Joppa
Ancient port on the Mediterranean coast, now part of Tel Aviv. Jonah takes ship here, timber for the temple was landed here, and here Peter has the vision that sends him to the gentile Cornelius.
Joppa was the port through which goods for Jerusalem came by sea. Cedar from Lebanon for Solomon’s temple, and again for the second temple, was floated down the coast to it (2 Chronicles 2:16) (Ezra 3:7). Jonah went down to Joppa to find a ship for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). In Acts, Peter raised Tabitha there and lodged with Simon the tanner. On the roof of that house he saw the vision of clean and unclean animals, and from there he was fetched to the centurion Cornelius (Acts 9:36–43) (Acts 10:5–23).
What happened here
- about 760 BC, traditional dateJonah Sent to Nineveh
The book of Jonah tells of a prophet of Israel who is sent to preach against Nineveh, flees by sea, is swallowed by a great fish and then sees the Assyrian city repent and be spared. Jesus later speaks of “the sign of Jonah”.
- about AD 40, estimated dateThe Baptism of the Gentile Cornelius
Acts tells how Peter, after a vision at Joppa, enters the house of the Roman centurion Cornelius at Caesarea, preaches there, and has him and his household baptised without circumcision, and how the church in Jerusalem accepts what he has done.