A Week in the Life of a Greco-Roman Woman is the sixth book in A Week in the Life Series from InterVarsity Press. Previously published are: A Week in the Life of Corinth, A Roman Centurion, Fall of Jerusalem, Rome, and A Slave. These books attempt to combine historical fiction with historical and archaeological data. Dr. Holly Beers, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Westmont College, is eminently qualified because of her doctorate in New Testament and past studies in the gospels (The Followers of Jesus as the Servant). She is also a member of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Institute for Biblical Research, Society of Biblical Literature, and Evangelical Theological Society. Her portrayal of the Greco-Roman life is commensurate with the historical and archaeological data that we have.

The concept for the series is a creative one, aimed to reach a larger audience with the story of the early church. Greco-Roman Woman is the story of Anthia, wife of Philetus, a fisherman in Ephesus, during the early first century period when Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Timothy are ministering in Ephesus (Acts 19; c. AD 53-55). Unlike many historical studies of the past, Beers mainly highlights the lives of the poor and of women, those who lived day by day for their “daily bread.” She begins with a delivery of a stillborn baby that results in the death of the mother, Dorema, Anthia’s friend (Prologue). Then a regular day is catalogued in a fisher family’s life (day 1); the pregnant Anthia’s onset of her own bleeding (day 2), a neighbor’s (Lampo) son Euxinus’s suffering from fever, while not being healed by idols Asclepius or Artemis, but by Jesus (day 3); Anthia shopping for food in the agora (while she still bleeds) (day 4); Anthia discovering her husband Philetus visiting a prostitute while she herself attends a Christian service led by Paul and Priscilla, where Anthia is healed (day 5); a Christian (Epaenetus) leading the other Christians in publicly burning his expensive magic books (day 6); ending on a rainy day with Anthia’s summary thoughts about the generosity of the Christians, the healed fetus, but the anger of her husband (day 7). The book ends with Anthia asking herself if she should “transfer” her loyalty to “Jesus and the Way? What about Philetus—his honor and his anger—if he discovers me? What might this cost me?” (166). It was a very full week.

But, in contrast, Beers presents a beautiful picture of the Christians and Christianity. She portrays an attractive picture of Christian equality between male and female, rich and poor, slave and free (e.g., 124). Worship at Ephesus is described from 1 Corinthians 14:26 where “everyone contributes” (123). The Christians by prayer (and by handkerchief!) (see Acts 19:12) heal all who ask. The poor are assisted by the wealthy Christians with a generosity of food and employment opportunities (e.g., 164). Paul asks Priscilla to help with communion (120).

The intention to combine historical fiction with archaeological and historical data is not always successful, in my opinion. Some of the previous authors in the Week in the Life Series used footnotes and others used inserts of explanatory text. In Greco-Roman Woman, the data is inserted periodically throughout the chapter. I found the nonfictional data intrusive in the narrative. In addition, the narrative does not provide a clear portrayal of the characters. The plot does not sweep the reader along. Eventually, I read the inserts at the end of each chapter so as not to break up the narrative flow. The value of Greco-Roman Woman is it provides the reader with a feeling for everyday ancient first century life so that we learn in narrative form about the life of a poor woman in Ephesus who is beginning to learn about Christianity. What were her costly challenges in becoming a Christian? Beers has done much research to present to the twenty-first century reader the challenges and differences of living in the first century. For all Beer’s research, we should be most thankful.

Reviewed by Aída Besançon Spencer

Publisher’s Page: https://www.ivpress.com/a-week-in-the-life-of-a-greco-roman-woman

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, a Christian celebration of the last week of our Lord Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. But, this year, a week of reflection on Jesus’ love, life, and sacrifice began with a global tragedy; our brothers and sisters in Tanta, Egypt were brutally attacked.

CNN reports, “ISIS claimed responsibility for bombings that killed 43 at two Coptic churches in Egypt on Palm Sunday — brazen strikes against a vulnerable minority on one of the most important days on the Christian calendar.”

During this Holy Week, may we remember those whose suffering for Christ is costing them a lot of pain and even death. Christian suffering anywhere must be Christians’ burden everywhere.

Amidst a world of greed and the pursuit of worldly success, let us pause to pray for the suffering saints.

The Passover season begins tonight. The Christian believes that Jesus became our passover. His suffering was so that we might have eternal life. 2 Timothy 2:12 promises those who follow Christ:

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.

There is no denying that more than any others, Christians around the world suffer the most for their faith.

May we find ourselves being faithful to Christ. And, should we be persecuted, let it be for Christ and not for our own wrong doing.

Have a wonderful Passover Celebration, a prayerful Holy Week!

Because of Christ,

Image: Felix Burton, Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Antipas

Thirty years ago, I read James Michener’s novel, The Covenant. Like so many of his historical novels, it is marked by well-researched and detailed historical background. Many twists and turns of the inter-generational plot line have faded since then, but its telling of four and a half centuries of South African history remains clear. Likewise, giving background is what Witherington aims at with his readers.

Yet, the title deceived me. This is not a week’s worth of readings on Corinthian archeological findings and their cultural meaning. In fact, it does not take much to extrapolate some of Witherington’s material into a wider Greco-Roman understanding. It is not a reference book. Nor can one move through it consecutively and exactly follow along in 1 Corinthians. It is a short story, lasting one week, set in first century Corinth that can stand on its own. What makes this book unique and valuable is that Witherington has taken great pains to get the details of the historical setting correct and to explain them to us. On almost every page our list of background facts is increased either by a quick explanatory phrase or shaded pages titled, “A Closer Look.” We are introduced to things as wide-ranging as the Apostle Paul’s physical appearance to Greco-Roman home schooling. The beauty of it all is that this and much more jumps from the pages into our minds painlessly and without tedium because it is all under the cover of a short story.

The story itself uses characters found in NT epistles who are then wrapped into fictional relationships and backgrounds. The plot is plausible and at times moving as it combines tension, friendship, some divine intervention, and even a hint of romance. This book can entertain while it secretly educates, making it suitable for teen as well as adult general reading.

Several “Closer Looks” show the value of the book. “Patrons, Clients and Reciprocity Conventions” maps out the differences between contemporary and Greco-Roman social relations. Clearly, this discussion hopes to deliver us from reading into such terms as “friendship” our own understanding and experience. Before banking, there was patronage. Wealth and privilege were confined to the upper five per cent of the highly stratified Corinthian population. From the upper crust came financial patronage to suitable clients who are not to be confused in any way with modern borrowers. Clients became more like hired hands at the beck and call of the patron. This helps explain Paul’s boast of meeting his own needs by his tent making trade, not by receiving any support from Corinthian sources. He was controlled by no one and showed his pure motivation by his independence. From such a note can be gained an appreciation of the social minefield Paul the cross-cultural missionary had to navigate. For NT understanding, it is important to note that the relationship between patron and client was quite often called a friendship; yet, how different from our current understanding. It gives us pause, as the cultural setting of the NT moves from Jewish to Greco-Roman, to be aware of the different use of the word “friend.” Additionally, translating the Greek “adelphos,” literally, “brother,” is not done well in a few contemporary versions by using the word, “friend.”