In Jesus's Footsteps 
跟随基督的脚步

Caesarea

在这迷人的地中海港口，使徒彼得为第一个有记录的外邦人施洗皈依基督教——此人就是哥尼流，罗马军队的一个百夫长。

当这位意大利士兵和他的全家归信耶稣时，他们收到了来自圣灵的礼物——开口讲方言。这一事件震惊了犹太基督徒，然而也表明了救恩是为全人类所预备的事实（使徒行传：10）。

凯撒利亚港口（德罗尔·阿维拍摄）

对基督徒而言，凯撒利亚还是其他重大事件的发生地：

•这里是本丢·彼拉多的指挥部。这位罗马总督在这里安排耶路撒冷的逾越节，也在这里判耶稣被钉十字架。

•使徒保罗被关押在此地两年，并在此向最后一个哈罗德亚基帕王二世宣讲耶稣的道，就是那说他要是再听保罗的劝说就可能会成为基督徒的人。

•这是宣教士腓利和他四个女儿的家所在的城市，他的四个女儿都是先知。使徒保罗从他的宣教之旅回来时与他们同住在一起。

•在腓利的家里。一个名为亚迦布的先知用保罗的腰带绑了他的手脚，发预言说使徒保罗也将如此被绑并要被交到罗马人的手中。

 •当耶路撒冷被毁后，凯撒利亚成为了巴勒斯坦地区基督教的中心。公元195年在此举行的一次教会会议决定，复活节应该在一个星期日举行庆祝仪式。

主教的领土包括耶路撒冷

凯撒利亚在较早的时候就接受了基督教。在公元2世纪末，该城市就拥有了主教，即凯撒利亚的提阿非罗，其领土包括了耶路撒冷。

活跃于凯撒利亚的著名基督教神父包括了奥菲金和旁非罗。他们所建造的图书馆仅次于亚历山大图书馆（公元7世纪时即拥有藏书30,000余册）。

 于公元314年成为主教的优西比乌是第一位教会历史学家和圣经地理学家，如果没有他所著的地名汇编Onomasticon，许多圣经所记载的遗址将永远都无法被发现。

In this attractive Mediterranean seaport, the apostle Peter baptised the first recorded gentile convert to Christianity — Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman army.

When this Italian soldier and his household believed in Jesus they received the gift of the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. This event astonished the Jewish Christians but validated the fact that salvation was for all people (Acts 10).

Harbour at Caesarea

Caesarea was the scene of other significant events for Christians:

• It was the headquarters of Pontius Pilate. From here the Roman procurator set out for thePassover festival in Jerusalem, where he sentenced Jesus to death.

• Here the apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years and preached to the last of the Herods, King Agrippa II, who said that if he were to listen any longer to Paul’s persuasion he might become a Christian.

• The city was the home of Philip the evangelist and his four daughters, who were prophetesses. Paul stayed with them when he returned from his missionary journeys.

• At Philip’s home, a prophet named Agabus bound Paul’s hands and feet with his belt, foretelling how the apostle would be handed over to the Romans.

• After Jerusalem was destroyed, Caesarea became the centre of Christianity in Palestine. A Church council held here in AD 195 determined that Easter should be celebrated on a Sunday.

Bishop’s territory included Jerusalem

Christianity was accepted early in Caesarea. By the end of the 2nd century the city had a bishop, Theophilus of Caesarea, whose territory included Jerusalem.

Well-known Christian Fathers who were active in Caesarea included Origen and Pamphilius. The library they built up was second only to that of Alexandria (in the 7th century it held 30,000 works).

Eusebius, who became bishop in 314, was both the first Church historian and the first biblical geographer. Without his book of place names, theOnomasticon, many biblical sites would never have been identified.

Roman aquaduct that brought water from Mount Carmel to Caesarea

Today’s visitors can see a restored Roman theatre built to accommodate 4000 and a Roman aqueduct that brought water from the foothills of Mount Carmel.

Just inside the theatre is a replica of an inscription carved in stone, bearing the name of Pontius Pilate.

The remains of a Crusader walled city, from the 13th century, include a cathedral which was never completed because the vaults below, from an earlier period, were unable to bear the weight.

A severe storm in December 2010 damaged several archaeological sites, including parts of the Crusader city wall and the Herodian wall. A breakwater built in the 1950s to protect the port was smashed into three pieces.

In Scripture:

Philip arrives in Caesarea: Acts 8:40:

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea

Agabus prophesies Paul’s death: Acts 21:8-11:

8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.

9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.

10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

God strikes down Herod Agrippa I: Acts 12:21-23:

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22 And the people gave a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.