* Compare the precise and clear definition of 1823 by Asterius about a.p. 400, quoted in vol. ii. p. 91.
PHRYGIA
PHRYGIA 867
inner country as distinguished from the coast ;* but this distinction seems not in harmony with Luke’s narrative: it is of no consequence to him to distinguish coast and interior: moreover, most of the previous part of the journey was over the high ground of the interior. Here we want some expression suitable specially to describe the part of Asia which he traversed. The word ἀνωτερικός is a rare one, and seems chosen in order to suggest a contrast with certain lower peat in other words, the meaning is that St. Paul avoided the route through Lower Phrygia, and traversed Higher Phrygia (according to the distinction mentioned
above, § I.). This distinction was important: Luke had a definite purpose in defining the part of Phrygia which St. Paul traversed. He makes
it clear that the apostle did not follow the longer and easier trade-route by Apamea, Lake Anava, Colosse, and Laodicea (which led through Lower Phrygia, see above, p. 864), but took the other more direct road (less suitable for wheeled traffic, but better for walking travellers) across High Phrygia, keeping very near a straight line from Metropolis to phen That was a point of some importance, for Paul mentions that he had never seen the Churches of Colosse or Laodicea, which therefore must have been founded by some of his coadjutors (perhaps Timothy).
Ill. PHRyYGIA IN Acts 2!°.—Phrygia is also mentioned in Ac 2” in the list of places whence came the Jews and proselytes who were pre- aent in Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost shortly after the Crucifixion—‘ dwellers in Meso-
tamia, and in Judea§ and Cappadocia, in
ontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt’ etc. This remarkable list is an insoluble puzzle. It is made on no discoverable principle, either as regards the order of enumeration or as regards the districts mentioned and omitted. The ly certain fact about it is that it is quite iflerent in style from the original work of the author of Acts, and must have been derived by him from the earlier authority, or authorities, to whom he owed the narrative of the events described in ch. 2, Some districts where Jews were numer- ous, and which are certain to have had represen- tatives at Jerusalem, such as Cilicia, are omitted. The names, as a rule, are those of countries, not of Roman provinces; yet Asia is mentioned; this name must denote either the Roman province or a much larger region (see LYDIA); in the former case it would include Phrygia Asiana, in the latter case it would include all Phrygia, both Asiana and Galatica, together with Pamphylia. ||
The most probable view is that Asia in this
assage means the province (a Roman province
ing named in this one case, because the name had already established itself in popular Greek nomenclature); and Phrygia is named in addition, partly because it was inhabited by such large numbers of Jews (see below, § V.), pertly because Phrygia Galatica, which contained very many
* ἄνω is used always in that sense, not ἀνωτιρικός.
¢ ἀνωτιρικός (except in passages dependent on Ac 19!) is used only by medical writers, Hippocrates and Galen (if we may depend on Steph. Thesaurus on this matter). Hobart (Medical Language of St. Luke, p. 148) does not fail to observe the con- firmation which this word gives to his views.
t The Church in the Roman Empire before 170, second or later editions, p. 94, note.
§ The name Judma is suspected by Blass, who would sub- stitute on Jerome’s authority Syria. It is, of course, not in harmony with the context ; but, in δ list which is as a whole pret haa it is vain to carp at one incomprehensible
6 .
! Pontus and Cappadocia may be regarded as the external boundaries of ‘ Asia,’ taking that term in the sense described in a very difficult passage, Pliny (Nat. Hist. v. 28), where it is said that ‘ Asia,’ if ite two parts are taken together, extended
from the and tian and Pamphylian Seas to Paphla- gonia and Pontus; on the meaning, see Studia Bibdlica, iv. p. 46.
Jews, was not included in the province Asia. Similarly, the Lugdunensian Christians wrote to τοῖς ἐπ᾽ ᾿Ασίας καὶ Φρυγίας ἀδελφοῖς, for they desired to include in their address the important Churches of Iconium, Antioch, and_ probably several in Galatic Phrygia of later foundation
(which were not in Asia). On this address, prob- ably, Tertullian models his expression (adv. Praz. 1) ‘pacem ecclesiis Asie et Phrygie inferentem.’ There can be no doubt that the Churches of Phrygia Galatica were as important in the 2nd cent. Christianity, as its Jews were in the Jewish world.
IV. CHRISTIANITY IN PurRyota. — Christianity was introduced into Phrygia Galatica by Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Ac 13. 14). Paul revisited, confirmed, and strengthened them (Ac 16** 18%). Considering how much space the author of Acts assigns to the account of the formation of these Churches (along with the two Lycaonian Churches), and considering how often Paul visited and consolidated them, we must see that they were regarded as being highly important in the early Church.
Phrygia Asiana was traversed at least twice by St. Paul. On his second journey, accompanied by Silas and Timothy, he went from Pisidian Antioch northwards through the country to near the Bithynian frontier (probably to about Dory- laion, over against ghee and then westwards into Mysia and the Troad.* Paul was on that journey forbidden to preach in [the province] Asia, so that he cannot have founded any Churches in Asian Phrygia (though, perhaps, we need not interpret the prohibition so strictly as to suppose that he was bound to keep silence absolutely about the gospel on the journey to the Troad: probably the command only implied that he was not to make Asia his sphere of work). On the third journey St. Paul traversed Phrygia Asiana from east to west on a line between Antioch and Ephesus (see above). He probably preached on the journey ; but there is no sign of any success; and he was evi- dently eager to ξο to Ephesus, and make it the centre for the whole province. Thus in all prob- ability the earliest Churches in Phrygia Asiana were those of the Lycus valley, Colosse, Laodicea, Hierapolis, founded through the work of his assist- ants and subordinates (probably Timothy in par- ticular), while he was in Ephesus.