Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17:1-15) -- 10/14/07

Sunday, October 14, 2007

THESSALONICA AND BEREA
Acts 17:1-14

1. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Last week we read of the ministry in Philippi, the first in the province of Macedonia. From Philippi (show on map) Paul, Silas, and Timothy journeyed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. Apparently, they only passed through these cities, as there is no record of any ministry there. While it is not unlikely that they would have spoken about Jesus to people they met in these cities, they were not chosen as fields of intense evangelism. Why not? We have no answer, other than the fact that Paul and Silas were sensitive to the Spirit of God. The same Spirit who led them to come to Macedonia now directed them from Philippi to Thessalonica, the next field of service.

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia and its largest city, with an estimated population of 200,000. It was roughly a hundred miles from Philippi (by travel on the Egnatian Way).
While there had not been a synagogue in Philippi (at least no record of one), there was indeed a synagogue in Thessalonica. And, as his custom was, Paul entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the people there from the scriptures. He did this on three successive sabbath days.

Now let’s look at the content of Paul’s reasoning. What was it that he wanted his hearers to understand from the scriptures?

3. Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

The word translated "open" literally means "to open through," or "to open thoroughly." Luke uses this same word in Luke 24:45, "Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures." Here again we see the word used to speak of the scriptures being opened. Paul opened the scriptures to them. He did so by "alleging" that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise again from the dead. And then he proclaimed to them that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah.

The words translated "allege" literally means "to put alongside." Paul took the Old Testament scriptures and showed how it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and then to be raised from the dead (similar to what Peter did in Acts 2). Then he took Jesus and put Him alongside those prophecies. In other words, he put the predictions and fulfillment side by side and said, "You can see that Jesus fulfills what the scriptures say about the Messiah. Jesus, and no one else, has fulfilled these scriptures. Therefore this Jesus I preach to you is indeed the Messiah."

4. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Literally, "Some of them were persuaded." That is, they were persuaded to believe. Those who did associated themselves with Paul and Silas. While some of the Jews believed, a great multitude of the Greeks believed. So we see that the greater number of believers were Gentiles, not Jews. In addition, there were a number of the chief women who believed. These women were apparently wives of some of the leading officials in the city of Thessalonica.

5. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

Here we find the same situation that we encountered earlier. The Jews which did not believe were jealous and quickly mounted strong opposition to the work of Paul and Silas. We find this attitude of jealousy way back during the ministry of Jesus. Both Matthew and Mark record that Pilate knew the Jewish leaders had delivered Jesus because they were jealous of Him (Matt. 27:18; Mark 15:10). We found this same attitude among the Jews of Antioch in Pisidia, as Paul and Barnabas ministered there during the first missionary journey. Acts 13:44-45, "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming."

Notice that there was not much integrity among these unbelieving Jews. They found "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort." Let me read to you the expanded translation of the Amplified Version: "But the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some wicked men (ruffians and rascals) and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered together a mob and set the town in an uproar…" They didn’t care what methods they had to use. They would justify any means that would put a stop to what Paul and Silas were teaching.

Then we read that they "assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people." It seems clear that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were being sheltered by this man named Jason. Many Jewish men who bore the Hebrew name Joshua assumed the Greek name "Jason." Their desire was to force Jason to bring these missionaries out to them.

6. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7. Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

While the missionaries had been received by Jason, they were no longer present when the mob arrived at the house. Most likely, some of the new converts had warned them and they were able to make their escape. If Paul and Silas weren’t there, then they would grab Jason and some other Christians, claiming that Jason was guilty of aiding them in their ministry.

The charge was that "they had turned the world upside down." That is, they had stirred up and excited the entire inhabited world. While the most recent work had indeed taken place at Philippi, these Jews were aware that the message of Jesus as the Messiah was spreading rapidly throughout the world. In their eyes, it was a message that was very unsettling, a message that was upsetting the whole world. They were determined to do their part to stop it.

It was one thing to stir up the mob, but it was quite another to bring a specific charge against Paul and Silas. They realized that such a charge would be necessary, if they hoped to influence the leaders of the city. So they brought this charge: "These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." They were basically accusing Paul, Silas, Timothy, and the other believers of being disloyal to Caesar by promoting their own king, Jesus.

What about this charge? Was it true? Yes, and no. There was just enough truth in it to cause some real alarm among the people. Paul had spoken about the kingdom of God, as we see in Acts 14:22, "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." No doubt, they referred to Jesus as their king. However, they were not presenting Jesus as a rival to Caesar. The king and kingdom of which Paul and the other Christians spoke was not a kingdom of this world.
I find this very similar to the charges that were brought against Jesus. Let’s read Luke 23:1-2, "And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. 2. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." Did Jesus say that He was a king? When Pilate asked him directly, Jesus replied: "You have said" (Matt. 27:11). He did not deny that He was a king, but He also quickly went on to say that His kingdom was not of this world (Jn. 18:36).

So we can see the truth in the charge that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and a king, but what about the charge that he had forbidden giving tribute to Caesar? It was an outright lie. Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." But you can see how putting these two charges together would make it easier to believe the first. If Jesus claims to be a king, then He must be against Caesar. And if He is anti-Caesar, then it makes sense that He would tell people not to support Caesar. Do you see how partial truths dress the lie up and make it more acceptable?

That is exactly what we find here in the accusation against Jason and the other Christians. While they claimed Jesus as their king, they were not acting contrary to Caesar. These angry Jews were only using this as a smokescreen. What the Christians were doing was contrary to the way these Jews understood the scriptures. That is what was bothering them, but they knew that would bear no weight when they went before the magistrates of the city.

8. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

These accusations were certainly reason for concern. The city leaders were always concerned about such things, because they were responsible to Rome. On the other hand, they must have known that the evidence against Paul and his companions was very weak, at best. Besides, the ones accused weren’t even present. The rulers acted in a way that would satisfy the accusers but not arouse notice from Rome. They took security of Jason. In our terms, we would likely say that Jason and his friends posted bail for Paul and Silas. That is, they gave assurance that there would not be any more trouble. Most likely, they were assuring the magistrates that they would persuade the missionaries to leave town. Paul might not have approved of this arrangement, but they were thinking of the safety of Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

Later, Paul would write these words to the Thessalonian Christians: "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us" (I Thes. 2:18). Perhaps this is what he was talking about as the hindering of Satan, which prevented him from returning to Thessalonica.

10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

"By night" indicates secrecy. The brethren loved Paul and Silas and wanted them to leave before the opposition could stir up any more trouble that might threaten their lives. So they sent them to Berea, a town that was 50 or 60 miles west of Thessalonica.

There are those who believe Timothy didn’t accompany Paul and Silas to Philippi, as the text here mentions only Paul and Silas as being sent away unto Berea. However, there is no direct indication that Timothy wasn’t with them there or that he rejoined them at Berea. In contrast, Luke will tell us that Timothy and Silas remained at Berea, when Paul left the city. While there is no mention of Timothy during the Philippian ministry, neither is Luke mentioned, and it seems clear that Luke was with them (16:10). In light of those facts, I have to assume that Timothy has been with Paul continuously since he joined them at Lystra.

Notice that Paul doesn’t waste any time when they come to Berea. Luke doesn’t even begin a new sentence before stating the fact that Paul went to the synagogue of the Jews. We don’t know if that was on the day he arrived or a day or two later, but we do know that it is this venture that is vitally important in the ministry of Paul. Remember that this was his normal custom. What better place to proclaim Jesus as Messiah than among the people who were looking for that Messiah?

11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Luke compares the situation of Berea with that of Thessalonica. In both cases, Paul went into the synagogue and proclaimed the truth of God’s Word. In Thessalonica he preached on three successive sabbaths, only to have most of the Jews reject his message. Not only did they reject it, but they were stirred to jealousy and violently opposed his work, as we have just read. But it was different in Berea. Luke tells us that the Jews of Berea were more noble than those of Thessalonica. And upon what does Luke base this conclusion? Upon the fact that the Bereans "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Let’s take a few minutes to think about this.

Who knows how many local churches of our day refer to themselves as "Berean churches." In Alamogordo we have the Berean Baptist Church. No doubt, it takes its name from this passage. These congregations are encouraging themselves to be like the Bereans. When the Bereans were presented with a message that was different from what they were used to hearing, they didn’t react immediately. Instead, they took what Paul said and examined the scriptures to see if it was so. We don’t call ourselves Bereans, but it isn’t the name that is important. However, the example of the Bereans is very important.

Let’s pause for a moment to go over and read 2 Tim 4:1-3… (NKJV)
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; 2. Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4. and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Most of us are familiar with that passage. We see the fulfillment of verse 3 all around us. Religious people are indeed heaping up teachers who will say what they want to hear, and who will not say the things that make them uncomfortable. Paul instructed Timothy to urgently proclaim the truth, because the time was coming when most would not be open to hear it. How we need to heed those same instructions. At the same time, we need to make sure that we do not fall in with the people of verse 3, who will not put up with healthy teaching.

I don’t want to make light of that passage in any way, but there is another side. It would have been easy for the Bereans to have concluded that the message of Paul was false because it appeared to be a new teaching. This was not what they were accustomed to hearing. They had been instructed to look for the Messiah, not to worship Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. After all, their fellow-Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had engineered the death of this Jesus. So why should they listen to these men who were proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah?

Are you following me? We often take the example of the Bereans to mean that we test things by the scripture and throw out what is not truly from the Word of God, but that is not what we find here. We find that because they tested the words of Paul by the scripture, they were forced to agree that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. They tested the message and then received it gladly. Of course, we might respond by saying that Jesus is the ultimate and final revelation of God. While that is true, we must also acknowledge that our understanding is far from perfect. When a brother presents a message that is different from what we have heard, do we immediately conclude that this is some new teaching and cannot be true? If we aren’t careful, we will judge the message by comparing it to what we believe, rather than comparing it to the Word of God. Do you see the ultimate end of such an attitude? Such a person cannot be instructed in the ways of God, because he isn’t open to anything that he has not previously believed.

You say, "Well that opens me up to all kinds of things. Won’t I be susceptible to being carried about with every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14)?" Brothers and sisters, this is why we have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to teach us the things of God. Our safety is not in our cherished notions, but in the truth of God’s Word.

This is why the ministry of the Gideons is a such a beautiful and powerful ministry. The Gideons are printing and distributing the Word of God, confidently expecting the Spirit of God to minister that Word to people all over this world. As we share our love offering with the Gideons this morning, encouraging them in the ministry, let’s be exhorted to get into the Word ourselves. Let’s not forget that this book is full of God’s treasures. We haven’t begun to mine the depths of God’s Word. May the Lord remind us of the beauty and power of the Word that He has given us.

I must say as a pastor that I am challenged by so many of you who follow the example of the Bereans. What a joy to talk to brothers and sisters about more than the weather, but about the precious Word of God. Keep on trusting the truth of God’s Word.

While some of the Jews in Thessalonica believed, many in Berea believed. The Word of God confirmed the message of Paul and they embraced Jesus as their Messiah. Praise God! But the response was not limited to the Jews. As in Thessalonica, Gentiles also believed. Again, some of them were honorable women. And of the men, more than a few believed. I take that to be an expression that points to many believing the gospel Paul preached.

13. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

Now we see the intensity of the Jewish opposition to Paul’s ministry. Just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did all they could to hinder His message, so it was with the Jews of Thessalonica. Apparently the unbelieving Jews in Berea did not cause trouble because they were in the minority. Most of their fellow-Jews had embraced the message. Perhaps others were still chewing on the scriptures that Paul had laid out. But when the Jews of Thessalonica got word that Paul and Silas were preaching the same things in Berea, they went over to do all they could to stop them. Remember that this was a journey of 50 or 60 miles. This tells us something of the intensity of their jealousy and hatred for Paul and the gospel.

Of course, this was not new to Paul. He had encountered the very same thing during his first missionary journey. Remember Paul’s ministry in Lystra. That is the city where at first the people wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, as if they were gods. But before it was over, stoned Paul, leaving him for dead. Why the change? Acts 14:19, "And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead."

14. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Best we can tell, the troublemakers from Thessalonica had some success in Berea, because we are told that the new converts there immediately sent Paul away. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. We are not told why. Most likely, Paul was the main target of the opposition and the brothers escorted him away with such speed that Silas and Timothy were not able to join him. Perhaps they felt they could make better time with only Paul, instead of the three.

It is not absolutely clear whether they brought Paul to Athens by sea or by land. There is a slight difference in the Greek text, which contributes to the confusion. This is reflected by the words "as it were" in the King James. They either took Paul to the sea and sailed for Athens, or they acted as if they would take him to the sea, and then escorted him secretly by land. Either way, these faithful brothers brought him safely to Athens.

Athens lies about 130 miles southeast of Berea. That’s as the crow flies. The actual journey was probably more like 150 miles. Before the brothers left Paul in Athens, he made it clear that they were to tell Silas and Timothy to join him immediatley. So when these men got back to Berea and communicated Paul’s message to them, Silas and Timothy departed for Athens.

Next time we will take a look at what Paul did while he was waiting around for his missionary partners.

Conclusion

The more we look at the life of Paul, the more we realize that he didn’t live an easy life. He wasn’t blessed with the comforts of home. But how much greater were his blessings. He had the privilege of communicating the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8). When he laid his head on his pillow at night, he had the assurance that he was fulfilling the commission that Jesus had given him.

As I think of that, I am reminded of Jesus’ statement of purpose. We haven’t mentioned in a quite a while. John 4:34, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Jesus’ great motivation came from His Father. Yes, when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, viewing them as sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:36). Nevertheless, His meat was to the will of His Father. That is what drove Him. He loved and ministered to people because that was the will of His Father.

It was the same with Paul. Oh yes, he had a great love and compassion for the people to whom he preached. All you have to do is go and read his first letter to these same Thessalonians, or his letter to the Philippians. But above all else, he was true to his Lord, who had saved him and commissioned him to preach the gospel.

While it is true that God may not be leading you to go to a distant land, if you are His child, then He has work for you to do. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). But what qualifies us to be able to carry out that work? 2 Tim 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." It is the Word of God that fully equips us to do the work to which He has sent us.

May God give us grace to say with our Lord Jesus, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." May our minds be continually renewed, as the Spirit of God ministers the Word to us.