Rhodes
Rhodes is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Rhodes appears in Scripture during the apostle Paul's third missionary journey. As Paul hastened toward Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, his ship sailed from Miletus and came with a straight course to Cos, then to Rhodes, and from there to Patara (Acts 21:1). The mention is brief, indicating a stopover on the standard maritime route along the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. Rhodes was one of the most prominent islands in the eastern Mediterranean, famous throughout the ancient world for its Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and for its influential school of rhetoric. Though Paul's visit appears to have been a brief port call rather than an extended ministry stop, the island's position on major sea lanes meant it was a natural waypoint for travelers moving between the Aegean and the Levantine coast. The passage illustrates the extensive maritime network that facilitated the rapid spread of the gospel across the Roman world during the first century.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Rhodes is a large Greek island located in the southeastern Aegean Sea, just off the coast of southwestern Turkey. The city of Rhodes, on the island's northern tip, was founded in 408 BC through a synoikism of three older cities and quickly became a major maritime and commercial center. Archaeological excavations have uncovered the ancient acropolis with temples to Zeus and Athena, a stadium, an odeon, and extensive Hellenistic and Roman remains throughout the old city. The medieval Old Town, built by the Knights of St. John, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous Colossus, a bronze statue of the sun god Helios that collapsed in an earthquake around 226 BC, has never been located archaeologically. The island remains a popular tourist destination today.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →