Psidian Antioch -- Examing Challenges of Early Christian's and how the Apostle Paul Addresses Them

by Jason Guerrera

Psidian Antioch, one of sixteen cities named Antioch by Selucid ruler Antiochus, was not so much a rich city as it was a strategic point for armies to garrison and was a city frequently visited by Paul and Barnabas to preach the gospel. Following Selucid control, the city became a large Roman garrison under Augustus, who stationed as many as three thousand soldiers here. The city was a major intersection between Ephesus in the East and Apamea in the West. Additionally, Antioch’s city plan was constructed by Hippodamus of Miletus, who developed a “grid” pattern that can be seen in many American cities today, e.g. New York City. Two major roads, the Decumanus Maximus, which is 320m long and ran from east to west, and the Cardo Maximus, which is 400m long and ran from north to south, serve as the foundation for this grid.   

One of the excavated roads in Psidian Antioch.

Paul and Barnabus visited the city first in 42 A.D., where his first and longest sermon is recorded. Paul’s presence in this region has major significance because, much to the chagrin of the Jewish community, Paul was successful in reaching many of the Gentiles, also known as “God-fearers” or “God-worshippers.” Before being expelled from the city, Paul responds to the Jews who protested his message, “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the God-fearers” (Acts 13:46). This is also significant because it shows that Paul’s message is not just reserved for Jewish people—anyone who accepts the Lord’s message can receive the blessing of eternal life.

The layout of one of the first churches established in Psidian Antioch.

The Augustus temple in Psidian Antioch is by far the most impressive construction in the city. The temple was constructed by Tiberius, and it’s construction is typical of temples dedicated to an emperor: they’re the highest point of the city, demonstrating the importance and significance of the emperor. It’s a two story construction that utilizes doric columns on the bottom and Ionic columns on the top, further showing Roman superiority over other cultures. Aside from its construction, the presence of emperor temples represents an ongoing issue in Roman culture. The temples of the Emperor, like temples dedicated to Greek or Roman gods, are sources of important resources required to live. 

A digital reconstruction of the Augustus Temple in Antioch.

Sacrifices in the temples were one of the only sources of meat in ancient time, but Saint John condemns eating food that’s been sacrificed in the temples as it’s considered tainted meat. Fountains that provide drinking water are also carved to idolize the emperor as a sign that the emperor is the source for water. Likewise, though Romans allow the practice of other religions, all must burn a pinch of incense in the temple of the emperor and declare that Caesar is Lord. Refusing to burn the pinch of incense is seen as a form of treason for not pledging allegiance to Rome. All of these cultural norms present serious challenges to Christians in the first century as not burning the incense and declaring Ceasar is Lord is a major source for Christian persecution. Choosing not to take meat from the temples or water from the fountains leave one without basic needs for survival. This is a non-issue for Jewish people as they’ve been granted an exception from burning the incense. They assist in prosecuting Christians in order to preserve that exemption since they believe that Christianity is a threat to their privileges within Roman society.

What the same Augustus temple looks like today.

          Paul addresses these challenges in several unique ways. Instead of presenting Christianity as something that is going to completely change the way people live, Paul starts small by planting seeds. Instead of banning slavery out right, Paul instead tells people to love others and to treat others the way we want to be treated. These basic premises, when followed to their conclusion, will effectively bring about the same result. By doing it this way, introducing Christianity to Roman culture becomes much easier as it’s not seen as something completely radical. Evidence of Paul’s pragmatism can be found in Acts 11:19-24 when he plants his first church in Antioch in 43 AD. I admire Paul’s strategy in taking on a culture, which at this time is rife with sinful practices. Seeing Antioch in person and the extremely dangerous terrain that had to be traversed by Paul to get here was very humbling because it introduced a new perspective to the dangers and difficulties Paul must have faced during his journeys.

Dr. Ramey teaching about Paul's first missionary journey within the church ruins that some archaeologists think cover the very synagogue in which Paul would have preached in Psidian Antioch