Bema Seat and Acrocorinth; Corinth, Greece; Place where Apostle Paul was Accused?
BEMA. A bema is a raised area for a public official and was used for speeches and for hearing legal cases and rendering judgements. Most literally, bema means "step," and can even be used as a unit of measure (cf. Acts 7:5, set "foot" on it; the Hebrew word it translates has the same literal meaning, as in the Septuagent, or ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament).
Jesus, for example, was brought before Pilate's bema.
Luke records an incident that took place between some local Jewish people and the Apostle Paul when he was in Corinth "a year and six months" (Acts 18:11). Acts 18:12-17:
"But while Gallio was prconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat [bema], saying, 'This man persuades men to worhip God contrary to the law.' But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but it there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwillingto be a judge of these matters.' And he drove them away from the judgement seat. And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things."
Some think the case was heard not here at the bema but in a building very close by (Fant and Reddish, A Guide to Biblical Sites in Turkey and Greece, p. 64).
Paul uses the concept of the bema in Romans 14:10, as "the judgment seat of God." Second Corinthians 5:10 speaks of the "judgment seat of Christ." Paul taught that every person's life will one day be reviewed by God, both those who have not accepted God's free and loving forgiveness--and thus are objects of divine justice--and those who have accepted grace and become God's children (which is much more than His mere creation). Those who have accepted forgiveness have their lives reviewed (2 Corinthians 5:10 ff.) and their works tested (1 Corinthians 3:12-15), but receive divine love and rewards for service, not wrath.
See T. Mc Comiskey, "Bema," Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 2, p. 370.]
ACROCORINTH.. Many ancient cities were built on or near a steep hill that could be used for defense in time of war. Visible in the backgroud of this picture is that defensive area of Corinth, one of the finest natural defenses in Europe (578 meters high). In Paul's day the road from the city to the defensive site featured temples to Greek gods and mystery cult sanctuaries. Atop was the famous temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, who was said to be served by a thousand temple prostitutes.
Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Turks all built fortifications on top, but little remains today. The site has seen many conquorers, including de Villehardouin in the 4th Crusdade, Mehmet II (1458), the Knights of Malta (1612), the Venetians (1687), Turks (1715) ; and Kolokontronis (1822), who opened it up for its current control by Greece.
See the (outstanding) Blue Guide: Greece, the Mainland, 178-180.
Bema Seat and Acrocorinth; Corinth, Greece; Place where Apostle Paul was Accused?
BEMA. A bema is a raised area for a public official and was used for speeches and for hearing legal cases and rendering judgements. Most literally, bema means "step," and can even be used as a unit of measure (cf. Acts 7:5, set "foot" on it; the Hebrew word it translates has the same literal meaning, as in the Septuagent, or ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament).
Jesus, for example, was brought before Pilate's bema.
Luke records an incident that took place between some local Jewish people and the Apostle Paul when he was in Corinth "a year and six months" (Acts 18:11). Acts 18:12-17:
"But while Gallio was prconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat [bema], saying, 'This man persuades men to worhip God contrary to the law.' But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, 'If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but it there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwillingto be a judge of these matters.' And he drove them away from the judgement seat. And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things."
Some think the case was heard not here at the bema but in a building very close by (Fant and Reddish, A Guide to Biblical Sites in Turkey and Greece, p. 64).
Paul uses the concept of the bema in Romans 14:10, as "the judgment seat of God." Second Corinthians 5:10 speaks of the "judgment seat of Christ." Paul taught that every person's life will one day be reviewed by God, both those who have not accepted God's free and loving forgiveness--and thus are objects of divine justice--and those who have accepted grace and become God's children (which is much more than His mere creation). Those who have accepted forgiveness have their lives reviewed (2 Corinthians 5:10 ff.) and their works tested (1 Corinthians 3:12-15), but receive divine love and rewards for service, not wrath.
See T. Mc Comiskey, "Bema," Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 2, p. 370.]
ACROCORINTH.. Many ancient cities were built on or near a steep hill that could be used for defense in time of war. Visible in the backgroud of this picture is that defensive area of Corinth, one of the finest natural defenses in Europe (578 meters high). In Paul's day the road from the city to the defensive site featured temples to Greek gods and mystery cult sanctuaries. Atop was the famous temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, who was said to be served by a thousand temple prostitutes.
Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Turks all built fortifications on top, but little remains today. The site has seen many conquorers, including de Villehardouin in the 4th Crusdade, Mehmet II (1458), the Knights of Malta (1612), the Venetians (1687), Turks (1715) ; and Kolokontronis (1822), who opened it up for its current control by Greece.
See the (outstanding) Blue Guide: Greece, the Mainland, 178-180.