Paul, Titus, and the Bull Headed Man (Crete): BP Podcast S1E9

Episode Summary

Brian and John explore the island of Crete — its geography, the Minoan civilization, Paul's shipwreck journey around the island (Acts 27), and Titus's work establishing churches there.

Topics Covered

• Crete: largest Greek island, southernmost part of Europe; 3,219 square miles (smaller than Tennessee, twice the size of Rhode Island); ~160 miles long, 7.5–37 miles wide; 650 miles of coastline

• Location: roughly equidistant between Italy, Israel, and Africa; between Europe and Africa in the eastern Mediterranean

• Hania (Chania): western port; Heraklion: eastern port (cruise ships); harbor at Hania described as picturesque U-shape; Brian's minnow food story

• Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations; the Palace of Knossos near Heraklion (~10 miles from port); Zeus's mythological birthplace

• The Minotaur and the Labyrinth: Minos, Poseidon's curse, the white bull, the Minotaur, Theseus and the ball of yarn

• Aptera: John's off-the-beaten-path excursion via Uber near Hania — Roman ruins, Ottoman fortress, ancient cisterns, Odeon, Crusader chapel; reminder that "so much is still to be discovered"

• The Chania Museum (new building) — Minoan and Mycenaean artifacts; John visited with Neil Park and Kathy

• Acts 27 — Paul's Shipwreck Journey:

  • Paul appealed to Caesar, sailing from Caesarea to Rome

  • Normal voyage: ~24 days, 1,810 miles

  • Northerly winds push the ship south toward Crete

  • They arrive at Fair Havens (Acts 27:7–8); Acts 27:12 — decision made to sail for Phoenix (~50–60 miles further), a better harbor to winter

  • Reasons for pressing on: better lodging and facilities, possibly better connections for unloading grain cargo

  • Euroclydon (Northeaster) — Greek word connected to the god of the northeast wind; the storm drives them out to sea

  • The island of Cauda (modern Gavdos) — sheltered briefly; then open ocean all the way to Malta

  • 14 days at sea; ran aground at Malta; 3 months there; then Syracuse → Puteoli → Rome

  • Paul's entire journey from Jerusalem to Rome: ~5 years including imprisonments

• Gortyns — likely location of Titus's headquarters; 6th-century church dedicated to Titus; reasonable case that Titus worked here as the administrative capital of Crete

• Book of Titus connections:

  • Titus's directive: set in order what remains and appoint Elders in every city (Titus 1:5)

  • Elders in every city immediately after a church was established — not waiting for "maturity"

  • The "Cretans are always liars" passage (Titus 1:12) — John argues this is a quote Paul uses to describe what the false teachers of the circumcision are saying about the Cretans, not Paul's own view of the entire population

  • The Epimenides Paradox — if Epimenides (a Cretan) says all Cretans are liars, is he lying?

  • Titus 2:11 — grace of God has appeared to all people

  • Titus 3:1–5 — be submissive to rulers, avoid quarreling, show courtesy to all; once we were foolish too

  • Titus 3:7 — justified by his grace; the blessed hope

Scripture References

• Acts 27 (Paul's voyage and shipwreck)

• Titus 1:5 (appoint Elders in every city)

• Titus 1:12 (Cretans are always liars)

• Titus 2:11 (grace of God appeared to all)

• Titus 3:1–7 (live rightly; justified by grace)