Today’s passage: Acts 17:1-15
Helpful thoughts:
- It is worth noting as we continue to read through this book, these men have been faithful to continually make the gospel message their priority. Everywhere they went, the gospel is what they preached.
- Even though these Jews were all the way up in Greece, they shared the same envy and accused these Christians with the same tactic as the Jews in Jerusalem who claimed, “We have no king but Caesar.”
- Taking security from Jason and the others was a way to enlist those men in asking Paul and the others to leave town. If Jason was “successful”, they would get their money back. If Paul continued to preach, the city would keep the money.
- The nobility of the Jews in Berea was shown through their willingness to search the Scriptures. If what Paul and Silas were saying was true, in accord with God’s Word, they wanted to know! Others seemed more interested in power, tradition, etc. The Bereans wanted truth.
Questions to consider:
- Why is envy wrong? How did the envious Jews view the people who had been coming to the synagogue? When some were converted, did they now belong to Paul? Who did they ultimately belong to all along? What truth eliminates our envy?
- How did the Bereans’ hunt for truth go along with the early creed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4? Which parts of the Scriptures pointed to Christ? (Hint: They didn’t have the New Testament yet!)
- Why was the Bereans’ willingness to search the Scriptures so rewarding? What are the Scriptures? What do they teach us? Why are they our authoritative word and not our opinions or traditions?