Becoming curious and diving deeper into the context of the culture, geography, and society of ancient Rome, allows us to understand how and why Paul made the decision to travel to Rome. Was Rome his final destination? Or, by looking into the ancient world, can we see Paul had another destination ...

To Paul, the end of the world is approaching, and he must spread the Gospel to the farthest corners of the earth which, in his mind, means Spain. In Paul’s world, Spain is the wild west: full of untapped potential and unending opportunities, but to get there, Paul must establish a base in Rome.

In our 21st century context, there are very few barriers to contacting someone. It takes moments to email, text, or call. But in Paul’s world, his various letters to churches required much preparation and forethought. How would his letter arrive? Who would bring it, and ensure it reached its end ...

Walking through the sites of Rome can give us insight into the references in Paul’s letters. In this episode, Matthew Larsen explores what community would have looked like in ancient Rome– where life was lived and bread was broken.

The context of Paul’s writing was quite urban. In order to comprehend his letters, it is important to understand them in an archaeological context. What was a Roman city like, and how would this have impacted Paul’s writing? Pompeii, left preserved by Mount Vesuvius, offers us true historical con...

Could it be that there is a case for Christians having been in Pompeii? According to a book by Bruce Longnecker, there are potentially pieces of evidence to answer this question. Walk through the streets of Pompeii with Matthew Larsen as he considers whether or not the evidence stands.

Romans 16 gives us an important clue as to when Christianity may have arrived in Rome. Paul’s letter would have been written somewhere around the year 56, and in it he mentions that Miriam, a woman in the church, has been toiling for “many years”. At least one theory suggests that Christianity ma...

In the first century, the Colosseum was staggering in its size and scope. We still consider it a wonder today which means that thousands of years ago it would have been even harder to comprehend and take in.. The sheer amount of money and effort that went into this building leads a person to wond...