Lexical Summary Pontos: Pontus Original Word: Πόντος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Pontus. A sea; Pontus, a region of Asia Minor -- Pontus. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word used as proper name Definition "a sea," Pontus, a region of Asia Minor NASB Translation Pontus (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4195: ΠόντοςΠόντος, Πόντου, ὁ, Pontus, a region of eastern Asia Minor, bounded by the Euxine Sea (from which circumstance it took its name), Armenia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Paphlagonia (BB. DD., under the word; Ed. Meyer, Gesch. d. Königreiches Pontos (Leip. 1879)): Acts 2:9; 1 Peter 1:1. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting and Historical Background Pontus lay along the southern coast of the Euxine (Black) Sea and stretched inland to the mountains that separate the coastal plain from the central plateau of Asia Minor. Rich forests, mineral deposits, and strategic ports made it a valued territory successively held by the Persians, Alexander’s successors, and an independent line of kings capped by the formidable Mithridates VI. Rome annexed the area in 64 BC, eventually joining it with Bithynia as a senatorial province. Its harbors (notably Amisus and Trapezus) opened trade routes linking the Mediterranean world to the Caucasus, so Pontus became home to a sizeable, long-established Jewish diaspora who enjoyed Roman protection by the first century. Pontus in the New Testament Era Jews of Pontus were sufficiently numerous and devout to be present at the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In Acts 2:9, Luke lists them among those who heard the apostles “declaring the wonders of God” in their own languages on the Day of Pentecost. Many historians view this as the seed of the region’s first Christian congregations, for pilgrims returned home bearing the gospel. By the early sixties, the churches had matured enough to be addressed collectively in Peter’s first letter: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect, exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1). Pontus and Apostolic Mission 1. Representatives at Pentecost (Acts 2:9) illustrate how the Spirit’s outpouring reached Jews dispersed far beyond Judea. Significance for Early Christian Communities • Geographic Remoteness Overcome: Pontus lay at the empire’s edge, yet Scripture records it as fully included in God’s redemptive work. Later Church History The region continued to supply prominent servants of Christ. Gregory of Nyssa, though later than the New Testament, hailed from nearby Cappadocia and ministered in Pontic territories. By the fourth century, rural Christian communities dotted the Black Sea coast, preserving the apostolic faith despite political upheaval and occasional persecution. Theological Reflections Pontus testifies that no boundary—geographical, cultural, or political—limits the gospel’s reach. The Spirit’s inclusion of Pontic Jews at Pentecost, Peter’s pastoral concern, and Aquila’s missionary zeal together underscore God’s desire to gather a people “from every nation and tribe and tongue” (Revelation 7:9). Scripture’s consistency shines as Luke, Peter, and Paul independently affirm Pontus’s place in salvation history. Lessons for Today • Expect God to work in out-of-the-way places. Forms and Transliterations Ποντον Πόντον Ποντου Πόντου πόντω Ponton Pónton Pontou PóntouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 2:9 N-AMSGRK: καὶ Καππαδοκίαν Πόντον καὶ τὴν NAS: Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, KJV: and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, INT: and Cappadocia Pontus and 1 Peter 1:1 N-GMS Strong's Greek 4195 |
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