Kabobs and statues

We spent a few nights at Kusadashi.  During the day, we would take day trips.

After our trip to the harbour at Miletus (previous post), we divided up and went to a couple of restaurants to eat.

We had flat bread, kabobs and meatballs.  And fries too.  The restaurant owner was very accommodating and continued to bring us food.

We went to the burial place of the apostle John.

The baptistery.  Looks like a keyhole in the floor.  In 1st century Christianity, there would have been 3 immersions - in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

A basilica was built atop the burial place.  Here is a model of it.

Belgin pointed out storks to us.

Look!  Babies!

We then went to a museum at Selcuk, near Ephesus.  There were storks there also!

A young boy was selling wooden "flutes".  It only cost $2 and I wanted to help him.  I told him I would buy one if we could take a picture with him.  He smiled real big!

At the museum

Emperor Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire and its first emperor.

It was this Caesar Augustus who ordered a census to be taken 

that sent Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. 

Tiberius was the adopted son of Augustus.

Emperor Marcus Aurelius

Goddess Artemis

"The Ephesian Artemis was a “mother earth” deity emphasizing fertility and reproduction. Many of her images have been unearthed; the rows upon rows of breasts, totally covering her upper body, depict the power of Artemis to nourish the world. The many priests employed in the temple performed animal sacrifices, and the many priestesses, in keeping with the fertility theme, engaged in ritual prostitution. All of this made the Artemis temple in Ephesus a popular tourist attraction in the Roman world.

As the followers of Artemis noticed the difference Paul’s preaching was having in their city, “there arose a great disturbance about the Way” (Acts 19:23). A silversmith named Demetrius called a meeting of his guild and said, “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business [selling Artemis shrines]. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty” (verses 25–27). In his speech, Demetrius paid lip service to the “majesty” of Artemis, but his real motivation was evident—he was losing business as people stopped buying his idolatrous trinkets.

Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen stirred up the city into a riotous frenzy, shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28). They led a mob to find Paul and, not finding him, grabbed two of Paul’s traveling companions and dragged them to the theater. There the mob continued shouting the praise of Artemis for about two hours (verse 34). They were only quieted when the city clerk gained an audience and reminded the mob they were breaking Roman law in disturbing the peace (verse 40).

Paul soon left Ephesus to continue his third missionary journey. But a church had been established. In the center of Artemis worship, in a city known for paganism, immorality, and greed, the light of Jesus Christ shone brightly. Despite the enemy’s intimidation, the church thrived." - (gotquestions.org)

I can't imagine the work it took to chisel these statues.  An artist looked at a block of marble and could see something he could make from it.  That's what God does with us.  He chisels at us - sometimes it hurts!! - and He makes us into His work.

In the still air the music lies unheard;

  In the rough marble beauty hides unseen;

To make the music and the beauty needs

   The master's touch, the sculptor's chisel keen.

Great Master, touch us with Your skillful hands;

     Let not the music that is in us die!

Great Sculpter, hew and polish us; nor let,

     Hidden and lost, Your form within us lie!

Streams in the Desert