Acts 21:1
Rhodes[1]—In the
centuries before Christ, the city with the same name and the island itself, was
a significant center of trade in the Roman Empire. Rhodes boasted banks,
traders, and no insignificant military as well. A military victory led them to
celebrate with the construction of a 100’ bronze statue of the Sun god—the Colossus,
one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
An ill-placed earthquake brought down the bronze statue, standing
on the wrong side of history in the Third Macedonian War brought about Rome’s
wrath (and their economic demise), and the great center of trade dwindled down
to a shadow of its former brilliance. By the time Paul arrived in the 1st
Century AD, historians would write that he came to “a beautiful city with a
glorious past.” (Substitute ‘church’ for ‘city,’ and we’d have a fair
descriptor of too many of our churches today….)
Rhodes—This island is mentioned two or three times in Scripture. In
Ezekiel 27, we find it in a list of trading powers/partners with ancient Tyre. In I Maccabees 15,
a letter is sent by a Roman consul there. And, in Acts 21, we find our intrepid
church-planter there as Luke tells:
“And when we had parted from [the leaders of
the Ephesian church] and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the
next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara….” (Acts 21:1)
Basically, Rhodes—in the biblical narrative—is little more than a
footnote, just a place mentioned in passing like we might or might not mention
a small town we would have to drive through going from one significant city to
another.
Rhodes—As we stand on this footnote of the biblical story, two
thoughts come to my mind.
First, what we find here, what is confirmed in all of our stops and
tours since we began a week ago, is that power, wealth, and the beauty we
create are all fleeting. Beautiful, powerful, wealthy cities of the past are
for the most part now buried under 10’ or 20’ of soil in this part of the world.
We would do well to remember this when we stand in our own beautiful
cities—cities with brightly lit skyscrapers, soaring apartment towers, and
sprawling homes. These will all be gone in 2,000 years. We are seeing ancient
cities constructed of stone, of marble…and they are gone. How much sooner our
21st Century world constructed of plywood, sheetrock, and vinal
siding….
Then, the second thought is really a question: Does ‘passing
through’ matter? That’s all Paul did—at least as far as we know from Luke. The
ship they traveled on stopped at Rhodes. Since the buffet on their ship was
closed, they had to come ashore for food. And, since their radar was glitchy,
they probably spent the night and awaited the light of day for safe travel. Was
anything or anyone changed for Paul’s having passed that way? Did he speak a
word of encouragement? Did he smile and greet someone in passing? Did offer any
words of hope…or did he help someone with the load they were trying to get on
or off the ship? We don’t know.
Today, do we take the opportunity given us to intentionally,
positively impact those around us by allowing the selfless, outward-facing
loving-kindness of Jesus to be expressed in our words or deeds? Paul may or may
not have missed an opportunity—we don’t know. Luke simply doesn’t say. We’re
here today—wherever we are—‘just passing through.’ Let’s not waste an
opportunity.
Amen.
[1] A reflection written and presented on the island of Rhodes while touring Paul’s ministry sites in the eastern Mediterranean/Aegean Seas in February 2025.
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