When they arrived, Paul and his fellow missionaries passed through the port of Neapolis and headed straight for Philippi, a city of Macedonias first district and a Roman colony (Acts 16:14 CEB). ~ They providentially met with women who were quasi-Jews: a God-fearer and a Samaritan. I came upon it while doing my own research on what the Bible *really* says about headship. Although the information on her is sketchy, Bible scholars have concluded she was an exceptional person in the ancient world. Paul started a church in Galatia, where the teaching of justification by faith alone was clearly proclaimed and accepted. Still, she thrived in the new city, and because of her new placement, God allowed for her journey to coincide with Pauls. Jesus and Paul did not hesitate to minister to people of both sexes, from all stations of life. I am preaching a lecture on Women in Acts in the fall and so appreciated this well written, well researched, and passionate look at a women in scripture who I consider so influential, yet one so easily glanced over. After Jesus is crucified, his body is buried, a stone is rolled in front of the tomb, and a Roman guard is placed there. She opened her home to Paul and his fellow travelers. The church at Jerusalem began on Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the apostles ( Acts 2 ). Today, many more bishops and scholars, etc, are also acknowledging this. I come from a complementarian background. Also, her name is unknown. Thyatira was addressed by Jesus Christ in the Seven Churches of Revelation. Receiving Paul and Silas into her home after they were released from prison and asked to leave town was brave as some in Philippi were angry with the missionaries (cf. The Greek verb used here, parabiazomai, reflects the Middle-Eastern custom of initially refusing an offer only to have it repeated and accepted on a second or third occasion. Greg Forbes and Scott Harrower, Raised from Obscurity: A Narratival and Theological Study of the Characterization of Women in Luke-Acts (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2015) 187. Most likely from the details given about Lydia, we can come to a few conclusions. Either that happened to Lydia and her family, or she married someone from Philippi or decided to take her trade there for an unknown reason. References to Lydia in the Bible This lead to the conversion of her and her family. Thank you, Aida. In the Book of Revelation, Thyatira is one of the seven churches that is addressed as a center of Christianity. We often talk about how the crowds who followed Jesus were mostly made up of the poor and outcast, the sinners and the ones left out of acceptability. Lydia opens her home. Its a word only used twice in the whole bible. Brown Judaic Studies, 36. When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." It was only the wealthy elite who wore garments dyed purple or trimmed with purple, or had soft furnishings in their homes, such as couch covers, that were purple. But no one of Pauls team is mentioned as staying behind in Philippi at the end of Acts 16. This is unusual as women in Bible times were often identified by their relationship to a man: a father, a husband, an adult son, or even a brother. She was immediately baptized in the river and her household along with her. I have studied Religious Studies at the University level for 3 semesters but learned of Lydia through my lovely wife Judith who adores Lydia. Verse 11 says,"We came with a straight course to Samothracia." We know the Lord opened Lydias heart (Acts 16:14b NIV), and so it is probable the Spirit gave her spiritual gifts and abilities to help her in ministry (cf. She was probably widowed or perhaps divorced. The Craft of Church Planting Discovering Joy in Philippians Pam Farrel 2019-05-14 Share the Joy If difficult days have ever left you discouraged, this interactive 11-week journey will help you engage creatively with God's Word and establish habits that lead to greater joy and peace. Paul wrote some of the most beautiful and important passages in the whole of the Bible, but his works have also been used, among other things, to justify homophobia, slavery and anti-Semitism. She would have been a good person to help organize a church because she knew how to manage people, how to get them to work toward a common goal. Matthew the tax collector was probably well-to-do. She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. So, she is the most likely person to have led and cared for the first congregation at Philippi.[24]. I did a Bachelor of Christian Studies at Robert Menzies College Sydney. What does submission in everything mean. Beers explains the connection between women and meals: "Because women were almost always in charge of the food in their extended family groups, organizing and hosting this meal for the assembly would have provided natural opportunities for women to . [16] There is no mention of a husband or a father in her story. It says, "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God." Large sections of it can still be seen in Philippi today. They inspire me to be a risk-taking leader (appropriate risks, of course.) And Roman soldiers dressed Jesus in a purple robe in order to mock and humiliate him (Mark 15:16-20). [1] Contents God didnt put the Gentiles in a spirit of slumber. Her household may have included family members, servants, and hired laborers. The translation of "God-worshiper . While Paul might have preached a little bit, it seems to imply that this was a conversation. Your email address will not be published. It was neither common nor rare for a woman, usually a widowed or divorced woman, to have control of her own wealth and be a homeowner in New Testament times. Lydia, a successful business woman and homemaker, responded to Paul's gospel message, and her entire household became believers. He says he is "of the tribe of Benjamin.". 3.3 Paul and Friends Meet Lydia of the Bible, a Dealer of Purple Cloth. Lydia made and sold the expensive purple fabric worn only by the wealthy elite. 65581. Lydia's story is told in Acts 16:13-15, 40. It was located on a major commercial and military highway, the second most important one in the Roman Empire. And they ministered in an empowering way. They were not silent in the churches or ineffective in evangelism. She and her household take the first step of obedience and get baptized (Acts 16:15) by Paul. Praise the Lord! I think we may have studied with similar tutors. Chrysostom on 5 Women Leaders in the New Testament. Wishing you well. ch. a Jewish ritual performed when a boy is eight days old. And it changed her life. The Samaritan Woman from Sychar (John 4) And earlier in Acts we are told when John Mark joined Barnabas and Paul (Acts 12:25) and when he left them (Acts 13:13). Lydia had a home large enough to accommodate not only Paul and his companions, but the gatherings of the new church established in Philippi. We can be grateful for the successful businessmen and women like Lydia who have supported the church over the centuries. 1:23-24). There is no mention of Cornelius needing God to open his heart. Finally, Lydia shows us that we also need to show hospitality. First, we can see what thriving in a new culture looks like. Although Lydia only appears in one chapter in Acts 16, we do learn a few really interesting details about her. She and her entire household were baptized, as was the custom in those days. For example, Jesus ministry was sponsored by Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many other Galilean women who accompanied Jesus and ministered to him out of their own, personal resources (Luke 8:2-3). Lydia, Paul's first recorded European convert, was an independent businesswoman of honorable character and godly piety. Stott remarks that "the message was Paul's, the saving initiative was God's (p. 263). Where No One Stands Alone Lisa Marie Presley Duet with Elvis, Bills QB Josh Allen Describes 'Spiritual Awakening' after Hamlin Collapse: 'I Couldn't Deny' It. Whatever her marital status, Lydias home was relatively spacious. The church at Corinth began with Paul at the end of the second missionary journey ( Acts . Samaria. As Paul explained who Jesus was and why he had to die for the sin of the world, Lydia showed a humble, trusting spirit. You can support my work for as little as $3 USD a month. Thank you so much for the information about Lydia. If we are going to create a community of people in our churches like the early church had, we must have the same focus and goal, the Word of God. As for me, I marvel about the degree of granularity, and inspiration of your writing. (Live forever.) [21] Ancient inscriptions survive that show a few women were even called leaders of synagogues. Paul and his team had already spent a few days in the city (probably organising accommodation and work), when, on the Sabbath day, they went outside the city gates in search of a Jewish place of prayer by a river. She left her home country and established her business in Philippi, in a different country, even on a different continent. It seems women are at least very active in this church. Heres my answer. Priscilla and Aquila were also good friends of and ministry partners with Paul (Romans 16:3). Lydia's story shows God works through people by opening their hearts to help them believe the good news. Compare that to the Bible. She was originally from the city of Thyatira, in the Roman province of Asia, across the Aegean Sea from Philippi. When Paul met the couple in Corinth, they were already believers; and . The brother of radio host Rush Limbaugh, he lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, with his wife and children. One of those people was a woman named Lydia. For what its worth, Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, (d. 407), Atto, Bishop of Vercelli, (885-961), and Adolf von Harnack, biblical scholar and historian, (1851-1930), and no doubt others throughout the course of the churchs history, have acknowledged that women were ministers and leaders in the very early church. And that is my contention with Calvinists, too. Or you just dont care about the topic. Gentiles dont need that. Junia, as one example, experienced this first-hand when she was imprisoned (Rom. Furthermore, she seems to have been a spiritually receptive person. Jews who lived outside of Judea and Galilee). Lydia also credited God with her earthly blessings and was quick to share them with Paul and his friends. Lydias name was not an uncommon one, and it may not provide any real insight into her status or identity. Thank you for taking the pain to do this work and may God almighty reward you beyond your widest imagination. The story of Pauls meeting with Lydia near a river reminds me of the story of Jesus taking the unusual journey through Samaria and his meeting with a woman at Jacobs well in Sychar. If Luke was present at the beginning of the mission at Philippi, he appears to be absent when Paul and Silas meet in Lydias home in Acts 16:40 as third-person plural (they) language is used in this verse: After leaving the jail, they came to Lydias house, where they encouraged the brothers and sisters There is no we in this last important meeting that was held immediately before Paul and Silas left Philippi. disgusting, hateful, revolting, disagreeable. 31:22; Est. It is debated whether synagogue ruler was an actual or honorary title in her case; but either way, it indicates she was a woman of influence. And many blessings on your ministry. That was how Lydia listened. (Paul writes of it 16 times in the letter) Perhaps theres a connection. See Richard S. Ascough, Lydia, Pauls Cosmopolitan Hostess (Pauls Social Network: Brothers and Sisters in the Faith) (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2009), 2-3; and especially Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Vol. One of the trade guilds in Thyatira made expensive purple dye, probably from the roots of the madder plant. [3] The word proseuchoccurs in Greek literature and in Greek inscriptions where it refers to a building belonging to, or being used by, the Jews of the Diaspora (i.e. David Limbaugh is a lawyer, nationally syndicated columnist, political commentator, and the author of ten bestsellers, including Jesus on Trial, The Emmaus Code, The True Jesus, and Jesus is Risen.
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