How Travel Takes Bible Study Further
Mark Strauss
Guest Contributor
Bible Study Fellowship exists because we believe that reading and studying the Bible can be a life-changing experience. This is because God’s Word is “alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). In BSF you will often hear it said that the key to understanding the Bible is context. Context here can refer to literary context, or the progress of the plot (in a story) or the author’s argument (in a letter). For example, the great chapter about love, 1 Corinthians 13, must be understood in light of the apostle Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12–14. The spiritual gifts, Paul asserts, are of no value unless they are practiced with an attitude of love for others.
But in addition to literary context, there is also historical context. This means understanding the world in which the Bible was written. It is critically important, for example, to know that in the first century AD the people of Israel were ruled by the mighty Roman empire and that Rome viewed any hint of rebellion as a threat to its security. Jesus’s arrest, trial, and crucifixion can only be properly understood in light of this historical context. Similarly, the missionary activities of the apostle Paul, including his arrest and journey to Rome, can only be understood in the context of the Roman legal system.
How Travel Changes Our Perspective
We can learn much about this historical context by reading about it in books. But an even more exciting way to learn is to actually be there—that is, to visit the lands of the Bible! It is wonderful, of course, to visit Israel and to walk where Jesus walked. My hope is that every Christian would have a chance to visit Israel at least once in their lifetime. (I’ll save details of my favorite places in Israel for another time!)
Because of the recent wars and unrest, however, many travelers have ruled out Israel for the time being. So let me suggest another exciting possibility for travel to the lands of the Bible. This is a “footsteps of Paul” or “footsteps of the apostles” tour to Turkey and/or Greece. These trips can be cruises throughout the Aegean Sea, bus tours through Greece and Turkey, or some combination of the two.
The bonus of these trips is that some of the places Paul spent the most time are also some of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. Consider a visit to Athens, the great intellectual capital of the ancient world. It is one thing to read the account of Paul’s preaching to the Areopagus, the ruling council of philosophers in that great city (Acts 17). It is quite another to stand on Mars Hill in the shadow of the magnificent Parthenon, surrounded by the altars and temples of the Acropolis. My spine tingles from the boldness of Paul’s preaching despite the spiritual oppression he must have felt when, as Luke reports, “he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16).
Or stand in Corinth at the place of judgement—the bema seat—where the Roman governor Gallio pronounced Paul innocent of political crimes against Rome (Acts 18:12-16). This event confirmed God’s prophecy—“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking…For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you” (Acts 18:9-10)—and extended Paul’s ministry in southern Greece.
Or visit the vast archeological site of Ephesus, the crown jewel of western Turkey. The ruins are remarkably well preserved because the city’s harbor kept silting up and the port had to be repeatedly moved. Standing in the magnificently theatre, with its amazing acoustics, one can almost hear the crowds shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28).
This is just the tip of the iceberg (or bow of the cruise ship). We could talk more about Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Colossae, Laodicea (neither hot or cold), Pergamum (where Satan’s throne is, according to Revelation 2:13), Patmos (John’s place of exile when writing Revelation), and many, many more.
Experience a Tour: Opportunity in 2026
One of the comments I hear most during and after these trips is, “I’ll never read my Bible the same!” And it’s true. In the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the movie begins in black-and-white, with Dorothy’s everyday life in Kansas. The movie turns to color, however, when Dorothy and her dog Toto are magically transported to the land of Oz. Some have suggested that visiting the lands of the Bible is like going from the black-and-white of Kansas (the written text) to the full color of Oz—the world of the text!
A BSF consulting theologian will be leading a Footsteps of the Apostles tour to Greece for BSF members and friends in September 2026. To learn more about this exciting tour, click here: Footsteps of the Apostles.
About The Author
Mark L. Strauss is a university professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary, where he has served since 1993, and an adjunct professor at Pacific Theological Seminary. He is the author/coauthor of 20 books and many articles, and editor/co-editor of 40 volumes, with expertise in the Gospels, hermeneutics, and Bible translation. He serves as vice chair of the Committee on Bible Translation for the New International Version and as an associate editor for the NIV Study Bible. He has been married for 40+ years to his wonderful wife, Roxanne, a marriage and family therapist, and they have three grown children.
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My husband and I will never forget the excitement of standing where Paul stood to preach, walking and dining on the isle of Patmos where John lived through the visions and Words given him to share with us in the book we know as Revelations. The cruise was delightful, adding time to relax and reflect. We toured in 2023 and look forward to a possible BSF trip to Israel in the future. We will be some of the first to sign up!
I always love watching In the footsteps of Jesus on TV
It would be very interesting to visit there on a tour.
Thank you for sharing. I appreciate what you had to say.
Mark, I enjoyed reading your article. I would love to visit all of the places you mentioned—I want to touch the very ground that Jesus walked on; see, feel, and learn as much as I can. But I am in a wheelchair. How accessible is it to visit these places?
Starting in September, this will be my 32nd year as a group leader and I am excited to be part of this next chapter of Israel’s Return from Exile. Each year has been another step in learning more of God’s Holy Word and being able to apply it to my Spiritual walk. Thank you to all at BSF headquarters for being consistent in accurate Biblical information presented in the BSF studies.
Karen
Mark,
Thanks for such a great article! You were our guide during our BSF trip to Israel in 2017. It was an amazing experience! Going to these places is special in and of itself, but to have the opportunity to have a biblical scholar with you is truly a blessing! We learned so much! We hope to be able to do some more BSF trips soon!
As I read this blog, I am sitting in a plane ready to return home after completing a Footsteps of Paul cruise. I was nearly brought to tears standing at the exact spot where Paul stood at the bema seat in front on Gallio.
May I experience the courage of Paul to stand boldly for my faith.
I really enjoyed our study of the book of Revelation last year! I look forward to studying this year , exile and return. I am so thankful to all who work so hard so we can be able to study The amazing Works of our great God! Bless you all.
We can learn much about this historical context by reading about it in books. But an even more exciting way to learn is to actually be there—that is, to visit the lands of the Bible! It is wonderful, of course, to visit Israel and to walk where Jesus walked. My hope is that every Christian would have a chance to visit Israel at least once in their lifetime. (I’ll save details of my favorite places in Israel for another time!)
I got the opportunity to trend where Jesus trod. In 2016 Nov.. I can attest
I totally agree on the importance of visiting biblical sites. I have had the privilege of visiting the ancient cities of Ephesus, Corinth, the sites of the seven churches in Revelations, Rome, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Athens, Jordon River, and several other biblical sites. Each site just brought the bible closer to me. I remember as I was walking the excavated streets of Ephesus, I kept thinking Paul walked these streets!
As a Sunday School teacher, my travels have enabled me to share and expound on the scriptures. The scriptures came to life! I am forever grateful for the opportunities God has allowed me to experience. I was in Nazareth on Christmas Day, I had a brief sailing on the Sea of Galilee, gazed at Mt. Olive, and walked the shores of Capernaum. These places were no longer places or names in the bible, they became real. I even had the opportunity to stand near the border and gaze into Syria in the direction of Damascus.
Glory be to God!