Chapter Seventeen –
Second Journey of Paul Continued
ACTS 17:11-15:
We began
this journey with Paul and Silas in
Antioch of Syria;
they then traveled through the rest of
Syria
and through the region of
Cilicia
strengthening the Bodies of Christ
along the way. When they came to the area of the two cities of
Lystra and Derbe,
they will pick up young Timothy to travel with them. They delivered the
decrees to these cities which strengthened them to a productive unity. From
here they will travel to two new areas of Asia Minor;
Phrygia and Galatia.
Luke does not record anything about these visits and Paul will not return to
these regions until
Chapter 19.
Passing
through the region of Mysia (having been forbidden by the Spirit of God to
go into Asia and Bithynia at this time), Paul and his group have come to
Troas.
Here at Troas, Paul will have a vision encouraging him to go to Macedonia
and bring the Gospel. As they determine to go to Macedonia, we learn that
Luke joins them.
They set
out across the Aegean Sea and cross with relative ease, stopping at the
island of
Samothrace,
and the next day arriving at
Neapolis,
the sea port town for Philippi. From Neapolis they head straight to
Philippi,
the chief city of this region. While here, Paul would live the very words
that he would later instruct the Philippian Christians to practice after him
(Philippians
4:8-9). He would go on to bring the Gospel to already religious
people, produce good works in the face of adversity, and never allow an
opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus as the Christ to pass. There would
be great success in the power of the Gospel at Philippi.
From
Philippi, Paul will travel to
Thessalonica
and preached to the Jews and devout Greeks in the synagogue with good
success. The unbelieving Jews would stir up a mob and attempt to bring Paul
and his traveling companions out to the people. This would be unsuccessful;
however, it forced the brethren to send Paul and Silas away by night to
Berea.
Please use
the map provided:
http://www.plvcc.org/index.html?/articles_live_by_faith/image2/CNM19-Pauls2ndJourney.gif
In this
lesson, we will look at Paul’s work in the Gospel in Berea.
Text #1:
Acts 17:11-12
“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.
12
Therefore
many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as
well as men.”
First,
as Luke records a difference between these in Berea to those in
Thessalonica; this is not a comparison between those who believed the
Gospel, but to the citizens in these perspective cities and the universal
difference between their willingness, as a whole, to receive the word (the
Jews in each synagogue).
Second,
their willingness to receive the word with all readiness, is not a
commentary to their willingness to be gullible, as we see in their diligent
efforts to put what is delivered to the test!
Their
fair-mindedness is born in the willingness to hear without prejudice, then
take the information to the work of the metallurgist (the testing for purity
– truth).
Third,
this demands that we recognize that God wants us to use our intellect in the
reception, discernment, and acceptance of His Divine will. Paul will shortly
write back to the Thessalonian Christians that they should likewise develop
this same technique for all that has come to them from Paul, note:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
“Test
all things; hold fast what is good.
22
Abstain
from every form of evil.”
This stands
to this very day as one of the purest Christian evidences that exist. Our
God demands that we examine His word, test its truth, and once the truth is
known, give ourselves to Him willingly. How sad it is for those who claim to
believe; yet, never invest the time to prove and test what they have
committed themselves to! They miss so much of the foundations that bring
joy, hope, and faith beyond description. This very same sad behavior in
many, also describe why there is so much apostasy today.
Fourth,
the standard that these Christians used for the testing process was the
scriptures from the Law of Moses and the Prophets (as this was all that was
available to them at this time). Paul was able, as he has been in many other
places, to show from the Old Law that Jesus was the Christ of God (see:
Acts
13:16-41 – his first recorded sermon in Antioch of Pisidia
included six direct quotes from the Old Law, Psalms, and the Prophets, as
well as much of Israel’s history where promises were made). Jesus Himself,
after His resurrection, would open the minds of His chosen disciples and
reveal to them all that had been said of Him from the Law of Moses and the
Prophets and the Psalms concerning Him –
Luke
24:44.
So, we see
that there was ample material to use to establish the truth of Paul’s
teaching concerning Jesus as the Christ (and this is commentary on how the
Law is a schoolmaster, or tutor to bring us to Christ –
Galatians 3:24). When they were able to establish that Jesus was
the Christ, all the instruction in obedience to the Gospel would be given
the same credibility, which is the by-product of the schoolmaster, or tutor;
note:
Galatians 3:25-27
“But
after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26
For you are
all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27
For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Fifth,
the result of fair-mindedness and the honest use of given intellect results
in submissive and willing hearts; which was the case in
verse 12.
Text #2:
Acts 17:13-15
“But
when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by
Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds.
14
Then
immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas
and Timothy remained there.
15
So those
who conducted Paul brought him to
Athens;
and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed,
they departed.”
The Jews
responsible for the trouble in Thessalonica followed Paul to Berea and
brought the trouble there. This forced the brethren to send Paul away, after
the same pattern in Thessalonica. They brought Paul to a ship going to
Athens, and some of them went with Paul.
Luke
records that Paul left behind both Silas and Timothy, and we learn from
Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians that Timothy stayed in Thessalonica –
1 Thessalonians 3:1-2.
Their remaining behind would serve to establish these congregations; it also
may be noteworthy to remember that Luke remained behind in Philippi, thus
all three of these congregations Paul is leaving behind in Macedonia will be
left with those who can build them up.
Athens:
This is the once famous capital of Attica (one of the ancient Greek states)
and one of the two primary cities in the Roman named province of Achaia
(Corinth was actually the capital of the province at this time). The city
was named for the patron goddess Athene and the city centered round several
hills but primarily a rocky hill called Acropolis. Athens was about four
miles inland from the sea (Since
Paul traveled to Athens by boat from Berea and thus it is likely that he
entered the city through its large port of Piraeus.
The port
was originally built in the 5th century BC and still thrives today. In
ancient times Piraeus was connected to Athens by the Long Walls, two
parallel walls 600 feet apart).
The city
consisted of about 250,000 year around residents and was still the seat of
Greek art, science, and philosophy and was the most important University
City in the ancient world. We will speak more to this when we talk about
Mars Hill and the Areopagus in the next lesson.
Here; on
the map, you can see the advantage of Paul coming to Athens by sea instead
of overland.
Next: “The
Areopagus!”