Crete: Now called Candia, one of the largest islands in the Meditterranean,
about 140 miles long and 35 broad. It was at one time a very
prosperous and populous island, having a "hundred cities." The
character of the people is described in Paul's quotation from "one of
their own poets" (Epimenides) in his epistle to Titus: "The Cretans
are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies"
(Ti 1:12) Jews from Crete
were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost
(Acts 2:11) The island was
visited by Paul on his voyage to Rome
(Acts 27:1)ff Here Paul
subsequently left Titus (
(Titus 1:5)) "to ordain elders." Some have
supposed that it was the original home of the Caphtorim (q.v.) or
Philistines.
