Derbe
“Tanner or treader of skin”
Summary
A city in the southeastern corner of Lycaonia visited by Paul on his first and second missionary journeys, notable as the last city of Roman territory on the road to the East.
☩Location and Significance
Derbe was situated in the extreme southeastern corner of the Lycaonian plain, near the mountain pass called the Cilician Gates. As a frontier city of the Roman province of Galatia, it served as a customs station where commerce entering the province paid duties. Between 37 and 41 A.D., when Laranda was transferred to the kingdom of Antiochus, Derbe became the last city on distinctively Roman territory on the road leading from Southern Galatia to the East.
☩Paul's Ministry
Paul and Barnabas fled to Derbe after being driven from Iconium and after Paul was stoned at Lystra. Here they 'preached the gospel and made many disciples'—notably without experiencing the persecution that marked their ministry in neighboring cities. The success of Paul's mission at Derbe may be inferred from the fact that he does not mention it among the places where he suffered persecution. On his second and third journeys, Paul again passed through Derbe, confirming the churches.
☩Notable Believers
Derbe was the home of Gaius, one of Paul's favored companions who accompanied him to Jerusalem with the collections for the poor saints. Timothy may also have been from Derbe, though Lystra seems more likely from the Acts narrative. The Christians of Derbe, according to the South Galatian theory, formed one of the 'churches of Galatia' addressed in Paul's epistle.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Derbe," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Derbe," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Derbe," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Derbe," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 5.James Hastings (ed.), "Derbe," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).