Trying to Make Sense of Life

As Kelly and I travel around Greece and Rome, we visited Delphi, a city built around the Temple of Apollo. Delphi was built on the side of Mount Parnassus, in central Greece. The town and surrounding area is steeped in Greek mythology. According to the ancient myths, Zeus let two eagles go – one on the east and one on the west – and they met at Delphi, making it the center of the earth.

In addition to being the “center of the earth,” throughout Greece history, the town was known for two other notorious items: the Pythian Games (similar to the Olympics, although this mountain instead of Mount Olympus and greater than simply athletic events) and the Temple of Apollo.

The Temple of Apollos contained a priestess who would give divine oracles to individuals who traveled to hear about the future. This was known as the Oracle of Delphi, the Oracle of Apollo, or the oracle from the priestess of Pytho. She supposedly channeled prophecies from Apollo from the center of the temple where she sat on a tripod steeped in a dreamlike trance. Specifically, the priestess sat in the middle of the temple on a covered tripod cauldron over a deep chasm breathing vapors of ethane, methane, and ethylene gas. This practice began in the 8^th century BC and lasted until 393 AD.

As one came close to the temple complex (see pictures below) to worship, it would usually take several days to make an appointment. They would come, make an appointment for several days later, stay in the surrounding town of Delphi, and come back for their appointment. These individuals (which included kings, emperors, and many other important people) would bring offerings of money, laurel branches, and goats – among many other important treasures. Once they had arrived and had given their offering, they would hear from the temple priests whether or not Apollo planned to answer them that day. If not, they left the offering and started the process all over.

If Apollo planned to answer them through the priestess, they would walk up the sacred path where they would meet the priest in the front of the temple to ask their question. The priest would relay their question back to the priestess. She would chant or sing to them her answer in what many would refer to as gibberish. They would write down her answer and deliver the oracle.

The priests would already know the question of the one seeking an oracle because the town Delphi was filled with spies who would talk them up to find out the information they were seeking during their multiple day stay awaiting an appointment.

Observations and Implications for Our Thinking

This gorgeous town and temple area were nothing less than incredibly impressive. However, as we walked away from our day there, we were impressed with two major observations and implications for the way we live and worship.

First, Greek mythology and the Temple of Apollo were the pagan answers for people trying to make sense out of life.

Not only did they want to understand their history, they also wanted to make sense of human nature, and understand the future. They were deep worshipers. They wanted to know the exact things we want to know as we live every day. Yet, they turned to paganism for their answers, and we have God and the Bible. They trusted in myths, legends, and oracles from man-made gods; we trust in the God of the Bible to explain our origin, our makeup, and our circumstances.

Second, as church and worship leaders, we have a sacred responsibility to God and those we serve for what we do and how we do it.

This entire process was steeped in shenanigans and falsehood. The temple worship and oracle process was built off of gaining maximum offerings and deceiving people. The spies all over town were the ears of the priests leaving an impression that the priestess and accompanying priests would know why people were coming. Often, the oracle would be vague and allow for more than one outcome to be true. However, when what the priestess prophesies did not come true, the priests would blame the one receiving the oracle for misunderstanding it.

As those who serve in any capacity of church leadership (pastors, teachers, ministry leaders, counselors, mentors, et.al.), we have a responsibility before God to treat these matters in complete integrity. We must not serve for personal gain. What we say must represent God as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. What we do must reflect our own deeply authentic worship and care for the one we serve.

This is the context into which both Jesus came and Paul ministered. People truly looking for life’s greatest answers; others willing to trick and cheat those people to manipulate them. This is the same context in which we serve as well. What a great reminder to ask ourselves: What kind of answers do we give to them? and What is our motive for doing so?

The Theater at the Temple of Apollo

The front of the Temple of Apollo

The area around the Temple

Stadium for Pythian Games

Model of the Temple of Apollo complex

Drawing of the Temple of Apollo complex

Image Credit

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