V. Connection with the Apostle Paul. — Paul's visit to Thessalonica (with Silas and Timothy) occurred during his second missionary journey, and to this is due the introduction of Christianity into Thessalonica. Timo- thy is not mentioned in any part of the direct narrative of what happened at Thessalonica, though he appears as Paul's companion before at Philippi (Acts xvi, 1-13), and afterwards at Beroea (xvii, 14, 15); but from his subsequent mission to Thessalonica (1 Thess. iii, 1-7 ; see Acts xviii, 5), and the mention of his name in the open- ing salutation of both epistles to the Thessalonians, we can hardl}' doubt that he had been with the apostle throughout.
Three circumstances must here be mentioned, which illustrate in an important manner this visit and this journey, as well as the two epistles to the Thessalonians, which the apostle wrote from Corinth very soon after his departure from his new Macedonian converts. (1.) This was the chief station on the great Roman road called the Via Egnatia, which connected Rome with the whole region to the north of the ^Egean Sea. Paul was on this road at Neapolis (Acts xvi, II) and Philippi (ver. 12-40), and his route from the latter place (xvii, 1) had brought him through two of the well-known mi- nor stations mentioned in the Itineraries. See Amphip- OLis; Apollonia. (2.) Placed as it was on this great road, and in connection with other important Roman ways, Thessalonica was an invaluable centre for the spread of the Gospel. It must be remembered that, be-
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Plan of Thessalonica.
TIIESSALONICA
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TIIESSALONICA
sides its inland communication with the rich plains of of Paul's connection with Thessalonica. it must he no- Macedonia and with I'ar more remote rey;ions, its mari- ticed that he was certainly there again, thouyli the nine position made it a great em]j(irium of trade by sea. name of the city is not specilied, on his third missionary In tail, it was nearly, if not quite, on a level with Cor- ! journey, l)oth in going and returning (Acts xx, l-o). iiuh anil Kphesus in its share of the commerce of the I'ossibly he was also there again after his liberation Levant. Thus we see the force of what Paul says in from liis lirst imprisonment. See Phil, i, 25, 2ti; ii, 24, liis lirst epistle, shortly after leaving Thessaloniea-^(j^' | for the hope of revisiting Macedonia, entertained by the /'Hail' t£/;v»jrai o \6yog roii Kvfiiuv oi) f.iorov tv r{/ apostle at Home, and 1 Tim. i, 3 ; 2 Tim. iv, 13 ; Tit. iii, yiatcfCoi'i^t Kcii tv Ty 'A\'ai^, (iXX' tr Trapri totti^ (i, 8j. 12, for subsequent journeys in the neighborhood of Thes- (3.) The eircunislance noted in Acts xvii, 1, that here salonica.
was the synagogue of the .lews in tliis part of Macedo- 1 Of the first Christians of Thessalonica. we are able to nia, had eviilently much to do with the apostle's plans, I specify by name the above-mentioned Jason (who may and also <loubtless with his success. Trade would inev- ! be the sanie as the apostle's own kinsman mentioned in itably bring .Jews to Thessalonica ; and it is remarkable ' Kora. xvi, 21), Demas (at least conjecturally ; see 2 Tim. that, ever since, they have had a prominent place in the iv, 10), Gains, who shared some of Paul's ])erils at Ephe- annals of the city. i sus (Acts xix, 29), Secundus (who accompanied him The lirst scene of the apostle's work at Thessalonica from Macedonia to Asia on the eastward route of his was the svnagogue. According to his custom, he began I third missionary journe}-, and was probably concerned there, arguing from the ancient Scriptures (Acts xvii, ' in the business of the collection; see xx, 4), and espe- 2,3) ; and the same general results followed as in other cially Aristarchus (who, besides being mentioned here places. Some believed, both Jews and proselytes, and | with Secundus, accompanied Paul on his voyage to it is particularly added that among these were many Eome, and had therefore jjrobabh- been with him during inriueiuial women (ver. 4); on which the general body ; the whole interval, and is also specially referred to in of the Jews, stirred up with jealousy, excited the Gen- two of the epistles written during the first IJcjman im- tile population to persecute I'aul and Silas (ver. 5-10). prisonment; see xxvii,2; Col. iv, 10; Philem. 24; also It is stated that the ministrations among the Jews con- Acts xix, 29, for his association witli the ai)osile at tinned for three weeks (ver. 2) ; but we are not obliged Ephesus in the earlier part of the third journey). to limit to this time the whole stay of the apostles at VI. Ancient Remains. — The two monuments of great- Thessaloniea. A flourishing church was certainly form- est interest at Thessalonica are two arches connected ed there; and the epistles show that its elements were with the line of the Via Egnatia. The course of this much more Gentile tlian Jewish. Paul speaks of the Roman road is undoubtedly preserved in the long street Thessalonians as having turneii "from idols;" and he which intersects the city from east to west. At its does not here, as in other epistles, (piote the Jewish western extremity is the Vardar gate, which is nearly Scriptures. In all respects it is important to compare in the line of the modern wall, and which has received these two letters with the narrative in the Acts; and its present name from the circumstance of its leading to such references have the greater freshness from the the river Vardar, or Axius. This is the Roman arch short interval which elapsed between visiting the Thes- believed by Beaujour, Holland, and others to have been salonians and writing to them. Such expressions as tv ' erected by the people of Thessalonica in honor of Octa- SXni-fi noXKi) (1 Thess. i, 6), and ii> 7roXX(,J dytSjvi (ii, ' vius and Antonius, and in memory of the battle of Plii- 2), sum up the suffering and conflict which Paul and lippi. The arch is constructed of large blocks of mar- Silas and their converts went through at Thessalonica ble, and is about twelve feet wide and eighteen feet (see also ver. 14, 15; iii, 3,4; 2 Thess. i, 4-7). The high; but a considerable portion of it is buried deep be- persecution took place through the instrumentality of low the surface of the ground. On the outside face are worthless idlers {twv dyopaiwv ih'Cpag Tivd(; ttoi'jj- two bas-reliefs of a Roman wearing the toga and stand- poi't;, Acts xvii, 5), who, instigated by the Jews, raised ing before a horse. On this arch is the above-men- a tumult. The house of Jason, with whom the apostles tioned inscription containuig the names of the pulitarchs seem to have been residing, was attacked; they them- of the city. Leake thinks from the style of the sculpt- selves were not founil, but Jason was brought before the ure, and Tafel from the occurrence of the name Flavins authorities on the accusation that the Christians were in the inscription, that a later date ought to be assigned trying to set up a new king in opposition to the emper- to the arch (a drawing of it is given by Cousinery). or; a guarantee {to 'ikuvov) was taken from Jason and The other arch is near the eastern (said in Clarke's others for the maintenance of the peace, and Paul and Travelt;, iv, 359, by mistake, to be near the western) ex- Silas were sent away by night southward to Beraa tremity of the main street. It is built of brick and (Acts xvii, 5-10). The particular charge