Acts 17
Paul arrives in Thessalonica and he goes to the synagogue of the Jews. For three sabbaths he reasons with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. As a result, some of them become believers and associate themselves with Paul and Silas, and so do a great multitude of the Greeks who worship God, along with quite a few of the principal women. As usual, the Jews are getting jealous and they make a mess. They assault the house of Jason and are seeking to have Paul and Silas brought out to the mob. They can’t find them so they drag Jason and some of the brothers to the city rulers who finally free them. Then the brothers send Paul and Silas to Beroea who go to the synagogue. There the Jews are more noble-minded and they accept the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. Therefore, many of them become believers, and so do quite a few of the reputable Greek women as well as some of the men. But the Jews from Thessalonica go to Beroea to agitate the crowds against Paul and Silas and those who have accepted their message. Then Paul is sent to Athens and then Silas and Timothy. Paul becomes irritated on seeing that the city is full of idols. He begins to reason in the synagogue with the Jews and the other people who worship God and every day in the marketplace with those who happen to be on hand. Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers discuss with them and they bring them to the Areopagus. And Paul speaks about God, a living God, not one made of gold or sliver or stone or sculptured by men. Time has come for God to judge the inhabited earth by a man whom he has appointed and resurrected from the dead. Some become believers.
- In Beroea, the Jews carefully examine the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are right!
- That’s interesting because they listen but not only, they carefully examine the Scriptures!
- Moreover, they do it daily!
- That’s what we can call 100% active!
- It is not possible to let others think for us!
- It is not possible to let others decide for us!
- The equipment is here: the Bible!
- We just have to dig again and again!