To a certain extent the wealth of maritime details might be accounted for by the loving interest with which Luke dwelt on his journeys in company with Paul ; but
1 Hobart, The Medical Language of St. Luke, a work which has to be used with the caution that the author recognises as neediul.
206 The Coming of Luke. Chap. IX.
this does not fully explain the facts. Every one who compares Luke's account of the journey from Caesareia to Jerusalem (which might be expected to live in his memory beyond others), or from Puteoli to Rome, with his account of any of the voyages, must be struck by the difference between the scanty matter-of-fact details in the land journeys, and the love that notes the voyage, the winds, the runs, the appearance of the shores, Cyprus rising out of the sea, the Cretan coast close in by the ship's side, the mountains towering above it from which the blast strikes down. At the same time, it is quite clear that, though he reported nautical matters with accuracy, he was not a trained and practised sailor. His interest for the sea sprang from his natural and national character, and not from his occupation.
Philippi was an inland city, and Neapolis was its harbour. Having once mentioned the port, Luke leaves it to be understood in XX 6. As usual, Paul goes on to the great city, and does not preach in the port (cp. XIV 26, XVIII 18).
The description of the dignity and rank of Philippi is unique in Acts ; nor can it be explained as strictly requisite for the historian's proper purpose. Here again the explanation lies in the character of the author, who was specially interested in Philippi, and had the true Greek pride in his own city. Perhaps he even exag- gerates a little the dignity or Philippi, which was still only in process of growth, to become at a later date the great city of its division. Of old Amphipolis had been the chief city of the division, to which both belonged. Afterwards Philippi quite outstripped its rival ; but it was at that time in such a position, that Amphipolis was
Sec. 4. The Entrance into Macedonia. 207
ranked first by general consent, Philippi first by its own consent. These cases of rivalry between two or even three cities for the dignity and title of " First " are familiar to every student of the history of the Greek cities ; and though no other evidence is known to show that Philippi had as yet began to claim the title, yet this single passage is conclusive. The descriptive phrase is like a lightning flash amid the darkness of local history, revealing in startling clearness the whole situation to those whose eyes are trained to catch the character of Greek city-history and city-jealousies.
It is an interesting fact that Luke, who hides himself so completely in his history, cannot hide his local feeling ; and there every one who knows the Greek people recognises the true Greek ! There lies the strength, and also the weakness, of the Greek peoples ; and that quality beyond all others has determined then- history, has given them their strength against the foreigner, and their weakness as a united country.
Nationality is more conspicuous in the foibles and weaknesses of mankind, whereas great virtues and great vices have a common character in all nations. Luke shows himself the Greek when he talks of the Maltese as " the barbarians " ; when he regards the journey to Jerusalem as a journey and nothing more ; when he misrepresents the force of a Latin word (p. 225) ; when he is blind to the true character of the Roman name (the tria nomina) ; when he catches with such apprecia- tion and such ease the character of Paul's surroundings in Athens. His hatred of the Jews and his obvious inability to feel the slightest sympathy for their attitude towards Paul, are also Greek. On the other hand, his