Paul was called to Macedonia in a vision. There he would present the gospel to the Greeks in what was the first time Christ was proclaimed on the European continent – and who would have imagined the consequences? Of course, it was the plan of God to Christianize Europe, and here was the beginning:

So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the* district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us’” (Acts 16:11-15).
This amazing incident of the first European conversion was that of a woman named Lydia who was a seller of purple, a costly dye used especially by royalty, as purple was their defining color. This convert was a businesswoman at that! Further, this businesswoman was obviously among God’s elect who was effectually called. Luke describes the action: “the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” And she did just that. She believed the gospel and was baptized along with her household, which probably included her staff as well as any family members who were with her.
And thus, we stood on the banks of the river that flowed through Philippi, at a place considered the likely one where the women gathered to pray. The place was probably where women came to was clothes, and was, therefore, a familiar place where they would gather. They were probably Jewish women meeting there to pray because Philippi lacked the necessary ten Jewish men to form a synagogue. This assumption is made because Paul would usually seek any Jews in a city to fulfill the promise that the gospel was to come first to them. The baptism of her household was in fulfillment of Peter’s Pentecost promise that the promise would be to their children and to all those afar off, all whom the Lord would call.
I stood there and tried to imagine Lydia and any children she had with her as well as any of her staff accompanying her being baptized here by the apostle Paul. Here then was the beginning of the church in Europe!
Komentar