Caesarea Maritime is an important city to keep in mind as we read these early chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. It’s important first because a “Gentile Pentecost” took place in this city. The Roman centurion Cornelius and his household were baptized here by the Apostle Peter. The mission into the gentile world began here.

Luke highlights Peter’s journey to Caesarea Maritime from Joppa, the port where Jonah began his journey to Nineveh. ( Acts 10:1-48; 11:1-18)  Later, at a crucial meeting in Jerusalem Peter will offer his experience in Caesarea Maritime as God’s sign to announce the gospel to the gentiles. (Acts 15:7-11) 

Caesarea Maritime, 33 miles north of Joppa, was built as a seaport by Herod the Great  and for many years was the Roman military center of Judea where Roman officials, like Pontius Pilate, resided. It was a major port connecting Palestine to the rest of the world.

Philip the Deacon and his four daughters settled there after the persecution of Stephen, Luke reports. They received Paul in their house on his way to Jerusalem. When Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed in 70 AD, Caesarea Maritime became the main city of Judea and also a home for the Christian church. In later years, its bishop was the region’s leading bishop, until a bishop was installed in Jerusalem after Constantine rebuilt it in the 4th century.  

Caesarea Maritime remained a thriving center of Christian learning where great figures like Origen, Gregory Nazianzen and Jerome studied and taught. Only impressive ruins now tell us of the city’s former glory. Poor infrastructure and Moslem invasions finally brought about its end about six centuries after Herod built it.

Luke describe the spread of Christianity through the mission of Paul, but he is not the only missionary. If we follow him alone, we may miss the rich life and spirituality of Eastern Christianity that occurred as the gospel spread to Syria and Egypt. That’s why we should keep Caesarea Maritime in mind. The gospel has more than one story that traces how it spread; it’s not all found in the Acts of the Apostles.