The relationship between the Christians and the antagonistic imperial culture around them was very evident in the story about Paul and Thekla. The teachings of Paul were considered extremely radical during the Roman Empire because it overturned the society they were living. Imperialism created a vast empire that was united and protected by the emperor and his army. People began to worship the Emperors as Gods themselves; viewing them as their Savior and Shepard. The Trajan Temple in Pergamon clearly demonstrates this because it is on the highest point of the acropolis, larger than Zeus' and Athena's temples, and had a lion perched on top with water flowing from its mouth symbolizing the power of the emperor and how he is providing for the people of the city.
Conversely, Paul taught that Jesus Christ was our true Savior and Shepard and that we should fear God above all things. In the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote how a person cannot love two things, because he will begin to hate the other. True believers could not worship both God and the Emperor. Choosing the Emperor means not having to live in fear on earth and choosing God would mean to be persecuted but in exchange for eternal salvation.
Christians during this time would conceal their beliefs by having special symbols that marked their faith. At this time the cross was not yet a widely used Christian symbol, but instead a more asterisk looking mark was used. They would etch it into the marble walls of buildings and on the roads of cities to help other Christians know they were here. Roman citizens obliviously would use these marks as games. Being a Christian during the first century was dangerous and the Apostles that traveled to teach risked persecution even more.
Thekla was so devoted to Paul's word that she sat by the window for days and listened to his teachings. Theocleia, mother of Thekla, was worried that his words would overturn the city of the Iconians because Thekla was engaged to Thamyris but now refuses to marry him: "they wept fearfully, Thamyris indeed for the loss of a wife, and Theocleia of a child, and the maidservants of a mistress: there was accordingly much confusion in the house of mourning." Thekla was an intricate cog in the wheel of society and her decision created mass chaos. Society teaches women to obey their husbands, but Christianity believes God rules over man. Theocleia feels as though she had lost a child because Thekla will not fulfill her duties as a woman by not marrying and having a family. The maidservants are lost because they have no one to tend to and have no sense of duty either.
Paul was blamed for persuading the multitudes into embracing Christianity, which will destroy the imperial life they live. He was soon kicked out of the city and Thekla was sentenced to burn in the theatre, (which supposedly was the theatre we sat in at Ephesus). God saves her by putting out the flames with a dark cloud full of rain and she is released. a man named Alexander later fell in love with her and when she would not have him so she was thrown into the stadium with wild beasts. God protected her by surrendering all the lions and had them lick her feet. When Alexander released wild bears on Thekla, God had the lioness protect her by killing the bear. This can also be an interesting metaphor about how the empire used lions as the symbol of their power, but God was able to overcome this power.
It was really cool to see these images come to life in the cave that the archaeologists recently discovered on the mountains outside of Ephesus. It is not certain whether this was the cave that Thekla later resides in for 72 years, living a life of asceticism. However, the frescos of Thekla sitting in the house listening to Paul and Theocleia looking on in worry are still stunning and beautifully depict the story.
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