Lexical Summary Phoiniké: Phoenicia Original Word: Φοινίκη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance PhoeniciaFrom phoinix; palm-country; Phoenice (or Phoenicia), a region of Palestine -- Phenice, Phenicia. see GREEK phoinix NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originprobably from phoinix Definition Phoenicia, a region N. of Galilee NASB Translation Phoenicia (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5403: ΦοινίκηΦοινίκη, Φοινίκης, ἡ, Phoenice or Phoenicia, in the apostolic age a tract of the province of Syria, situated on the coast of the Mediterranean between the river Eleutherus and the promontory of Carmel, some thirty miles long and two or three broad (but see BB. DD., under the word): Acts 11:19; Acts 15:3; Acts 21:2. Topical Lexicon Geographical setting Stretching along the eastern Mediterranean coastline from the vicinity of Mount Carmel northward past the port of Byblos, ancient Phoenicia was a narrow ribbon of fertile coastal plain backed by the Lebanon range. Its principal cities—Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and later Ptolemais—commanded natural harbors that made the region a maritime bridge between Israel, Syria, Asia Minor, Cyprus, and the wider Greco-Roman world. By New Testament times it formed part of the Roman province of Syria, yet it retained a distinct Semitic population, language, and mercantile culture. Old Testament background Though the word “Phoenicia” does not appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, the territory and its people are well known through the names “Sidonians,” “Tyre,” and “Sidon” (for example, 1 Kings 5:6; Ezekiel 27). Commercial partnership between Israel and Hiram of Tyre supplied cedar for Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 5:1-12), foreshadowing later gospel cooperation when believers from the two areas would fellowship in Jesus Christ. At the same time, the infiltration of Phoenician idolatry via Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31) serves as a sober reminder of the corrosive power of syncretism. New Testament appearances (Acts 11:19; 15:3; 21:2) 1. Acts 11:19 records that the disciples, “scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews”. The coastal road offered a natural corridor for refugees, and Phoenician ports provided access to Cyprus and beyond. Role in the expansion of the gospel • Gateway for dispersion: When persecution struck Jerusalem, Phoenician cities became first-stage havens that preserved believers and spread the word of God (Acts 11:19-21). Cultural and religious context Phoenicia was famed for purple dye, glassware, alphabetic script, and seafaring skill. Its pantheon (notably Melqart and Astarte) had spread widely, yet by the first century Hellenistic influence mixed with lingering Canaanite ritual. Against this backdrop, Christianity offered ethical purity and personal salvation, drawing contrasts with immorality linked to idol worship (cf. Ephesians 4:17-20, a letter penned to believers just across the water who no doubt interacted with Phoenician traders). Spiritual lessons and applications • God redeems former sources of corruption: The land that once exported Baal worship later exported gospel missionaries. Later church history Early ecclesiastical writers mention bishops in Tyre and Sidon by the mid-second century. The Council of Nicea (A.D. 325) lists “Phoenicia Prima” and “Phoenicia Secunda” among its represented provinces, showing that the apostolic seed bore enduring institutional fruit. Summary Strong’s Greek 5403 denotes not merely a location but a strategic stage in God’s redemptive drama—an ancient maritime crossroads transformed into a conduit for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations Φοινικην Φοινίκην Φοινικης Φοινίκης φοινικώνος Phoiniken Phoinikēn Phoiníken Phoiníkēn Phoinikes Phoinikēs Phoiníkes PhoiníkēsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 11:19 N-GFSGRK: διῆλθον ἕως Φοινίκης καὶ Κύπρου NAS: made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus KJV: as far as Phenice, and INT: passed through to Phoenicia and Cyprus Acts 15:3 N-AFS Acts 21:2 N-AFS Strong's Greek 5403 |
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