{
  "id": "dict_004444",
  "term": "Phoenix",
  "slug": "phoenix",
  "letter": "P",
  "entry_type": "biblical_place",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Phoenix is the harbor on the south coast of Crete mentioned in Acts 27:12, where Paul’s ship sought a safer winter anchorage.",
  "simple_one_line": "Phoenix was a harbor in Crete named in Acts 27:12.",
  "tooltip_text": "A harbor on Crete mentioned in Paul’s voyage narrative in Acts 27:12.",
  "aliases": [
    "Phoenix (Harbor)"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Acts",
    "Crete",
    "Paul’s voyage to Rome"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Fair Havens",
    "Malta",
    "Shipwreck of Paul"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Phoenix is a New Testament place name: a harbor on Crete that appears in the account of Paul’s voyage to Rome.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Phoenix was a harbor on Crete mentioned in Acts 27:12 as a potential wintering place for Paul’s ship.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "A real harbor on Crete",
    "Mentioned in Paul’s voyage narrative",
    "Distinct from the later mythical bird of the same name"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Phoenix is best understood as a harbor on the island of Crete in Acts 27:12. In biblical usage it is a geographical reference, not a doctrinal or theological term. The word should not be confused with the later legendary bird of Greco-Roman and later cultural traditions.",
  "description_academic_full": "Phoenix is a place name in the New Testament, identifying a harbor on Crete in the voyage narrative of Acts 27. Luke notes that the ship had reached a place called Phoenix and that it was a poor location to spend the winter, prompting the attempt to reach a better harbor. The term is therefore geographic and historical rather than theological in the strict sense. Outside Scripture, 'phoenix' is commonly used for a mythical bird associated with renewal or rebirth, but that later symbolism should not govern the biblical entry.",
  "background_biblical_context": "In Acts 27:12, Paul’s ship reaches Phoenix during the journey to Rome. The passage is part of the detailed travel narrative that emphasizes real geography, weather, and navigation.",
  "background_historical_context": "Crete was an important island in the eastern Mediterranean, and its harbors were used by ships traveling through the region. Phoenix is mentioned as a harbor with limited protection for wintering, which fits the practical concerns described in Acts 27.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "The name itself is not a Jewish theological concept. Its significance in Scripture lies in Luke’s precise travel description rather than in any symbolic or covenantal meaning.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Acts 27:12"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Acts 27:13"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Greek: Φοῖνιξ (Phoinix), the name of a harbor on Crete in Acts 27:12.",
  "theological_significance": "Phoenix has little direct theological significance on its own, but it contributes to the historical reliability and vividness of the Acts narrative.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "The entry illustrates how Scripture often names real places with ordinary geographic language. A correct reading respects the text’s historical referent rather than importing later mythic meanings into the passage.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not confuse the harbor in Acts with the later mythical bird called a phoenix. The biblical term is a place name, and it should be interpreted in its narrative context.",
  "major_views_note": "There is no major doctrinal debate about the biblical reference itself; the only issue is proper identification of the place and avoiding confusion with later mythological usage.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry concerns biblical geography, not doctrine. It should not be used to support claims about rebirth symbolism or extra-biblical mythology.",
  "practical_significance": "Phoenix reminds readers that Acts is rooted in real places and historical travel details, strengthening confidence in Luke’s narrative accuracy.",
  "meta_description": "Phoenix is the harbor on Crete mentioned in Acts 27:12, a biblical place name in Paul’s voyage narrative.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/phoenix/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/phoenix.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}