CAESAREA




Reconstructed amphitheater.



Stone found with Pontius Pilate's name inscribed on it.
No, it does not say "Pontius Pilate slept here!"


CAESAREA[sess uh REE uh] (pertaining to Caesar) - and important biblical seaport located south of modern Haifa. Built at enormous expense by Herod the Great between 25 and 13 B.C., and named in honor of Caesar Augustus, the city was sometimes called Casaerea of Palestine to distinguish it from Caesarea Philippi.

Herod spent 12 years building his seaport jewel on the site of an ancient Phoenician city named Strato's Tower. He constructed a huge breakwater. The enormous stones he used in this project were 50 feet long, 18 feet wide and 9 feet deep. Some of them still can be seen extending 150 feet from the shore.

Caesarea frequently was the scene of disturbances as cities of mixed Jewish-Gentile population tended to be. When Pilate was prefect (governor) of Judea, he lived in the governor's residence at Caesarea. In 1961, a stone inscribed with his name was found in the ruins of the ancient amphitheater there. Philip the evangelist preached there (Acts 8:40), and Peter was sent there to minister to the Roman centurion Cornelius (Acts 10: 1, 24; 11:11). Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea, being "eaten by worms" (Acts 12:19-23).

Christianity actually has its roots here in Caesarea, for up until the time Paul goes to Caesarea, salvation was preached only to the Jews.

Caesarea was prominent in the ministry of the apostle Paul as well. After Paul's conversion, some brethren brought him to the port at Caesarea to escape te Hellenists and sail to his hometown of Tarsus (Acts 9:30). Paul made Caesarea his port of call after both his second and third missionary journeys (Acts 18:22; 21:8). Felix sent Paul to Caesarea for trial (Acts 23: 23, 33) and the apostle spent two years in prison before making his celebrated defense before Festus and Agrippa (Acts 26). Paul sailed from the harbor in chains to appeal his case before the emperor in Rome (Acts 25:11; 26: 1-13)





There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
Acts 10:1

And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
Acts 10:24

And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Acts 11:11

And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
And the people gave shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Acts:12:19-23

Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus
Acts 9:30

And when he had landed at Caesarea,and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
Acts:18:22

And the next day we that were of Paul's compnay departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
Acts 21:8

And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the apistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Acts 23:23, 33

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. The Paul stretshed forth the hand, and answered for himself:
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things I am accused of the Jews:
Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I live a Pharisee.
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceeding mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will apear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help from God, I continued unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
King Argippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except for these bonds.
And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Then said Arippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
Acts 26

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of dead, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal to Caesar.
Acts 25:11













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