Saturday morning, May 11, 2019
Early this morning, I watched from the top deck as our boat approached the shores of Kursadasi, Turkey.
To one side lay a quaint looking fortress edged by small boats and on the other, a pebble beach with turquoise waters and fancy shops and hotels.
Up until now, all that I knew of Turkey was the name of the country, and that it had been where Pastor Andrew Brunson had served as pastor for
over 20 years and been imprisoned for nearly three on fabricated charges of conspiring to overthrow the government.
After a luscious breakfast (the Greeks have perfected the art of all things creamy and flaky) we joined the hoard of tourists slowly emerging from the ship,
and found our way to the waiting buses. We got onto Bus number 11 with our Turkish guide Mert, who was engaging and knowledgeable,
and shared from his life as well as his extensive knowledge of the land and the ancient history of his beautiful country.
Mert grew up spending equal time with his Jewish and Muslim grandmothers.
His parents lived near Ephesus, and his father used to take tour groups there,
before the area had become the world-wide tourist attraction and pilgrimage site that it is today.
He told us of his years in University, time in compulsory Turkish military service, and about the fact that if he entered his mother’s impeccable house
with shoes still on his feet, he could expect to have to dodge a flying ashtray.
To one side lay a quaint looking fortress edged by small boats and on the other, a pebble beach with turquoise waters and fancy shops and hotels.
Up until now, all that I knew of Turkey was the name of the country, and that it had been where Pastor Andrew Brunson had served as pastor for
over 20 years and been imprisoned for nearly three on fabricated charges of conspiring to overthrow the government.
After a luscious breakfast (the Greeks have perfected the art of all things creamy and flaky) we joined the hoard of tourists slowly emerging from the ship,
and found our way to the waiting buses. We got onto Bus number 11 with our Turkish guide Mert, who was engaging and knowledgeable,
and shared from his life as well as his extensive knowledge of the land and the ancient history of his beautiful country.
Mert grew up spending equal time with his Jewish and Muslim grandmothers.
His parents lived near Ephesus, and his father used to take tour groups there,
before the area had become the world-wide tourist attraction and pilgrimage site that it is today.
He told us of his years in University, time in compulsory Turkish military service, and about the fact that if he entered his mother’s impeccable house
with shoes still on his feet, he could expect to have to dodge a flying ashtray.
Regarding Ephesus, my prior knowledge was only that it was the land to which Paul had written the letter to the Ephesians.
Here’s what I learned, and what it caused me to reflect upon.
Here’s what I learned, and what it caused me to reflect upon.
Ephesus was built as a U shape at the end of U shape gulf, and was a natural port, even though there was no waterfront in sight.
Geographically, Ephesus used to be a port city, near a harbor of the Aegean sea, but in the present day, water is nowhere in sight.
Due to severe deforestation, what used to be the harbor is now a silted valley.
The worship of the goddess Artemis of the Ephesians was a large source of revenue for the city, and they sold silver objects of worship and idolatry,
made of the silver the region was known for. It was a place that the Apostle Paul spent much of his time in the 50s AD.
These industries saw the teachings of the apostle Paul as a direct threat to their revenue, and for good reason.
As Paul preached Christ, and Him crucified, many worshipers turned their allegiance away from Artemis of the Ephesians to the one true God, through Christ Jesus.
This cut into the merchants’ lucrative silver sales and powerful positions. In fact, those who had come to know Christ Jesus as the Messiah had thrown out
and destroyed ancient oracles and idolatrous items of great value, for the sake of the gospel.
Geographically, Ephesus used to be a port city, near a harbor of the Aegean sea, but in the present day, water is nowhere in sight.
Due to severe deforestation, what used to be the harbor is now a silted valley.
The worship of the goddess Artemis of the Ephesians was a large source of revenue for the city, and they sold silver objects of worship and idolatry,
made of the silver the region was known for. It was a place that the Apostle Paul spent much of his time in the 50s AD.
These industries saw the teachings of the apostle Paul as a direct threat to their revenue, and for good reason.
As Paul preached Christ, and Him crucified, many worshipers turned their allegiance away from Artemis of the Ephesians to the one true God, through Christ Jesus.
This cut into the merchants’ lucrative silver sales and powerful positions. In fact, those who had come to know Christ Jesus as the Messiah had thrown out
and destroyed ancient oracles and idolatrous items of great value, for the sake of the gospel.
One thing that struck me during this time, was how Paul and his approach stands in stark contrast to that of the silver makers and priests of Artemis.
Paul’s only aim was that the people come to salvation through Christ, and he was not deterred by the personal cost and severe suffering brought on by his acts of evangelism.
The primary goal of the others was to to exploit and personally profit from the people’s devotion to Artemis and other gods. Also, the significance of the area also hit home when I learned that all of the cities described in Revelation, form a crescent around the Turkish city of Ephesus.
Paul’s only aim was that the people come to salvation through Christ, and he was not deterred by the personal cost and severe suffering brought on by his acts of evangelism.
The primary goal of the others was to to exploit and personally profit from the people’s devotion to Artemis and other gods. Also, the significance of the area also hit home when I learned that all of the cities described in Revelation, form a crescent around the Turkish city of Ephesus.
We saw ruins which our guide called the Temple of Relief: public latrines built during the time of the Emporer Hadrian (117-138),
where there was a version of cleanliness never before seen.
where there was a version of cleanliness never before seen.
The sewage and the drinking water were separated. Hadrian was evidently the first to allow women to use public toilets.
Previously, women would need to squat in pots placed in alleyways or behind bushes.
Indeed, the holes in the marble slab were lined up, placing any occupants shoulder to shoulder and cheek to cheek.
Natural sponges placed upon sticks were wet, used to cleanse bottoms after bowel movements, rinsed, and offered to the next lucky user.
He reminded us that while we were revolted by this reusable sponge, this was far more hygienic than any other practices at the time.
He drew an interesting parallel that re-framed the way I saw the lifting of the sponge on a stick towards Jesus’ mouth on the cross.
Offering Jesus a drink from a sponge on a stick could have been a further act of violation and insult rather than an attempt to extend mercy
and comfort to Jesus on the cross.
My heart was stricken by this thought of such a thing being lifted to Jesus’ lips, pushed into his face.
Whether or not this particular sponge was actually unclean from human waste,
it does affect the way I think of this act towards Christ.
Previously, women would need to squat in pots placed in alleyways or behind bushes.
Indeed, the holes in the marble slab were lined up, placing any occupants shoulder to shoulder and cheek to cheek.
Natural sponges placed upon sticks were wet, used to cleanse bottoms after bowel movements, rinsed, and offered to the next lucky user.
He reminded us that while we were revolted by this reusable sponge, this was far more hygienic than any other practices at the time.
He drew an interesting parallel that re-framed the way I saw the lifting of the sponge on a stick towards Jesus’ mouth on the cross.
Offering Jesus a drink from a sponge on a stick could have been a further act of violation and insult rather than an attempt to extend mercy
and comfort to Jesus on the cross.
My heart was stricken by this thought of such a thing being lifted to Jesus’ lips, pushed into his face.
Whether or not this particular sponge was actually unclean from human waste,
it does affect the way I think of this act towards Christ.
Emporer Hadrian ruled (first part of 2nd century, around 110) following Domitian.
At that time the Roman Empire included the British Isles throughout Mesopotamia, Iraq and Persia.
Cities stood to profit signifiantly from encouraging worship of an Emporer. Here is a picture of the Temple of Hadrian built in Ephesus:
At that time the Roman Empire included the British Isles throughout Mesopotamia, Iraq and Persia.
Cities stood to profit signifiantly from encouraging worship of an Emporer. Here is a picture of the Temple of Hadrian built in Ephesus:
We also saw the remains of a temple to the Emporer Domitian.
When the Apostle John preached against worshipping the emporer, and telling people that Domitian wasn’t God, it is said that
Domitian ordered that John be placed in a caldron and boiled in oil. When John miraculously survived, he was exiled to the island of Patmos,
where he wrote the book of Revelation. We are about to go there now.
Domitian ordered that John be placed in a caldron and boiled in oil. When John miraculously survived, he was exiled to the island of Patmos,
where he wrote the book of Revelation. We are about to go there now.
Next we saw the Great Library of Ephesus with statues representing the virtues of Roman society: wisdom,
virtue, deep thought and expertise.
virtue, deep thought and expertise.
Decapitated sculptures, were often due to the effects of earthquakes, not destroyed by Christians, as was often claimed..
One man had been there 30 years before, and talked about the contrast. More access, less commercialized. Just like Artemis - exploiting religous devotion for financial gain. Enjoying it inspite of the fact
The Turkish salesmen were quite adamant about selling you items on your path back to the tour buses.
We stopped at a Turkish hand-made rug demonstration/sales event, and were shown how they extract up to a mile of silk from
silk worm eggs by boiling them, separating the strands and winding them together. While one thread of silk is stronger than a spider web,
it can be broken with a sharp pull of the hand. However, when united with many other threads,
it is strong enough to be used to cut through marble. This caused me to briefly reflect on the power of the Body of Christ,
and why we need it so, lest we be like someone seeking to weave with a single strand, left vulnerable to being broken.
They rolled out their creations with a flourish as we sipped alcoholic drinks and apple tea.
Much to their chagrin, this didn’t coax any of us into purchasing the lush hand-made rugs.
Considering the hours of skilled-toil poured into each one, the price seemed less astounding
yet still amounted to a year or two of college tution. Which, if we don’t have in the bank for our children who will be graduating,
we certainly don’t have for one of these beauties. But they certainly were gorgeous!
We stopped at a Turkish hand-made rug demonstration/sales event, and were shown how they extract up to a mile of silk from
silk worm eggs by boiling them, separating the strands and winding them together. While one thread of silk is stronger than a spider web,
it can be broken with a sharp pull of the hand. However, when united with many other threads,
it is strong enough to be used to cut through marble. This caused me to briefly reflect on the power of the Body of Christ,
and why we need it so, lest we be like someone seeking to weave with a single strand, left vulnerable to being broken.
They rolled out their creations with a flourish as we sipped alcoholic drinks and apple tea.
Much to their chagrin, this didn’t coax any of us into purchasing the lush hand-made rugs.
Considering the hours of skilled-toil poured into each one, the price seemed less astounding
yet still amounted to a year or two of college tution. Which, if we don’t have in the bank for our children who will be graduating,
we certainly don’t have for one of these beauties. But they certainly were gorgeous!
When asked about his faith, Mert answered that he considers himself a lover of god,
who doesn’t want to limit himself to any one religion, and that he would rather ditch the word religion
all together, and dub it a way of life, instead. He quoted someone equating loving God to eating yogurt.
That while some may prefer honey, others berries, others apricots atop theirs, they were all eating yogurt.
I felt saddened by the emptiness of this trite and insubstantial viewpoint.
who doesn’t want to limit himself to any one religion, and that he would rather ditch the word religion
all together, and dub it a way of life, instead. He quoted someone equating loving God to eating yogurt.
That while some may prefer honey, others berries, others apricots atop theirs, they were all eating yogurt.
I felt saddened by the emptiness of this trite and insubstantial viewpoint.
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