Acts 17:1-15
Dear RTB’ers,
Paul’s second missionary journey, continued, from Philippi to Thessalonica and Berea. Two things stand out for me today – first, so many conversions and then, Jewish anger. As to that first item, conversions in Thessalonica, And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.(v. 4) and then in Berea, Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. (v. 12) The “them” in “some/Many of them” refers to Jews from the synagogues. From his teaching/preaching, some Jews were persuaded, but not all. My sense is that it was the Jewish leaders who were not persuaded and who became jealous (Acts 17:5,13) when the less-learned Jews were persuaded; the leaders probably feared that they would lose many from their congregation.
As to the second item, Jewish anger, first in Thessalonica, But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob… (v. 5) This sounds so much like the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem bringing a mob to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus! And again in Berea, But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. (v. 13) It’s just really strange to me that the Jewish leaders were so opposed to this new religion that they followed the same pattern in Macedonia that the Galatian churches had followed on Paul’s first missionary journey, following him and attacking him wherever he went!
A third item. Paul explains three distinct items to those attending in the Thessalonian synagogue:
- That Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah), and
- That as the Christ He had to suffer, and
- That as the Christ He had to rise from the dead.
Acts 17:3 says that Paul not only explained these things, but that he also proved them. As a young rabbinical student Paul was well trained in the Old Testament and could cite “chapter and verse” from …Moses and all the prophets… (Luke 24:27), especially Messianic verses from Isaiah. So he was able to prove to some of the Jews that their long-awaited Messiah had come. That would have taken a major leap of faith for those Jews who joined Paul and Silas to leave behind their Jewish friends (and leaders). Paul must have been very convincing!
Blessings!