SCRIPTURE: ACTS 17
IN THESSALONICA (vs. 1-9)
When Paul and Silas reached Thessalonica, they went into the synagogue on three Sabbath days and taught them the Scriptures. He explains to them that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined them. But the Jews were jealous. They formed a mob and started a riot in the city shouting “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus” (vs. 6-7). So the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. They search through the house of Jason but could not find them. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
IN BEREA (vs. 10-15)
The brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea at night. Upon arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue to teach. The Bereans received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true. Many Jews and Greek men and women believed. When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there to agitate the crowds and stir them up. The brothers immediately sent Paul to Athens, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea with instruction to join Paul as soon as possible.
AT ATHENS (vs. 16-34)
While Paul was in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he spoke in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks. A group of Epicurean and stoic philosophers began to dispute with him saying that he was a babbler advocating foreign gods. So they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus to let him present his teachings.
Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said:
“Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit th8e whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘. We are his offspring’ Therefore, since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. (vs. 22-31)
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said,, “We want to hear you again on this subject”. Then, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
THOUGHTS:
Thessalonica was one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in Macedonia. When Paul visited the city, his teachings attracted a large group of socially prominent citizens. The church he planted grew quickly but later from AD 50 to 51, he was forced out of the city by a mob because the Jewish leaders were jealous of their popularity. Later, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how the Christians were doing. Afterward, he wrote two letters (1 & 2 Thessalonians) to the Thessalonian believers encouraging them to remain faithful and not to listen to false teachings.
Jason was a local host and sponsor of Paul and Silas. He was an unsung hero who faithfully played a part to help spread the Good News. Because of his courage, Paul and Silas were able to minister more effectively but he had to take the heat for all the problems. You can also serve God faithfully with your courage like Jason.
The Bereans searched the Scriptures for themselves to verify the message they heard. When you hear a sermon, always compare what you hear with what the Bible says. A true preacher or teacher will never contradict anything that is found in God’s Word.
The Epicureans and Stoics were the dominant philosophers in Greek culture. The Epicureans believed that seeking happiness or pleasure was the primary goal of life. By contrast, the Stoics placed thinking above feeling and tried to live in harmony with nature and reason suppressing their desire for pleasure. Thus, they were very disciplined.
Paul was well prepared to speak to this group. He was a rabbi, taught by Gamaliel, the finest scholar of his day. He had the training and knowledge of the Scripture to present his beliefs clearly and persuasively. If you are teaching or preaching about the Bible, you must always have adequate preparation. Seek to learn and know more in order to be an effective witness and be able to respond to people’s questions and arguments.
When Paul communicated the Good News to the Greek audience, he began by using examples they understood to introduce the one true God. Then he established common ground by emphasizing what they agreed on about God. Finally, he moved his message to the person of Christ centering on the Resurrection. Let us use Paul’s approach in witnessing to others. Use examples, establish common ground and then move people toward a decision about Jesus Christ.
The Athenians had built an idol to the unknown god for fear of missing blessings or receiving punishment. Paul’s opening statement to the men of Athens was about their unknown god. He used the inscription as a point of entry to witness the one true God.
Paul concluded his message about the resurrection of Jesus and its meaning. The Greeks had no concept of judgment. They preferred worshiping many gods instead of just one. Although the concept of resurrection was unbelievable and offensive to them, Paul did not hold back the truth. He never changed his basic message.
Paul’s message received a mixed reaction. Some laughed, some wanted more information, and a few believed. When you tell others about Christ, don’t expect a unanimous positive response to your witnessing. Even if only a few believe, it is worth the effort.
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