Page 142 - Advanced Biblical Backgrounds Student Textbook

Governments:

Cypress:
172 The Island of Cypress has changed hands many times during its
history. It was once ruled by its own king. The Ptolemies came to
possess it but gave it to Rome later. It was later under their
control again and eventually came under Roman rule again in
22BC. It remained under Rome during the time of Paul’s first
missionary journey in 45AD. The name of the Proconsul of the
time was Sergius Paulus. He is named in Acts 13:6-12 and in
archeological evidence. The stone below was found bearing his
name and is from the correct period and location. He was
converted when Paul blinded the sorcerer by the power of God. Raphael created the gorgeous painting
to the right to depict Paul standing before the Proconsul. 173 Sergius, if it is the same one from the other
inscriptions found was a very influential Roman leader. He oversaw the region as well as the water flow
and usage. His conversion marks the first time in history that an area was
under Christian rule. It was in Cyprus that Saul is first called Paul in Acts. 174
Some scholars have pointed out that Paul did not change his name. Paul was
his Roman or Hellenistic name whereas Saul was his Jewish name. This may
have been common in the Hellenistic world. “Simon Bar Jesus” the Sorcerer
was a Jewish name; he also had a Greek name “Elymas”. 175

Asia Minor:

Many of the major cities in Asia Minor were controlled
by Rome directly. There were also “free” cities, but they
still were obligated to please Rome. A free city
governed itself, a gift from the emperor, but still was
obligated to obey the emperor. When the mob came
after Paul in Acts 19 the city official warned them “For
we are really in danger of being charged with sedition
over today’s affair, no single cause existing that will
permit us to render a reason for this disorderly mob
(verse 40).” Rome had conquered some cities, others
had been willed to them on the death of the king, and
others had helped in the Roman conquests and were
given special privileges of freedom as a result. Asia
Minor had multiple regions in it that are mentioned in
Scripture. As a result, it is good to be familiar with the regions, their major cities, and how they factor

172 https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2019/11/15/sergius-paulus-an-archaeological-biography/
173 Raphael. “Paul Before the Proconsul” https://www.wga.hu/frames-
e.html?/html/r/raphael/6tapestr/7stpaul.html
174 N.T. Wright and Michael F Bird, The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and
Theology of the First Christians (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 636.
175 Craig Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the New Testament (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishers, 2016), 271.

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