Apostle Paul

To the Christians at Rome, City-State, Italy

62 AD

ROMANS 1:1-7 ~ Greetings from Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. God called me to be an apostle [& prophet]  I was chosen to tell God’s Good News to all people. God promised long ago to give this Good News to his people. God used his prophets to promise this. That promise is written in the Holy Scriptures. ….And I do this work for Christ. And you people in Rome were also called to belong to Jesus Christ. This letter is to all of you in Rome that God has called to be his holy people. You are people that God loves. = رومية الفصل 1

 

1  بُولُسُ عَبْدٌ لِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ الْمَدْعُوُّ رَسُولاً الْمُفْرَزُ لإِنْجِيلِ اللهِ
2  الَّذِي سَبَقَ فَوَعَدَ بِهِ بِأَنْبِيَائِهِ فِي الْكُتُبِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ
3  عَنِ ابْنِهِ. الَّذِي صَارَ مِنْ نَسْلِ دَاوُدَ مِنْ جِهَةِ الْجَسَدِ
4  وَتَعَيَّنَ ابْنَ اللهِ بِقُوَّةٍ مِنْ جِهَةِ رُوحِ الْقَدَاسَةِ بِالْقِيَامَةِ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ: يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ رَبِّنَا.
5  الَّذِي بِهِ لأَجْلِ اسْمِهِ قَبِلْنَا نِعْمَةً وَرِسَالَةً لإِطَاعَةِ الإِيمَانِ فِي جَمِيعِ الأُمَمِ
6  الَّذِينَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْتُمْ أَيْضاً مَدْعُوُّو يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.
7  إِلَى جَمِيعِ الْمَوْجُودِينَ فِي رُومِيَةَ أَحِبَّاءَ اللهِ مَدْعُوِّينَ قِدِّيسِينَ: نِعْمَةٌ لَكُمْ وَسَلاَمٌ مِنَ اللهِ أَبِينَا وَالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.

The patron goddess of the city of Rome and eventually the Roman empire was Roma.  Romans were anxious to please everyone’s god and had a pantheon of over 500 (see the section before this on ACTS OF THE APOSTLES).  However, they insisted that Roma be worshiped.  Each of the Caesars beginning with Julius either allowed or insisted temples be built in their honor and to be considered gods to be worshipped. Eventually, war heroes were declared gods, but had to have the approval of the senate.  (There is a tradition that Pilate wrote the senate to have Jesus declared a god.)

Roma-CapitolPlaza

Goddess Roma in Capitol Plaza, Rome

ROMANS 13:1-3 ~ All of you must obey the government rulers. Every person who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all the people that rule now were given that power by God. So the person that is against the government is really against something God has commanded. People that are against the government cause themselves to be punished. People that do right don’t have to fear the rulers. But those people that do wrong must fear the rulers. Do you want to be free from fearing the rulers? Then
you should do right. If you do right, then the 
rulers will praise you. = رومية الفصل 13

1  لِتَخْضَعْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لِلسَّلاَطِين الْفَائِقَةِ لأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ سُلْطَانٌ إِلاَّ مِنَ اللهِ وَالسَّلاَطِينُ الْكَائِنَةُ هِيَ مُرَتَّبَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ
2  حَتَّى إِنَّ مَنْ يُقَاوِمُ السُّلْطَانَ يُقَاوِمُ تَرْتِيبَ اللهِ وَالْمُقَاوِمُونَ سَيَأْخُذُونَ لأَنْفُسِهِمْ دَيْنُونَةً.
3  فَإِنَّ الْحُكَّامَ لَيْسُوا خَوْفاً لِلأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ بَلْ لِلشِّرِّيرَةِ. أَفَتُرِيدُ أَنْ لاَ تَخَافَ السُّلْطَانَ؟ افْعَلِ الصَّلاَحَ فَيَكُونَ لَكَ مَدْحٌ مِنْهُ

 The Apostle/Prophet Paul wrote to the church at Rome about 62 AD.  Nero was Caesar (54 – 68 AD).  He became the emperor of the Roman Empire at age 17 after his mother allegedly poisoned the food of Claudius Caesar (so stated by Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, and numerous other Roman historians). He began as a good ruler, giving alms, arresting corrupt magistrates, reducing the taxes of the poor, etc.

 

Nero-BoyEmperor-CapitolMuseum

Nero, Boy Emperor at Capitol Museum, Rome

But power often corrupts.  As time went by, he murdered his threatening older brother and his domineering mother. In 62 AD, the year Paul wrote to the church in Rome, Nero murdered his wife (calling it suicide).  He also executed numerous people believed to be in a plot against him.  

According to Suetonius, Nero “showed neither discrimination nor moderation in putting to death whomsoever he pleased” during this period. (The Lives of the Twelve Caesars:  Nero).
Nero&Mother at Hunterian Museum.jpg

Nero and Mother at the Hunterian Museum

Nero had great building projects.  Two years after writing this letter, much of Rome burned.  Roman historians Suetonius and Cassius Dio wrote that Nero did this so he could build grand structures in the burned-out areas, but blamed the Christians.  Although he paid for rescue efforts of victims and built new homes, he used much of the burned-out area to build a palace complex with lush gardens.  A few years later, Nero built the famous Colosseum where many Christians were killed.  But persecution of Christians became rampant in 64 AD, so was apparently tolerated decades before the Colosseum was built.
Neri

Bust of Nero at Capitol Museum, Rome

Roman historian Tacitus wrote this about Nero and the Christians who refused to fight and retaliate:

Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians [or Chrestians] by the populace.

Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus….

But even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.expired. (Tacitus Annals XIV 15)

To the Christians at Corinth, City State, Province of Achaea, Greece

AD 57

 

I CORINTHIANS 1:1-2; II CORINTHIANS 1:1 ~ Greetings from Paul. I was called (chosen) to be an apostle [& prophet] of Christ Jesus. I was called because that is what God wanted….To the church of God in Corinth, to those people that have been made holy in Christ Jesus. You were called to be God’s holy people. You were called with all the people everywhere that trust in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours….Paul, an apostle [& prophet] of Christ Jesus by the will of God…to the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia [southern Greece]. = كورنثوس الفصل 1 – كورنثوس الفصل 1

1  بُولُسُ الْمَدْعُوُّ رَسُولاً لِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ بِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ وَسُوسْتَانِيسُ الأَخُ
2  إِلَى كَنِيسَةِ اللهِ الَّتِي فِي كُورِنْثُوسَ الْمُقَدَّسِينَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ الْمَدْعُوِّينَ قِدِّيسِينَ مَعَ جَمِيعِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ بِاسْمِ رَبِّنَا يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ لَهُمْ وَلَنَا.

1  بُولُسُ، رَسُولُ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ بِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ، وَتِيمُوثَاوُسُ الأَخُ، إِلَى كَنِيسَةِ اللهِ الَّتِي فِي كُورِنْثُوسَ، مَعَ الْقِدِّيسِينَ أَجْمَعِينَ الَّذِينَ فِي جَمِيعِ أَخَائِيَةَ.

 

Corinth-Pirene Fountain

Pirene Fountain, Corinth, Achaia/Greece

Corinth was an inland seaport and “navy town”.  Historically, during the day it swarmed with peddlers, foreign traders, sailors, soldiers, athletes in training, idlers and parasites of every kind.  It was known as a wild city at night, full of brawls, lewd songs and drunken revelry. Corinth was the major seaport city of southern Greece with three harbors.  A little later a ship CANAL was built here to allow ships a shortcut from the Aegean Sea to the other side of Greece on the Adriatic Sea. It was second in importance only to Athens. Home of one of the Seven Wisemen of Greece.
Corinth-canal

Canal Aegean to Ionian Sea later put in at Corinth

 

I CORINTHIANS 8:1, 4-7, 10-13 ~ Now {I will write} about meat that is sacrificed to idols….We know that an idol is really nothing in the world. And we know that there is only one God. It’s really not important if there are things called gods, in heaven or on earth. (And there are many {things that people call} “gods” and “lords.”) But for us there is only one God. He is our Father. All things came from him and we live for him. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. All things were made through Jesus, and we also
have life through him. But not all people know this. Some people have [formerly] had the habit of worshiping 
idols until now [having converted to Christianity]. So now when those people eat meat, they still feel like it belongs to an idol. They are not sure that it is right to eat this meat. So when they eat it, they feel guilty…. = كورنثوس الفصل 8

1  وَأَمَّا مِنْ جِهَةِ مَا ذُبِحَ لِلأَوْثَانِ فَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لِجَمِيعِنَا عِلْماً. الْعِلْمُ يَنْفُخُ وَلَكِنَّ الْمَحَبَّةَ تَبْنِي.

4  فَمِنْ جِهَةِ أَكْلِ مَا ذُبِحَ لِلأَوْثَانِ نَعْلَمُ أَنْ لَيْسَ وَثَنٌ فِي الْعَالَمِ وَأَنْ لَيْسَ إِلَهٌ آخَرُ إِلاَّ وَاحِداً.
5  لأَنَّهُ وَإِنْ وُجِدَ مَا يُسَمَّى آلِهَةً سِوَاءٌ كَانَ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَوْ عَلَى الأَرْضِ كَمَا يُوجَدُ آلِهَةٌ كَثِيرُونَ وَأَرْبَابٌ كَثِيرُونَ.
6  لَكِنْ لَنَا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ: الآبُ الَّذِي مِنْهُ جَمِيعُ الأَشْيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ. وَرَبٌّ وَاحِدٌ: يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ الَّذِي بِهِ جَمِيعُ الأَشْيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ بِهِ.
7  وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ الْعِلْمُ فِي الْجَمِيعِ. بَلْ أُنَاسٌ بِالضَّمِيرِ نَحْوَ الْوَثَنِ إِلَى الآنَ يَأْكُلُونَ كَأَنَّهُ مِمَّا ذُبِحَ لِوَثَنٍ. فَضَمِيرُهُمْ إِذْ هُوَ ضَعِيفٌ يَتَنَجَّسُ.

 

Corinth-Poseidon-AthensArchMuseum

Poseidon, god of the sea, at Athens Archaeology Museum

You understand that it’s all right to eat anything, so you can eat in an idol’s temple.  But a person who has doubts might see you eating there, and this might encourage them to eat meat sacrificed to idols too. But they really think it is wrong. So this weak brother or sister is ruined because of your better understanding. And Christ died for this person.  So if the food I eat makes another believer fall into sin, then I will never eat meat again. I will stop eating meat, so that I will not make my brother or sister sin. 

10  لأَنَّهُ إِنْ رَآكَ أَحَدٌ يَا مَنْ لَهُ عِلْمٌ مُتَّكِئاً فِي هَيْكَلِ وَثَنٍ أَفَلاَ يَتَقَوَّى ضَمِيرُهُ إِذْ هُوَ ضَعِيفٌ حَتَّى يَأْكُلَ مَا ذُبِحَ لِلأَوْثَانِ؟
11  فَيَهْلِكَ بِسَبَبِ عِلْمِكَ الأَخُ الضَّعِيفُ الَّذِي مَاتَ الْمَسِيحُ مِنْ أَجْلِهِ.
12  وَهَكَذَا إِذْ تُخْطِئُونَ إِلَى الإِخْوَةِ وَتَجْرَحُونَ ضَمِيرَهُمُ الضَّعِيفَ تُخْطِئُونَ إِلَى الْمَسِيحِ.
13  لِذَلِكَ إِنْ كَانَ طَعَامٌ يُعْثِرُ أَخِي فَلَنْ آكُلَ لَحْماً إِلَى الأَبَدِ لِئَلاَّ أُعْثِرَ أَخِي.

The main god of Corinth was Poseidon who provided calm seas.  sailors prayed to Poseidon for a safe voyage, sometimes drowning horses as a sacrifice. The Isthmean Olympic Games were first organized by the founder of Corinth and its first king in honor of Poseidon.  Participants were naked.  Married women were not allowed to attend.  Sacrifices to Poseidon were made either at sea or as part of the Olympic Games.  Poseidon was also associated with Dionysus, the god if wine and vegetation, parties and pleasure.  Rams were sacrificed to Dionysus (Virg. Georg. ii. 380, 395; Ov. Fast. i. 357.) Aphrodite was claimed to be the wife of Dionysus.

 

Corinth-templeToAphrodite

Temple to Aphrodite at Corinth

 “Among the honors paid her [Aphrodite] by the Hermionians is this custom: maidens, and widows about to remarry, all sacrifice to her before wedding.”  (Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 34. 11)

“Kypris [Aphrodite], the goddess of desire, had done her sweet work in their hearts [and mated the visiting Argonauts with the widowed women ]. . . . The whole city was alive with dance and banquet. The scent of burnt-offerings filled the air; and of all the immortals, it was … Kypris [Aphrodite] herself whom their songs and sacrifices were designed to please.”  (Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1. 850 ff (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.)

“Apollonios [pagan prophet C1st A.D.] asked: ‘Do you sacrifice to Aphrodite, my boy?’ And Timasion answered: ‘yes, by Zeus, every day; for I consider that this goddess has great influence in human and divine affairs.’”  (Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 6. 3 (trans. Conybeare) (Greek biography C1st to 2nd A.D.)

To the Christians in the Province of Galatia, Anatolia

47 AD

GALATIANS 1:1-2; 3:1 ~ Greetings from Paul, an apostle. I was chosen to be an apostle, but not by any group of people. My authority did not come from other people. No! It was Jesus Christ and God the Father who made me an apostle….To the churches (groups of believers) in Galatia….You people in Galatia were told very clearly about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. = غلاطية الفصل 1 – غلاطية الفصل 3

1  بُولُسُ، رَسُولٌ لاَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلاَ بِإِنْسَانٍ، بَلْ بِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ وَاللهِ الآبِ الَّذِي أَقَامَهُ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ،
2  وَجَمِيعُ الإِخْوَةِ الَّذِينَ مَعِي، إِلَى كَنَائِسِ غَلاَطِيَّةَ.

1  أَيُّهَا الْغَلاَطِيُّونَ الأَغْبِيَاءُ، مَنْ رَقَاكُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تُذْعِنُوا لِلْحَقِّ؟ أَنْتُمُ الَّذِينَ أَمَامَ عُيُونِكُمْ قَدْ رُسِمَ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ بَيْنَكُمْ مَصْلُوباً!

Galatia was a large province in central Anatolia (today’s Turkey) extending at one time from the Black Sea on the north to the Mediterranean Sea on the south.  It was made up of a mixture of natives of the area and Celtic Gauls who invaded the area from the north three centuries before this letter was written.  It was usually ruled by the aristocratic warriors with the native farmers in their control. Its capital city was always Ancyra, called Ankara today.  Another important city was Pessinos (Balhisor today).  The cities of Iconium, Lystra and Derbe were visited by Paul as noted in our previous section on

ACTS OF JESUS’ APOSTLES.  Ancyra was famous for its temple to Augustus Caesar and Roma.  At the time this inspired letter was written to the Christians in Galatia, its capital city had about 200,000 people.

 

Galatia-TempleOfAugustus&Roma-Ankara

Temple of Augustus & Roma with all his feats listed on the side wall.  At Ankara, Turkey

GALATIANS 1:8 ~ We told you the true Good News message. So if anyone tells you a different message, they should be condemned—even if it’s one of us or even an angel from heaven! = غلاطية الفصل 1

8  وَلَكِنْ إِنْ بَشَّرْنَاكُمْ نَحْنُ أَوْ مَلاَكٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِغَيْرِ مَا بَشَّرْنَاكُمْ، فَلْيَكُنْ «أَنَاثِيمَا».

The city of Tavium/Tavia in the province of Galatia had a great temple to Jupiter.  The city of Lystra that the Apostle Paul had preached in earlier also had a temple to Jupiter/Zeus.  (See ACTS OF JESUS’ APOSTLES.)  Sachiel was the ruling angel of Jupiter, the planet named after the king of gods, Jupiter, whose name means “covering of God.” Zacharie was the angel governor of the planet Jupiter.  (See more on pagan angels below.)

Galatia-Jupiter-Istanbul

Jupiter-Nicomedia in Bithynia, in İstanbul Archaeological Museum

GALATIANS 4:8-10 ~ In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real. But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So why do you turn back to those weak and useless rules you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again? It worries me that you follow teachings about special days, months, seasons, and years. I fear that my work for you has been wasted. = غلاطية الفصل 4

8  لَكِنْ حِينَئِذٍ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ لاَ تَعْرِفُونَ اللهَ اسْتُعْبِدْتُمْ لِلَّذِينَ لَيْسُوا بِالطَّبِيعَةِ آلِهَةً.
9  وَأَمَّا الآنَ إِذْ عَرَفْتُمُ اللهَ، بَلْ بِالْحَرِيِّ عُرِفْتُمْ مِنَ اللهِ، فَكَيْفَ تَرْجِعُونَ أَيْضاً إِلَى الأَرْكَانِ الضَّعِيفَةِ الْفَقِيرَةِ الَّتِي تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تُسْتَعْبَدُوا لَهَا مِنْ جَدِيدٍ؟
10  أَتَحْفَظُونَ أَيَّاماً وَشُهُوراً وَأَوْقَاتاً وَسِنِينَ؟

The traditional goddess of this area tracing back many centuries was Cybele, the mother goddess of the mountains who eventually became known as the mother of all the earth, the essence of the earth. Under the Roman Empire the most important festival of Cybele was the Hilaria, taking place between March 15 and March 28. It symbolically commemorated the death of Cybele’s consort, Attis, and his resurrection by Cybele involving days of mourning followed by rejoicing.

 

Galatia-Cybele-Turkey

Cybele, Mother Goddess of all earth 4000 BC before the Romans modernized her.  Museum of Anatolian Civilization

Galatia-Cybele Modernized-GettyMuseum

Cybele Mother Goddess, Roman version,  at Getty Museum

GALATIANS 5:2-3,12; 6:13-14 ~ Listen! I am Paul. I tell you that if you {go back to law} by being circumcised, then Christ is no good for you. Again, I warn every man: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow all the law {of Moses}….I wish those people who are bothering you would add castration {to their circumcision}….They want you to be circumcised. Then they can boast about what they forced you to do…..It is not important if a person is circumcised or not circumcised. The important thing is being the new people God has made. = غلاطية الفصل 5 – غلاطية الفصل 6
2  هَا أَنَا بُولُسُ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: إِنَّهُ إِنِ اخْتَتَنْتُمْ لاَ يَنْفَعُكُمُ الْمَسِيحُ شَيْئاً!
3  لَكِنْ أَشْهَدُ أَيْضاً لِكُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ مُخْتَتِنٍ أَنَّهُ مُلْتَزِمٌ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِكُلِّ النَّامُوسِ.
12  يَا لَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يُقْلِقُونَكُمْ يَقْطَعُونَ أَيْضاً!
13  لأَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَتِنُونَ هُمْ لاَ يَحْفَظُونَ النَّامُوسَ، بَلْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَخْتَتِنُوا أَنْتُمْ لِكَيْ يَفْتَخِرُوا فِي جَسَدِكُمْ.
14  وَأَمَّا مِنْ جِهَتِي، فَحَاشَا لِي أَنْ أَفْتَخِرَ إِلاَّ بِصَلِيبِ رَبِّنَا يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، الَّذِي بِهِ قَدْ صُلِبَ الْعَالَمُ لِي وَأَنَا لِلْعَالَمِ.
Galatia-Attis Wearing PhrygianCap

Attis wearing a Phrygian cap. Found in Tarsus near Galatia, now in Louvre

According to myth, Cybele’s consort felt rejected by her, so castrated himself, then died. Therefore, priests of Cybele castrated themselves, then wore women’s clothes and gave themselves women’s names.   They were called Galli.  Although Paul was speaking of circumcision required in the Old Law of Moses, he went on to speak of castration required by priests of the local goddess at the time of his writing ~ the Galli of Cybele.  The people of Galatia knew he was referring to many idol priests of their time.

 

       

To the Christians at Ephesus, Province of Asia, Anatolia

68 AD

EPHESIANS 1:1 ~ Greetings from Paul, an apostle* of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. To God’s holy people living in Ephesus, believers in Christ Jesus. = أفسس الفصل 1

1  بُولُسُ، رَسُولُ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ بِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ، إِلَى الْقِدِّيسِينَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَفَسُسَ، وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

The remains of the city of Ephesus is are near today’s Selcuk, Turkey.  At the time the Apostle Paul wrote the church here, it was an important seaport on the west coast of Anatolia in the Roman province of Asia Minor.  Today, the city is three miles from the water.  When it was part of the Grecian Empire, it was one of the twelve cities in the Ionian League.  When Ephesus was part of the Roman Empire, it was the second largest city in the empire, and actually in the world, with a population of one fourth of a million early in the 1st century AD, and half a million by the end of the 1st century AD. 

The city was named after Ephesos, a Lydian Amazon, the woman warrior; she was said to have been the first to honor Artemis and to have surnamed the goddess Ephesia.  The Roman writer Virgil wrote of Amazons. (Paus. ii. 7. § 4, viii. 12. § 1; Hesych. and Suid. s. v. essên.)  Ephesos, the Amazon, was also associated with worship to Cybele, Mother Earth. She was the great virgin mother of all living creatures in the world, as was Artemis.

Jesus’ mother, Mary, may have died in Ephesus since that is where the apostle, John, spent the last part of his life and promised Jesus he would take care of her. And with the strong desire all over Anatolia to elevate the virgin mother of all things, it is no wonder the first “church” dedicated to Mary anywhere in the world was Ephesus.

 

Ephesus-Artemis-EphesosMuseum-Vienna

Many-breasted Artemis, goddess of Ephesus, their version of Cybele, mother of all living.  Her crown is the city walls of Ephesus and her temple. At Ephesos Museum in Vienna.

EPHESIANS 1:9; 3:3-6, 9-12 ~ God, with full wisdom and understanding, let us know his secret plan. This was what God wanted. And he planned to do it through Christ….God let me know his secret plan. He showed it to me. I have already written a little about this. And if you read these things I wrote, then you can see that I truly understand the secret truth about the Christ. People who lived in other times were not told that secret truth. But now, through the Spirit, God has shown that secret truth to his holy apostles and prophets. This is that secret truth: that the non-Jews will get the things God has for his people, the same as the Jews. The non-Jews are together with the Jews in the same body. And they share together in the promise that God made in Christ Jesus….And God gave me the work of telling all people about the plan for God’s secret truth. That secret truth has been hidden in God since the beginning of time. God is the One who created everything. God’s purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways God shows his wisdom. They will know this because of [through] the church. This agrees with the plan God had since the beginning of time. God did what he planned. He did it through Christ Jesus our Lord. In Christ we can come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this through faith in Christ. =  أفسس الفصل 1 – أفسس الفصل 3

9  إِذْ عَرَّفَنَا بِسِرِّ مَشِيئَتِهِ، حَسَبَ مَسَرَّتِهِ الَّتِي قَصَدَهَا فِي نَفْسِهِ،

3  أَنَّهُ بِإِعْلاَنٍ عَرَّفَنِي بِالسِّرِّ. كَمَا سَبَقْتُ فَكَتَبْتُ بِالإِيجَازِ.
4  الَّذِي بِحَسَبِهِ حِينَمَا تَقْرَأُونَهُ تَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ تَفْهَمُوا دِرَايَتِي بِسِرِّ الْمَسِيحِ.
5  الَّذِي فِي أَجْيَالٍ أُخَرَ لَمْ يُعَرَّفْ بِهِ بَنُو الْبَشَرِ، كَمَا قَدْ أُعْلِنَ الآنَ لِرُسُلِهِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ وَأَنْبِيَائِهِ بِالرُّوحِ:
6  أَنَّ الأُمَمَ شُرَكَاءُ فِي الْمِيرَاثِ وَالْجَسَدِ وَنَوَالِ مَوْعِدِهِ فِي الْمَسِيحِ بِالإِنْجِيلِ.

9  وَأُنِيرَ الْجَمِيعَ فِي مَا هُوَ شَرِكَةُ السِّرِّ الْمَكْتُومِ مُنْذُ الدُّهُورِ فِي اللهِ خَالِقِ الْجَمِيعِ بِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.
10  لِكَيْ يُعَرَّفَ الآنَ عِنْدَ الرُّؤَسَاءِ وَالسَّلاَطِينِ فِي السَّمَاوِيَّاتِ بِوَاسِطَةِ الْكَنِيسَةِ بِحِكْمَةِ اللهِ الْمُتَنَوِّعَةِ،
11  حَسَبَ قَصْدِ الدُّهُورِ الَّذِي صَنَعَهُ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ رَبِّنَا.
12  الَّذِي بِهِ لَنَا جَرَاءَةٌ وَقُدُومٌ بِإِيمَانِهِ عَنْ ثِقَةٍ. 

Artemis and Cybele (Cybele was the older version of Artemis), the great virgin mother of every animal and person in the world, was associated with the secrets, also called the Mysteries.  These secrets/ Mysteries involved knowing great spiritual truths.  They also involved uniting with the god or goddess one was worshipping ~ becoming united with it and thinking as the god or goddess thought.  This knowledge was only made known to the initiates who had to go through various secret ceremonies.  The average person was not allowed to know what the secrets/Mysteries were, nor were they capable of knowing.

Strabo visited Ephesus in 29 AD and said this:  Next is a harbour…with a temple of the Ephesian Diana [Artemis]; then the city….here is laid the scene of the birth of the child [Diana/Artemis]…the goddess….A convention and festival are celebrated there every year. It is the custom for young men to vie with each other, particularly in the splendour of their convivial entertainments. The body of KOURETES celebrate their SYMPOSIA at the same time [The symposium took place after a meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals…] and perform certain MYSTIC   sacrifices…. The priests [HIEROPHANTS] were eunuchs… held in high honour. They were obliged to appoint virgins as their colleagues in their priesthood.  (Strabo, Book XIV, CH 1)

The original kouretes were the sons of either Apollo or Zeus.  They were nine male dancers sent to venerate Cybele/Artemis. These armored male dancers kept time to a drum and the rhythmic stamping of their feet and mock attacking the air with weapons as though protecting Artemis at her birth.

Ephesis-KuratesDancing-VaticanMsm

Kourete dancers on relief at Vatican Museum, Rome

Ephesians celebrated the birth of their patron goddess Artemis in a magnificent grove of trees….A torchlight procession lit up the night sky. Nearby, the Kouretes held drinking parties, and perhaps inspired by wine from Artemis’s own vineyards, performed their famous mystic sacrifices.  The wild ecstasy of their cult can be compared to the female Maenads who followed Dionysus…The celebration of the mysteries of Artemis included sacrifices and the reading of the entrails of victims, announcements and instructions given to the initiates, the burning of incense and a cultic dance, and some kind of pipe music, while libations were poured. Secrets were also disclosed to initiates….guided the white-robed initiates through their initiations and revealed the secret of Artemis’s mysteries to them.  [THE MYSTERIES OF ARTEMIS OF EPHESOS by Antiquities researcher Guy MacLean Rogers]

Ephesus-ArtemisTemple

Artist’s rendering of the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the largest temple in the world

Artemis’ consort, Attis, was said to die in the fall and resurrect in the spring.  Every year his festival began with lamentation and ended in celebration.  It included ecstasy. Ecstasis in Greek means literally “standing outside (oneself).”  Participants believed they were transported out of their body. Cybele/Artemis/Attis worshipers also became “ecstatic” by dancing and whipping themselves into a frenzy where they felt elated or carried away.  At such times, they believed their spirits were united with the spirit of Artemis/Cybele who was the embodiment of all things on earth.

Heraclitus, Plato and Pythagoras, Alexander the Great, and Aristotle received instruction in the secrets/ Mysteries at Ephesus.  Alexander the Great believed his soul entered into an intimate union with the very Being of the Mysteries since he was born the very night the first temple to Artemis was burned down.

EPHESIANS 2:2; 4:27; 5:8, 11-12; 6:11-12 ~ 2Yes, in the past you lived doing those sins. You lived the way the world lives. You followed the ruler of the evil powers over the earth. That same spirit is now working in those people who refuse to obey God….Don’t give the devil a way to defeat you….In the past you were {full of} darkness (sin), but now you are {full of} light (goodness) in the Lord….Don’t do the things that people in darkness do. Doing those things brings nothing good. But {do the good things to} show that those things in darkness are wrong. It is really very shameful to even talk about the things those people in darkness do in secret….Wear the full armor (protection) of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. = أفسس الفصل 2 – أفسس الفصل 4 – أفسس الفصل 5 – أفسس الفصل 6

 

2  الَّتِي سَلَكْتُمْ فِيهَا قَبْلاً حَسَبَ دَهْرِ هَذَا الْعَالَمِ، حَسَبَ رَئِيسِ سُلْطَانِ الْهَوَاءِ، الرُّوحِ الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ الآنَ فِي أَبْنَاءِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ،

27 وَلاَ تُعْطُوا إِبْلِيسَ مَكَاناً.

8  لأَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ قَبْلاً ظُلْمَةً وَأَمَّا الآنَ فَنُورٌ فِي الرَّبِّ. اسْلُكُوا كَأَوْلاَدِ نُورٍ.

11  وَلاَ تَشْتَرِكُوا فِي أَعْمَالِ الظُّلْمَةِ غَيْرِ الْمُثْمِرَةِ بَلْ بِالْحَرِيِّ وَبِّخُوهَا.
12  لأَنَّ الأُمُورَ الْحَادِثَةَ مِنْهُمْ سِرّاً ذِكْرُهَا أَيْضاً قَبِيحٌ.

11  الْبَسُوا سِلاَحَ اللهِ الْكَامِلَ لِكَيْ تَقْدِرُوا أَنْ تَثْبُتُوا ضِدَّ مَكَايِدِ إِبْلِيسَ.
12  فَإِنَّ مُصَارَعَتَنَا لَيْسَتْ مَعَ دَمٍ وَلَحْمٍ، بَلْ مَعَ الرُّؤَسَاءِ، مَعَ السَّلاَطِينِ، مَعَ وُلاَةِ الْعَالَمِ، عَلَى ظُلْمَةِ هَذَا الدَّهْرِ، مَعَ أَجْنَادِ الشَّرِّ الرُّوحِيَّةِ فِي السَّمَاوِيَّاتِ.

Artemis had a dark side, revealing the female warrior part of her character ~ the Amazon.  She was vindictive and there were many who suffered from her anger. One of her mythical actions was to join Apollo in killing the children on Niobe. Victims of Artemis included Orion and Actaeon, and Meleage.  She was sometimes called the goddess in three forms ~ goddess of the moon at night, goddess of deeds of darkness, and goddess of the underworld.

Ephesus-Artemis-Vengeful-Boston

ARTEMIS is preparing to KILL Acteon.
Dated 470 BC. Displayed in Boston Museum of Fine Arts

EPHESIANS 4:3-6 ~ You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue together in this way. Let peace hold you together. There is one body  and one Spirit. And God called you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.  There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything. He is everywhere and in everything. = أفسس الفصل 4

3  مُجْتَهِدِينَ أَنْ تَحْفَظُوا وَحْدَانِيَّةَ الرُّوحِ بِرِبَاطِ السَّلاَمِ.
4  جَسَدٌ وَاحِدٌ، وَرُوحٌ وَاحِدٌ، كَمَا دُعِيتُمْ أَيْضاً فِي رَجَاءِ دَعْوَتِكُمُ الْوَاحِدِ.
5  رَبٌّ وَاحِدٌ، إِيمَانٌ وَاحِدٌ، مَعْمُودِيَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ،
6  إِلَهٌ وَآبٌ وَاحِدٌ لِلْكُلِّ، الَّذِي عَلَى الْكُلِّ وَبِالْكُلِّ وَفِي كُلِّكُمْ.

Ephesus-ArtimisTempleGone

Nothing is left of Artemis’ great temple today except a swamp and a few pieces of remains stacked together to look like a column.

 

    

 

To the Christians at Colony Philippi, Province of Kavalla, Greece

68 AD

PHILIPPIANS 1:1; 4:15 ~ Greetings from Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ. To all of God’s holy people in Christ Jesus that live in Philippi. And to all your elders and special helpers….You people in Philippi remember when I first told the Good News there. When I left Macedonia…. = فيليبي الفصل 1 – فيليبي الفصل 4

1  بُولُسُ وَتِيمُوثَاوُسُ عَبْدَا يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، إِلَى جَمِيعِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ، الَّذِينَ فِي فِيلِبِّي، مَعَ أَسَاقِفَةٍ وَشَمَامِسَةٍ.

15  وَأَنْتُمْ أَيْضاً تَعْلَمُونَ أَيُّهَا الْفِيلِبِّيُّونَ أَنَّهُ فِي بَدَاءَةِ الإِنْجِيلِ، لَمَّا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ مَكِدُونِيَّةَ، لَمْ تُشَارِكْنِي كَنِيسَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فِي حِسَابِ الْعَطَاءِ وَالأَخْذِ إِلاَّ أَنْتُمْ وَحْدَكُمْ.

Philippi was near today’s Filippoi and was at the northern end of the Aegean Sea and 9 miles inland high in the mountains.   It was on the border of Greece and today’s Bulgaria, Romania & Albania, then occupied by the Thracians.  Josephus called them the Thir-Asians.  This area had been invaded at some time by the Norse, so many of the people here were red-headed and blonde.  The city of Philippi was built by Grecian King Philip II to protect gold mines there, and also to keep the European barbarians out of

Greece.  It was, therefore, settled by a great many warriors and their families.  “Civilized” Grecians and Romans considered people at Philippi to be rough and illiterate.

Philippians-ThracianKingSeuthes

Thracian King Seuthes III found in Golyamata Kosmatka Bulgaria

PHILIPPIANS 2:25;  3:12-14, 21;  4:7, 13 ~ He works and serves with me in the army of Christ….I don’t mean that I am already exactly like God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach that goal and to make it mine.. ..Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal. But there is one thing I always do: I forget the things that are past. I try as hard as I can to reach the goal that is before me. I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize. That prize is mine because God called me through Christ to the life above….With that power Christ is able to rule all things….And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That peace which God gives is
so great that we cannot understand it….I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me
 strength. = فيليبي الفصل 2 – فيليبي الفصل 3 – فيليبي الفصل 4

25 وَلَكِنِّي حَسِبْتُ مِنَ اللاَّزِمِ أَنْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ أَبَفْرُودِتُسَ أَخِي، وَالْعَامِلَ مَعِي، وَالْمُتَجَنِّدَ مَعِي، وَرَسُولَكُمْ، وَالْخَادِمَ لِحَاجَتِي.

12  لَيْسَ أَنِّي قَدْ نِلْتُ أَوْ صِرْتُ كَامِلاً، وَلَكِنِّي أَسْعَى لَعَلِّي أُدْرِكُ الَّذِي لأَجْلِهِ أَدْرَكَنِي أَيْضاً الْمَسِيحُ يَسُوعُ.
13  أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَةُ، أَنَا لَسْتُ أَحْسِبُ نَفْسِي أَنِّي قَدْ أَدْرَكْتُ. وَلَكِنِّي أَفْعَلُ شَيْئاً وَاحِداً: إِذْ أَنَا أَنْسَى مَا هُوَ وَرَاءُ وَأَمْتَدُّ إِلَى مَا هُوَ قُدَّامُ.
14  أَسْعَى نَحْوَ الْغَرَضِ لأَجْلِ جَعَالَةِ دَعْوَةِ اللهِ الْعُلْيَا فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

21 الَّذِي سَيُغَيِّرُ شَكْلَ جَسَدِ تَوَاضُعِنَا لِيَكُونَ عَلَى صُورَةِ جَسَدِ مَجْدِهِ، بِحَسَبِ عَمَلِ اسْتِطَاعَتِهِ أَنْ يُخْضِعَ لِنَفْسِهِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

7  وَسَلاَمُ اللهِ الَّذِي يَفُوقُ كُلَّ عَقْلٍ يَحْفَظُ قُلُوبَكُمْ وَأَفْكَارَكُمْ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

13  أَسْتَطِيعُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فِي الْمَسِيحِ الَّذِي يُقَوِّينِي.

Philippians-ThracianWarrior-Michael Ekelmann

Thracian Warrior from Michael Ekelmann

Paul knew that referring to spiritual war in his letter was something the people in Philippi would easily understand.  Thracian warriors and their families from today’s Bulgaria, Romania and Albania dominated Philippi and were even available as mercenaries to other countries..  One Roman historian described them as follows:  

“First of all the Thracians, like beasts of prey long held behind bars, charged so vigorously
with a great shout upon the Roman right wing, the Italian cavalry, that this people, courageous by nature and through experience in war, was thrown into confusion…” 
[Livy, XLII, 59].  When they returned home after battle they displayed  the severed heads of their enemies and sang and chanted loudly.
PHILIPPIANS 3:20 ~ But our homeland [citizenship] is in heaven. We are waiting for our Savior to come from heaven. Our Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ. = فيليبي الفصل 3
20 فَإِنَّ سِيرَتَنَا نَحْنُ هِيَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ، الَّتِي مِنْهَا أَيْضاً نَنْتَظِرُ مُخَلِّصاً هُوَ الرَّبُّ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ،
There was a great cultural mix in Philippi which sometimes resulted in identity confusion.  Herodotus described them as follows:  
“The Thracians joined the expedition wearing fox caps, wearing long coats
under their vivid 
colored capes. Their calf-high footwear was made of deerskin. They were equipped with spears, light shields and small daggers.”
Once settled back home, they continued to dress similar to the way they did in battle.  On the other hand, the Grecians and Romans in the city wore togas. The Grecians were famous for their philosophers, the Romans for their democratic form of government,
and the Thracians for war.  Whereas the Greek and Roman citizens of Philippi were famous for science and astrology, the Tracians were famous for ornate crafts.  Whereas the Grecians were famous for developments in medicine and the Romans for developments of connecting roads throughout the empire, the Thracians were famous for their success in farming in this mountainous region.  Their languages were different, their dress was different, and their interests were different.  So speaking of citizenship where all became one would be something that was catch the attention of the Philippians who Paul wrote.
Philippians-Dion Museum

Displays in the Dion Museum, Central Macedonia north of Philippi

PHILIPPIANS 4:15-19 ~ You people in Philippi remember when I first told the Good News there. When I  left Macedonia, you were the only church that gave me help. Several times you sent me things I needed when I was in Thessalonica. Really, it is not that I want to get gifts from you. But I want you to have the good that comes {from giving}. I have all the things I need. I have even more than I need. I have all I need because Epaphroditus brought your gift to me. Your gift is like a sweet-smelling sacrifice ….My God is
very 
rich with the glory of Christ Jesus. God will use his riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need.  – فيليبي الفصل 4
15  وَأَنْتُمْ أَيْضاً تَعْلَمُونَ أَيُّهَا الْفِيلِبِّيُّونَ أَنَّهُ فِي بَدَاءَةِ الإِنْجِيلِ، لَمَّا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ مَكِدُونِيَّةَ، لَمْ تُشَارِكْنِي كَنِيسَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فِي حِسَابِ الْعَطَاءِ وَالأَخْذِ إِلاَّ أَنْتُمْ وَحْدَكُمْ.
16  فَإِنَّكُمْ فِي تَسَالُونِيكِي أَيْضاً أَرْسَلْتُمْ إِلَيَّ مَرَّةً وَمَرَّتَيْنِ لِحَاجَتِي.
17 لَيْسَ أَنِّي أَطْلُبُ الْعَطِيَّةَ، بَلْ أَطْلُبُ الثَّمَرَ الْمُتَكَاثِرَ لِحِسَابِكُمْ.
18 وَلَكِنِّي قَدِ اسْتَوْفَيْتُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَاسْتَفْضَلْتُ. قَدِ امْتَلَأْتُ إِذْ قَبِلْتُ مِنْ أَبَفْرُودِتُسَ الأَشْيَاءَ الَّتِي مِنْ عِنْدِكُمْ، نَسِيمَ رَائِحَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ، ذَبِيحَةً مَقْبُولَةً مَرْضِيَّةً عِنْدَ اللهِ.
19 فَيَمْلأُ إِلَهِي كُلَّ احْتِيَاجِكُمْ بِحَسَبِ غِنَاهُ فِي الْمَجْدِ فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.
Philippians-ThracianGold-Bulgaria

Thracian gold creations, Regional Archaeological Museum, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, just north of Philippi.

Philippi was originally built to protect the gold mines in the mountains surrounding the city.  The Thracians were famous for their gold-covered crafts.  Although their culture and lifestyles were usually based on warfare, they were also very talented artisans. They produced extremely well-crafted jewelry and utensils, very advanced weaponry and elaborately designed pottery and sculptures, indicating a society with people who were well off.

 

 

Colossae, County of Phrygia, Province of Asia, Anatolia

68 AD

 

COLOSSIANS 1:1-2; 2:1; 4:13-16 ~ Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted….To the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ that live in Colossae. And I am trying to help the people in Laodicea and other people who have never seen me….I know that he has worked hard for you and the people in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. ….Say hello to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea.After this letter is read to you, be sure that it is also read to the church in Laodicea. And you read the letter that I wrote to Laodicea. = كولوسي الفصل 1 – كولوسي الفصل 2 – كولوسي الفصل 4

1  بُولُسُ، رَسُولُ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ بِمَشِيئَةِ اللهِ، وَتِيمُوثَاوُسُ الأَخُ،
2  إِلَى الْقِدِّيسِينَ فِي كُولُوسِّي، وَالإِخْوَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ. نِعْمَةٌ لَكُمْ وَسَلاَمٌ مِنَ اللهِ أبِينَا وَالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.

1  فَإِنِّي ارِيدُ انْ تَعْلَمُوا ايُّ جِهَادٍ لِي لأَجْلِكُمْ، وَلأَجْلِ الَّذِينَ فِي لاَوُدِكِيَّةَ، وَجَمِيعِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَرَوْا وَجْهِي فِي الْجَسَدِ،

13  فَإِنِّي اشْهَدُ فِيهِ انَّ لَهُ غَيْرَةً كَثِيرَةً لأَجْلِكُمْ، وَلأَجْلِ الَّذِينَ فِي لاَوُدِكِيَّةَ، وَالَّذِينَ فِي هِيَرَابُولِيسَ.
14  يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكُمْ لُوقَا الطَّبِيبُ الْحَبِيبُ، وَدِيمَاسُ.
15  سَلِّمُوا عَلَى الإِخْوَةِ الَّذِينَ فِي لاَوُدِكِيَّةَ، وَعَلَى نِمْفَاسَ وَعَلَى الْكَنِيسَةِ الَّتِي فِي بَيْتِهِ.
16  وَمَتَى قُرِئَتْ عِنْدَكُمْ هَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةُ فَاجْعَلُوهَا تُقْرَأُ ايْضاً فِي كَنِيسَةِ اللاَّوُدِكِيِّينَ، وَالَّتِي مِنْ لاَوُدِكِيَّةَ تَقْرَأُونَهَا انْتُمْ ايْضاً.

 

Colossians-Mound

Unexcavated Colossae in Phrygia

Colossae is only an unexcavated mound today, but it did exist.  It is near today’s Kona or Honaz.  Historian Pliny said that Colossae was known for its dark red wool .  Roman Historian Strabo also mentions the city.

Colossians-Laodicea

Also nearby in this apparent tri-city area was Hierapolis which has been well excavated. These tri-cities were located in the county of Phrygia within the province of Asia.  All three cities dominated the beautiful Lycus River valley at the foot of the Phrygian Mountains and all three were noted for their fine wool; Hierapolis was also known for its healing hot springs which are still enjoyed today.  

 

Colossians-HieropolisTheatre

Amphitheater of HIERAPOLIS

The county of Phrygia within the province of Galatia was populated by migrants from Thrace.

COLOSSIANS 1:9-13, 26-28; 2:2-3~ With your knowledge you will also have great wisdom and understanding in spiritual things;  ….do all kinds of good things and grow in the knowledge of God;  that God will strengthen you. …I want them to have the full confidence that comes from understanding.I mean I want them to know fully the secret truth [mystery]that God has made known. That truth is Christ himself. In Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept….This teaching is the secret truth [mystery]that was hidden since the beginning of time. This truth was hidden from all
people. But now that secret truth [mystery]
is made known to God’s holy people. God decided to let his people know that rich and glorious truth.That great truth is for all people. That truth is Christ himself, who is in you. He is our only hope for glory. So we continue to tell people about Christ. We use all wisdom to counsel every person and teach every person. – كولوسي الفصل 1 – كولوسي الفصل 2

9  مِنْ أجْلِ ذَلِكَ نَحْنُ أيْضاً، مُنْذُ يَوْمَ سَمِعْنَا، لَمْ نَزَلْ مُصَلِّينَ وَطَالِبِينَ لأَجْلِكُمْ انْ تَمْتَلِئُوا مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ مَشِيئَتِهِ، فِي كُلِّ حِكْمَةٍ وَفَهْمٍ رُوحِيٍّ
10  لِتَسْلُكُوا كَمَا يَحِقُّ لِلرَّبِّ، فِي كُلِّ رِضىً، مُثْمِرِينَ فِي كُلِّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ، وَنَامِينَ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ،
11  مُتَقَوِّينَ بِكُلِّ قُوَّةٍ بِحَسَبِ قُدْرَةِ مَجْدِهِ، لِكُلِّ صَبْرٍ وَطُولِ انَاةٍ بِفَرَحٍ،
12  شَاكِرِينَ الآبَ الَّذِي اهَّلَنَا لِشَرِكَةِ مِيرَاثِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ فِي النُّورِ،
13  الَّذِي انْقَذَنَا مِنْ سُلْطَانِ الظُّلْمَةِ وَنَقَلَنَا الَى مَلَكُوتِ ابْنِ مَحَبَّتِهِ،

26 السِّرِّ الْمَكْتُومِ مُنْذُ الدُّهُورِ وَمُنْذُ الأَجْيَالِ، لَكِنَّهُ الآنَ قَدْ اظْهِرَ لِقِدِّيسِيهِ،
27 الَّذِينَ ارَادَ اللهُ انْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ مَا هُوَ غِنَى مَجْدِ هَذَا السِّرِّ فِي الأُمَمِ، الَّذِي هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ فِيكُمْ رَجَاءُ الْمَجْدِ.
28 الَّذِي نُنَادِي بِهِ مُنْذِرِينَ كُلَّ انْسَانٍ، وَمُعَلِّمِينَ كُلَّ انْسَانٍ، بِكُلِّ حِكْمَةٍ، لِكَيْ نُحْضِرَ كُلَّ انْسَانٍ كَامِلاً فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

2  لِكَيْ تَتَعَزَّى قُلُوبُهُمْ مُقْتَرِنَةً فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ لِكُلِّ غِنَى يَقِينِ الْفَهْمِ، لِمَعْرِفَةِ سِرِّ اللهِ الآبِ وَالْمَسِيحِ،
3  الْمُذَّخَرِ فِيهِ جَمِيعُ كُنُوزِ الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْعِلْمِ.

Image result for cybele

Status of CYBELE found in the 
county of Phrygia within the province of Galatia.  She wears a veil of MYSTERY covering her body

As in most places of Anatolia (today’s Turkey), the most ancient and dominant deity of Colossae was Cybele, Mother of the earth ~ people, trees, rocks ~ everything.  Anatolia, which bordered Syria, had been over run by the Assyrians and later the Persians, both of whom brought with them their eastern religions.  In the east, they believed that the holiest existence would be unity with the spirit of the universe ~ Nirvana or Brahman.  In Anatolia, they believed the holiest existence would be unit with the spirit of the earth ~ Cybele.  But only the holiest person could begin to understand the mysteries necessary to reach unity with deity.  Paul used this oft-used “mystery” term to show that the greatest mystery ~ salvation in heaven ~ had finally been made available to everyone who wanted it.  It was no longer a mystery.  Jesus had even called himself the Way, the Truth, the Life.

COLOSSIANS 1:15-19, 22-24; 2:10; 3:1 ~ No person can see God. But Jesus is exactly like God. Jesus is ruler over all the things that have been made. Through his power all things were madethings in heaven and on earth, things seen and not seen, all {spiritual} powers, authorities, lords, and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ. …Christ is the head of the body. (The body is the church.) Everything comes from him. And….he is the Lord who was raised from death. So in all things, Jesus is most important.  God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ. And through Christ, God was happy to bring all things back to himself againthings on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using Christ’s blood (death) on the cross. But now Christ has made you God’s friends again. Christ did this by his death while he was in his body. Christ did this so that he could bring you before God. He brings you before God as people who are holy,  with no wrong in you, and with nothing that God can judge you guilty of. … .All of God lives in Christ fully (even in Christ’s life on earth). And in Christ you are full.
You need nothing else. Christ is ruler over all rulers and powers
.You were raised from death with Christ. = كولوسي الفصل 1 – كولوسي الفصل 2 – كولوسي الفصل 3

15  اَلَّذِي هُوَ صُورَةُ اللهِ غَيْرِ الْمَنْظُورِ، بِكْرُ كُلِّ خَلِيقَةٍ.
16  فَإِنَّهُ فِيهِ خُلِقَ الْكُلُّ: مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ، مَا يُرَى وَمَا لاَ يُرَى، سَوَاءٌ كَانَ عُرُوشاً امْ سِيَادَاتٍ امْ رِيَاسَاتٍ امْ سَلاَطِينَ. الْكُلُّ بِهِ وَلَهُ قَدْ خُلِقَ.
17 اَلَّذِي هُوَ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَفِيهِ يَقُومُ الْكُلُّ
18 وَهُوَ رَأْسُ الْجَسَدِ: الْكَنِيسَةِ. الَّذِي هُوَ الْبَدَاءَةُ، بِكْرٌ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ، لِكَيْ يَكُونَ هُوَ مُتَقَدِّماً فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.
19 لأَنَّهُ فِيهِ سُرَّ انْ يَحِلَّ كُلُّ الْمِلْءِ،

22 فِي جِسْمِ بَشَرِيَّتِهِ بِالْمَوْتِ، لِيُحْضِرَكُمْ قِدِّيسِينَ وَبِلاَ لَوْمٍ وَلاَ شَكْوَى امَامَهُ،
23 إِنْ ثَبَتُّمْ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ، مُتَأَسِّسِينَ وَرَاسِخِينَ وَغَيْرَ مُنْتَقِلِينَ عَنْ رَجَاءِ الإِنْجِيلِ، الَّذِي سَمِعْتُمُوهُ، الْمَكْرُوزِ بِهِ فِي كُلِّ الْخَلِيقَةِ الَّتِي تَحْتَ السَّمَاءِ، الَّذِي صِرْتُ انَا بُولُسَ خَادِماً لَهُ،
24 الَّذِي الآنَ افْرَحُ فِي الاَمِي لأَجْلِكُمْ، وَأُكَمِّلُ نَقَائِصَ شَدَائِدِ الْمَسِيحِ فِي جِسْمِي لأَجْلِ جَسَدِهِ: الَّذِي هُوَ الْكَنِيسَةُ،

10  وَأَنْتُمْ مَمْلُوؤُونَ فِيهِ، الَّذِي هُوَ رَأْسُ كُلِّ رِيَاسَةٍ وَسُلْطَانٍ.

1  فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ قَدْ قُمْتُمْ مَعَ الْمَسِيحِ فَاطْلُبُوا مَا فَوْقُ، حَيْثُ الْمَسِيحُ جَالِسٌ عَنْ يَمِينِ اللهِ.

The Eastern religions and the religion of Cybele taught that man had to become holy and perfect in order to ascend to their god which was the essence of the universe or the essence of the physical earth.  Christianity taught that God descended to humans in the form of a man in order to help humans become friends with God ~ not be absorbed and lose their personhood.  

Colossians-Pithagoris

Bust of Pythagorus in the Capitol Museum, Rome

Eastern religions taught that a person had to be reincarnated hundreds of time until he was able to reach perfection.   Pythagorus, a Greek philosopher, also believed in reincarnation until perfect, and he had many followers.  Because Jesus lived that perfect life for us ~ something impossible for us to do ~ and then paid the penalty for mankind’s sins while in his body, the died in that human body so he could come back to life, he is now able to make holy with no wrong in them simply by faith not trying to be perfect themselves, which is impossible for humans to be.

COLOSSIANS 2:4,8 ~ I tell you these things so that no person can fool you by telling you ideas [philosophies] that seem good, but are false….Be sure that no person leads you away with false ideas [philosophies] and words that mean nothing. Those ideas come from people, not Christ. Those ideas are the worthless ideas of people in the world. – كولوسي الفصل 2

4  وَإِنَّمَا اقُولُ هَذَا لِئَلاَّ يَخْدَعَكُمْ احَدٌ بِكَلاَمٍ مَلِقٍ،

8  اُنْظُرُوا انْ لاَ يَكُونَ احَدٌ يَسْبِيكُمْ بِالْفَلْسَفَةِ وَبِغُرُورٍ بَاطِلٍ، حَسَبَ تَقْلِيدِ النَّاسِ، حَسَبَ ارْكَانِ الْعَالَمِ، وَلَيْسَ حَسَبَ الْمَسِيحِ.

Famous early skeptics, Antiochus and Theiodas, were from Laodicea, twin city to Colossae.  Skepticism simply means that it is impossible to know anything for sure.  Judgment is always suspended in investigations, claiming that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  Pyrrho (who d. 270 BC) traveled to the East and learned from Buddhists.  Buddhism teaches there is no absolute truth. Sextus Empiricus was the first to write about Pyrrho, having done so in the 2nd century BC.  Pyrrhonism as a school of skepticism was founded by Aenesidemus in the first century BC.

COLOSSIANS 2:16, 20-23 ~ So don’t let any person make rules for you about eating and drinking or about customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or Sabbath days)…. I mean, why do you follow rules like these: “Don’t eat this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t touch that thing”? These rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they are used. These rules are only commands and teachings from people, {not God}. These rules seem to be wise. But these rules are only part of a man-made religion that makes people pretend to be humble and makes them punish their bodies. But these rules don’t help people to stop doing the evil things their sinful selves want to do.  – كولوسي الفصل 2

16  فَلاَ يَحْكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ احَدٌ فِي أكْلٍ اوْ شُرْبٍ، اوْ مِنْ جِهَةِ عِيدٍ اوْ هِلاَلٍ اوْ سَبْتٍ،

20 إِذاً انْ كُنْتُمْ قَدْ مُتُّمْ مَعَ الْمَسِيحِ عَنْ ارْكَانِ الْعَالَمِ، فَلِمَاذَا كَأَنَّكُمْ عَائِشُونَ فِي الْعَالَمِ، تُفْرَضُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَرَائِضُ:
21 لاَ تَمَسَّ، وَلاَ تَذُقْ، وَلاَ تَجُسَّ؟
22 الَّتِي هِيَ جَمِيعُهَا لِلْفَنَاءِ فِي الاِسْتِعْمَالِ، حَسَبَ وَصَايَا وَتَعَالِيمِ النَّاسِ،
23 الَّتِي لَهَا حِكَايَةُ حِكْمَةٍ، بِعِبَادَةٍ نَافِلَةٍ، وَتَوَاضُعٍ، وَقَهْرِ الْجَسَدِ، لَيْسَ بِقِيمَةٍ مَا مِنْ جِهَةِ اشْبَاعِ الْبَشَرِيَّةِ.

There were tens of thousands of Jews who settled in Colossae, Laodicea and Heirapolis. Among the Jews there was the sect of Pharisees who believed in the Law of Moses and counted and weighed minutely the percentage of their possessions to sacrifice to God, pay their taxes, walk the allotted percent of a kilometer on the Sabbath Day, etc.

Another sect of the Jews was the Essenes who did not believe in the Law of Moses with its 600+ laws, but had their own set of rules.  Josephus and Philo explain that there were large numbers of them in every city.  They took an oath of celibacy, refused to eat meat, etc.  Their initiates studied the rules and cleansed themselves for three years in order to be accepted as a full Essene.  They also promised to preserve the books of the Essenes and the names of the angels. 

The Roman world believed in guardian angels associated with the planets and the gods they were named after: (1) Camael-Mars, (2) Raphael-Mercury, (3) Zadkiel-Jupiter, (4) Hanael-Venus, (5) Cassiel-Saturn.

Pythagorians were a popular Grecian sect.  Pythagorians who reached the inner circle owned no possessions and refused to eat meat, largely because they believed in reincarnation of souls into humans, animals, etc.  True Pythagoreans who had the knowledge and understanding of the Mysteries, observed a rule of silence called echemythia, the breaking of which was punishable by death.

COLOSSIANS 2:18 ~ Some people enjoy acting like they are humble and love to worship angels. Those people always talk about the visions they have seen. Don’t let those people say, “You don’t do these things, so you are wrong.” Those people are full of foolish pride because they think only the thoughts of people, {not the thoughts of God}. = كولوسي الفصل 2

18 لاَ يُخَسِّرْكُمْ احَدٌ الْجِعَالَةَ، رَاغِباً فِي التَّوَاضُعِ وَعِبَادَةِ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ، مُتَدَاخِلاً فِي مَا لَمْ يَنْظُرْهُ، مُنْتَفِخاً بَاطِلاً مِنْ قِبَلِ ذِهْنِهِ الْجَسَدِيِّ،

Hierapolis near Colossae was famous for its temple to Apollo.  The pythea who were mediums between Apollo and commoners sometimes daily experienced “visions” to find out what Apollo predicted or declared.  People from everywhere came to receive an oracle from Apollo through the medium’s visions.

 

 

To the Christians at Thessalonica, City State, Province of Macedon, Greece

55 AD

 

I THESSALONIANS 1:1, 7-8; II THESSALONIANS 1:1 ~ Greetings from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the church (group of believers) that lives in Thessalonica….You became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s teaching spread from you in Macedonia and Achaia.  And also your faith in God has become known everywhere. = تسالونيكي الفصل 1 – تسالونيكي الفصل 1

 

1  بُولُسُ وَسِلْوَانُسُ وَتِيمُوثَاوُسُ، إِلَى كَنِيسَةِ التَّسَالُونِيكِيِّينَ، فِي اللهِ الآبِ وَالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ. نِعْمَةٌ لَكُمْ وَسَلاَمٌ مِنَ اللهِ أَبِينَا وَالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.

7  حَتَّى صِرْتُمْ قُدْوَةً لِجَمِيعِ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي مَكِدُونِيَّةَ وَفِي أَخَائِيَةَ.
8  لأَنَّهُ مِنْ قِبَلِكُمْ قَدْ أُذِيعَتْ كَلِمَةُ الرَّبِّ، لَيْسَ فِي مَكِدُونِيَّةَ وَأَخَائِيَةَ فَقَطْ، بَلْ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ أَيْضاً قَدْ ذَاعَ إِيمَانُكُمْ بِاللهِ، حَتَّى لَيْسَ لَنَا حَاجَةٌ أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ شَيْئاً.

1  بُولُسُ وَسِلْوَانُسُ وَتِيمُوثَاوُسُ، إِلَى كَنِيسَةِ التَّسَالُونِيكِيِّينَ، فِي اللهِ أَبِينَا وَالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ.

Thessalonians-Agora-Mkt

Agora (market place) in Thessalonica

Thessalonica is today the second largest city in Greece, and is also called Salonica.  The city began as a small village of Therma, but was built up and renamed after Thessalonika, half-sister of Alexander the Great and daughter of King Philip II.  Eventually it became capital of all the Greek provinces in the Roman Empire.  It is on the Thermaic Gulf in the north part of the Aegean Sea.  Rome declared it a free city or
what we could call a city-state.  When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, it was in the northern Grecian province of Macedonia; Paul wrote to them while in the southern Grecian province of Achaia in Athens.  Much of Thessalonica has not been excavated because the modern city sits on top of the ancient city.

 

I THESSALONIANS 1:9 – People everywhere tell about the good way you accepted us when we were there with you. Those people tell about how you stopped worshiping idols and changed to serve the living and true God. = تسالونيكي الفصل 1

9  لأَنَّهُمْ هُمْ يُخْبِرُونَ عَنَّا أَيُّ دُخُولٍ كَانَ لَنَا إِلَيْكُمْ، وَكَيْفَ رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الأَوْثَانِ لِتَعْبُدُوا اللهَ الْحَيَّ الْحَقِيقِيَّ،

Some of the gods of Thessalonica that Paul seems to have been teaching against were maritime and death deities (but believed to do more than is listed here):

Thessalonians-CastorPollus-BrMus.

Castor & Pollux, British Museum

1.        Castor & Pollux – Guardian gods of sailors who prayed to them for favorable winds

Thessalonians-HermesHoldingDyonius-OlympiaMus

Hermes holding Dionysus, Olympia Museum

2.        Hermes – Protector of travelers (incl. sailors), escorted people to the underworld

Thessalonians-Serapis-IndMus

Serapis,  Museum of  Art, Indiana University

3.        Serapis/Osiris – king of the deep, gatekeeper to underworld, protector of sailors, resurrector

I THESSALONIANS 4:13-17 ~ Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those people who have died. We don’t want you to be sad like other people—people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. But we believe that Jesus rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will raise to be with Jesus those people who have died. What we tell you now is the Lord’s own message. We who are living now might still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those people who have already died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud

command. That command will be given with the voice of the archangel and with  the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first. After that, we people who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those people who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. = تسالونيكي الفصل 4

13  ثُمَّ لاَ أُرِيدُ أَنْ تَجْهَلُوا أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَةُ مِنْ جِهَةِ الرَّاقِدِينَ، لِكَيْ لاَ تَحْزَنُوا كَالْبَاقِينَ الَّذِينَ لاَ رَجَاءَ لَهُمْ.
14  لأَنَّهُ إِنْ كُنَّا نُؤْمِنُ أَنَّ يَسُوعَ مَاتَ وَقَامَ، فَكَذَلِكَ الرَّاقِدُونَ بِيَسُوعَ سَيُحْضِرُهُمُ اللهُ أَيْضاً مَعَهُ.
15  فَإِنَّنَا نَقُولُ لَكُمْ هَذَا بِكَلِمَةِ الرَّبِّ: إِنَّنَا نَحْنُ الأَحْيَاءَ الْبَاقِينَ إِلَى مَجِيءِ الرَّبِّ لاَ نَسْبِقُ الرَّاقِدِينَ.
16  لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ نَفْسَهُ سَوْفَ يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِهُتَافٍ، بِصَوْتِ رَئِيسِ مَلاَئِكَةٍ وَبُوقِ اللهِ، وَالأَمْوَاتُ فِي الْمَسِيحِ سَيَقُومُونَ أَوَّلاً.
17 ثُمَّ نَحْنُ الأَحْيَاءَ الْبَاقِينَ سَنُخْطَفُ جَمِيعاً مَعَهُمْ فِي السُّحُبِ لِمُلاَقَاةِ الرَّبِّ فِي الْهَوَاءِ، وَهَكَذَا نَكُونُ كُلَّ حِينٍ مَعَ الرَّبِّ.

The god Serapis had been known as Osiris to the Eyptians, but was Grecianized at the instigation of Ptolemy to encourage the Egyptians and Greeks in his kingdom to get along.  The statue selected by Ptolemy to represent Serapis looked much like Pluto and Hades of the underworld.  Among other things he was judge of the dead, king of the deep, and the resurrection.

I THESSALONIANS 5:4-8 ~ But you, brothers and sisters, are not living in darkness (sin). And so that day will not surprise you like a thief. You are all people who belong to the light (goodness). You belong to the day. We don’t belong to the night or to darkness (evil). So we should not be like other people. We should not be sleeping. We should be awake and have self-control. People who sleep, sleep at night   People
who get drunk, get drunk at night. But we belong to the 
day (goodness), so we should control ourselves. We should wear faith and love to protect us. And the hope of salvation should be our helmet. = تسالونيكي الفصل 5

4  وَأَمَّا أَنْتُمْ أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَةُ فَلَسْتُمْ فِي ظُلْمَةٍ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَكُمْ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ كَلَِصٍّ.
5  جَمِيعُكُمْ أَبْنَاءُ نُورٍ وَأَبْنَاءُ نَهَارٍ. لَسْنَا مِنْ لَيْلٍ وَلاَ ظُلْمَةٍ.
6  فَلاَ نَنَمْ إِذاً كَالْبَاقِينَ، بَلْ لِنَسْهَرْ وَنَصْحُ،
7  لأَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَنَامُونَ فَبِاللَّيْلِ يَنَامُونَ، وَالَّذِينَ يَسْكَرُونَ فَبِاللَّيْلِ يَسْكَرُونَ.
8  وَأَمَّا نَحْنُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ نَهَارٍ، فَلْنَصْحُ لاَبِسِينَ دِرْعَ الإِيمَانِ وَالْمَحَبَّةِ، وَخُوذَةً هِيَ رَجَاءُ الْخَلاَصِ.

Image result for gemini twins

Gemini twins of the night sky

The twin sons of Zeus, Castor and Pollus, were guardian gods at sea and on land.  They also represented the living and the dying.  The myth is that their father Zeus allowed Pollux to give half his immortality to his mortal brother, Castor.  Thus, one day one twin would be on Olympus and the next day in Hades. They are represented in the night sky as Gemini.  Among stories about them is their rapes.

Among other things, Hermes (another son of Zeus) was the “watcher of the night” and “protector of thieves“.  His temples and shrines are often associated with Aphrodite and Dionysus with associated orgies.

II THESSALONIANS 2:4 ~ That Man of Evil is against anything called God or anything that people worship. And that Man of Evil puts himself above anything called God or anything that people worship. And that Man of Evil even goes into God’s temple and sits there. Then he says that he is God. = تسالونيكي الفصل 2

4  الْمُقَاوِمُ وَالْمُرْتَفِعُ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا يُدْعَى إِلَهاً أَوْ مَعْبُوداً، حَتَّى إِنَّهُ يَجْلِسُ فِي هَيْكَلِ اللهِ كَإِلَهٍ مُظْهِراً نَفْسَهُ أَنَّهُ إِلَهٌ.

NERO was caesar at the time Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. Nero claimed that he was of a miraculous and divine birth.  He also built the Colossus of Sol (the sun god) with his own facial features.

 

Thessalonians-TempleToCaesar-Rome

Temple to Caesar in Forum, Rome, Italy

Before him was Claudius Caesar for whom a temple was built in his honor.

Before him was Gaius Caesar “Caligula” who began appearing in public dressed as various gods and demigods such as Hercules, Mercury, Venus and Apollo. Reportedly, he began referring to himself as a god when meeting with politicians and he was referred to as “Jupiter” on occasion in public documents.

A sacred precinct was set apart for his worship at Miletus in the province of Asia and two temples were erected for worship of him in Rome. The Temple of Castor and Pollux on the forum was linked directly to the imperial residence on the Palatine and dedicated to Caligula. He would appear there on occasion and present himself as a god to the public. Caligula had the heads removed from various statues of gods located across Rome and replaced them with his own. It is said that he wished to be worshipped as Neos Helios, the “New Sun”. Indeed, he was represented as a sun god on Egyptian coins.

 

Thessalonians-CalugulaTemple

Temple of Caligula, Rome

Philo of Alexandria and Seneca the Younger, contemporaries of CALIGULA describe him as an insane emperor who was self-absorbed, was angry, killed on a whim, and indulged in too much spending and sex.He is accused of sleeping with other men’s wives and bragging about it, killing for mere amusement, deliberately wasting money on his bridge, causing starvation,and wanting a statue of himself in the  TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM for his worship.Once, at some games at which he was presiding, he was said to have ordered his guards to throw an entire section of the audience into the arena during the intermission to be eaten by the wild beasts because there were no prisoners to be used and he was bored.

While repeating the earlier stories, the later sources of Suetonius and Cassius Dio provide additional tales of insanity. They accuse Caligula of incest with his sisters, Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla, and Livilla, and say he prostituted them to other men. They state he sent troops on illogical military exercises,turned the palace into a brothel, and, most famously, planned or promised to make his horse, Incitatus, a consul, and actually appointed him a priest.

The validity of these accounts is debatable. In Roman political culture, insanity and sexual perversity were often presented hand-in-hand with poor government. [Source:  Wikipedia “Caligula”]

II THESSALONIANS 2:7-10 ~ The secret power of evil is already working in the world now. But there is one who is stopping that secret power of evil. And he will continue to stop it until he is removed (taken out of the way). ….The Man of Evil will come by the power of Satan (the devil). He will have great power, and he will do many different false miracles, signs, and wonders.  The Man of Evil will use every kind of
evil to trick those people who are lost. Those people are lost because they refused to love the truth. = تسالونيكي الفصل 2

7  لأَنَّ سِرَّ الإِثْمِ الآنَ يَعْمَلُ فَقَطْ، إِلَى أَنْ يُرْفَعَ مِنَ الْوَسَطِ الَّذِي يَحْجِزُ الآنَ،
8  وَحِينَئِذٍ سَيُسْتَعْلَنُ الأَثِيمُ، الَّذِي الرَّبُّ يُبِيدُهُ بِنَفْخَةِ فَمِهِ، وَيُبْطِلُهُ بِظُهُورِ مَجِيئِهِ.
9  الَّذِي مَجِيئُهُ بِعَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ، بِكُلِّ قُوَّةٍ، وَبِآيَاتٍ وَعَجَائِبَ كَاذِبَةٍ،
10  وَبِكُلِّ خَدِيعَةِ الإِثْمِ، فِي الْهَالِكِينَ، لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَقْبَلُوا مَحَبَّةَ الْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَخْلُصُوا.

 
Hermes-healer-VaticanMuseum

Hermes, healer god, Vatican Museum

HERMES was “the divine trickster” and “the god of boundaries and the transgression of boundaries, “… the patron of herdsmen, thieves, graves, and heralds.  He was associated with divination, magic, witchcraft, and initiation and contact with the visible and invisible worlds.   He was often associated with Toth, the Egyptian god of magic.  Writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, known as Hermetica, provided guidance in practical magic, potions, alchemy and astrology.  The Apostle Paul knew these things and addressed them in order to give the Christians courage.