Rhodes
Summary
Rhodes was a large island in the southeastern Aegean Sea, famous for its Colossus, where Paul's ship touched on his final voyage to Jerusalem.
☩The Island and Its Fame
Rhodes lies off the southwest coast of Asia Minor, being the largest island of the Dodecanese group. The island was about 45 miles long and 22 miles at its widest point. It was renowned in the ancient world for its magnificent harbor, its commercial prosperity, and especially for its Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—a bronze statue of the sun-god Helios that stood over 100 feet high until destroyed by earthquake in 224 BC. The island was also famous for its schools of philosophy, rhetoric, and sculpture.
☩Paul's Visit
Paul passed by Rhodes on his third missionary journey, traveling by ship from Miletus to Patara and then to Tyre on his way to Jerusalem. The brief mention in Acts 21:1, "we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara," indicates that the voyage was swift and direct, with favorable winds. Rhodes at this time was still a free state enjoying Roman favor, though its glory had diminished from the days when it was a leading maritime power of the Hellenistic age.
Related Verses1 mention
Acts· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Rhodes," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Rhodes," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Rhodes," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).