Question

Why was Paul’s decision to work in major cities throughout the Roman Empire strategic? Select all that apply.

Major cities offered convenient access to large numbers of people.
Major cities allowed Paul to avoid Jewish opposition.
Major cities served as nuclei from which the congregations could reach surrounding towns and villages.
Major cities guaranteed the availability of interpreters who could translate Paul’s Aramaic speech into Greek.
Major cities provided access to people beyond they city’s boundaries.

Answer 1

Correct answers:
- Major cities offered convenient access to large numbers of people.
- Major cities served as nuclei from which the congregations could reach surrounding towns and villages.
- Major cities provided access to people beyond the city’s boundaries.

Brief explanation:
Paul targeted urban centers because they concentrated populations, trade and travel networks, administrative and communication links (roads, ports), and diverse audiences (Jews and Gentiles). From cities he could plant churches that then spread into nearby towns and rural areas.

Why not the others:
- Cities did not allow him to avoid Jewish opposition—opposition often arose in the cities’ synagogues.
- It’s incorrect to say cities “guaranteed” interpreters; Greek was widely used in many cities and Paul himself was a Greek speaker, so interpreted translation was not a principal strategic reason.