We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. – Acts 28:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 26, 2018): Acts 28

The dreaded “heat ray” is a staple of Science Fiction, so it is a bit surprising to discover that it might have been an ancient weapon. The idea is that it might be possible for a device to create a focused beam of energy that is powerful enough to destroy an enemy at a distance. Admittedly, the ray gun of Science Fiction tales was well beyond the capabilities of ancient people, but there is a belief that the ancient mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse employed the idea of a heat ray to fend of attackers during the “Siege of Syracuse” (214 – 212 B.C.E.). Okay, according to the story of the siege, Archimedes defended the city by causing the attacking ships to burst into flames. How he did, at least according to tradition, was by having people use parabolic mirrors along the shoreline to focus the sun’s rays back onto the ships. And if a series of these mirrors were focused at one ship, the resulting heat, combining with the tar used to coat the wood of an ancient ship, might just cause the ship to burst into flames.  

Admittedly, modern attempts to recreate Archimedes “heat ray” have been inconclusive at best. But even if the claim that the ships burst into flame is untrue, one can imagine the discomfort of the sailors if a series of mirrors were used to turn the sun’s rays back on a ship, causing a blinding light and significant heat to come from the shoreline. Either It might have been enough to cause the sailors to turn the ship around or abandon the ship altogether.

Two and a half centuries later, the learned Paul would have known of the stories of Archimedes and his city of Syracuse. Syracuse was an important city during Paul’s lifetime. The Roman politician and lawyer Cicero called Syracuse "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all." And I wonder if, as Paul’s ship pulled into the port of Syracuse, the Apostle imagined Archimedes “beam of light” and other war machines that he had built and used in a futile attempt to defend the city from the Roman invaders being turned onto the boat that now carried him. But now Rome was in possession of the city, and in possession of Paul.

And maybe, Paul wondered if he would fare any better as a prisoner of Rome than had Archimedes. Archimedes died during the “Siege of Syracuse,” in spite of the Roman authorities’ orders that the mathematician not be harmed. Again, according to tradition, after the Roman’s took control of the city, a Roman soldier found Archimedes drawing in the dirt as he worked on a math problem. The soldier placed a knife at the mathematician’s throat, to which Archimedes said, “Stop, you’re disturbing my equation.” Those would be Archimedes last words as the guard killed him on the spot.

Paul may have hoped for better treatment, but he too would die because of the sharp edge of a Roman sword. It would not happen during this imprisonment, but in the end, neither Paul nor Archimedes would escape the punishment of the Romans. And both would die doing what it was that they believed that God, or the gods in the case of Archimedes, had intended them to do.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1