The Word This Week
Acts 17:10…
Having been chased from Thessalonica due to the envy of the Jews who objected to seeing so many of their fellow Jews and devout Greeks hearing the Gospel and being saved due to Paul reasoning with them in the synagogue over the course of three Sabbaths, Paul and Silas headed to Berea, probably in fear of being beaten again – their stripes barely healed from the beating they received at Philippi.
Berea was 45 miles from Thessalonica.
The initial reception they received in the synagogue at Thessalonica prior to being chased away by the Jews who became envious of their fellow Jews who listened to and heeded Paul’s reasoning from their Bible only encouraged Paul to repeat the process at Berea.
At Berea they found a most receptive audience. (An audience which has become a model for the Church in our day.) We are not to simply believe what someone tells us what the Bible says, we are to search the scriptures to see if what the teacher says is true. This was the method of the Bereans, and they are commended for it by the Holy Spirit.
The Bereans are referred to as being, “more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica,” for this very reason. They searched the scriptures – in this case the Old Testament - to see if the Gospel Paul shared with them from the scriptures about Jesus being the Messiah was in fact, true. Paul encouraged the scrutiny of his message, and we should as well. We never stand on what any man or angel says. We stand on the Word of God.
And of course it was true. And many of them believed.
But when the envious Jews at Thessalonica heard that Paul was now preaching the Word of God in the synagogue at Berea, they traveled the 45 miles to Berea to seek to quash Paul’s message of the Gospel of grace by stirring up the crowds against them in Berea as well.
The believers once again sent Paul away immediately to spare his life, having perceived the threat. Paul was placed on a ship headed for Athens. (Silas and Timothy remained at Berea, possibly because the boat Paul sailed on had no room for them - or perhaps to continue to teach the believers at Berea.)
While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens, his spirit was stirred up against all the idolatry he found there, and he could not resist speaking out against all he saw.
Since the Athenians prided themselves on hearing every new philosophy which comes down the pike, Paul was afforded the opportunity to present the Gospel at Mars Hill, the place where all the intellectuals gathered to hear what invited guest-speakers had to say.
This is fascinating, because now we see how Paul presented the Gospel to a totally pagan audience.
Pastor Bill
Having been chased from Thessalonica due to the envy of the Jews who objected to seeing so many of their fellow Jews and devout Greeks hearing the Gospel and being saved due to Paul reasoning with them in the synagogue over the course of three Sabbaths, Paul and Silas headed to Berea, probably in fear of being beaten again – their stripes barely healed from the beating they received at Philippi.
Berea was 45 miles from Thessalonica.
The initial reception they received in the synagogue at Thessalonica prior to being chased away by the Jews who became envious of their fellow Jews who listened to and heeded Paul’s reasoning from their Bible only encouraged Paul to repeat the process at Berea.
At Berea they found a most receptive audience. (An audience which has become a model for the Church in our day.) We are not to simply believe what someone tells us what the Bible says, we are to search the scriptures to see if what the teacher says is true. This was the method of the Bereans, and they are commended for it by the Holy Spirit.
The Bereans are referred to as being, “more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica,” for this very reason. They searched the scriptures – in this case the Old Testament - to see if the Gospel Paul shared with them from the scriptures about Jesus being the Messiah was in fact, true. Paul encouraged the scrutiny of his message, and we should as well. We never stand on what any man or angel says. We stand on the Word of God.
And of course it was true. And many of them believed.
But when the envious Jews at Thessalonica heard that Paul was now preaching the Word of God in the synagogue at Berea, they traveled the 45 miles to Berea to seek to quash Paul’s message of the Gospel of grace by stirring up the crowds against them in Berea as well.
The believers once again sent Paul away immediately to spare his life, having perceived the threat. Paul was placed on a ship headed for Athens. (Silas and Timothy remained at Berea, possibly because the boat Paul sailed on had no room for them - or perhaps to continue to teach the believers at Berea.)
While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens, his spirit was stirred up against all the idolatry he found there, and he could not resist speaking out against all he saw.
Since the Athenians prided themselves on hearing every new philosophy which comes down the pike, Paul was afforded the opportunity to present the Gospel at Mars Hill, the place where all the intellectuals gathered to hear what invited guest-speakers had to say.
This is fascinating, because now we see how Paul presented the Gospel to a totally pagan audience.
Pastor Bill