Key Passage: Philippians 3:7-8
(The following is a transcription from a message preached by Rick Renner in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 12, 1997. In that sermon he described his trip to Rome where he visited the places where the Apostle Paul both ministered and was imprisoned. Rick was assisted in his research by a young, Spirit-filled Christian lady who is recognized as an expert in early church history. This transcribed portion of his message concerns the conditions surrounding Paul’s writing of the Book of Philippians.)
Many people are of the opinion that Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi while under house arrest in Rome described in Acts chapter 28. This, however, is not true. When Paul was imprisoned in Rome at the time he wrote the letter to the Philippians he was locked up in a place known as the Mamretime (?spelling) Prison, also known as the Tulian Keep. It was literally located in the bottom of the palace, referred to as the palace prison. He makes reference to this in Philippians 1:13 and 4:2.
Toward the end of the trip we went to the prison. It shocked me because it was not like the rest of Rome. Rome was beautiful, it was white, it glistened, their streets were straight, everything was beautiful and luxurious.
And so I expected this palace prison would be along that same line. But when we arrived there I was shocked to find that it was not beautiful, and it in fact, it is just a cave that has been hollowed out of the foundation of the palace. If you stand at the entrance of the prison and look straight up above you, you will see where the old palace stood. In fact, it still stands today. But today apartments are built in the walls of the old palace. This prison where Paul was is literally cut out of the rock in the bottom of the foundation of the palace.
As we walked into it, I could see that it was dark and that it was dingy, that it was ugly. And a smell came out of that prison that just about knocked me over. I asked, “What is that smell?”
She said, “I’ll tell you today what most people don’t know. You won’t read this in any of your books because this is not a theological fact, but it is an archeological fact.
“At the time that the Apostle Paul was held in this prison, it was the central holding tank for the sewage system of the city of Rome. Most men who were held in this place were killed by the smell. The toxins in this place were so terrible that just breathing them would asphyxiate you to death. That’s what this was when the Apostle Paul was here. And on certain day, if the wind is just right and if the heat is just right, like today, you can still smell the sewage of 2,000 years ago. That is the smell that you are smelling; this is sewage from 2,000 years ago.”
She continued and said, “The ancient water system and sewage system of ancient Rome was more developed that it is today. The sewage system then carried more human sewage that they are able to handle in the city of Rome today. And this was the central holding tank for all of the sewage from the central part of Rome, here in the very bottom of the palace. All of the sewage of the palace emptied into this place which was called the Mamretime Prison. Because it was a place of human waste, it was the most notorious, deadly prison in the world. Only the Isle of Patmos was second to this prison.
This was the worst.
“Furthermore, the apostle Peter was also held in this prison once for nine months. When Peter was held here, because he was not a citizen, he was held here in total darkness, standing in the sewage. It was a miracle that he did not lose his mind.”
We came into this prison and there were two levels: an upper level and a lower level. The upper level today has been turned into a Catholic church but 2,000 years ago this is where the Roman guards stood. Over to the side of the first level is a set of circular stairs that goes down into the lower section and the lower section is where the sewage was. The lower level is also where they held the prisoners. Only one prisoner at a time was held in this prison. These were the capital offenders, these were the worst criminals of the empire. Peter was held there alone. Paul was held there alone.
And as we stepped into the lower part of that prison, she said, “As you walk down these steps, remember the Apostle Paul was a short man. When he was in this prison we believe ie probably stood up to his hips in human sewage. There were no chairs to sit on. Had there been and he sat on them he would have been sitting in human sewage. There were no beds because he would have been laying in sewage.
“The prisoners were held chained to the wall with their hands extended upwards. If they were a Roman citizen they were held for 30 days at a time without being released. They slept hanging from the chains. When they went to the bathroom, they went to the bathroom in their clothes against the wall, hanging from the chains. The human waste was covered with rats eating the waste. There was disease, slime, infestation, and the stink so bad it could kill a man.
“If the stink did not kill you most people held here died from limb rot because the chains became so corroded and rusted by the human contamination that they began to cut into the flesh and the flesh would begin to rot. So when you go downstairs today, I want you to see where the Apostle Paul was when he wrote the book of Philippians.”
I tried to imagine what it would be like to be up to your waist in human sewage. To have your arms chained above your head for 30 days at a time: you would lose all circulation in your arms; no blood, completely numb. The pain from hanging from the chains, how tired your legs would be from standing for 30 days without ever sitting or lying. Being fed just pieces of bread. Having to think about the rats that are all around you, and yet you can’t see the rats because you’re standing in total darkness, not even the light of a candle.
But because Paul was a citizen he was allowed to receive and to send mail once a month. This was the rights of citizenship. So once a month he would hear the clanging as a Roman soldier would come walking down the steps carrying a candle. The soldier would slush through the human waste towards Paul, carrying a candle and carrying mail, and carrying paper and a writing utensil. The soldier would reach up and release Paul’s, which would fall like dead meat because there was no feeling, no circulation in his arms. The guard would try to hand him a letter but Paul had much difficulty holding the letter because his arms and hands had lost all feeling. His eyes had trouble adjusting to the light of the candle because he had been in total darkness for 30 days.
It was in these conditions that Paul received a letter from the Philippians (4:10 & 14). It the letter he found out they were thinking about him, praying for him, and that they had sent an offering to him. When he had finished reading the letter, the guard handed him a writing utensil and a piece of parchment. Then, in the light of the candle, while standing up to his hips in human sewage, Paul began slowly and agonizingly moving his arm and hand and write a letter back to the Philippians.
Having all this knowledge completely changes the way that you read the Book of Philippians:
Philippians 3:8 ~ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:18 ~ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable wellpleasing to God.
Rather than thinking about the waste he is standing in, he thinks about his worldly accomplishments and considers them to be equal to the sewage that reaches up to his hips. Rather than thinking about the stench, he thinks about the sacrifice of the Philippians to send him an offering. Rather than thinking about the rats that could stop eating the sewage and start eating him, he focuses on thoughts that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous and praiseworthy.
Even more outstanding is the fact that this book is known as the “Epistle of Joy.” Paul writes about joy 17 times in this book: “I therein do rejoice, Yea and will rejoice.” I rejoice greatly.” “I joy.” “I do rejoice.” “You are my crown and joy.” “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.” He even talks about the peace of God totally enveloping his heart and mind.
**A man standing imprisoned in human waste and urine had written and encouraging letter of peace and joy to people who were free to come and go as they pleased. Where does that place you and I in our complaining?
Blessings to You
Pastor Nolan
Key Passage: Philippians 3:7-8
(The following is a transcription from a message preached by Rick Renner in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 12, 1997. In that sermon he described his trip to Rome where he visited the places where the Apostle Paul both ministered and was imprisoned. Rick was assisted in his research by a young, Spirit-filled Christian lady who is recognized as an expert in early church history. This transcribed portion of his message concerns the conditions surrounding Paul’s writing of the Book of Philippians.)
Many people are of the opinion that Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi while under house arrest in Rome described in Acts chapter 28. This, however, is not true. When Paul was imprisoned in Rome at the time he wrote the letter to the Philippians he was locked up in a place known as the Mamretime (?spelling) Prison, also known as the Tulian Keep. It was literally located in the bottom of the palace, referred to as the palace prison. He makes reference to this in Philippians 1:13 and 4:2.
Toward the end of the trip we went to the prison. It shocked me because it was not like the rest of Rome. Rome was beautiful, it was white, it glistened, their streets were straight, everything was beautiful and luxurious.
And so I expected this palace prison would be along that same line. But when we arrived there I was shocked to find that it was not beautiful, and it in fact, it is just a cave that has been hollowed out of the foundation of the palace. If you stand at the entrance of the prison and look straight up above you, you will see where the old palace stood. In fact, it still stands today. But today apartments are built in the walls of the old palace. This prison where Paul was is literally cut out of the rock in the bottom of the foundation of the palace.
As we walked into it, I could see that it was dark and that it was dingy, that it was ugly. And a smell came out of that prison that just about knocked me over. I asked, “What is that smell?”
She said, “I’ll tell you today what most people don’t know. You won’t read this in any of your books because this is not a theological fact, but it is an archeological fact.
“At the time that the Apostle Paul was held in this prison, it was the central holding tank for the sewage system of the city of Rome. Most men who were held in this place were killed by the smell. The toxins in this place were so terrible that just breathing them would asphyxiate you to death. That’s what this was when the Apostle Paul was here. And on certain day, if the wind is just right and if the heat is just right, like today, you can still smell the sewage of 2,000 years ago. That is the smell that you are smelling; this is sewage from 2,000 years ago.”
She continued and said, “The ancient water system and sewage system of ancient Rome was more developed that it is today. The sewage system then carried more human sewage that they are able to handle in the city of Rome today. And this was the central holding tank for all of the sewage from the central part of Rome, here in the very bottom of the palace. All of the sewage of the palace emptied into this place which was called the Mamretime Prison. Because it was a place of human waste, it was the most notorious, deadly prison in the world. Only the Isle of Patmos was second to this prison.
This was the worst.
“Furthermore, the apostle Peter was also held in this prison once for nine months. When Peter was held here, because he was not a citizen, he was held here in total darkness, standing in the sewage. It was a miracle that he did not lose his mind.”
We came into this prison and there were two levels: an upper level and a lower level. The upper level today has been turned into a Catholic church but 2,000 years ago this is where the Roman guards stood. Over to the side of the first level is a set of circular stairs that goes down into the lower section and the lower section is where the sewage was. The lower level is also where they held the prisoners. Only one prisoner at a time was held in this prison. These were the capital offenders, these were the worst criminals of the empire. Peter was held there alone. Paul was held there alone.
And as we stepped into the lower part of that prison, she said, “As you walk down these steps, remember the Apostle Paul was a short man. When he was in this prison we believe ie probably stood up to his hips in human sewage. There were no chairs to sit on. Had there been and he sat on them he would have been sitting in human sewage. There were no beds because he would have been laying in sewage.
“The prisoners were held chained to the wall with their hands extended upwards. If they were a Roman citizen they were held for 30 days at a time without being released. They slept hanging from the chains. When they went to the bathroom, they went to the bathroom in their clothes against the wall, hanging from the chains. The human waste was covered with rats eating the waste. There was disease, slime, infestation, and the stink so bad it could kill a man.
“If the stink did not kill you most people held here died from limb rot because the chains became so corroded and rusted by the human contamination that they began to cut into the flesh and the flesh would begin to rot. So when you go downstairs today, I want you to see where the Apostle Paul was when he wrote the book of Philippians.”
I tried to imagine what it would be like to be up to your waist in human sewage. To have your arms chained above your head for 30 days at a time: you would lose all circulation in your arms; no blood, completely numb. The pain from hanging from the chains, how tired your legs would be from standing for 30 days without ever sitting or lying. Being fed just pieces of bread. Having to think about the rats that are all around you, and yet you can’t see the rats because you’re standing in total darkness, not even the light of a candle.
But because Paul was a citizen he was allowed to receive and to send mail once a month. This was the rights of citizenship. So once a month he would hear the clanging as a Roman soldier would come walking down the steps carrying a candle. The soldier would slush through the human waste towards Paul, carrying a candle and carrying mail, and carrying paper and a writing utensil. The soldier would reach up and release Paul’s, which would fall like dead meat because there was no feeling, no circulation in his arms. The guard would try to hand him a letter but Paul had much difficulty holding the letter because his arms and hands had lost all feeling. His eyes had trouble adjusting to the light of the candle because he had been in total darkness for 30 days.
It was in these conditions that Paul received a letter from the Philippians (4:10 & 14). It the letter he found out they were thinking about him, praying for him, and that they had sent an offering to him. When he had finished reading the letter, the guard handed him a writing utensil and a piece of parchment. Then, in the light of the candle, while standing up to his hips in human sewage, Paul began slowly and agonizingly moving his arm and hand and write a letter back to the Philippians.
Having all this knowledge completely changes the way that you read the Book of Philippians:
Philippians 3:8 ~ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:18 ~ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable wellpleasing to God.
Rather than thinking about the waste he is standing in, he thinks about his worldly accomplishments and considers them to be equal to the sewage that reaches up to his hips. Rather than thinking about the stench, he thinks about the sacrifice of the Philippians to send him an offering. Rather than thinking about the rats that could stop eating the sewage and start eating him, he focuses on thoughts that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous and praiseworthy.
Even more outstanding is the fact that this book is known as the “Epistle of Joy.” Paul writes about joy 17 times in this book: “I therein do rejoice, Yea and will rejoice.” I rejoice greatly.” “I joy.” “I do rejoice.” “You are my crown and joy.” “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.” He even talks about the peace of God totally enveloping his heart and mind.
**A man standing imprisoned in human waste and urine had written and encouraging letter of peace and joy to people who were free to come and go as they pleased. Where does that place you and I in our complaining?
Aw! I am bummed! I wrote a comment on this when you first published it, but I guess it didn't 'stick'?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this reminder is so timely. Thank you for sharing. The beauty of God's Word is so amazing. We have no right to complain. It makes us bring into perspective...so many Christians put on an external front where they say all the right words, but how many would have such a glorious message under the kind of circumstances Paul had to endure? Praise God that he was for real!!
No wonder he could boldly declare that he had fought a good fight and kept the faith. He was so sure of the crown of righteousness. Thanks for sharing. I have learnt a lot from this. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! I'm kinda lost for words but in our day they say Christians aren't suppose to suffer. And if you do, you must search to find out what sin you've committed as to why you're suffering. It took a Miracle to come out of that dungeon sane or alive. We spend way too much time trying to figure out why we're suffering instead of glorifying God.
ReplyDelete