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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)