Lexical Summary Knidos: Cnidus Original Word: Κνίδος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Cnidus. Probably of foreign origin; Cnidus, a place in Asia Minor -- Cnidus. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition Cnidus, a city on the S.W. coast of Asia Minor NASB Translation Cnidus (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2834: ΚνίδοςΚνίδος, Κνιδου, ἡ, Cnidus or Gnidus, a peninsula (now Cape Crio) and a city of the same name, on the coast of Caria: Acts 27:7 (1 Macc. 15:23). (B. D., under the word Topical Lexicon Location and Physical Setting Cnidus stood on the extreme southwestern tip of Asia Minor, occupying a narrow promontory that projects between the Aegean and the Mediterranean. With the Aegean on the north and the open sea to the south, the city possessed two naturally sheltered harbors, making it a strategic port of call for ancient shipping lanes that threaded along the coast from Ephesus toward Rhodes and on to Alexandria. Modern scholars identify the site near Tekir Burnu, Turkey, where the lofty ridges and treacherous headwinds of the Carian coastline are still evident. Historical Background Founded by Dorian settlers, Cnidus became one of the six cities of the Dorian Hexapolis—a federation including Halicarnassus, Kos, Lindos, Ialysos and Kamiros. Classical writers such as Herodotus, Thucydides and Strabo describe its prosperity in shipping, wine and the healing arts. The medical school of Cnidus rivaled the more famous school of Cos, and its sanctuary of Aphrodite Euploia (“Aphrodite of Fair Voyages”) housed Praxiteles’ celebrated marble statue. By the first century, Roman influence had brought relative peace and improved maritime traffic, though the prevailing north-west winds could still make rounding the headland difficult, as Luke testifies. Biblical Occurrence (Acts 27:7) During Paul’s transfer to Rome (circa A.D. 59–60), Julius the centurion placed the apostle aboard an Alexandrian grain ship at Myra. “We sailed slowly for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind would not allow us to approach, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone” (Acts 27:7). The single New Testament reference is brief, yet it displays Luke’s customary precision: • “We sailed slowly” – Seasonal etesian winds often forced vessels hugging the Asia Minor coast to proceed under reduced sail or by rowing. The verse therefore confirms Luke’s firsthand knowledge of navigation and geography, underscoring the historical reliability of Acts. Maritime and Ministry Significance 1. Accuracy of Scripture: Nautical details—from tacking difficulties near Cnidus to the naming of minor islands such as Cauda (Acts 27:16)—align with modern meteorological and topographical studies. This coherence strengthens confidence that Scripture reports genuine events rather than later embellishments. Archaeological Notes Surveys by British expeditions in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries uncovered the circular temple platform once bearing the Aphrodite statue, a 5,000-seat theatre, and a terraced sanctuary complex. Harbor installations show sophisticated engineering—quays carved into rock and breakwaters constructed of large ashlar blocks. Such infrastructure corroborates Cnidus’ reputation as a major port, explaining why an Alexandrian grain ship of considerable tonnage would attempt to round its point. Applications for Contemporary Ministry • Geography as a Teaching Tool: Tracing Paul’s itinerary—including minor waypoints like Cnidus—invites congregations to visualize the narrative and appreciate God’s guidance in concrete settings. Summary Though mentioned only once, Cnidus anchors Acts 27 in the real world of first-century maritime commerce. Its windswept promontory reminds readers that Paul’s journey to Rome unfolded under the watchful authority of God, who governs both the forces of nature and the advance of the gospel. Forms and Transliterations Κνιδον Κνίδον κνίζων Knidon KnídonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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