Cyprus is mentioned several times in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. The island of Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of modern-day Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. Here is an overview of the biblical significance of Cyprus:
Cyprus in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, Cyprus is referred to as “Kittim” or “Chittim.” This name comes from the name of the Phoenician city Kition, which was located on the southern coast of Cyprus. Some key references to Cyprus/Kittim in the Old Testament include:
- Isaiah 23:1, 12 – The prophet Isaiah foretells the destruction of Tyre, stating that Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, “the lifetime of one king.” Isaiah states that after this period, Tyre’s trade will be restored, and its profits will be consecrated to the Lord. It will not store up or hoard its wealth, but its profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes.
- Jeremiah 2:10 – Jeremiah compares the sinful nation of Israel to “a faithless wife.” He states that Israel should “cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing.” This implies that even the distant nation of Cyprus lives more righteously than unfaithful Israel.
- Ezekiel 27:6 – In his lament over Tyre, Ezekiel states that the ships of Tyre were made from cypress wood from the island of Cyprus.
- Daniel 11:30 – In his prophecy concerning the kings of the North and South, Daniel states that “ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw.” This refers to ships from Cyprus coming against the king of the North.
From these references, we see that Cyprus was known as a distant coastal region, known for its cypress wood. Cyprus had extensive trade connections with Phoenicia, including the city of Tyre. The prophets sometimes used Cyprus as a reference point when comparing Israel’s sinfulness to that of distant pagan nations.
Cyprus in the New Testament
In the New Testament, Cyprus is significant as the hometown of Barnabas and as the first stop on Paul’s first missionary journey. Here are some key references:
- Acts 4:36 – Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, sells a field and gives the money to the apostles. He is given the name Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.”
- Acts 11:19-20 – After Stephen’s martyrdom, some believers travel as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, preaching to Jews. However, they initially only preach to fellow Jews.
- Acts 13:4-13 – Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sent out by the Holy Spirit from Antioch on Paul’s first missionary journey. Their first stop is Barnabas’ home island of Cyprus. They preach in the synagogues and travel across the whole island from Salamis to Paphos. They have an encounter with the false prophet Bar-Jesus and the proconsul Sergius Paulus on Cyprus.
- Acts 15:39 – After disagreeing with Paul over John Mark, Barnabas takes Mark and sails for Cyprus.
- Acts 21:16 – Years later, Paul sails past Cyprus on his final trip to Jerusalem.
From these accounts, we see that Barnabas viewed Cyprus as a important location for spreading the Gospel. Paul and Barnabas made it their first stop on Paul’s first missionary journey. The island provided a strategic launching point for outreach into Asia Minor. Although little is recorded about the results of their preaching on Cyprus, the island clearly played a key role in the earliest spread of Christianity.
Significance and Themes
Drawing these biblical references together, here are some key themes and significance related to Cyprus:
- Strategic location – Cyprus was located along important maritime trade routes. This enabled ideas and cultural influences to spread through Cyprus across the Mediterranean world.
- Resources – Cyprus was a source of natural resources like cypress wood that contributed to Phoenicia’s naval and trade dominance.
- Spread of the Gospel – Cyprus played a key role in the spread of early Christianity, as both Barnabas’ homeland and Paul’s first missionary stop.
- Comparison to Israel – The Old Testament prophets compared Cyprus to Israel, implying that even far-off pagan nations were more righteous than unfaithful Israel.
- Barnabas’ connection – The Levite Joseph from Cyprus played a key role in the early Jerusalem church and partnering with Paul on missionary travels.
Cyprus forms an important backdrop representing the distant Gentile world during much of biblical history. The island’s strategic location and resources enabled its influence over mediterranean trade and culture. Most significantly, Cyprus played a vital role in the spread of early Christianity through Barnabas’ origins and Paul’s first missionary visit there. The island’s connection to these apostolic leaders ensures that tiny Cyprus has an outsized impact in biblical history.
Passages Mentioning Cyprus in the Bible
Here is a summary of the key verses that mention Cyprus in the Bible:
- Isaiah 23:1-12 – Cyprus (Kittim) is referenced in Isaiah’s prophecy against Tyre.
- Jeremiah 2:10 – Jeremiah compares Israel’s sin to the distant coasts of Cyprus.
- Ezekiel 27:6 – Ships of Tyre made from cypress wood from Cyprus.
- Daniel 11:30 – Ships of Cyprus will come against the king of the North.
- Acts 4:36 – Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, is named Barnabas.
- Acts 11:19 – Following Stephen’s martyrdom, some believers preach in Cyprus.
- Acts 13:4-13 – Barnabas and Paul preach across Cyprus on Paul’s first missionary journey.
- Acts 15:39 – Barnabas and Mark sail for Cyprus after disagreeing with Paul.
- Acts 21:16 – Paul sails past Cyprus on his final trip to Jerusalem.
These key verses provide glimpses into Cyprus’ biblical significance in both Testaments. The Old Testament references establish Cyprus as an influential maritime nation, while the New Testament highlights the island’s strategic role in spreading early Christianity.
Cyprus as a Representation of the Gentile World
One important theme is that Cyprus often represents the distant Gentile world in contrast to Israel. In the Old Testament, the prophets sometimes compare Israel’s faithlessness to that of far-off Cyprus:
Jeremiah 2:10 – “Pass over to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.”
The implication is that even distant pagan nations live more righteously than Israel. The Gentile inhabitants of Cyprus epitomized the unfaithfulness of Israel. Yet later, Christian preachers specifically targeted Cyprus as a strategic gateway to reach the Gentile world. The island represented both the spiritual lostness of Gentiles, but also their potential for salvation.
Cyprus and Biblical Prophecy
The Old Testament contains several prophecies involving Cyprus as representative of the Gentile world:
- Isaiah 23:1-12 – Isaiah prophesies that Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, but afterward Cyprus (Kittim) will trade with Tyre once again.
- Jeremiah 2:10 – Jeremiah compares Israel’s sin to Cyprus.
- Ezekiel 27:6 – Ezekiel prophecies that Phoenician ships were built from cypress wood from Cyprus.
- Daniel 11:30 – Daniel prophesies that ships from Cyprus (Kittim) will come against the northern king, striking fear in him.
These prophecies establish Cyprus as an important Gentile maritime and trading power. The prophets utilized Cyprus as a reference point when making pronouncements about surrounding nations. Cyprus also served as a representation of Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness compared to even pagan nations.
Barnabas’ Connection to Cyprus
One of the most significant Cypriot connections in the New Testament is Barnabas. Here are some key facts about Barnabas’ link to Cyprus:
- He was a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36)
- He sold property on Cyprus to give funds to the Jerusalem church (Acts 4:37)
- After disagreement with Paul, he took John Mark and sailed for Cyprus (Acts 15:39)
- Cyprus was the first stop on his missionary journey with Paul (Acts 13:4-13)
Barnabas viewed his homeland as an important hub for spreading the Gospel among Gentiles. His Levite ancestry and personal wealth from the island enabled his influential role in the Jerusalem church. Later, Barnabas leveraged his Cypriot roots to launch missionary travels around the Mediterranean.
Preaching the Gospel on Cyprus
The book of Acts highlights Cyprus as one of the first regions evangelized outside Judea. Here is an overview:
- Following Stephen’s martyrdom, some believers initially preach only to Jews on Cyprus (Acts 11:19).
- Barnabas and Paul make Cyprus the first stop on Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-13). They travel across the island from Salamis to Paphos.
- In Paphos, Paul rebukes the false prophet Bar-Jesus and converts the proconsul Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:6-12).
- Later, Barnabas returns to Cyprus again to strengthen the believers (Acts 15:39).
This special focus on Cyprus highlights the strategic role of the island in spreading Christianity across the Mediterranean world. The vibrant community of believers established by Barnabas and Paul served as a staging ground for sharing the Gospel throughout Gentile regions.
Strategic Role of Cyprus
Based on these biblical references, the strategic geographic and cultural role of Cyprus can be summarized:
- Located along vital Mediterranean trade routes
- Served as a gateway between East and West
- Major source of natural resources like cypress wood
- Important trade and cultural ties with Phoenicia
- Homeland of prominent early Christian leader Barnabas
- Initial foothold for spreading Gospel to Asia Minor and Europe
The island occupied a unique place along mediterranean trade networks. It enabled the transfer of ideas between great civilizations. Strategically, Cyprus served as the first stepping stone taking the Gospel from Judea to the Gentile world. This modest island played a role far exceeding its small size.
Conclusion
Though just a small island, Cyprus occupies an outsized place in biblical history. It epitomized the Gentile nations in contrast to Israel. Yet that spiritual darkness made it a top priority for early evangelism. As the homeland of Barnabas and the first stop on Paul’s missionary journeys, Cyprus served as a strategic gateway for spreading Christianity across the Roman world. The island’s geographic, cultural, and personal connections established in the New Testament ensured that Cyprus punched far above its weight class in biblical significance.