Luke 10:5-7). But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. And a purple cloth was used to cover the ashes of burnt offerings in the Tabernacle (Num. We are reminded of the importance of showing hospitality to others. No matter the case, she probably had some frustrations from uprooting from her hometown. The Bible in itself has more mentions of men than women. My sister, I just want you to know how much you blessed me with this article. Ephesus." Such an approach says that God only does what it profitable, like He is a business that only cares about the bottom line. While its sometimes frustrating to feel like I have the same conversations again and again about women in church leadership, it is certainly encouraging to see change! Aristotle believed men had far superior building blocks than that of women. St Paul was travelling around ancient Asia Minor, teaching about Jesus and converting Jews and Gentiles. Paul was a devout follower of Jesus, whose dealings with women indicated that they could teach and lead in whatever way God led them. [3] Like many Jewish places of worship, this prayer-house was located by a water source. [26] 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Anyone includes Jews and Gentiles. Thank you so much for the information about Lydia. Purple dye was a symbol of power and honor in the ancient world, and it was the most expensive and sought after dye in the Roman world. After all, even a woman's testimony in court would not be seen as valid. https://www.learnreligions.com/lydia-in-the-bible-4150413 (accessed January 18, 2023). Also, her name is unknown. I said, I AM the pastor. I wish he were going to be in church on Sunday. Through that occupation, she met Paul and accommodated him and his friends. I slipped up once and thought the husband was the accountant and the wife was the assistant, but it was the other way round. It is helpful to flesh out more about their lives, cultures, and the ancient language aspects relevant to the extant texts we read in English today. Only members of the royalty and other wealthy people could afford this cloth, because the dye was so expensive to make, and so it was a prosperous trade. Jesus and Paul did not hesitate to minister to people of both sexes, from all stations of life. But, Paul discusses, referencing the Hebrew scriptures, that the Gentiles will understand, whereas, the Jews wont. Whether it was Luke or not, the author of Acts seems to make a point of mentioning when members of Pauls team stayed behind at new churches (e.g., Timothy and Silas stayed behind in Berea in Acts 17:14-15; Priscilla and Aquila stayed behind in Ephesus in Acts 18:19), or when members were sent to churches as Pauls representatives (e.g., Timothy and Erastus are sent ahead to Macedonia while Paul stays longer in Asia in Acts 19:22). Watercolour and ink portrait of Lydia bySarah Beth Baca. Here are verses in Acts that mention devout Gentile adherants of Judaism here. God didnt put the Gentiles in a spirit of slumber. 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. Paul's collection for the church in Jerusalem is also called diakonia (Acts 11:29; 12:25) and Paul often refers to himself as a diakonos (e.g., 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 6:4). I hadnt thought of that before. If Macedonia produced perhaps the most competent group of men the world had yet seen, the women were in all respects the mens counterparts; they played a large part in affairs, received envoys and obtained concessions for them from their husbands, built temples, founded cities, engaged mercenaries, commanded armies, held fortresses, and acted on occasion as regents or even co rulers. Lydia made and sold the expensive purple fabric worn only by the wealthy elite. Luke says "the Lord opened Lydia's heart to believe." This is similar to Luke 24:45; Jesus opens the hearts of his disciples so that they could understand the scripture. Verse 11 says,"We came with a straight course to Samothracia." We can assume she also told business contacts, clients, and neighbours. We can learn a lot from Lydia. The word regeneration is only used twice in the whole bible. As mentioned before Lydia sells purple cloth. She was probably widowed or perhaps divorced. On the practical side, Lydias experience of running a largish household and of running a business would have been useful in managing and caring for a congregation. (1) Women helped prepare the Lord's Supper. Luke 10:5-7). Allen Webster. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidLimbaugh. I will sincerely like to know more about you and every biblical article youve ever published. [12] Ascough, Lydia, 6-7. Paul is one such Jew. Paul will encounter, and convince, other women of relatively high social status later in Thessalonika (17:4) and Beroea (17:12). (Though there are other ways to understand the we passages. https://margmowczko.com/lydia-and-the-place-of-prayer-at-philippi/, https://margmowczko.com/wealthy-women-roman-world-and-church/, Lydia and the Place of Prayer in Philippi, Jesus, Women, and Theology: Jesus said to her , Wealthy Women in the Roman World and in the Church, Chrysostom on 5 Women Leaders in the New Testament, Adolf von Harnack, biblical scholar and historian, https://margmowczko.com/tag/women-in-acts/, Covering or Testicle in 1 Cor. Lydia believers because the Lord enables her to understand and accept the Gospel as Paul preached it. It is well documented that some Gentiles were attracted to the monotheism and the morality of Judaism. 16:7). As Paul explained who Jesus was and why he had to die for the sin of the world, Lydia showed a humble, trusting spirit. Still, she thrived in the new city, and because of her new placement, God allowed for her journey to coincide with Pauls. As you mention for Lydia, Proverbs 31 makes no mention of this virtuous wife checking with her husband before doing anything. "On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. At that time she became ill and died. Large sections of it can still be seen in Philippi today. Your words have brightened my day! She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. Carrie Underwood Sings 'Go Rest High On That Mountain' to Honor Vince Gill, What We Can Do Today to Reach People in Need, 10 Ways to Deal with the Difficult People in Your Church, 7 Ways to Study the Bible Like Billy Graham, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God. We dont know much about Lydias husband, but we do know it was seen as a good practice for women to remain indoors and attend to household duties. She opened her home to Paul and his fellow travelers. Even if I originally wrote an article for a journal, magazine, or book chapter, I have posted it on this website also. And a church was established in Samaria (Acts 9:31; 15:3 CEB; cf. Or you just dont care about the topic. See also Ascough, Lydia, 47. The other women with Lydia in Acts may have been employees and slaves. Lydia was a seller of purple, that is, she was a businesswoman who sold luxury textiles dyed purple. I am new to your site but wish to exclaim I love to hear about Lydia and the Church of Philippi, her generosity to Paul and the lord Jesus Christ. Thank you so very much! Almost every article Ive ever written, about 400, is posted somewhere on this website. This was a unique achievement for a woman during the male-dominated Roman empire. A church was established in Philippi because of Lydias open heart and her open home, and it grew because of her patronage, her initiative, her courage, her ministry. Samaria. There are Categories on the side of the page, which can help you find articles on particular topics. She ran a successful business and supervised a work force. The fact that Lydia appears in several instances in one chapter shows she had a strong impact on Pauls ministry, as catalogued by the historian Luke. For instance, lets observe what some contemporary ancients said about women, versus what we find in the Old and New Testament. The early Christian church there, supported by Lydia, may have influenced thousands of travelers over the years. While Paul might have preached a little bit, it seems to imply that this was a conversation. [15] These molluscs are predatory, intertidal snails of theBolinus (formerly Murex) genus. The Apostle Paul first encountered Lydia at Philippi, in eastern Macedonia. Lydia presumably told members of her household, who followed her lead and were baptised with her. The footnotes are informative too. Lydia was one of the women there who "listened" (Acts 16:14) to what Paul was saying. This was likely one of the primary reasons why this particular church had a unique, strong bond with the apostle. 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. If I had been in a lecture setting and heard you read this article (for lack of an appropriate word at this moment) I would be standing cheering and applauding you and saying: Brava! The brother of radio host Rush Limbaugh, he lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, with his wife and children. Lydia - a worshipper of God and a tradeswoman - is often cited as the first European convert to Christianity. Lydia's story is told in Acts 16:13-15, 40. See Judges 8:26, Ezekiel 27:7 & 16, Jeremiah 10:9, Esther 1:6, and Revelation 18:11-17. Excellent work! [13], Even though her name tells us nothing concrete, the fact that Lydia is named at all is significant. There are several things I would like to point out about Lydia. 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. Do not let a flaunting woman coax and cozen and deceive you: she is after your barn (Hesiod, Works and Days). (Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1982); and Susan Mathew, Women in the Greetings of Romans 16.1-16: A Study of Mutuality and Womens Ministry in the Letter to the Romans (London; New York: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013), 54-63. james wilks self defense training . Or youre thinking about something else. God is the one who has to clear the scales off of their eyes. And finally, Lydia may have been a missionary herself. Her example of stewardship shows we cannot pay God back for our salvation, but we do have an obligation to support the church and its missionary efforts. Second, we can know that not every Christian has to wind up a missionary or worship leader. The two Greek words used in verses 13 and 14 here are simple words for "speak" in Greek. Lydia was the first convert to Christianity in Europe. Samaritan. When she took Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke into her house, she created one of the first home churches in Europe. battle of omdurman order of battle. In this article, well dive into who she is, why she receives a special mention in the New Testament, and what we can learn from her example. Naturally, when members of these families tied the knot, major $$$ was spent and, of course, the gowns were to . Paul and his party may have spent several weeks staying with Lydia (cf. Used with permission of the artist. It does not seem to have been the usual practice for one of Pauls coworkers to stay with a new church when the rest continued on their journey. Acts 16:40).[18]. Salvation encompasses all these things, and more: forgiveness of sin; deliverance from darkness and death; regeneration as our spirit is reborn and renewed; adoption as Gods own beloved children; justification, which effectively exchanges our sins with Jesus Christs righteousness; sanctification as the Holy Spirit sets us apart as especially belonging to God, and begins his work of making us become more and more like Jesus; and reconciliation which allows us to come near to God in a close relationship, instead of being distant and estranged. The translation of "God-worshiper . These may appear like minor details, but we should note that even important people in the early Church maybe got a verse or two of dedication from Paul. Refresh your delight in the Lord through: Dear Marg, thanks to God for all those comments. 26; 27:16; 36:8, 35-37). Third, Lydia was a courageous woman. When Paul spoke, her heart was opened. Because of the wealth she accrued (at the very least, a modest enough wealth for a larger household) she helped provide for those working a holy job. 11:10-12). I am preparing a report on Lydia for my Presbyterian bible study group in Austin, Texas. Craig Keener notes, Many purple-dye merchants in Rome were freedwomen in this period. If Lydia didnt lead the fledgeling church in Philippi, who did? H. Zell (CC BY-SA 3.0) (Wikimedia), [16] Lydia persuades, or prevails upon, Paul to accept her hospitality. Whatever her marital status, Lydias home was relatively spacious. Scripture says we all make up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12), which means, we also have different inclinations to a variety of occupations. Lydia's story shows God works through people by opening their hearts to help them believe the good news. He played a crucial role in spreading the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews) during the first century, and his missionary journeys took him all throughout the Roman empire. Lydia appears inseveral verses in Acts 16. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 1 John 5:1 [13] For a brief discussion on the likelihood of Lydia being another name of either Euodia or Syntyche, see Davorlin Peterlin, Pauls Letter to the Philippians in the Light of Disunity in the Church (Leiden: Brill, 1995), 128-130. 2 and 3:14). Lydia's life proves that one can work a "worldly" job and use it as a ministry. Lydia and Paul first met outside the gates of Philippi, a city in Macedonia, now part of modern Greece. [7] Compare, for example, the lack of descriptive information about the unnamed men and women in the Macedonian cities of Thessalonica and Berea, mentioned in Acts 14:4 and 12, or even about Jason, mentioned in Acts 17:5-9. 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). Finally, the Bible doesnt look down upon her trade. But no one of Pauls team is mentioned as staying behind in Philippi at the end of Acts 16. Anyway, thats what I believe. These verses, all in Acts chapter 16, tell us quite a bit about her and the important part she played in the Philippian church. Instead, she had become a "God-fearer." She had already taken a major step away from her religious upbringing and had investigated Jewish claims of one God and wanted to know more. Words used in verses 13 and 14 here are verses in Acts 16:13-15, 40 purple was! 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