Conference abstract booklet by Mark Wilson
by Anja Slawisch, Lutgarde Vandeput, Peter Talloen, Jacopo Turchetto, Anthony Comfort, Francesco Di Filippo, Matthew Harpster, Marie-Laure Chambrade, Tom Sinclair, Andreas Külzer, Glen L Thompson, Hala Alarashi, Paul A Iversen, Adam Kryszen, Mark Wilson, Ahmet Cinici, Stephen Mitchell, Shannon Martino, and Hugh Elton
Conference Presentations by Mark Wilson
by Burak Yolaçan, ertan das, Hakan Göncü, Murat Tozan, CEREN ÜNAL, sarp alatepeli, I. Kusoglu, Mark Wilson, Ezgi Yekbun Cengiz, Γιάννης Κουτούλιας, Laugier Ludovic, Marie-Valérie Lesvigne, Gülten Çelik, and Duygu Sevil Akar Tanrıver II. International Colloquium on Excavation and Research on Smyrna/Izmir Abstracts
Articles by Mark Wilson
I. Uluslararas1 Kocaeli ve c;evresi Kultur Sempozyumu Bildirileri Cilt II, 2007
This article examines an important culture war that raged in ancient Nicomedia in the first three... more This article examines an important culture war that raged in ancient Nicomedia in the first three centuries after Christ. It looks at the persons, places, and events involved in this prolonged struggle through the lens of archaeological, and numismatic evidence, noting especially the issues that motivated both sides. Finally, we will look at the winners and losers in this culture war.
Pharos Journal of Theology, 2023
The encounter between Philip the evangelist and the African man in Acts 8 has elicited much schol... more The encounter between Philip the evangelist and the African man in Acts 8 has elicited much scholarly attention in recent years, particularly regarding issues of gender, race, and ethnicity. Overlooked in these discussions are significant matters of material culture that can help readers better understand this pericope. Material culture, according to The Cambridge Handbook of Material Culture Studies, is an interdisciplinary field that examines the relationships between people and their things as well as the interpretation of objects by drawing on theory and practice from disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, history, and museum studies. Therefore, the methodology of this study delves into relevant issues of material culture such geography, history, and archaeology. These provide significant insights informing the interpretation of the text. Each character is developed within his own individual trajectory in the narrative. The possible routes of travel for Philip from Jerusalem are explored, and the site of the baptism is localised. Then the means and mode of water and land travel of the African official are elucidated. Geographical terminology is clarified, particularly the location of Ethiopia in antiquity, and the historical relationship between Rome and Nubia is outlined. Jews in Egypt and their pilgrimage travel to Jerusalem are also explored. Insights from ancient authors like Strabo are incorporated, and key archaeological discoveries are presented. The result is a more nuanced contextual reading of this pivotal, divinely orchestrated meeting described by Luke.
Sacred History Magazine, 2011
The article examines the route that Paul took on his first journey from Perga in Pamphylia to Ant... more The article examines the route that Paul took on his first journey from Perga in Pamphylia to Antioch near Pisidia.
Legendás csontoktól egy matrózlázadásig: Festschrift for Tibor Grüll, 2024
The Calendar Decree of Asia (CDA) is one of the most famous inscriptions from the Roman imperial ... more The Calendar Decree of Asia (CDA) is one of the most famous inscriptions from the Roman imperial period. The decree was found during German excavations at Priene in the 1890s and published in 1905; partial copies were found in five other cities in Asia. The article will first review the discovery of the decree and the publication of its text. The German scholar, Adolf Deissmann, noted its importance as a background text for understanding the New
Testament. Since then, other scholars have cited its language in discussions of the Gospel of
Mark as well as the use of imperial ideology in Paul and other New Testament letters. This article will review those discussions, then close by bringing attention to the discovery of another, more complete copy of the decree found in Metropolis in the 1990s. This version, seldom cited by New Testament interpreters, both confirms and negates readings of specific language in the inscription used in discussions of New Testament texts.
Pharos Journal of Theology, 2024
The encounter between Philip the deacon/evangelist and the Nubian official in Acts 8 has garnered... more The encounter between Philip the deacon/evangelist and the Nubian official in Acts 8 has garnered much scholarly attention in recent decades. Numerous articles and monographs have explored issues of gender, race, and ethnicity in this pericope. This study takes a different tack by focusing on several textual issues as well as exploring unique narratival features adopted by Luke. Each character is developed within his individual trajectory in the account. After evangelizing in Samaria, Philip is directed to travel from Jerusalem along the road to Gaza. There he has a dramatic meeting with a man from Africa. Luke introduces him by using a character introduction formula adapted from the introduction of Potiphar in Genesis 39. The seven features of the formula are discussed seriatim. It is argued that understanding this formula's use is key to interpreting the identity of the African man. He is deemed to be a circumcised Jewish man, a treasury official serving the Kandake of Nubia, not a eunuch from Ethiopia. After the Nubian official learns that Isaiah's suffering servant is to be identified with Jesus, he believes and is baptized by Philip. The article provides a fresh reading that hopefully will advance discussion of why Luke placed this pivotal, divinely orchestrated meeting in Acts.
Jewish Religious Architecture From Biblical Israel to Modern Judaism, 2020
This article reviews the evidence for synagogues in Asia Minor and Greece in antiquity.
Lycus Journal, 2023
Laodicea is the last of the Seven Churches mentioned in the book of Revelation chapters 1-3. This... more Laodicea is the last of the Seven Churches mentioned in the book of Revelation chapters 1-3. This article examines the interpretative issues related to the well-known temperature metaphor found in chapter 3:15-16. The mention of "hot, cold, and lukewarm" has been related to the city's hydrological situation. First discussed are the early travelers to the site and what they wrote about its water system. In the twentieth century various interpretations arose that suggested its water source was inferior to others in the Lycus valley such as at Hierapolis and Colossae. The excavation of Laodicea beginning in 2003 has revealed much new information about the city's hydrological situation. The proconsul's edict about water found at the South Nymphaeum gives further insight into the city's hydrology. Unfortunately, none of this is being reflected in contemporary discussions of the temperature metaphor in Revelation. After reviewing this new data, the article concludes that the interpretation that the temperature metaphor cannot be related to Laodicea's hydrological situation.
Acta Theologica, 2022
The nautical term ὑποπλέω is a hapax legomenon used twice in Acts 27 in the context of Paul's cap... more The nautical term ὑποπλέω is a hapax legomenon used twice in Acts 27 in the context of Paul's captivity voyage to Rome. This article begins by examining how the word has been translated in verses 4 and 7 in relation to other sailing terms in the chapter. The varying translations, particularly of verse 4, are dependent on the interpretation of the journey's route. Next the depiction of the journey in some Bible atlases is discussed. The atlases typically show two different routes around Cyprus, again dependent on how ὑποπλέω is interpreted. The voyages of Herod and Lucian in the northeastern Mediterranean are also examined for interpretative clues. Mediterranean geography, nautical archaeology, and seafaring praxis will also contribute to a suggested translation and interpretation of the word's uses in this pericope in Acts.
Adalya, 2020
The presence of Jews in the region of Pamphylia in Asia Minor is documented in ancient literary a... more The presence of Jews in the region of Pamphylia in Asia Minor is documented in ancient literary and epigraphical texts. However, little archaeological realia have been found documenting their existence. Therefore, the discovery of a marble colonette fragment with a menorah during a rescue excavation in ancient Attalia, the old city Kaleiçi of Antalya, is significant. This article first discusses the textual and epigraphical evidence for Jews in Pamphylia. It next recounts how the Attalia menorah was discovered, then discusses details of the colonette and its menorah. A review of menorah comparanda follows with suggested interpretations for the function of the colonette and its menorah. The article concludes by setting the menorah and its discovery in the larger historical narrative of Jews in southern Asia Minor.
Biblica 101.2, 2020
The account of Eutychus’ fall in Acts 20,9 poses both translation and archaeological challenges. ... more The account of Eutychus’ fall in Acts 20,9 poses both translation and archaeological challenges. “Third floor” is the preferable translation for τρίστεγος in the British system, “fourth floor” in the American system. A multi-storeyed insula was the likely building in which the believers met in Troas. While insulae dating to the early second century CE can be found in Rome and Ostia, none have yet found in the archaeological record in the Greek East. Since poorer people lived on the upper floors of insulae, the ekklēsia in Troas was largely comprised of individuals from a lower socio-economic class.
Criswell Theological Review 17.1, 83–96, 2019
Overt references to the Holy Spirit in Revelation are few. Although the Spirit may appear to be t... more Overt references to the Holy Spirit in Revelation are few. Although the Spirit may appear to be the least significant member of the Godhead in the book, such a cursory observation is misleading. The article begins by examining two problematic texts related to the Spirit in Revelation’s prologue and epilogue. It then explores whether John teaches pneumatology through metaphors by looking at two pericopae whose imagery suggests the Spirit. A figural reading will be employed to provide a pneumatic interpretation for the intertextual allusions drawn from the Old Testament and the Synoptics. This study will hopefully provide a more holistic perspective on the Spirit’s ministry as depicted in this rich eschatological text that closes the canon of Scripture.
Scriptura, 2019
This article is comprised of three separate yet related explorations regarding the image of water... more This article is comprised of three separate yet related explorations regarding the image of water in Revelation and the Fourth Gospel. It first explores the attempt to tabulate examples of water terminology in the New Testament and how that tabulation has proven incomplete. A fresh assessment is provided that includes an expanded lexical domain for water and notes its high frequency of usage in Revelation and John when compared to the rest of the New Testament. The next section examines four pericopae in Revelation and in the Fourth Gospel where water imagery is prevalent. Old Testament backgrounds for language are examined along with the intertextual relationship between texts in Revelation and John. A theological understanding of water imagery for Revelation and the gospel is proposed. In the final section, the Asian cultic practice of using water-the hydrophoros in the Artemis cult-is presented. While a Jewish background is commonly posited as the background for understanding water imagery in Revelation and the Fourth Gospel, the Greco-Roman polytheistic cults are posited as the primary religious background for Gentile believers in the Asian congregations.
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 2019
This article introduces the neologism ‘odegeology’ to encompass theological discussion concerning... more This article introduces the neologism ‘odegeology’ to encompass theological discussion concerning divine guidance, a significant issue for spiritual formation and discipleship in the church. Jesus’ promise of power and his commission to be witnesses in Acts 1:8 establish
the theme for the book called Praxeis in the Greek text. Acts is replete with examples of guidance for completing that mission, particularly in the ministries of Peter and Paul. Can Paul’s experiences with guidance, whether natural or supernatural, be considered a matter of praxis for Christians today? In answering that question, this study will use Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts as a heuristic model for decision-making. The article will discuss the place of divine guidance in publications by Pentecostal/charismatic publishers and whether it is a subject addressed in the faculties of practical theology in their theological schools. The article closes with a discussion whether odegeology as practised in Acts should be normative for Christians today.
Tyndale Bulletin, 2019
This article discusses Paul's visit to Derbe contextually within the first journey as well as his... more This article discusses Paul's visit to Derbe contextually within the first journey as well as his subsequent visits to this minor Lycaonian city. It reviews the difficulty of earlier travellers and scholars such as Davis, Sterrett, and Ramsay to localise the site. The discovery of two inscriptions naming Derbe have more precisely situated the site, yet some ambiguity remains. Paul's projected routes between Lystra and Derbe as presented in maps and atlases are reviewed. The authors' autopsy of this area provides fresh insights into Paul's route between the two cities. The article closes with a suggested reason why Paul visited Derbe on his first journey and thereby founded a community of believers there.
Details related to Paul’s arrival in Pamphylia on his first journey and chronicled in the Acts of... more Details related to Paul’s arrival in Pamphylia on his first journey and chronicled in the Acts of the Apostles chapters 13–14 have remained unexplored. This article first examines whether it was Paul’s intention to evangelize Galatia after departing from Antioch on the Orontes. It next discusses three possible scenarios proposed for Paul’s arrival in Pamphylia by examining relevant archaeological, literary and historical data. After reviewing this evidence, it then suggests a fresh hypothesis for the apostolic party’s port of arrival in Pamphylia. The article concludes with a discussion of circumstances surrounding the desertion of John Mark as well as the rapid departure of Paul and Barnabas from Perga.
This article discusses a pericope in Acts 20:6–21:8 recounting the sea portion of Paul's third jo... more This article discusses a pericope in Acts 20:6–21:8 recounting the sea portion of Paul's third journey. Its genre resembles the periplus, and generic features are discussed as well as parallels with other periploi. Paul's periplus in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas is presented within a fixed calendar in the Jewish year, and the itinerary's specifics are detailed. A textual conundrum in Acts 20:15 is discussed as it relates to an anchorage opposite Chios. A lexical discussion of ἄντικρυς Χίου is presented, and possible translations are reviewed. The article presents a new hypothesis that the Ionian city of Erythrae was the place of the ship's landing. It closes with a brief history of Erythrae's significance in the Greco-Roman world and why a stop there by Paul's coasting vessel was likely during this part of the journey.
The results of experimental archaeology related to ancient seafaring, new studies of eastern Medi... more The results of experimental archaeology related to ancient seafaring, new studies of eastern Mediterranean trade networks, and recent archaeology on Cyprus shed new light on the itinerary of Paul's first missionary journey and the related question of the departure of John Mark from the apostolic party as related in Acts 13:13. It is now clear that Nea Paphos normally was used as a port of departure for ships sailing to Alexandria and North Africa, not Asia Minor. If Perga in Pamphylia were the original intended destination, then the travelers should have sailed from a port such as Lapithos or Kyrenia on the northern coast of Cyprus. This article will propose that the original intended destination of the missionaries was North Africa and that this change in plans led to the departure of John Mark. The results of asking this 'What if'? question will help to understand better Luke's literary enterprise, Paul's missionary purposes, and the development of early Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean.
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Conference abstract booklet by Mark Wilson
Conference Presentations by Mark Wilson
Articles by Mark Wilson
Testament. Since then, other scholars have cited its language in discussions of the Gospel of
Mark as well as the use of imperial ideology in Paul and other New Testament letters. This article will review those discussions, then close by bringing attention to the discovery of another, more complete copy of the decree found in Metropolis in the 1990s. This version, seldom cited by New Testament interpreters, both confirms and negates readings of specific language in the inscription used in discussions of New Testament texts.
the theme for the book called Praxeis in the Greek text. Acts is replete with examples of guidance for completing that mission, particularly in the ministries of Peter and Paul. Can Paul’s experiences with guidance, whether natural or supernatural, be considered a matter of praxis for Christians today? In answering that question, this study will use Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts as a heuristic model for decision-making. The article will discuss the place of divine guidance in publications by Pentecostal/charismatic publishers and whether it is a subject addressed in the faculties of practical theology in their theological schools. The article closes with a discussion whether odegeology as practised in Acts should be normative for Christians today.
Testament. Since then, other scholars have cited its language in discussions of the Gospel of
Mark as well as the use of imperial ideology in Paul and other New Testament letters. This article will review those discussions, then close by bringing attention to the discovery of another, more complete copy of the decree found in Metropolis in the 1990s. This version, seldom cited by New Testament interpreters, both confirms and negates readings of specific language in the inscription used in discussions of New Testament texts.
the theme for the book called Praxeis in the Greek text. Acts is replete with examples of guidance for completing that mission, particularly in the ministries of Peter and Paul. Can Paul’s experiences with guidance, whether natural or supernatural, be considered a matter of praxis for Christians today? In answering that question, this study will use Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts as a heuristic model for decision-making. The article will discuss the place of divine guidance in publications by Pentecostal/charismatic publishers and whether it is a subject addressed in the faculties of practical theology in their theological schools. The article closes with a discussion whether odegeology as practised in Acts should be normative for Christians today.