In the Apostles’ Footsteps – Part 5 – with Brad Jersak in Ephesus

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Follow Dr. Bradley Jersak, PTM’s pastoral scholar, as he walks the ancient streets of biblical cities across Türkiye and Greece—sites where Christ’s apostles once trod. Knowing that Paul the apostle or John the beloved disciple traversed those same stones is a profound experience that brings the words of Scripture to life. In this series, Brad offers reflections on key locations he visited with students and friends of St. Stephen’s University. 


After experiencing the tri-cities of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea (see Parts 3 and 4 in this series) it was time to retrace the journeys of both St. Paul the Apostle and St. John the Evangelist (Jesus’ “beloved disciple”) to the city of Ephesus. You can read about Paul’s ministry there in Acts 19, and reliable tradition tells us that John lived and ministered in Ephesus as a spiritual center to recipients of his Gospel and 1 epistle (at least). We’re also told that he took Mary the Mother of Jesus (after Jesus entrusted her to him at the Cross) to settle there.


With too many stories to tell, I will only offer four of my highlights:


Paul – Two Years in the Lecture Hall of Tyranus 


In Acts 19, we read,


8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.


Imagine Paul preaching and teaching in a public lecture hall in a port city famous for its dedication to pagan gods and philosophies—daily and for two years!—so much so that “all the Jews and Greeks in the province” eventually heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. While at the ruins, I wondered about visiting that very lecture hall. 


I stand to be corrected, but when photos of the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus are posted online, what actually appears is the Library of Celsus. That seems impossible for a few reasons. (1) The ruins of the lecture hall have not yet been discovered (only 20% of Ephesus has been excavated), and (2) the library was not built until the 2nd century, long after Paul’s lifetime. Add that to the frequent earthquakes (AD17, c. AD 30, c. AD 42, c. AD 46–47, c. 150–155, 262, 358–366, 614, the 10th or 11th century!) and reconstruction that it’s highly improbable that we’re looking at the same building. Still, I found the Library of Celsus quite striking…


The Library of Celsus – 4 ways of knowing



The above photo is the beautiful facade of the great library of Ephesus, well after Paul’s time. I’m including it here for a few reasons. First, the library was notably dedicated to Celsus, a second century philosopher who was the most dominant opponent of Christianity in that era. His book The True Word AKA True Reason (178 AD) is the earliest known comprehensive criticism of Christianity. It survives only in exerpts in Origen’s refutation Contra Celsum (248 AD). 


But also, the entry way includes four large statues, each representing important ways of knowing. We moderns would do well to recognize that scientific data and social media opinions don’t constitute the fullness of what we call “knowledge.” In fact, they are regarded as virtues. 



They are, left to right,


sophia which is wisdom / integrated knowing which includes seeking, loving, and applying wisdom in real life (in the old days, we called this ‘prudence’). It is used 51 times in the New Testament! 


aretē which is virtue / goodness / moral excellence that attends to all the cardinal virtues and resists the vices. It is used in Philippians 4:8; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3, and twice in 2 Peter 1:5).


epistemē which is justified true belief / fact-checked knowing / understanding which makes sense in a library. It is used in Mark 14:68; Acts 10:28; 15:7; 18:25; 19:15, 25; 20:18; 22:19; 24:10; 26:26; 1 Timothy 6:4; Hebrews 11:8; James 4:14, and Jude 1:10.


ennoia (literally in mind) which is contemplative knowing / mindfulness where the eyes of the heart open to eternal truth. It is used in Hebrews 4:12 and 1 Peter 4:1. Note that –noia is from nous (your inner most being) and also seen in metanoia (repentence – turning your innermost being toward God).  


What a fulsome vision of “knowing”! Certainly, the Library of Celsus in Ephesus is a brilliant echo of New Testament virtues that we would do well to use as a criteria of truth in our own lives.


As I mentioned, there’s too much to share, so stay tuned for two more posts about our visit to Ephesus!


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