I’m hoping to release my next book in the Planting Faith Series next year. It’s called More than Conquerors, and it takes place in Thessalonica. If you remember, book #1, Sold into Freedom, was set in Philippi. Paul’s next stop on his journey was Thessalonica, and the story of that visit is recorded in Acts 17.
Luke’s accuracy in recording the historical and political situation in the Roman Empire is unparalleled. In his works, which make up over 25% of the New Testament, he names 32 countries, 54 cities, and 9 Mediterranean islands. He also lists 95 people by name. Not once has he been proved to be in error, though many have tried.
Marble building block from a Roman gateway at Thessalonica, with an inscription that lists six politarchs.
In Acts 17, Luke says the crowd dragged Jason to the “politarchs.” Politarch, a compound of polis (city) and arch (ruler), literally means “leader of the citizens.” For centuries this term was not found anywhere besides Luke’s letter, causing academics and scholars to cite this as proof Luke had made up the story, didn’t know what he was talking about, and therefore the whole of his work deserved to be dismissed in entirety.
However, in 1835, a critical discovery was made. On the western side of the city, an arch that had spanned the ancient Via Egnatia was unearthed. There, carved in stone, was the word politarch. The inscription lists the leaders of the city, including three named Sopater, Secundus. There is no proof of the date these men served their city. The block is now housed in the British Museum.
More than Conquerors tells the story of Jason, who housed Paul and his companions while they were in Thessalonike, and Kassanadra, one of the “prominent women” of that city. Check back next Monday for a preview of this book!