It has been apparent on this trip that things are often very much out of our control. This phenomenon is especially apparent on boats when you're rather at the mercy of the wind and weather. Because of these types of circumstances which were very much out of our control we arrived in Turkey later than planned and had to push our tours back a day.
Thus, today (rather than yesterday) found us sitting in the theatre at Miletus, talking about Paul and Jews and "God-fearers." We had just concluded a discussion on the social and economic importance of the "God-fearers" as a buffer between Jews and Gentiles...
...when who should walk into the theater but John Crossan, the originator of the theory we had just been discussing. It was a good moment.
After Miletus we visited the Temple to Apollos in Didymus. It was pretty spectacular. Plus, I managed to trip and fall on my rear end. Very graceful of me. We climbed on some pillars that had fallen down.
We also ate lunch.
Lastly we visited Priene. In many ways I suppose it was one of my favorite sites. There weren't many people, and it was in a more hilly region with trees and cows and goats around.
It was a more Greek flavored city (not as Roman as Miletus) which made a difference in the theatre and a few other architectural elements.
As a surprise to us we stopped at a certain place that was (I think) in a row of houses and didn't look particularly significant. However, it had apparently just been identified as a first century Synagogue. We found a menorah inscribed on a stone and what might have been the remains of a mikveh. That was pretty exciting. Perhaps Paul once taught in that very room, or at least one like it.
Thus, today (rather than yesterday) found us sitting in the theatre at Miletus, talking about Paul and Jews and "God-fearers." We had just concluded a discussion on the social and economic importance of the "God-fearers" as a buffer between Jews and Gentiles...
After Miletus we visited the Temple to Apollos in Didymus. It was pretty spectacular. Plus, I managed to trip and fall on my rear end. Very graceful of me. We climbed on some pillars that had fallen down.
And we admired the pillars that excavators had set up again.
We also ate lunch.
Lastly we visited Priene. In many ways I suppose it was one of my favorite sites. There weren't many people, and it was in a more hilly region with trees and cows and goats around.
Tomorrow we take the ferry to Samos and hope to meet the Morning Star there and then spend the day exploring the Island. Then we hope to hit Patmos and then make our way to Athens - Lord willing.
If you want to see the "official" blog of our travels go here: http://emu.edu/now/holyland/category/mediterranean-2011/
(I took most of the pictures.)
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