionary journeys. Why did Paul change the focus of his preaching from the Jews to the Gentiles? What historical evidences are found in the book of Acts that help us give specific dates for Paul’s mission activities? How did Paul use local culture to relate the gospel to his audience? How can Christians today learn from Paul’s example?
Describe in chronological order the various events and locations in Paul’s missionary journeys.
First Missionary Journey AD 46-48:
1. Saul and Barnabas chosen by the Holy Spirit in Antioch after prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2-3 KJV)[1]
2. Sailed to Cyprus and preached from Salamis to Paphos in the Jewish Synagogues. Acts 13: 4-12
3. Arrived in Perga in Pamphylia. John departed to Jerusalem. Acts 13:14
4. Departed Perga and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia. Preached to the Jews (Men of Israel) in the synagogues. Acts 13:16 After Jews left, the Gentiles wanted Paul to preach to them the next Sabbath. Jews started contradicting and blaspheming what Paul had been preaching. Acts 13:42,45
5. Arrived in Iconium, preached to Jews and Gentiles. Persecuted by the Jews, pushed out of the city. Acts 14:6
6. Arrived in Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lyconia. Acts 14:6
7. Returned to Derbe Acts 14:20
8. Returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia. Acts 14:21
9. Returned through Pamphylia. Preached in Perga and went down to Attalia. Acts 14:25
10. Sailed back to Antioch
Interlude between First and Second Missionary Journey: Paul and Barnabas travel to Jerusalem to settle some doctrine issues with James, Peter, and the church at Jerusalem. The council discussed doctrinal practices allowing Gentiles into the fellowship of believers.
Second Missionary Journey AD 49-52:
1. Paul and Silas travel through Tarsus into Derbe. There they met Timothy and he was circumcised because Timothy’s father was Greek. The Jews would respect him more. Acts 16:1
2. Traveled throughout cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia and into the region of Galatia. Forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach in this region, they headed to Macedonia. Acts 16:6
3. Bithynia: Started to preach but Holy Spirit forbid them. Acts 16:7
4. Troas: Had a vision of a man from Macedonia pleading him to help him in Macedonia. Acts 16: 9
5. Samathracia and Neapolis: Acts 16:11
6. Philippi: Chief city in Macedonia. Act 16:12 Lydia from Thyatira, was converted and asked Paul and Silas to stay in her home. Acts 16:13-14 Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned for casting out a demon from a female soothsayer, who made a lot of money for her masters. Acts 16:16-24 Paul and Silas prayed and sang until an earthquake shook the jail and freed the men. The jailer wanted to kill himself because of his failure to keep them constrained. Paul and Silas lead him and his whole house into salvation. Acts 16:25-40
7. Traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia into Thessalonica. Acts 17:1
8. Berea: Bereans were more noble because they listened to the OT preached and verified it with their own study. Acts 17:11
9. Athens: Paul’s Mars Hill sermon. Acts 17:22
10. Corinth: Established a fellowship with Priscilla and Aquila, fellow tentmakers. Stayed a year and 6 months. Acts 18:2,11
11. Paul sailed for Antioch of Syria, stopped in Ephesus and left Priscilla and Aquila there. Acts 18:19
12. Caesarea: Shaved his head because of a vow. Acts 18:18
13. Jerusalem: A feast Acts 18:21
14. Antioch in Syria
Third Missionary Journey AD 53-57:
1. Syria Antioch: Acts 18:22
2. Galatia and Phrygia (Derbe, Lystra, Iconium: Strengthening all the disciples Acts 18:23
3. Ephesus: Converts were baptized in the name of the Lord: laid hands on them and received the Holy Spirit, with signs of tongues. Acts 19:6 Casted out evil spirits with handkerchiefs. Acts 19:12
4. Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica): Passed through Macedonia. Acts 20:2
5. Greece (Athens, Corinth): Jews plotted and laid in wait for Paul. Acts 20:3
6. Macedonia (Troas): Tarried in Troas, preached a man to sleep fell from a window and died. Paul revives him. Acts 20:10
7. Miletus: Passing through. Acts 20:15
8. Tyre: Through Tyre. Acts 22:4
9. Caesarea: Stayed with Philip and received a prophecy from Agabus. Acts 21:10
10. Jerusalem: Paul arrested in Jerusalem after his testimony of Gentile ministry. Acts 21:27
11. Caesarea: Paul defends himself before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa (Lea p.305)[2] . Acts ch.22,23
Why did Paul change the focus of his preaching from the Jews to the Gentiles? Paul’I s focus in preaching changed because it had to; he was called to preach to the Gentiles in Acts 9. Paul’s knew the Jewish religion, culture, traditions, the Law, and Judaism. It was inevitable that he was going to have an audience of Jews that didn’t accept Christ and were still following the Law of Moses, so persecution was a given. Paul’s finally realized after persecutions, hardships, and the leading of the Holy Spirit that he was called to reach the Gentiles. I think this goes for anyone that God calls to the ministry. We have our comfortable place, so we think, but God has called us to a place where he is going to equip us. If we try and minister outside that equipping, the fruit of our labor is not there. Paul produced fruit in the Gentile communities. It was God’s calling for him, as well the writing of the New Testament, which directly involved Gentile audiences.
What historical evidences are found in the book of Acts that help us give specific dates for Paul’s mission activities? Luke gives us other historical evidence that is mentioned in outside historical literature. In the book of Acts, Luke mentions the death of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:19-23), of a serious famine in the middle 40s (11:27-30), of the edict of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome (18:2), of the replacement of the Judean procurator Felix with Festus (24:27), and of an Egyptian terrorist active in the middle 50s (21:38) are all confirmed in secular historical sources (Carson p. 319).[3]
How did Paul use local culture to relate the gospel to his audience? Paul used local culture to promote the gospel to his audiences by relating to them on a level that they were educated on. He called on their personal beliefs. A great example of this is in Acts 16-34, when he ministered at Mars Hill in Athens. He referred them to one of their statues that are inscribed “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” He called out to them that they worshiped ignorantly, to a God that they didn’t know. Then Paul began to outline their beliefs and how that the God that created everything that they see doesn’t live in temples, but was raised from the dead. This statement of course pointed them to Jesus because the heard of the story of Jesus and his acclaims of rising from the dead. Paul used their beliefs, their environment, and their morals as the starting point to introduce the Gospel.
How can Christians today learn from Paul’s example? As Christians today we need realize God’s calling, embrace it, and walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. As Paul did we also need to disciple other while carrying out our ministry so we can leave others to work in the ministry when we care not present, much like Timothy. We also need to persevere despite our circumstance: whether it be persecution, financial calamity, physical ailment, or social discrimination.
References:
Carson, D. A., and Douglas Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd Ed. Zondervan Publishing, 2009.
KJV Life in the Spirit Study Bible. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan: Life Publishers International,
1992.
Lea, Thomas D., and David Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message. Nashville:
Broadman & Holman, 2003.
[1] Unless otherwise noted all scriptural references in this paper are taken from the KJV. KJV Life in the Spirit Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan: Life Publishers International, 1992.
[2] Lea, Thomas D., and David Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2003. p. 305.
[3] Carson, D. A., and Douglas Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. Zondervan Publishing, 2009. p. 319.
