Paul's Mission

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (324 AD)

The New Testament does not say when or how Paul died.  The date of Paul's death is believed to have occurred after the Great Fire of Rome in July 64, but before the last year of Nero's reign, in 68.

A legend later developed that his martyrdom occurred at the Aquae Salviae, on the Via Laurentina. 

Paul was decapitated, his severed head rebounded three times, giving rise to a source of water each time that it touched the ground, which is how the place earned the name St Paul at the Three Fountains ( "San Paolo alle Tre Fontane" ). 

Paul's body was buried outside the walls of Rome, at the second mile on the Via Ostiensis, on the estate owned by a Christian woman named Lucina. It was here, in the 4th century, that the Emperor Constantine the Great built a first church. Then, between the 4th and 5th centuries it was considerably enlarged by the Emperors Valentinian I, Valentinian II, Theodosius I, and Arcadius. The present-day Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( “Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura” ) was built there in 1800.

Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura 

 (Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls)

The Basilica was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I (306-337) over the burial place of St. Paul, where  a memorial was erected, called a cella memoriae. The Basilica was consecrated by Pope Sylvester (314-335) in 324.

In 386, Emperor Theodosius I (379-395) began erecting a much larger and more beautiful basilica with a nave and four aisles with a transept. It was consecrated in 390 by Pope Siricius (384-339). The work, including the mosaics, was not completed until Leo I's pontificate (440–461).

Under Pope St. Gregory the Great (590–604) the Basilica was extensively modified. The pavement was raised to place the altar directly over St. Paul's tomb.

Pope John VIII (872–882) fortified the Basilica, the monastery, and the dwellings of the peasantry, forming the town of Joannispolis which existed until 1348, when an earthquake totally destroyed it.

The cloister of the monastery was erected between 1220 and 1241.

In 1823, a fire destroyed most of the basilica.  Pope Leo XII (1823-1829) ordered for reconstruction. It was re-opened in 1840, and reconsecrated in 1855

The Tomb of St. Paul

Paul's tomb is below a marble tombstone in the Basilica's crypt, at 1.37 m  below the altar. 

The tombstone bears the Latin inscription PAULO APOSTOLO MART ("to Paul the apostle and martyr"). 

The inscribed portion of the tombstone has three holes, two square and one circular.  The circular hole is connected to the tomb by a pipeline, reflecting the Roman custom of pouring perfumes inside the sarcophagus, or to the practice of providing the bones of the dead with libations. The sarcophagus below the tombstone measures 2.55 m  long, 1.25 m wide and 0.97 m high.

Church of the Martyrdom of St. Paul (1601) @ Three Fountains Abbey

The New Testament does not say when or how Paul died.  The date of Paul's death is believed to have occurred after the Great Fire of Rome in July 64 AD, but before the last year of Nero's reign, in 68 AD.

A legend later developed that his martyrdom occurred at the Aquae Salviae, on the Via Laurentina.

Paul was decapitated, his severed head rebounded three times, giving rise to a source of water each time that it touched the ground, which is how the place earned the name St Paul at the Three Fountains ( "San Paolo alle Tre Fontane" ).

Paul's body was buried outside the walls of Rome, at the second mile on the Via Ostiensis, on the estate owned by a Christian woman named Lucina. It was here, in the 4^th century, that the Emperor Constantine the Great built a first church. Then, between the 4^th and 5^th centuries it was considerably enlarged by the Emperors Valentinian I, Valentinian II, Theodosius I, and Arcadius. The present-day Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( “Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura” ) was built there in 1800.

Tre Fontane Abbey

( Three Fountains Abbey )

The Montasery was founded about 625 AD by the order of Pope Honorius I, and held by Greek monks.

Belonging to the monastery are three separate churches.

The first, the Church of St. Paul of Three Fountains, was raised on the spot where St. Paul was beheaded by order of the Emperor Nero.

The second church, Santa Maria Scala Coeli, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title "Our Lady of Martyrs". In this church is the altar of the scala coeli ("ladder to heaven"), from which the church receives its present name.

Third are the church and monastery dedicated to Saints Vincent and Anastasius, built by Pope Honorius I in 626 AD and given to the Benedictines. They were to care for the two older sanctuaries, as well as their own church.

1.

Arco di Carlo Magno

( Arch of Charlemagne )

The gate at the entrance is called Arco di Carlo Magno, because Charlemagne made substantial donations to the monastery.  The existing arch was constructed in 805 AD.

2.

Chiesa Santa Maria Scala Coeli

( Church Saint Mary of the Stairway to Heaven )

Santa Maria Scala Coeli (Saint Mary of the Stairway to Heaven, church on the site of St Paul the Apostle's prison where he was held before his martydom.

The present church was built in 1581 on the order of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, which was completed in1584.  The architect was Giacomo della Porta.

The interior was completed in 1589 by Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini.

The church has an irregular octagonal plan.   The fabric in in pink brick, with architectural detail in traventine limestone.

3.

Chiesa di San Paolo al Martirio

( Church of the Martyrdom of St. Paul  )

The present church was begun in 1599 on the orders of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, and completed in 1601. The architect was Giacomo della Porta.

On The frieze is an inscription extolling Cardinal Aldobrandini : PETRUS DIAC(ONUS) CAR(DINALIS) ALDOBRANDINUS S(ANCTAE) R(OMANAE) E(CCLESIAE) CAMER(ARIUS) F(ECIT)

Above the doorway is an ornate plaque with curlicues, swags and a putto’s head, which reads : S(ANCTI) PAULI APOSTOLI MARTYRII LOCUS, UBI TRES FONTES MIRABILITER ERUPERUNT, meaning “ the place of the martyrdom of St. Paul the Apostle, where three springs miraculously broke out”.

 4.

Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Trevi

( Saints Vincent and Anastasius at Trevi )

The Church is built by Popo Honorius I in 626 AD,  originally dedicated to St Anastasius the Persian, then added St Vincent of Saragossa.

The present building was built in 1646 to 1650 in the Boroque style under the order of Cardinal Mazarin, to the design of architect martino Longhi the Younger.

The church’s interior features a single nave.  The altar is decorated by the painting Martyrdom of Sants Vincent and Anastasius by Francesco Pascucci.

好汉不吃眼前亏

「好汉不吃眼前亏」是华人的大智慧，意思是聪明人能识时务，暂时避开不利的处境，免得吃亏受辱。吃亏事小，丢了性命就不值了。保住了性命，将来不怕没作为！

保罗在第三次宣教回耶路撒冷途中，圣灵曾提醒他这一趟必有崎岖（徒20:23），弟兄们还劝他别向虎山行(徒21:4 & 12)。保罗不但不听劝，还视死如归，不退反进（徒20:24 & 21:13)。

理应，一个正常人在一个正常情况下，必不会有富不享，反而捡个难题，来个自讨苦吃。除非心里清楚明白艰难的日子过完，便是美好的日子来了; 或者经过艰苦的磨练，才会成器成才。

「玉不琢，不成器」的道理大家都听过，能领会且活出来的不多。原因很简单:「闪」！ 「闪」就是「躲避」，故「闪躲」、「闪让」。

「闪」是一种反应 (respond) ，也是一种反射 (reflex) ，而且是可以学习的生存的技能 (skill)。见危避之的反应可以是天生的，也可以是累计并训练出来。因此，我们见鬼怕黑、遇烫缩手、打字开车、射枪搏击等技能反应。（生理放射的重要性便是保护生命/器官，如眨眼放射、牵张反射、膝跳反射）

同时，人亦爱走短路，弃远路走直径 (short cut, by pass) ，直到目的。若电流取最低电阻 (electrical resistance) 路线，不按照电路跑，造成短路 (short circuit)。虽然通过直径到了目的地，却没按指定路线达到目的，且造成破坏。既无功，亦枉然!

圣灵催促保罗去耶路撒冷，还明示必有监禁和苦难等着他（徒20:22-23）。保罗知道此番赴京，必有凶险，虽然受人劝阻，心意依然坚决，陷阵之志，永不言退。别人见保罗如此坚决，知道多劝无益，便随他去了（徒21:14）。许多人认为保罗违抗圣灵的旨意，一意孤行（因为圣灵即已明示有监禁和苦难等着，意味是叫他别去（徒21:4）。其实圣灵不曾阻止保罗下耶路撒冷。）保罗却清楚此趟乃耶稣的意思（徒20:24），甘愿受捆绑，甚至死（徒21:13）。

耶稣教导他的门徒，那引到永生的门窄路小（太7:13），跟随耶稣的将受逼害（太10:17）、和家人为敌（太10:21 & 35-36）、与世界为仇（约15:18-19）、甚至丧失生命（太7:39 ，约16:2）。

我们却常常视苦难为患，都想事事顺利。
知道如此道不通畅，改道！
知道如此（该做的事）做会遭人白眼，不做！
知道不做（不该做的事）会受刁难，找借口做！
知道如此做会吃亏，让别人做！
知道如此做将牺牲很多（时间、精神、钱财），有心无力！

保罗如此为耶稣作见证，我们应引为借镜。
我们如何面对前面的崎岖？学习保罗的赴死如归？还是「闪」？

肉中刺 Thorn in the Flesh

对于保罗身上有一根刺^①，许多人都对它刺发生浓厚的兴趣，亦猜测纷纷。

我本来对它也没有什么特别兴趣。人家的肉中刺，不关己。不过自从因脚疾去看医生，照到我也有个肉中刺，顿时想起到保罗，且明白他所受的苦。

俗称的骨刺 (bone spurs)，医学称为骨贅 (osteohytes)，是一種骨質增生性的病变，通常发生于年长者身上。

骨贅常出现于关节兩端，或者活动度较大的脊柱骨边沿。骨贅形成的原因，主要是骨膜受到过份刺激，或者骨骼的生长平衡受到破坏，令骨骼过度生长。骨刺会引起坐骨神经痛，轻则微痛，可以药物止痛、消炎；重则痛不欲生，唯有手术切除。

成语「眼中钉，肉中刺^②」解为眼睛里面的疔疮，肌肉中的刺。比喻心目中最痛恨、最讨厌的人，极端痛恨而急于除掉的东西。看了整段经文，很明显保罗不是说自己对某人或某物厌恶。

一些人忘了经文原文并非华文，总是在「肉体」(flesh) 和「身体」(body) 两者间钻，还乱搬来罗马书八章来解「肉体」。

有些人则认为这是保罗身疾^③，甚至气貌不扬^④。

我认为，保罗确有骨刺，当然还有其他疾病（何人没有？）。不但肉中有刺，心中也有刺。

看回经文，保罗原是诉说一个在基督里的人，被提到第三层天上（乐园）去了。保罗是为这人夸口的。然而保罗不为自己的功劳/成绩夸口，免得自己得意忘形。所以有一根刺加在他身上，时时刻刻提醒他。

保罗当时在宣教的功劳，毫无疑问是功不可没的。不过他生命里曾经有一段不光彩的一页，保罗曾经是逼迫基督徒的罪魁祸首，手上还沾了许多基督徒的血^⑤⑥⑧⑨。虽然已悔改归主，事实还是事实，历史不能重写，人们的记忆抹不掉^⑦。

这样一根刺在保罗心里，是能理解的。若说没有，那就不正常了。而这根刺就是保罗的提醒，不能将功赎过。

保罗三次求主拿开这刺，神虽然都不答应，而保罗依然谦卑顺服、服侍主。并从神那里得着能力，在软弱中得刚强。

① 哥林多后书 12章

“1我自夸固然无益，但我是不得已的。如今我要说到主的显现和启示。 2我认得一个在基督里的人，他前十四年被提到第三层天上去 — 或在身内，我不知道；或在身外，我也不知道；只有神知道。 3我认得这人 — 或在身内、或在身外，我都不知道，只有神知道 — 4他被提到乐园里，听见隐秘的言语，是人不可说的。 5为这人，我要夸口；但是为我自己，除了我的软弱以外，我并不夸口。 6我就是愿意夸口，也不算狂，因为我必说实话；只是我禁止不说，恐怕有人把我看高了，过于他在我身上所看见、所听见的。 7又恐怕我因所得的启示甚大，就过于自高，所以有一根刺加在我肉体上，就是撒旦的差役要攻击我，免得我过于自高。 8为这事，我三次求过主，叫这刺离开我。 9他对我说：“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”所以，我更喜欢夸自己的软弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。 10我为基督的缘故，就以软弱、凌辱、急难、逼迫、困苦为可喜乐的，因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了”

② 李宝嘉《官场现形记》第22回

③ 加拉太书 4章

“13你们知道我头一次传福音给你们，是因为身体有疾病”

④ 哥林多后书 10章

“10... 他的信又沉重又厉害，及至见面，却是气貌不扬、言语粗俗的。”

⑤ 使徒行传 7章

“57 众人大声喊叫，捂着耳朵，齐心拥上前去， 58把他（司提反）推到城外，用石头打他。作见证的人把衣裳放在一个少年人名叫扫罗的脚前。 59他们正用石头打的时候，司提反呼吁主说：“求主耶稣接收我的灵魂！” 60又跪下大声喊着说：“主啊，不要将这罪归于他们！”说了这话就睡了。扫罗也喜悦他被害。”

⑥ 使徒行传 8章

“1从这日起，耶路撒冷的教会大遭逼迫。除了使徒以外，门徒都分散在犹太和撒马利亚各处。 2有虔诚的人把司提反埋葬了，为他捶胸大哭。 3扫罗却残害教会，进各人的家，拉着男女下在监里。”

⑦ 使徒行传 9章

“19扫罗和大马士革的门徒同住了些日子， 20就在各会堂里宣传耶稣，说他是神的儿子。 21凡听见的人都惊奇，说：“在耶路撒冷残害求告这名的，不是这人吗？并且他到这里来，特要捆绑他们，带到祭司长那里！” 22但扫罗越发有能力，驳倒住大马士革的犹太人，证明耶稣是基督。” &

 “26扫罗到了耶路撒冷，想与门徒结交，他们却都怕他，不信他是门徒。”

⑧ 使徒行传 22章

“ 3保罗说：“我原是犹太人，生在基利家的大数，长在这城里；在迦玛列门下，按着我们祖宗严紧的律法受教；热心侍奉神，像你们众人今日一样。 4我也曾逼迫奉这道的人，直到死地，无论男女都锁拿下监。 5这是大祭司和众长老都可以给我作见证的。我又领了他们达于弟兄的书信，往大马士革去，要把在那里奉这道的人锁拿，带到耶路撒冷受刑。”&

“19我就说：‘主啊，他们知道我从前把信你的人收在监里，又在各会堂里鞭打他们。 20并且你的见证人司提反被害流血的时候，我也站在旁边欢喜，又看守害死他之人的衣裳。”

⑨ 使徒行传 26章

“9从前我自己以为应当多方攻击拿撒勒人耶稣的名， 10我在耶路撒冷也曾这样行了。既从祭司长得了权柄，我就把许多圣徒囚在监里；他们被杀，我也出名定案。 11在各会堂，我屡次用刑强逼他们说亵渎的话，又分外恼恨他们，甚至追逼他们，直到外邦的城邑。”