Oct. 30, 2024

Dear Friends,

Tonight, we are looking at some early persecution of Christians and their message--this persecution stirred up by religious leaders. Shock and awe. The Scripture is Acts 17:1-9. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

OCTOBER 30, 2024

Acts 17:1-9

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there

was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he

reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to

suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And

some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and

not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews[a] were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the

rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring

them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the

brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have

come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar,

saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when

they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let

them go.

__________

v 1 – “Now when they had passed through…”

Down the coastline of Macedonia.

We don’t know if they were headed for Thessalonica to begin with. And we don’t know if they

did any ministry in Amphipolis or Apollonia.

Since there was a synagogue in Thessalonica, that may have been why they headed there – or

why they stayed.

v 2 – “And Paul went in, as was his custom…”

Paul knew that he was called to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 15:7, Galatians 2:2, his

ministry at Antioch), but even knowing that, his custom was to begin his ministry in the

synagogues

This never met with wholehearted acceptance. Although some or the Jews were converted,

others, who rejected the gospel, sometimes became the most bitter and persistent enemies of

the gospel (as Paul himself, previously, had been)

“and on three Sabbath days…”

So, there were about two weeks of peace…

“he reasoned with them from the Scriptures…”

We see a great deal of this reasoning in Paul’s letters (also in Hebrews)

He preached the gospel—showing how Jesus fulfilled the OT Scriptures

A main obstacle to belief in Jesus, that he had to overcome, was the fact that Jesus had suffered

and died at the hands of the government, something that many did not expect from the

Messiah

The Resurrection was central—of course—to Paul’s preaching, and he also showed that it was

not a miracle just unto itself, but that it was necessary according to the Scriptures

2

“This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ”

And this, it a nutshell, was the message.

Essential to understand: “Christ” (Christos) is the Greek word for Messiah, both words meaning

the Anointed One.

There was no question that Jesus had lived. No question that he had been a teacher. For many,

easy to accept that he was a prophet. But the deciding question for the Jews was “Is Jesus of

Nazareth the Christ?”

His Resurrection was the ultimate vindication that he was—but, of course, many refused to

believe in the Resurrection. Just like now.

This is particularly important for us as we consider the spirit of “antichrist,” as is mentioned in 1

John. “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he

who denies the Father and the Son.”—John 1:22

This is not the “antiJesus.” Many who reject Christ readily accept a belief in who they have

decided that Jesus was. But the spirit of antichrist—which is all over the world—denies that

Jesus is the Christ.

This was the particular importance of Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the

living God.”

v 4 – “And some of them were persuaded…”

Almost always the case … some, not all.

“…along with a great many…”

A great crowd (pléthos), a great multitude (by contrast)

devout Greeks – sébomai [pp], reverencing Greeks, we might say God-fearing; who associated

themselves with the Jews, some becoming converts

“and of the leading (prótos) women, not a few.”

Probably referring to Greek women that were a part of the great crowd of Gentiles

Here, once again. Their Macedonian ministry was initiated among Lydia and other women in

Philippi.

It is almost a certainty that this was unanticipated by the apostles.

What follows was the “religious” response of those who opposed Paul and Silas—and the gospel. This

response was carried out in the name of God. And similar things have happened unendingly since those

times.

v 5 – “But the Jews were jealous…”

This was their motivation –as it still often is. Jealousy of others, overriding all else.

The Jews, meaning the Jews who rejected the gospel—particularly the leadership

More lit. “and having taken along some evil men of the market-loungers”

“market-loungers” – layabouts, lowlifes

So these pious men formed a mob using evil, sorry people—with, apparently, no sense of irony

Set the city in an uproar—for which there is nothing like a mob led by such people

“and attacked the house of Jason…”

Jason, apparently a convert (cf. Romans 16:21), was providing housing to Paul and Silas. Also,

perhaps, his house was a house church—a very new one.

(cf. similar attacks in England in the early days of Methodism)

3

They were seeking, no doubt, to abuse or even kill the apostles (as a reminder, this after two

weeks of teaching the gospel in the synagogue).

They “could not find them”; Luke does not say why. We can assume they were beinig hidden

and protected.

“they dragged Jason and some of the brothers…”

Typical mob-like action

“brothers”— other new converts

“dragged,” “shouting”—Luke’s descriptions are vivid

“before the city authorities”

Lovers of power, revealing their true colors, willing to use any means, willing to distort the truth

(bearing false witness) against innocent men who had done nothing to them, in an effort to

inflict as much hurt on them as possible

A jealous rage—all conducted in the name of being godly

Most of them normally would have had as little as possible to do with city authorities—and

probably despised them

“these men who have turned the world upside down…”

Quite a charge to lay at the feet of Paul and Silas! But perhaps revealing that the Christian

movement had gained a reputation (at least , among the Jews).

These words were used, of course, to help incite concern among the political authorities

“world” – oikoumené, inhabited earth. (cf kosmos, e.g. in John 3:16 and many other places)

“and they are acting against the decrees of Caesar”

A similar charge to that used previously in Jerusalem by the Jewish leaders against Jesus before

Pontius Pilate

Like many lies of Satan, this one is made of a truth that is being twisted

The teaching was, and is, that Jesus is the Messiah—who was certainly expected by most

Jews to become a political ruler a well as a religious leader

But it was misunderstanding regarding this very expectation that Paul had been

explaining from the Scriptures (that the Christ must suffer…).

“Jesus is Lord” was indeed a confession of the early church, recognizing that He is

indeed King of kings and Lord of lords—this gospel was preached openly

But there was no effort underfoot to overthrow the Roman government by political or

military means

The effort was a call to all people to repentance and salvation in the name of the risen

Christ who would indeed one day return as King

Meanwhile, Christians were taught to “Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17)

But this was a persecution, and the accusations were not designed to be truthful, they

were designed to incite violence against Jason and the others

When all else fails (in this case, their theological arguments), accuse them of going

against Caesar—i.e. use government power to destroy your religious challengers and

protect your interests

v 8 – “And the people and the city authorities were disturbed…”

Naturally they were; they did not want trouble with Caesar—and they had been deliberately

misled and agitated

Still, it seems, that some cooler heads prevailed—no doubt to the disappointment of the

persecutors

4

v 9 – “and when they had taken money”

more lit. when they had taken “security” – probably a monetary bond

Ensuring what? Perhaps ensuring that Paul and Silas would be required to leave the city (they

did). Also see 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18.

The authorities could not ignore charges such as these without putting themselves at risk, but

their response does seem to be a moderated one. And “they let them go.”