Lydia
A.D.
53
The
First
Christian
Convert in
Europe
Her native
place was
Thyatira
on the
borders of
Lydia in
Asia
Minor. Her
city was
celebrated
in ancient
times for
its purple
dyes and
fabrics.
Among the
ruins of
the city
has been
found an
inscription
relating
to the
“Guild of
Dyers”,
showing
the
accuracy
in
unimportant
details of
this
Scripture
narrative.
She may
have been
known by a
different
name at
home, but
among
strangers
she was
known as
Lydia or
the
Lydian.
She was a
business
woman,
dealing in
colored
material,
or more
likely
goods
already
died. The
color
purple was
highly
prized
among the
ancients
and Lydia
was a
merchant
that sold
purple
cloth.
Given the
circumstances
revealed
in the
Bible,
it’s safe
to assume
she was a
very
successful
entrepreneur.
Lydia had
settled in
the city
of
Philippi,
which was
a
miniature
Rome. Here
she
carried on
her trade,
surrounded
by her
household
that seems
to have
included
many
servants.
She was
not a
Jewess by
birth, but
she is
noted as
having
been a
“worshiper
of God”
(Acts
16:14).
She had
obviously
come to a
knowledge
of the
one, true
God and as
a result,
she became
a devout
follower.
Philippi
was the
scene of
the first
labors of
Paul in
Europe.
One
Sabbath
day he
found a
company of
Jews
worshiping
outside
the city,
near a
river. He
preached
to them
and Lydia
became a
Christian.
She at
once urged
the
missionaries
to make
her house
their
home.
Paul, not
liking to
be
dependent
on anyone,
hesitated,
but
finally
accepted
her
hospitality.
It
is
apparent
that the
home of
Lydia soon
became a
meeting
place for
Christians.
Considering
the trials
that Paul
had
endured,
he must
have found
much
comfort
being
cared for
in this
home.
After
being
jailed for
freeing a
slave girl
from demon
possession,
Paul and
Silas were
asked to
leave the
city. A
farewell
gathering
was held
at Lydia’s
home and
we may
suppose
that the
converted
Philippian
jailer was
one of the
company!
Paul
departed
to carry
the gospel
message to
other
cities of
Europe,
yet he
held the
church in
Philipi
close to
his heart.
The church
that began
in the
home of
Lydia,
worshiper
of God,
became
perhaps
the most
loved body
of
believers
to the
Apostle
Paul and
he was
their
beloved
apostle.
Though not
rich in
material
wealth,
they
supported
Paul in
his
missionary
work
whenever
possible,
and it was
to the
church at
Philippi
that Paul
wrote his
most
loving
epistle
from the
prison in
Rome.
