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deSilva, David. Archaeology and the Ministry of Paul: A Visual Guide. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2025. xvii+299 pp. Pb. $32.99 Link to Baker Academic
In this new book, well-known New Testament scholar David deSilva focuses on the archaeology of sites mentioned in the Book of Acts or Paul’s letters. He demonstrates their relevance for thinking about Paul’s missionary activity and illuminates his letters to congregations at these locations.
As deSilva explains in his introduction, context is everything in biblical interpretation, especially the historical, cultural, and geographic context of the New Testament. The best way to immerse oneself in culture and geography is to visit locations where events occurred. Since it may not be feasible to visit all the sites mentioned in Acts, this book introduces the most important features for Bible students studying Paul’s missionary journeys. deSilva has led many tours in Turkey and Israel and is a frequent speaker at conferences hosted by Tutku Tours.
The book is divided into three sections. First, “Beginnings” covers locations associated with locations before Paul’s missionary journeys: Tarsus, Damascus and Arabia, Antioch-on-the-Orontes, and Paphos (which is the first stop on Paul’s first missionary trip on the island of Cyprus, Acts 13:6). Each chapter in this section is brief because the locations are not as well excavated for providing the first century context of Paul’s life. Certainly, large monographs are written on Syrian Antioch, but there are not many physical remains of the city as Paul would have seen it. deSilva mentions the Hatay Archaeology Museum as a “treasure trove of Roman Mosaics” (20). Unfortunately, the museum has been closed since it was severely damaged by a devastating earthquake in 2023 (it was still closed when I visited in 2025). There are spectacular mosaics at the Antakya Museum Hotel.
Second, “Church Plants” covers locations where Paul does ministry in Acts 13-19 or are mentioned in Paul’s letters. deSilva includes a chapter on Perga and Pisidian Antioch. Although the Perga is only mentioned as a city Paul passed through in Acts 13:13, Acts 14:25 says Paul and Barnabas spoke the word in the city on their way back to Syrian Antioch at the end of the first journey. Perga is often overlooked on tours to Turkey, but this is a mistake. The city has been well excavated, and there are ongoing projects at the site. In addition, the archaeology museum in Atalaya is one of the best in Turkey. The final chapter in this section covers Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis, cities mentioned in the Letter to the Colossians (4:13). Although Acts does not tell us how the churches in these cities were planted, Laodicea and Hierapolis are two well-excavated and restored cities that many “Pauline Missionary Journeys” tours include.
Third, “Endings” deals with locations mentioned in Acts 20-28, beginning with Miletus. deSilva includes chapters on Malta, Puteoli, and Rome. The chapter on Puteoli is brief, demonstrating that the city was a “hub of intersecting cultures” (253). Even though the archaeology of Rome is often the subject of an entire book, this chapter is excellent since it focuses on Rome in the first century.
Each chapter explains the significance of the location in the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters. The text is well-written and will be accessible for non-experts. deSilva often provides footnotes to additional academic studies for interested readers. The most attractive feature of the book is the photographs. Every chapter is richly illustrated with full-color photographs from the site or related museums (statues and inscriptions). The photographs have good captions identifying the details illustrated. One thing I noticed is that most of the on-site photographs do not include people. deSilva must have visited during the off-season!
Conclusion. This book serves two purposes. First, it is a guide for people reading the book of Acts. After reading Acts 16, reading deSilva’s chapter on Philippi will help a reader visualize the location where Paul met Lydia, or the agora where Paul encountered the slave girl with an unclean spirit. These images will help readers to see the biblical text in its original context, both cultural and geographical. Second, this book will be valuable for anyone taking a Pauline Missionary Journey tour. I would ask people on my tours to buy and read this book before we travel and bring it with them to review before visiting the sites. If visiting a site is the best way to understand the cultural and geographical context, preparing well for that visit is essential. deSilva’s Archaeology and the Ministry of Paul is an excellent first step in understanding the world of the Book of Acts.
See also my review of deSilva’s Galatians commentary in the NICNT series (Eerdmans, 2018).
NB: Thanks to Baker Academic for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work.
English (US) · 