My visit to Israel included a trip to Caesarea the ancient port city built by Herod the Great around 22 BCE. Caesarea was an important place during biblical times. I could tell by the ruins that during the height of its popularity, it must have been an absolutely beautiful place as well . References from the bible shown below show that there was much early church activity in Caesarea.
It was the Roman capital of Palestine, the home of Philip, the home of Cornelius, Peter preached to the Gentiles there, Paul testified to King Agrippa about his conversion there and Paul was held for two years in Caesarea before sailing to Rome.
- Acts 8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
- Acts 9:30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
- Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
- Acts 10:24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
- Acts 11:11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
- Acts 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
- Acts 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
- Acts 21:8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
- Acts 21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
- Acts 23:23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
- Acts 23:33 Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
- Acts 25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
- Acts 25:4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
- Acts 25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
- Acts 25:13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
To see more photos of Caesarea visit my Flickr page
http://bit.ly/ekeibN