Off on the First Missionary Journey

The men start off on their first missionary journey with the support of the church in Antioch.  Barnabas, as the patron, is the leader and Paul as client with John a helper are in the party.  They land on the west end of Cyprus and visit all the synagogues on the island as they make [...]

Paul and His Patron Barnabas

     The first century Roman empire had an omnipresent and ubiquitous practice of patronage.  It was practiced from the lowest slave to the highest reaches of the imperial family.  The society worked with patrons and clients. The more clients you had, the more influential you were.  The more important a  patron you had, the better [...]

Charlie Hustle of the First Century

     Paul was the Charlie Hustle, the hardest working salesman, of the first century.  But we first meet him as a rabid hater of the Jesus Movement.  We are introduced to him in Jerusalem after the Crucifixion when he holds the coats of those who were stoning Stephen the believer.   He was a zealous Pharisee, a believer in [...]