The book of Acts
Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and Berea
Chapter 17: 1 to 15
Starting from Philippi, where they left Timothy and Luke, Paul and Silas passed through Amphipolis, a city near the sea, and Apollonia: they were large cities, but nothing is said about any preaching of the Gospel in these two cities. The two went on to Thessalonica (now called Salonica), where there was a Jewish synagogue.
In those days Thessalonica commercially rivalled Corinth and Ephesus, and politically Syrian Antioch and Caesarea in Judea. It was a strategic point from which to spread the Gospel, and Paul later tells us that starting from the church that formed there, the word of the Lord was heard everywhere (1 Thessalonians 1: 8).
Paul went first to the synagogue, where for three Sabbaths he reasoned with the Jews, explaining and proving from the Scriptures that the Messiah they waited for would suffer and rise from the dead. Thus, he identified Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah (Luke uses the Greek word Christ, equivalent to the Hebrew Messiah, in this book that he wrote in Greek).
Some of the Jews were persuaded by the arguments and teachings of Paul, and a "great multitude" of God-fearing Greeks and not a few women of high position, joined him and Silas. However, the large number of conversions provoked the envy of the Jews of the synagogue who were not persuaded. In his first letter to the Thessalonians (chapter. 2:3-10), Paul describes the way he presented the Gospel and the slander that the converted Jews suffered.
The unbelieving Jews decided to start a riot in the city: they went to the marketplace, got some evil idle men in the marketplace and formed a mob with which they created an uproar in the entire city, and then went to the house of a believer called Jason looking for Paul and Silas. Not finding them there, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city crying out that “they who have turned the world upside down” (meaning the Christians) had also gone there acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, "saying there is another king – Jesus”, and Jason had given them shelter.
Their accusation was of a political nature, similar to the one the Jews made against Christ before Pilate (Luke 23:2). It is curious how they, being Jews, wanted to pretend to be faithful to Caesar when it suited them. The magistrates were troubled by the prospect of a revolution and the charge of complicity in treason if they did not take appropriate action. They had no way to verify if the accusation was true, and the men accused were not present, so they released Jason and the others on bail.
In the darkness of night, the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas to Berea, which was about fifty miles southwest of Thessalonica. The church formed during the short time they spent in Thessalonica (less than a month), remained alive despite fierce persecution against it (1 Thessalonians 2:14, 3:1-5, 2 Thessalonians 1:6), and became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:7).
Once in Berea, Paul and Silas went straight away into the synagogue there. In Thessalonica many of the Jews, in their pride and prejudice, had not listened to the Gospel brought by Paul and despised it. However, in Berea, the members of the synagogue were more fair-minded and received the word with all readiness, examining the Scriptures every day to make sure that what was said was true. It was a much nobler attitude that that of the Thessalonian Jews.
This is an evidence that individual study of God’s Word is important. It provides us the correct interpretation, unlike the teaching of apostates, who want to prevent private study of the Scriptures claiming that only their leaders know the correct interpretation. In fact, the Word of God illuminates our path, and denounces the falsehoods and heresies taught by them.
Because of their willingness to hear the Gospel, making sure that it conformed to the Scriptures, many of the Jews believed, as well as Gentiles, among them many women of high position.
When the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea (it certainly did not take long), they went there also and again stirred up the crowds as they had done in their city. However, the brethren immediately sent Paul (who those Jews were aiming at) toward the seacoast, accompanied by an escort of believers. They probably went as far as Dium and sailed from there to Piraeus, the port city of Athens.
Silas and Timothy remained in Berea where a church was formed. It gave a good testimony later by sending a messenger with contributions to the believers in the persecuted church of Jerusalem (chapter 20: 4).
Upon arrival in Athens, the companions of Paul left him and returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens as soon as they could.
R David Jones
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."
4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus."
8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things.
9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 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.
13 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.
Book of Acts, chapter 17, verses 1 to 15