Jews and Greeks Who Were Either (1) Angry Thessalonians, (2) Persuaded Thessalonians, or (3) Fair-Minded Bereans
As you read the below from The Book of Acts, Chapter 17, Verses 1 to 14, notice the different reactions that occur in Thessalonica and in Berea. There are those who were persuaded and believed Paul's preaching and there were those who violently rejected Paul's preaching. There are both Jews and Greeks, men and women involved. Also notice that the Thessalonians who rejected Paul's preaching also go to Berea, the next city that Paul and his companion went to, and they also cause trouble in that city.
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ACTS 17
A Paraphrase of the New King James Version
PAUL AND SILAS PREACHED CHRIST IN THESSALONICA. Now they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica where there was a synagogue of the Jews. As his custom was, Paul went to them in the Synagogue for three Sabbaths and reasoned with them and explained to them from the Scriptures and demonstrated to them that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. Paul said,
“This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
SOME THESSALONIANS BELIEVED. Some of Thessalonians were persuaded, and then, Paul and Sylas were joined by a great multitude of devout Greeks including many of the leading women.
THE UNPERSUADED JEWS ASSAULTED JASON'S HOUSE. Jews who were not persuaded became envious, took some evil men from the marketplace, gathered a mob, and set the entire city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house seeking to bring Paul and Silas out to the people, but they did not find them. Then they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, and cried out to them,
“These men have turned the world upside down and have come here too. Jason harbored them and these men are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king — Jesus.”
JASON RELEASED. When the crowd and the rulers of the city heard this, they were troubled. So, they took security from Jason and the rest, and let them go.
PAUL AND SILAS MINISTER AT BEREA. The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived there, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore, many of the Jews believed along with many of the Greeks and prominent women and men.
THESSALONIAN JEWS RIOT AGAIN. When the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they went there and stirred up the crowds. Immediately, the brethren sent Paul away to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So those who accompanied Paul took him to Athens. Paul gave them a command to bring Silas and Timothy to him with all speed, then they departed.
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Now, consider yourself. How do you react to preaching that you may have never heard, that may be different from what you've heard, or maybe you've heard it before but have no specific reaction?
Many people are in the same church building and the same denomination into which they were born.
- That's fine if you are being taught the full and true Word of God and are receiving that teaching.
- That's dangerously bad if you are not being taught the full and true Word of God and you are receiving false teaching.
How do you know if what you are being taught and what you are believing is according to God's Word?
In comparison to today, look at the Jews in the above scripture found in Acts 17. The Jews were waiting for their Messiah, but when He arrived and taught them only some believed and many did not believe that He was the Messiah. Imagine, the one they were waiting for, their Messiah, was not even recognized by His very own people, the Jews. Many fought against Him and they fought against those who carried forth His teaching. Some just ignored Him, and some fought violently against Him and his followers and His chosen apostles. Some believed Him and His appointed followers. Is it any different today? Do people recognize the truth when it is spoken to them? Do people recognize a falsehood when it is spoken to them?
Many of the Thessalonians rebelled again Paul's teaching about the Christ. Some believed. Many of the Bereans accepted Paul's teaching. What is one of the key differences in why people accepted or rejected the truth of what Paul preached? Note that the Bereans "were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." They searched the Scriptures daily . . to find out whether these things were so.
In order to know if we are being taught correctly by the ones who stand in the pulpits of our churches, we must search the Scriptures daily to know the truth of God's Word. If we are not doing that, we could be led astray by those who stand in our pulpits. Just because they stand in our pulpits does not make them qualified for the teaching of God's truth. Our teachers must be anointed and must search the Scriptures daily so that they are competent to teach the truth of God's Word to those in the pews.
Our churched do not save us. Our denominations do not save us. Our attendance at weekly services does not save us. Only Jesus Christ, the Messiah, can save us. When we seek Him, when we recognize Him, and when we turn from our sins, then we can be saved from the punishment of our sins. How can we know that to be true? We need to receive the word with all readiness and search the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things are so.
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Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are My disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Matthew 8:31-32
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