This is a well written, scholarly article. We dont know much about Lydias husband, but we do know it was seen as a good practice for women to remain indoors and attend to household duties. Like you, I also believe that we are saved through faith and grace. Yesterday, someone expressed doubt that a Jewish person would wear purple or sell purple because shellfish are unclean. Lydias life proves that one can work a worldly job and use it as a ministry. The first person to hear and respond to the Good News. artillery avalanche control jobs. After Paul was released from prison, he went to her house to say goodbye and to encourage the brethren there (Ac 16:15, 40). Margaret Mowczko 2017 [18] Other New Testament women, who seem to be homeowners and independent of husbands or fathers, were Martha of Bethany (Luke 10:38), Mary of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12ff), Chloe of Corinth (1 Cor. Through that occupation, she met Paul and accommodated him and his friends. Bravisima! She comes from Thyatira, a wealthy town known for itstrade guilds and purple dye. While it is true that Jesus seemed to have a fondness and special compassion for the poor, there is a place in the church for the wealthy. I guess you could say that I am a complementarian now leaning toward egalitarianism. (As an unmarried Gentile woman, she had been prevented by Jewish law from becoming a convert to Judaism.) Lydia lived and worked in Philippi, dealing in textiles colored with the purple dye for which the region was famous. It is typically thought the author of Acts was present and an eyewitness during the we narratives, but was using the testimony of others in the they narratives. In just the act of taking the time to talk with her, Christ began breaking down the barriers to her heart. Excellent work! When Paul spoke, her heart was opened. [19] This description is an idiom that tells us Lydia was a Gentile adherent to Judaism rather than a full convert. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, supposedly named for legendary king Lydos. I am new to your site but wish to exclaim I love to hear about Lydia and the Church of Philippi, her generosity to Paul and the lord Jesus Christ. That Lydia is names suggests she was a woman who became prominent in the church at Philippi. We are told her name, that she was a dealer in purple cloth, that she was originally from the city of Thyatira, and that she was a God-worshipper. Considering the descriptions in Acts of other people who Paul meets on his missions, an appreciable amount of information is given about Lydia. My sister, I just want you to know how much you blessed me with this article. Ya, I dont think she was a Gentile at all, as your article suggests, however, your article certainly confirmed much of what I was thinking, tho. Have a good weekend. Second,Lydia may have experienced the Diaspora, or a diaspora of sorts, if she had to travel from Thyatira to Philippi. The footnotes are informative too. One of the trade guilds in Thyatira made expensive purple dye, probably from the roots of the madder plant. The fellowship in Philippi was the first European church founded by Paul. How Do We Know What God's Best for Us Is? This is before Pauls departure. A church was established in Philippi because of Lydias open heart and her open home, and it grew because of her patronage, her initiative, her courage, her ministry. I had been discussing regeneration with reform people, mainly Calvinists, ex-Calvinists, and Im not, but I have concluded in my studies that the word regeneration only applies to the Jews. We can learn a lot from Lydia. God didnt put the Gentiles in a spirit of slumber. Then, she is baptized into the . When she took Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke into her house, she created one of the first home churches in Europe. According to Acts, Paul typically began a new mission in each new city by connecting with the local Jewish population. He taught one's only basis for the forgiveness of sins is faith in the merits of Christ's sacrificial death. Romans 15:21 11:15? God can use a witness in accounting just as much as he can use a missionary in a country that has not yet heard the good news of Christ. Although Lydia only appears in a chapter, we can learn a lot from her life and her ministry. 1:23-24). Why mention her at all, one may ask. And earlier in Acts we are told when John Mark joined Barnabas and Paul (Acts 12:25) and when he left them (Acts 13:13). The home is where we establish families and nurture children. Without financial support, sometimes large contributions, the early church and the current church could not survive and grow. All rights reserved. Divorce was easy under Roman law and it was common, and in most cases it did not result in any sense of scandal or stigma. It was a Sabbath Day that you mentioned. This is that they devoted themselves to the teaching that they received. Anyway, thats what I believe. David Limbaugh is a lawyer, nationally syndicated columnist, political commentator, and the author of ten bestsellers, including Jesus on Trial, The Emmaus Code, The True Jesus, and Jesus is Risen. That was the first internal problem confronted by the early church, and it came out of the culture. Acts 2:18; 1 Cor. We can also analyze other women mentioned in the Bible and realize the radical message of the Gospel, and how it uses the most marginalized and forgotten people to spread its good news. They cared for local congregations and were vital and strategic players at the forefront of the expanding Christian mission. disgusting, hateful, revolting, disagreeable. And they did come across a group of women there, including some Gentiles known as worshipers of God, people who were attracted to the Jewish faith and who attended services but were not yet converts. They say that faith is a gift from God, and not a work of man, that God must first regenerate you before you can even believe. She has both a practical job and a heavenly one here on earth. Samaria. For instance, lets observe what some contemporary ancients said about women, versus what we find in the Old and New Testament. Fairchild, Mary. Lydia's name does not appear in Paul's letter to the Philippians, written about ten years later, leading some scholars to guess she may have died by that time. The church has suffered through the centuries by discouraging and disqualifying half its members, many of whom have been called by the Spirit to serve. Lydiaa woman from Thyatira in Asia Minor, but living in Philippi (in Macedonia)becomes a sort of Mary Magdalene in Europe. But there were exceptions. The names of other Philippians, such as the slave girl or the jailer, are not given even though we are told some of their stories in Acts 16:16-20 and 22ff. Just last week my husband and I met a man and even though I was introduced as Rev. Everyone includes Jews and Gentiles. Have you seen this tag? The Samaritan woman gave Jesus well water, but He gave her ______ water. Women served as judges (Deborah), the first eyewitnesses to Jesus resurrection, and even as Deacons (Phoebe). In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man, who is presumably Jewish, is described as being dressed in purple and fine linen (Luke 16:19). Finally, Lydia shows us that we also need to show hospitality. And a church was established in Samaria (Acts 9:31; 15:3 CEB; cf. If Lydia didnt lead the fledgeling church in Philippi, who did? Paul and his team had already spent a few days in the city (probably organising accommodation and work), when, on the Sabbath day, they went outside the city gates in search of a Jewish place of prayer by a river. Especially if God has granted us more abundance than other believers, we need to show generosity to those who do not have as much. What Is the Difference Between Prophetic Words and the Word of God? She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. Because ancient Philippi had no synagogue, the few Jews in that city gathered on the bank of the Krenides River for sabbath worship where they could use the water for ritual washings. We often talk about how the crowds who followed Jesus were mostly made up of the poor and outcast, the sinners and the ones left out of acceptability. "Geographical movement from city to city, from region to region, and from province to province was a principal element of missionary work in the first century.". Thank you, Marg! : https://margmowczko.com/tag/women-in-acts/ It takes you to a few other women in Acts as well as Lydia. The seat of Solomons chariot was purple (Songs 3:10-11). (2021, September 8). We know for sure that Cornelius was a Gentile. It seems that Philippi did not have a recognised synagogueperhaps they did not have enough Jewish men to form a quorum necessary for a synagogue[2]but they did have a proseuch, a prayer-house. Purple symbolised royalty and prestige. Wishing you well. He says he is "of the tribe of Benjamin.". Lydia also credited God with her earthly blessings and was quick to share them with Paul and his friends. Nevertheless, because slaves were sometimes named after their place of origin, it has been thought Lydias name signifies she had once been a slave. She established her business in a foreign country. Her story is recorded in Acts 16: Reuters. The women were equipped and empowered with faith, knowledge, and personal experience to tell others. (Though there are other ways to understand the we passages. Someone asked me if Lydia could have been a purple-dyer rather than a purple-seller. God bless you and your family too. I am a Pastor and am so thankful for brothers and sisters like you in the body of Christ. That was how Lydia listened. battle of omdurman order of battle. We're talking monikers like the Vanderbilt's, the Astor's, the Kennedy's, and so on. Ways women participated in the early Church. In case youre interested I have articles on King Lemuels mother here, and Euodia and Syntyche here. We have to keep in mind that the fact the Bible named her shows a great deal of importance. What Did the Early Church Believe and Practice? Paul started a church in Galatia, where the teaching of justification by faith alone was clearly proclaimed and accepted. Wealthy Women in the Roman World and in the Church In some parts of the Roman Empire, women could play prominent roles in their Jewish communities, especially in places where women already had some social freedoms. I dont do Facebook, I try to keep my face in His Book. She was a seller of purple and a worshiper of God. The Apostle Paul was one of the most influential leaders of the early Christian church. Hesiod believed if a woman flirted with you, she was simply a gold digger. Many synagogues and prayer-houses were built near water sources, such as rivers, to facilitate ritual washings. I did a Bachelor of Christian Studies at Robert Menzies College Sydney. She came to be viewed as a saint by many Christian denominations. Lydia is the only Philippian convert who is named in Acts, and we know that the Philippian church met in her home. 4:11; Phlm. I appreciate your writing. Third, Lydia was a courageous woman. Where No One Stands Alone Lisa Marie Presley Duet with Elvis, Bills QB Josh Allen Describes 'Spiritual Awakening' after Hamlin Collapse: 'I Couldn't Deny' It. Lydias wealth is also indicated by the fact that she seems to have been the owner and mistress of her own home. This meant that there were very few Jews in the city, because it only required ten men to establish a synagogue. See Map of Paul's journeys at end of this page.. Her wealth allowed her to live independently in a spacious house. Very few businesswomen are mentioned in the New Testament. Further, she was baptized and brought salvation to her entire household, an early example of how to win the souls of those closest to us. He tells his readers that he is "a Hebrew of Hebrews.". Thyatira was addressed by Jesus Christ in the Seven Churches of Revelation. Lydia may have been a patron of the Jewish community at Philippi. The Bible in itself has more mentions of men than women. This article looks at Lydia who is mentioned in just a few verses in the New Testament. I think we may have studied with similar tutors. I believe that regeneration is for the Jews, not the Gentiles, all because of the slumber that they are in. He. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 So, Im thinking that Lydia was certainly a Jew by that alone, and the opening of the heart is the regeneration, because we are told in Deuteronomy. madison 60 (CC BY-SA 3.0) (Wikimedia Commons). By clicking on this Category or this Tag, under the title above, youll see many other articles about Bible Women and Brave Bible Women. I appreciate that you were the very first person to subscribe to my new blog. [Note that Lydia was not involved in the messy dyeing process herself; she is not called a purple-dyer (porphyrobapha) in the text.] Phoebe (the name means "bright" or "radiant": Apollo and Diana, the god and goddess of the sun and moon respectively, were often referred to as "Phoebos" and "Phoebe"), was a Diakonos of the Church at Chenchreae, the eastern seaport of the city of Corinth. This is the story of Lydia in the Bible. Acts 8:3; 9:1ff; 22:4). Lydia was a seller of purple, that is, she was a businesswoman who sold luxury textiles dyed purple. Since Lydia's husband is not mentioned but she was a householder, scholars have speculated she was a widow who brought her late husband's business to Philippi. Her faithful pursuit of God as a Jew caused the Holy Spirit to make her receptive to Paul's message of the gospel. Crucial to this idea is the fact that the author of Acts, traditionally thought to be Luke, often uses third-person plural they language when writing about Paul and his coworkers, but at other times uses first-person plural we language. (lol) Thats just my preference and God bless you and your family. Im going to pull this out next time someone tells me women in church leadership is a modern thing. I said, I AM the pastor. I wish he were going to be in church on Sunday. They use the word to say that God must first give you faith in order for you to believe, and they call that regeneration. Paul and Silas established their gospel mission headquarters in Lydia's house and no doubt preached there regularly. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Furthermore, Lydia uses her own initiative and doesnt consult a male relative, when she offers the missionaries hospitality, which they accept. The Word was their primary focus of getting together. The narrator begins using first-person plural (we) language in Acts 16:10, at the beginning of the mission at Philippi, but stops using this language after Acts 16:17. Every congregation has a beginning. This was a unique achievement for a woman during the male-dominated Roman empire. Or you just dont care about the topic. [1] The Greek noun used for man in Acts 16:9 (anr) is typically used for an adult male. Timothy had recently joined Paul (Acts 16:1-3), but he is not mentioned by name during Pauls episode in Philippi. This was likely one of the primary reasons why this particular church had a unique, strong bond with the apostle. [22] For example, a second-century CE inscription from Smyrna mentions a woman named Rufina who was a synagogue ruler. Lately, I have been stretched in my thinking on women in leadership. The expenses involved in her occupation as a merchant of luxury textiles indicates she was a woman of some wealth. The story of Cornelius was before Lydia. While preparing a sermon, I came across your writing and I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciate your work. After all, the rich young ruler in Luke 18 doesnt receive an explicit name reference. As she heard the word of God she was moved to act upon the things Paul was saying. 2 and 3:14). It was neither common nor rare for a woman, usually a widowed or divorced woman, to have control of her own wealth and be a homeowner in New Testament times. In those days when a wife lost her husband there was hardly anything she could do to support herself. 8:15). References to Lydia in the Bible Verse 11 says,"We came with a straight course to Samothracia." There were a few who followed Jesus who came from the wealthy class. Lydia- The Purple Cloth Seller. The thankful, healed Samaritan leper is also presented in a favourable light (Luke 17:11-19). First, Lydia most likely accrued a great deal of wealth from selling purple cloth. (Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1982); and Susan Mathew, Women in the Greetings of Romans 16.1-16: A Study of Mutuality and Womens Ministry in the Letter to the Romans (London; New York: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013), 54-63. It was large enough to accommodate Paul and his fellow missionaries (who included Silas, probably Timothy, and perhaps Luke and others) as well as her own household. God had to open up the heart of Lydia, where that didnt happen with Cornelius. Many thanks for your blog, Marg. I hadnt thought of that before. I believe that grace is the gift THRU your faith, not a God given faith. Heres my answer. Paul was on his second missionary journey when he had a vision of a man who pleaded with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The apostle responded to the vision by gathering his team and quickly setting off across the Aegean Sea for Macedonia, the northern region of modern-day Greece.
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