Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Syrian Antioch to Lystra

1. Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Syrian Antioch to Lystra Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Lets see how the new churches are doing"

2. And this would begin the second missionary journey of Paul and his companions. Barnabas agreed to go and wanted to take his nephew Mark but Paul said, "no", probably because Mark had deserted them on their previous missionary journey, and so they separated,

3. St. Mark, Apostle and Evangelist John Mark, also called Mark, was born in Cyrene to Aristobulus, a disciple of Christ, and Mary. She is mentioned in Acts 12:12 as the matron of the home where the early Christians gathered for prayer, where the Last Supper took place, and where the Christians met to pray for the Apostle Peter when he was in prison.

4. According to Egyptian Christian tradition, Mark is the individual recounted in Acts 12:25 as accompanying the Apostles Paul and Barnabas on their journeys; he also traveled with the Apostle Peter to Rome. Based on what he learned from the Apostle Peter, he wrote the Gospel according to St. Mark.

5. To avoid persecution in Rome, and at the Lord's direction, both Peter and Mark went to Egypt. After traveling to Alexandria, they went to Babylon (not the one in present-day Iraq), where the Apostle Peter wrote his first epistle. St. Peter left his younger companion there and returned to Rome, where he was later martyred.

6. St. Mark established two churches in the Pentapolis of Libya between 56 and 60 CE, (The Ancient city of Cyrene along with Berenice (Benghazi) formed Eastern Libya's Pentapolis) and in 61 CE, he returned to Alexandria. Upon entering the city, his first order of business was to have his sandal repaired, because it had become torn from his extensive walking while preaching and evangelizing.

7. He brought it to a cobbler named Anianus. While Anianus was repairing the leather, his awl slipped and pierced his hand; in response, he cried out in Greek: "Eis Theos!" which means "One God!" When St. Mark heard this cry, he rejoiced and took advantage of the opportunity to talk to Anianus about the One God, Jesus the Messiah.

8. He took clay and spittle and applied it to Anianus' hand, praying the Name of Jesus Christ. The wound was immediately healed and as a result, the heart of Anianus was opened. After St. Mark recounted the gospel to him, Anianus took him home where he and his family were baptized.

9. As the followers of Christ spread and multiplied in Alexandria, the hostility of the pagan community began to arise. They abducted St. Mark and, on a pagan feast day in 68 A.D., dragged him through the streets until he gave his holy soul into the hands of God.

10. Prior to his martyrdom, St. Mark ordained Anianus Bishop over Alexandria, and ordained three priests and seven deacons. It is thus how the growing movement of Christianity in Africa was linked with the Apostles of Christ, through the hands of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark.

11. Paul's Second Missionary Journey, with Silas returning to Asia Minor and on into Europe c AD49-52 Taken from Acts 15:40-18:23a

12. Paul chose Silas and set out on his journey (from Syrian Antioch [1]) He traveled through Syria [2] and Cilicia [3] and strengthened the churches.

13. SYRIA Syria is in southwest Asia in the heart of the Middle East. The Mediterranean coastal plain is backed by a low range of hills, followed by a vast interior desert plateau. Most people live near the coast or near the Euphrates River—which brings life to the desert plateau. Damascus, capital of this desert country, was built on an oasis and is said to be the world's oldest continuously inhabited settlement.

14. Rough Cilicia CILICIA Despite the high number of ancient settlement mounds which are found in the region of Flat Cilicia, only very few excavations were actually conducted there. Only recently a renewal and intensification of excavations and surveys in the region of Cilicia has emerged. Flat Cilicia

15. CILICIA Contrary to its apparent geographical isolation, Cilicia —and especially the region of Flat Cilicia— was an important cultural contact zone and a ›mediator‹ between Northern Syria, Cyprus and the Anatolian Highland.

16. The Cilician Gates is really a pass in the Taurus mountains though which almost all traffic passing between the Cilician Plain (Tarsus) and the Anatolian highland (Iconium) passed. The idea of a "gate" seems to refer to that which one must pass through, and through which access can be controlled. In ancient times the Persians passed through this area on their march westward, but later the Greeks, led by Alexander Great, pursued them through these "gates" in the opposite direction as they retreated eastward.  The apostle Paul must have passed through this area at the beginning of his second and third journeys. The Cilician Gates, lie 27.5 mi. to the north of Tarsus (via the ancient road system). This pass has always been of strategic importance.

17. He also went to Derbe[4] and Lystra[5]. As they went on their way through the cities they passed on to them for their observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders in (the Council at) Jerusalem.

18. Derbe has been identified with the antiquity of site of Kerti Huyuku which is located 15 miles north northeast of Karaman. It is a distinctive mound set out in the middle of a plain. It has not been excavated, but an inscription found there mentions "the gods of Derbe" as well as the council and people of the town. In addition, a fourth century A.D. tombstone from the area mentions Michael, a bishop of Derbe. Derbe was situated in the Lycaonian region (Acts 14:6) of the Roman province of Galatia.

19. Derby was one of the few places where Paul did not have some kind of an incident. It didn’t end in a riot or with Paul getting jailed or stoned or anything, he was able to leave town fairly peacefully, which was very unusual for his ministry. Lystra on the other hand was where on his first journey Paul was stoned and drug out of town thinking that he was dead (Acts 14:19).

20. LYSTRA (mentioned 6 times in the NT) It is bounded by massive mountains on the west and south, but the highland plains of Anatolia stretch out to the east and north. It was not on a natural thoroughfare, but the Romans made it into a colony in 6 B.C. — probably as an eastern frontier outpost and as a place to help control tribes located in the mountains to the west of Lystra. Eventually, because of its status as a "colony," a road was built connecting Iconium, Lystra, Laranda, Derbe, and Cilicia. Because of its isolated position it was a bit more "provincial" than Iconium or Pisidian Antioch to the north and northwest.

21. At Lystra there was a disciple by the name of Timothy a gentile believer who was held in high regard by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium, and Paul wanted to take him on as his companion. Paul had him circumcised for the sake of Jews. It was around 5 years or so since Paul had first visited Lystra and Timothy had probably accepted Jesus during Paul’s first visit.

22. So there came a very close relationship between Paul and Timothy who Paul called my own son in the faith (1 Cor 4:17). Timothy was one of Paul’s converts but then he was also tutored by the Apostle Paul (1 Cor 4:17).

23. It is interesting that Paul had Timothy circumcised when they are in the process of going out and telling the gentiles it is not necessary to be circumcised in order to be saved. He no doubt wanted Timothy to live peaceably among the Jews and present the gospel to them without any contention.