Acts - Session 31
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 31
The Captivity of Paul – Part 1: Jerusalem
(Acts 21:27-23:11)
The last major section of Acts deals with the captivity of Paul. From Acts 21:17, where Paul is taken into custody by a mob at the temple in Jerusalem, to the Acts 28:31, where Paul is in Rome awaiting trial before Caesar, he is in constant custody. While he may not have been chained in a dungeon during all of this period, he was not free to come and go as he pleased. This period of captivity lasted between four and five years, and during this time Paul wrote numerous letters, some of which are in the New Testament. Almost all New Testament scholars say Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (the so-called “prison epistles”) during this period of captivity. Some contend that 1 & 2 Timothy as well as Titus was written during this time as well. The last part of Acts can be broadly outlined as follows:
- Acts 21:37-23:11 – Captivity in Jerusalem
- Acts 23:12-26:30 – Jerusalem to Caesarea
- Acts 27:1-28:31 – Caesarea to Rome
CAPTIVITY IN JERUSALEM (Acts 21:37-23:30)
Verse 27 tells when this event occurred and who instigated it.
“when the seven days were almost over” – This refers back to the rite of purification that Paul agreed to undergo in the previous paragraph. This event took place about a week after Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem.
“the Jews from Asia” – They were in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. They brought their jealousy and seething anger toward Paul with them to Jerusalem! When they saw him in the Temple area, they saw their opportunity to silence him.
Verses 28-29tell of the accusations they made against him. Their accusations were false but effective. Essentially, they accused him of two things:
· Preaching against Jews, Jewish Law, and the Jewish Temple. Such an accusation was a gross, deliberate distortion of the gospel Paul preached. Paul understood Jesus to be the fulfillment of his Jewish heritage not the destruction of it.
· Bringing a “Greek” (meaning uncircumcised Gentile) into a prohibited area of the Temple. They had seen Paul in the company of Trophimus (see Acts 20:4 and 2 Timothy 4:19) in Jerusalem and assumed that Paul brought him into the Temple.
Verses 30-31a tell of the reaction to these false accusations. Paul was seized by an angry mob, dragged out of the inner courts of the Temple, and was beaten.
Verses 31a-40 tell of the intervention of the Romans.
In the northwest corner of the Temple area was a structure known as the Tower (Fortress) of Antonio. It was built by Herod the Great as a residence and as quarters for the guard. Pilate’s judgment hall was probably located in this structure. In the first century a cohort (battalion) was stationed there to keep peace in Jerusalem. The Romans rightly assumed that if trouble were to break out, it would be in the Temple area. The “commander” referred to in verse 31 was a “chilliarch” or commander of 1000 thousand soldiers. He would have had ten “centurions” under his command, each commanding 100 soldiers.
The “commander” actually rescued Paul from being beaten to death by the crowd. From the crowd’s reaction to Paul, the commander assumed that Paul was guilty of something and had him placed in chains. He tried to discern from the crowd who Paul was and what he had done, but in all the confusion he was unable to get any real facts about Paul. So, he ordered that Paul be carried into the barracks. As Paul was being carried up the steps by the soldiers to shield him from the mob, Paul spoke to the commander in Greek. This surprised the commander because he made an assumption that Paul was an Egyptian who had led some kind of revolt in Jerusalem and who had not yet been captured. Paul requested the commander to allow him to address the mob, and the commander agreed, probably curious about what Paul could possibly say to silence the crazed crowd.
Acts 22:1-21 summarize Paul’s defense before the mob. Essentially these verses are a recounting of Paul’s personal religious experience from his birth to the present day. Throughout this address is the implied question, “In light of how the Lord has spoken to me, how could I have done anything other than what I have done?” There are four main parts to his address:
· Verses 3-5 summarize the prominent facts of Paul’s life before his conversion to Christianity. He was born as a Jew. He received the best training available in Jewish law and customs. He was violently opposed to Christianity, doing all he could to persecute Christians.
· Verses 6-11 relate his conversion experience. He stressed the fact that he was confronted by the Lord as he was on a mission to persecute Christians.
· Verses 12-16 tell of the role Ananias played in Paul’s conversion. Paul stresses that Ananias was a “devout Jew” (v.12)and that he was “well spoken of by all of the Jews”(v.12) in Damascus. It was through Ananias that Paul was first informed that he had been set apart by the Lord to be “a witness for Him to all men”(v.15).
· Verses 17-21 describe the events that took place in Jerusalem on Paul’s first visit there after his conversion (see Acts 9:26-30). The Lord told Paul in a vision to leave Jerusalem because the people there would not accept his testimony about his conversion experience. Paul insisted the people knew of his past persecution of Christians and the implication is that he believed they would be convinced of the truth of his testimony by the radical change that occurred in him. However the Lord insisted that Paul leave Jerusalem and focus his ministry on Gentiles.
Acts 21:22-29 describe the various reactions to Paul’s defense.
- Verses 22-23 describe the reaction of the mob heard Paul say the Lord sent him to Gentiles, they erupted in anger. Remember, the primary accusation they had raised against Paul is that he advocated the abandonment of Jewish traditions and that he had defiled the Temple by bringing a Gentile into a restricted area.
- Verses 24-29 describe the reaction of the Roman commander. Since Paul had addressed the crowd in “the Hebrew dialect” (Acts 21:40) which is Aramaic, the Roman commander did not know what he had said. But when the crowd erupted in anger, he decided to get to the bottom of this conflict by having Paul flogged. This was a process by which a person was beaten with a leather whip that had pieces of stone or metal tied into it. If often crippled and sometimes killed the person being flogged. It was such a cruel punishment, it was not legal for a Roman citizen to be flogged. The punishment, much like crucifixion, was reserved for foreigners and slaves. When the commander learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, his treatment of Paul changed dramatically.
Acts 22:30-23:11 summarize Paul’s defense before the Jewish Sanhedrin.
- Verses 22:30-23:1 – The Roman commander learned that the charges against Paul were religious in nature. Since the Jews were allowed by the Romans to handle their own religious disputes, the commander “ordered” the Sanhedrin to assemble to deal with Paul. As we have seen previously in this study, the Sanhedrin (the word means court) was the Jewish high court that dealt primarily with religious matters. It consisted of the high priest and seventy others.
- Verses 2-5 report the conflict between Paul and Ananias, the high priest. F.F. Bruce says that Ananias was one of the most disgraceful high priests in the history of Judaism. He was once suspended, and in 59 A.D. he was deposed. Ten years later he was murdered by the Jews for his pro-Roman policies. Paul’s claim in verse 1 that he had lived with a “perfectly good conscience before God” so angered Ananias that he ordered Paul to be struck. Paul responded by calling Ananias a “whitewashed wall” which was a metaphor for a weakened wall about to topple the condition of which was disguised by a coat of whitewash. The statement by Paul in verse 3 that he “was not aware … that he was high priest” had been interpreted in various ways:
- Paul may have been speaking with sarcasm and irony meaning, “He does not act like a high priest.”
- Paul may not have been looking at the high priest when the order to strike him was given and did not know from whom the order came.
- Paul’s poor eyesight may have been the reason Paul did not recognize the high priest.
- Because this was not a regular session of the court but one called by the Roman commander, the high priest may not have been in his usual place or wearing his priestly robes. Since Paul had been away from Jerusalem for many years, he probably would not have recognized the face of the high priest.
Verses 6-10 describe how Paul threw the assembly into chaos.
- Realizing the best he could hope for was a hung jury, Paul played upon the division that existed on the Sanhedrin between Pharisees and Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead and the Pharisees did. This was a source of bitter argument between the two groups. Paul declared that he was a Pharisee being persecuted for his belief in the resurrection. The other Pharisees on the Council quickly came to his defense. As a result, the Roman commander had Paul removed from the Council and put into protective custody.
Verse11 tell of a vision of encouragement the Lord gave Paul.
- This is reminiscent of the vision Paul had in Corinth (see Acts 18:9). That the vision was necessary is an indication that Paul may have been discouraged or at least troubled by all that had happened to him in Jerusalem. The Lord assured Paul that his mission was not yet completed and he would be protected until it was.
Practical application of Acts 21:27-23:11:
- There is no guarantee that just because we are faithful we will have no adversity in our lives. This is a recurring theme in Acts and demonstrated many times in the life of Paul. Sometimes doing the will of God is the most difficult thing we can do. Gethsemane is a reminder of that truth. Those who teach that Christianity is an easy road to prosperity and general well-being are peddling heresy.
- Jumping to conclusions about people is always dangerous. The Jews “assumed” Paul took Trophimus into the Temple simply because they had heard rumors that Paul no longer observed Jewish traditions and they had seen him with Trophimus in the city. The Roman commander “assumed” Paul was the Egyptian who had earlier led a revolt in Jerusalem. It is dangerously easy to make erroneous assumptions about people!
- A closed mind will never learn new truth. The mob Paul faced in the Temple was not teachable because the minds of those people were completely closed to what Paul had to say.
- Simply because one has a title does not mean that person is in touch with God’s will. Ananias had the title of high priest but had no clue about the will of God in relation to Paul.
- God has a way of sending encouragement to us just at the moment we need it the most.
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Acts - Session 30
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 30
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey – Part 4
(Acts 21:1-26)
Acts 21 is a chapter of transition. In this chapter we see the Apostle Paul traveling back toward Jerusalem after completing his work with the churches in Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia on the third missionary journey. Acts 20 ends with Paul saying an emotional good-bye to the leaders of the church at Ephesus. They had met with Paul in the seaport town of Miletus. Chapter 21 quickly moves Paul toward Jerusalem. In the portion of the chapter on which we will focus in this session there are four main movements:
- The trip from Miletus to Tyre (Acts 21:1-6)
- The trip from Tyre to Caesarea (Acts 21:7-14)
- The arrival in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-16)
- The meeting with the James and the other church leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17-26)
The first part of Acts 21 provides an interesting picture of travel by boat in the 1st century. In Acts 20 we saw Paul and his companions traveling by coastal boat that put in at seaport towns along the way. That mode of travel continues in the first part of Acts 21. At the various stops cargo would be loaded and unloaded and passengers taken on and off the commuter ships. These short trips from town to town were normally made during daylight hours. Because there were very few lighthouses and navigation tools were very elementary, it was extremely difficult and dangerous to navigate these coastal ships at night.
From Miletus to Tyre (Acts 21:1-6)
Verse 1 mentions three ports of call made by the ship on which Paul was traveling.
“Cos” – This is a small island about 40 miles south of Miletus. Hippocrates, who is often referred to as the father of medicine, was born on Cos.
“Rhodes” – This island was famous for its great lighthouse that was known as the Colossus of Rhodes. The giant figure straddled the entry to the port of the city of Rhodes and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Rhodes became a key stopping place for the crusaders on the way to and from the Holy Land. To this day, there is an elaborate restored crusader city at Rhodes.
“Patara” – This port was located on the coast of the province of Lycia.
Verse 2 tells us that at Patara Paul and his companions changed ships (probably going to a larger vessel) to make the long trip to Phoenicia that is just north of Judea where Jerusalem is located.
Verse 3 this was a non-stop voyage all the way from Patara to Tyre.
Verses 4-5 describe a moving scene with some disciples in Tyre. We have no record of Paul previously ministering in Tyre, but he found a Christian community there and spent a few days with those believers. Some have speculated that the church in Tyre was made up of Jewish Christians who had been forced to flee Jerusalem after the persecution that broke out following the death of Stephen. Saul, now known as Paul, spearheaded that persecution! If that is the case, this passage is a beautiful example of Christian forgiveness and reconciliation. Luke mentions several things about the brief stay in Tyre:
- When the Christians in Tyre heard of Paul’s plans to go to Jerusalem, they warned Paul not to go. Luke tells us this warning came “through the Spirit” or as a result of impressions made by the Spirit. Paul apparently interpreted this warning not as a prohibition from going to Jerusalem but as a warning that the outcome was not going to be good.
- Paul made such an impression on these people in just the few days he was there, they and their families accompanied him all the way to the beach and knelt with him to pray before he departed.
From Tyre to Caesarea (Acts 21:7-14)
The ship on which Paul and his companions were traveling made an overnight stop in Ptolemais. This city, which is one of the oldest in the world, was called Acco in the Old Testament and is known as Acre today. It is located in northern Israel on top of a the bay on which Haifa is located. This is one of the best natural harbors on the Palestinian coast. As Paul did in Tyre, he found the Christian community in Ptolemais and visited with the believers there.
From Ptolemais the party sailed to Caesarea. This city, also known as Strato’s Tower, began in the 3rd century B.C. It came under Roman control in 63 B.C. Herod the great rebuilt the city and named it in honor of Caesar Augustus. In the 1st century it was the Roman capital of Judea and the official residence of the governor. Luke tells us two things about Paul’s stay in Caesarea:
- He stayed in the home of “Phillip the evangelist” (v.8). We were introduced to Phillip in Acts 6 (about 20 years earlier than the events in Acts 21) when he was chosen to be one of the seven helpers of the apostles in serving food to the widows. In Acts 8 we see him preaching the good news to the Samaritans. Verse 9 tells us that Phillip “had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.” As we have seen elsewhere in this study, the word “prophet” was used to describe someone who not only foretold future events but who told forth the word of God. One writer says the word describes those who “had the gift of speaking for God utterances given them under the immediate direction of the Spirit.” In other words, Phillip’s daughters were preachers!
- Agabus, a prophet from the area of Jerusalem, joined the chorus of people who were raised up by the Lord to warn Paul that trouble awaited him in Jerusalem. We met Agabus earlier in Acts (see Acts 11:28) when he prophesied that a famine would come to Judea causing great suffering among Christians. As in Tyre, Paul interpreted this warning not as a prohibition from the Lord of going to Jerusalem but as intended to prepare him for what was ahead. Paul was convinced the Holy Spirit was leading him to go to Jerusalem (see Acts 20:22).
From Caesarea to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-16)
Jerusalem is 64 miles southeast of Caesarea. The journey, either by foot or on horseback, probably took between two and three days. Paul and his traveling companions were joined by some of the believers from Caesarea on this journey. Perhaps they went to introduce Paul to Mnason in whose home they were to stay. Mnason is described as “a disciple of long standing” (v.16). This means he was probably one of the original Jerusalem Christians, perhaps converted on or near the Day of Pentecost. This has led some to speculate that he was one of Luke’s sources for the events that occurred in the early days of Christianity.
Paul’s Meeting with the Leader’s of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 21:17-26)
The James mentioned in verse 17 is the half-brother of Jesus who became one of the key leaders of the church in Jerusalem. The fact that none of the other original apostles are mentioned may mean that by this time they had scattered to other parts of the world. This meeting with leaders of the Jerusalem church included the following:
- Verses 18-19a – A recounting by Paul of the way God had moved among the Gentiles in Asia and Greece and probably a presentation of the offering given by the Christians in Greece for the Christians in Judea.
- Verses 19b-21 – An expression of concern about how the Jewish believers in Jerusalem would respond to Paul’s presence. False rumors had been spread that Paul was urging Jews to forsake their religious traditions.
- Verses 22-24 – The proposal from the church leaders to diffuse the situation. They asked Paul to take a Nazarite vow of purification along with four other believers and to pay the expenses of the four in taking such a vow. The process would take seven days and according to Numbers 6:14-15 would require two lambs, a ram, bread, cakes, and meat and drink offerings from each person. So this process would require a substantial time and expense commitment from Paul. Earlier in his life Paul may have balked at such a requirement. But now, being older and more mellow, he saw the wisdom in the suggestion and agreed to do it.
- Verse 25 confirms the original decision the church had made some years (see Acts 15) earlier concerning what to require from Gentile believers.
- Verse 26 reports that Paul followed through on his commitment to undergo the rite of purification.
Practical Lessons from Acts 21:1-26:
- Following God’s will for one’s life is often difficult and demanding. While the Lord led Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22), He did not promise the reception there would be pleasant (Acts 21:11).
- We should actively seek the fellowship of other believers. At virtually every stop along his journey Paul intentionally sought out the Christian community.
- We must be careful about placing limits on the people the Lord can and cannot use in ministry. In an era when women were treated more like property than people, Phillip had four daughters who had been given by the Lord the gift of prophecy.
- Following Jesus is a life-long commitment. Perseverance in the faith is what the Lord desires from us. Phillip and Mnason are examples of two disciples who stayed committed for the long-term.
- We should go out of our way to accommodate other believers. Paul did not have to take the purification vows but did so to foster peace in the fellowship.
Acts - Session 29
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 29
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey – Part 3
(Acts 20:1-38)
In this chapter we see several major movements:
- Acts 20:1 - Paul’s Departure from Ephesus
- Acts 20:2-3b – Paul’s Return to Macedonia and Greece (Achaia)
- Acts 20:3a-6 – The Beginning of Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem
- Acts 20:7-12 - The Incident Concerning Eutychus at Troas
- Acts 20:13-16 - The Journey from Troas to Miletus
- Acts 20:17-38 – The Farewell to the Christian Leaders of Ephesus
Acts 20:1 - Paul’s Departure from Ephesus
We concluded our previous session by focusing on the near riot instigated by the silversmiths in the city of Ephesus. The silversmiths were upset because so many people were turning to faith in Christ that it was hurting their business of making idols and trinkets for the worship of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of fertility, for whom a great temple had been constructed in Ephesus. After the incident, Paul decided it was time to end his three year stay in Ephesus and check on the churches he had established on his second missionary journey. Paul called together “the disciples” in Ephesus for two reasons:
· “he … exhorted them” – That is, Paul encouraged them to continue in the faith.
· “he had … taken his leave of them” - That is, he told them good-bye. At this point, he did not know when or even if he would see them again. Later in this chapter we see Paul meeting with some of the leaders of the church in Ephesus, but at this point in time Paul did not know that he would have that opportunity.
Acts 20:2-3a – Paul’s Return to Macedonia and Greece (Achaia)
Macedonia is the province in northern Greece. That is where the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea are located. We do not know precisely how long Paul stayed in Macedonia, but it was probably a matter of months. During this time he was raising money from the churches to be given to the suffering Christians in the area of Jerusalem. He also gave the Christians there “much exhortation” just as he had given the disciples in Ephesus before he left.
Leaving Macedonia “he came to Greece” (v.2). In this case “Greece” refers to the southern province of Achaia where Corinth was located. He was there for three months, probably during the winter of 56-57 A.D. Most scholars believe that it was during that time that Paul wrote the great letter to the Romans.
Acts 20:3b-6 – The Beginning of Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem
Paul planned to sail directly from Achaia (probably from the port of Cenchrea) back to Syria. However, he was alerted to a plot against him by some of his Jewish adversaries. Perhaps they planned to murder Paul once they were at sea. So instead of sailing from Achaia, Paul traveled by land back to Macedonia to sail from there.
Paul was not making this journey to Jerusalem alone. Verse 4 mentions seven traveling companions. Some of these men were from the churches in Asia (Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus) and some were from the churches in Macedonia (Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secundus). The ones from Macedonia were probably going to share in the presentation of the offering for the Christians in Judea that had been collected from their churches. The ones from Asia were probably going to allow the Jewish Christians in Judea to be further exposed to their fellow Gentile believers.
2 Corinthians 8:19 indicates that Titus was also among Paul’s traveling companions on this journey. It is interesting that his name does not appear on the list, nor does Luke’s name who obviously accompanied Paul from Philippi (verse 6). Some have speculated that Titus was Luke’s brother and out of family modesty Luke left both their names off the list.
Except for Luke and perhaps Titus, the rest of the party went on to Troas while Paul remained in Philippi until after the Passover. Verse 6 indicates it took five days to sail from Philippi (the port of Neapolis) to Troas which indicates the winds were not favorable (Acts 16:11-12 indicates Paul previously made the journey from Troas to Neapolis in two days).
Acts 20:7-12 - The Incident Concerning Eutychus at Troas
This incident is interesting for several reasons:
· This is the first mention in Scripture of Christians gathering “on the first day of the week.” As the hostility between Christians and Jews increased and Christians moved out of the synagogues, Christians gradually moved their day of worship from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to the first day of the week (Sunday) which was resurrection day.
· The phrase “were gathered together to break bread” is probably a reference to the “agape feast” that included a fellowship meal and a reenactment of the Last Supper.
· Paul apparently sensed he would not have the opportunity to address these people again, so “he prolonged his message until midnight.”
· Some have questioned whether Eutychus was actually dead or just knocked unconscious. The statements in verse 9 (“he was picked up dead”) and verses 12 (“And they took away the boy alive”) indicate that he was actually dead and brought back to life. This story is reminiscent of the raising from the dead of Tabitha by Peter in Acts 9:36-42).
Acts 20:13-16 - The Journey from Troas to Miletus
While the rest of the party went by sea from Troas to Assos, Paul traveled overland. Luke does not tell us why Paul chose those travel arrangements, but there are several possibilities:
· Perhaps he desired to remain behind for a short time to give additional instruction to the Christians in Troas
· Maybe he wanted some time alone before starting in earnest his intense journey back to Jerusalem
· Perhaps there were some friends he wanted to see along the way
· Maybe this was an attempt to confuse the Jews who were constantly plotting against him
For whatever the reason Paul traveled by land to Assos where he boarded what appears to be a commuter boat that skirted the rugged coastline of Asia stopping it key towns along the way. Because Paul desired to reach Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, he decided not to return to Ephesus which he knew would not be short visit.
Acts 20:17-38 – The Farewell to the Christian Leaders of Ephesus
While at Miletus, Paul sent for “the elders of the church” at Ephesus. In verse 28 these people are referred to as “overseers” which is the word sometimes translated as “bishops” in the New Testament. The word means “guardians” and referred to those who had the responsibility of leading the church. It is my opinion that the New Testament uses the words elders, bishops, overseers, and pastors interchangeably to refer to a single office.
Paul was convinced that this would be the last time he would see these dear friends in this world (see verses 25 and 38). This is one of the more moving scenes in the New Testament. In these verses we see the Apostle Paul bidding an emotional farewell to the leaders of the church at Ephesus with whom he had spent three years in ministry.
This speech by Paul is the only one Luke recorded that is addressed to Christians. His other sermons recorded in Acts were delivered to Jews or unbelieving Gentiles. While in this chapter we see Paul addressing Christians in several places (see Acts 20:1, 2, and 7-12), Luke does not give us the content of what he said. But in these verses we have the content of his message.
Verses 18-21 – Paul begins by reminding the Ephesians of the example he set for them in ministry. He shares these things as an encouragement for them to follow his example (compare Philippians 3:17). Basically, Paul says four things about his ministry in Ephesus:
1. He served with humility, even in very difficult times (vv.18b-19)
2. He taught the whole truth, not holding back anything (v.20a)
3. He taught publicly as well as privately (v.20b)
4. He called all people to repent and turn in faith to Jesus (v.21)
Verses 22-25 speak of Paul’s plans for the future and his understanding of what was before him.
Verses 26-27 reiterate Paul’s practice of preaching/teaching the whole truth – redemption as well as judgment, encouragement as well as exhortation.
Verses 28-31 contain a charge to the leaders of the Ephesian church.
Verse 32 is a beautiful benediction in which Paul commends these dear friends to God.
Verses 33-35 refer back to the topic with which Paul began this message – his personal example.
Verses 36-38 describe the emotional farewell.
Practical Lessons From Acts 20:1-38:
1. Every person needs to be encouraged from time to time. In this one chapter we see Paul encouraging the believers in Macedonia, Achaia, Troas, and Ephesus. It is not a sign of weakness to be in need of encouragement; it is part of our human nature.
2. Every believer needs to be alert for opportunities to be an encourager of others. People are naturally drawn to those who build them up, not with false, empty flattery but genuine encouragement.
3. We need people in life who will “share the journey” with us. As Paul’s friends accompanied him on his journey to Jerusalem, our lives are diminished if we do not have around us people who share our journey.
4. It is not an act of love to minimize to others the demands God makes on our lives. While we should not be angry or delight in hurting others, neither should we shrink from declaring God’s truths given to us in Scripture.
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Acts - Session 27
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 27
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey – Part 2
(Acts 19:11-41)
It is important to understand that the book of Acts does not record all of the travels of the Apostle Paul. We have seen that the book of Acts records four major journeys of the Apostle Paul:
- First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4-14:28)
- Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:6-18:22)
- Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23-21:3)
- Journey to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:30)
Acts ends with Paul awaiting trial in Rome. This period of time is often referred to as “Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.” Many New Testament scholars believe that during this time of imprisonment, Paul wrote the New Testament letters known as “the prison epistles” – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. The speculation is that after his first Roman imprisonment Paul was released and continued his travels. He certainly had plans to visit Spain (see Romans 15:24, 28), and Christian tradition says he made that journey. In his letter to Titus Paul mentioned his intention to meet Titus in Nicopolis which is on the western shore of Greece. I mention all that just to remind you that Acts does not tell us of all the travels of Paul.
At this point in our study of Acts, we are looking at the third of Paul’s missionary journeys recorded by Luke. The bulk of time on Paul’s third missionary journey was spent in the great city of Ephesus. The third journey lasted between four and five years, three of which were spent in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). In Acts 19:1-41 Luke tells us the following about Paul’s ministry in Ephesus:
- 19:1-7 – Meeting with some ill-informed disciples of John the Baptist
- 19:8-9a – Ministry in the synagogue
- 19:9b-10 – Teaching in the lecture hall of Tyrannus
- 19:11-12 – Healings through handkerchiefs and aprons
- 19:13-17 – Account concerning the sons of Sceva
- 19:18-20 – Burning of books of magic
- 19:21-22 – Paul’s desire to go to Rome
- 19:23-41 – The conflict with the silversmiths
Ministry in the Synagogue (Acts 19:8-9a)
At the end of the second missionary journey Paul made a brief stop in Ephesus. Acts 18:19-21 says he entered the synagogue of Ephesus and began to teach. At that time the Jews in the synagogue asked him to stay longer, but Paul was intent on getting back to Antioch. He promised to return to them at some point in the future, God willing. These verses in Acts 19 are the fulfillment of that promise Paul made. Notice the word “reasoning” in verse 8. We saw this word four times in Acts 17 & 18 (see Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19). The word is a compound word. The first part is a preposition meaning through and the last part is a noun meaning speech. So the word carries the idea of attempting to convince or persuade through speech.
Paul taught in the synagogue of Ephesus for about three months, but eventually the same opposition he experienced in other synagogues surfaced in Ephesus as well. Notice verse 8 says Paul was teaching them about “the kingdom of God.” That phrase is used only six (6) times in the book of Acts. The kingdom of which Paul was teaching was a kingdom where Jews and Gentiles have equal standing before God. Many of the Jewish people in Ephesus could not imagine such a kingdom, and they began to speak “evil of the Way.” Five times in the book of Acts Luke uses the phrase “the Way” to refer Christianity (see Acts 9:2: 19:9 & 23; 24:14 & 22). The word (hodos) means road or path. It calls to mind the statement of Jesus in John 14:6 where He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no-one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
Teaching in the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9b-10)
As Paul did in Corinth, when the opposition in the synagogue became so intense as to take away from the message, Paul moved his ministry to a different location. This time Paul and the disciples of Jesus began meeting in “the school of Tyrannus.” Tyrannus was an Ephesian teacher who probably taught his classes in the morning. Ephesians did heavy work in the morning hours and rested form 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Paul probably used the lecture hall during those afternoon hours. Some have suggested that Tyrannus was a Jew who ran a private synagogue or private school for Jews. It is more likely that he was a Greek philosopher. During this period of time, word spread across Asia about Paul’s teaching ministry, and people apparently came from great distances to hear him. The church as Colossae as well as the seven churches churches mentioned in Revelation – Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodocea – probably came into being during this period of teaching. The other events detailed in Acts 19 that occurred in Ephesus probably took place during the time Paul was teaching in this lecture hall.
Healings Through Handkerchiefs and Aprons (Acts 19:11-12)
The “handkerchiefs or aprons” referred to in this passage may refer to articles Paul used in his trade as a leather worker or tentmaker (see Acts 18:3). There is no evidence that Paul manufactured these objects for the purpose of healing. The point of this statement is that the Holy Spirit was working in such a way through the Apostle Paul during these days in Ephesus that healings and exorcisms through these physical articles associated with Paul. Several comments need to be made about this statement:
- Nothing in this passage suggests that these items were sold or even voluntarily given by Paul. They were “carried” from him or taken from him as an act of faith from the people doing the taking. The healing came from faith not from the articles taken from Paul! This is reminiscent of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus garment believing that would heal her (see Mark 5:25ff). Jesus said to her, “…your faith (not his garment!) has made you well.” Those who take this event in Acts and use it as a justification to market religious trinkets that prey on the needs of people are misusing Scripture.
- Events such as this were the exception, not the norm. Luke describes these events as “extraordinary” or out of the norm.
- One writer says, “Healing, when it comes, is always the work of God, in keeping with his larger purposes for the kingdom of God and for the individual. Not everyone who prays for physical healing receives physical healing. The granting and withholding of such healing remains a mystery with God in heaven. We must not build our personal faith in the Lord Jesus on the basis of physical healing or the lack of it.” [Layman’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 19, p.114]
Account Concerning the Sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-17)
This is a funny story! Some fake Jewish exorcists who went from place to place playing on the superstitions of ancient people purporting to cast out demons made their way to Ephesus. Seven sons of a man named Sceva who claimed to be a Jewish high priest (there is no record of such a high priest ever existing, so they were probably lying about that) saw the mighty works that Paul was doing in the name of Jesus. They figured if that name worked for Paul, it would work for them as well. They did not understand that Jesus is not a magical power to be used but a person to be known in personal relationship. They attempted to cast an evil spirit out of a man but the results weren’t what they expected! The demon said, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (v.15) And the man proceeded to beat on these charlatans until they fled “naked and wounded” (v.16). The result of this episode is that the name of Jesus was magnified (v.17).
Burning of Books of Magic (Acts 19:18-20)
Magic was big business in the ancient world. Magic, in the religious sense, is defined as “…an attempt by man, through ritual, incantation, and charms, to manipulate the forces of the universe, whether they be divine or natural.” (Ibid, p.114) Christianity must never be identified with cheap magic. We don’t manipulate God, He manipulates (changes) us! Those coming to faith in Jesus in Ephesus recognized the evil of their dependence on magic brought their books of magic, put them in a big pile, and burned them. The value of the books, fifty thousand pieces of silver or drachmas (about one day’s wage for the average worker) indicates the impact the gospel was having on Ephesus. The fact that the people burned these books which had monetary value instead of selling them indicates the depth of change that had occurred in their lives.
Paul’s Desire to go to Rome (Acts 19:21-22)
Paul was planning to go to Jerusalem to deliver the offering for the suffering Christians there that had been gathered in the churches of Macedonia and Achaia (see 2 Corinthians 8-9). After that, he desired to go to Rome, not to establish Christian work there because it was already established. He wanted to visit Rome to encourage the believers there and to receive encouragement from them (see Romans 1:11-12).
The Conflict with the Silversmiths (Acts 19:23-41)
This event emphasizes the impact that Christianity was having on the pagan culture of the 1st century.
“no small disturbance” (v.23) – This was a major event in Ephesus. As the story unfolds we see how close this comes to becoming a full-fledged riot.
“Demetrius” (v.24) – A wealthy, influential business man. Maybe head of the silversmith guild. Much money was made by the craftsmen who made religious shrines and trinkets for the pagans of Ephesus.
“Artemis” (v.24) – As we saw in a previous study, Ephesus was a key religious center being the location of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of fertility. The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
“our prosperity” (v.25) – This was the chief concern of the silversmiths. Whenever genuine religion begins to impact power structures and economic structures, conflict and persecution is certain to follow.
“but also that the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless” – Notice the secondary position of this concern. Their real concern was economic but they cloaked that concern in a veil of religion.
“Gaius” (v.29) – Acts 20:4 mentions that Gaius was from Derbe where Paul ministered on the 1st missionary journey. 1 Corinthians 1:14 mentions a Gaius who was baptized by Paul in Corinth. Were they the same man? No one knows for sure, but probably not.
“Aristarchus” (v.29) – He was from Thessalonica had was probably converted on Paul’s 2nd missionary journey. He not only accompanied Paul on this 3rd journey, but traveled with him to Rome (Acts 27:2) and shared Paul’s imprisonment in Rome (Colossians 4:10).
“Asiarchs” (v.31) – The word means public officers and shows that Christianity was not confined to the lower social-economic groups of the 1st century.
“Alexander” (v.33) - Some of the crowd, confused about what was happening, blamed the riot on the Jews. Alexander was pushed forward by some of the Jews to make a defense against such allegations but he was shouted down by the crowd.
“town clerk” (v.35) – This was the chief administrative official of Ephesus. He kept the city’s archives, served as treasurer, and presided at town meetings. In verses 35-41 he says three things:
· The mob was shouting the obvious. Everyone already knew that Artemis was great!
· The courts were open to handle legitimate complaints. They would not be dealt with by a mob.
· They were in danger of losing the freedom granted to them by Rome to be a self-governing city.
At this the crowd disbursed. In Ephesus the gospel confronted idolatry, superstition, and vested economic interests without backing down!
Practical Lesson from Acts 19:8-41:
- There is a time for confronting and a time for withdrawing. Instead of wasting time and energy in conflict in the synagogue, Paul moved is ministry to another location.
- It is dangerous to pretend to have more spiritual understanding or authority than you actually have, as the sons of Sceva discovered.
- Genuine conversion leads to radical change and new priorities, as evidenced by those who gave up their dependence on superstition and magic.
Opposition to the gospel always intensifies when vested interests are challenged.
Acts - Session 26
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 26
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey – Part 4: Corinth to Antioch
(Acts 18:1-22)
Paul’s second missionary journey (recorded in Acts 15:6 – 18:22) covered a period of approximately three or four years. About one-half of that time was spent in the city of Corinth in the southern Greek province of Achaia. Corinth was one of the most important cities in ancient Greece, and in the 1st century it was still vitally important, mainly because of its unique location. The city sits on a very narrow isthmus, known as “the Bridge of Greece,” that separates the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east. In the 1st century it was a port city with two ports. An ingenuous system of pulling ships over a three-mile long log road was devised to move ships across the Isthmus to keep them from having to sail all the way around the tip of southern Greece. Today, a long, deep, narrow canal connects the two seas near Corinth. The canal was completed in the late 19th century but the idea had been considered in ancient Greece. Julius Caesar actually devised a detailed plan for the canal and Nero broke ground on the project but it was never finished.
The following is a thumbnail history of Corinth:
· Corinth was founded in ancient times and by 750 B.C. was the wealthiest city in Greece. Because of its location on a major trade route connecting west and east by sea, it became a great commercial center.
· In 146 B.C. the Romans destroyed Corinth. Its citizens were either killed or sold into slavery, its buildings were wrecked, and its art treasures looted and sold. Rebuilding was forbidden and for nearly one hundred years the city lay in ruins.
· In 46 B.C. Julius Caesar rebuilt Corinth and had it colonized with veterans and freedmen. Shortly after that it became the capital of the province of Achaia.
· In the 1st century it is estimated that the population of Corinth was well over half a million, with about 200,000 being freedmen and the rest slaves.
· The city was world famous for its drunkenness, debauchery, dishonesty, and immorality. The Greeks coined a word, cornthiazomai, which literally means “to live like a Corinthian” and was synonym for living a loose, immoral life. The phrase “Corinthian girl” became synonymous with prostitute. Paul wrote Romans from Corinth. To get a picture of life in this immoral city, read Romans 1:24-32.
· Even the religion of Corinth was corrupt. There was a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, on top of the acrocorinth with towered about 1500 feet above the city. It is said that 1000 women served as priestesses/prostitutes in this temple. Even though the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C., the immoral religion of Aphrodite thrived in various shrines around the city of Corinth.
In Acts 18 we have only a brief sketch of what happened during Paul’s long stay in Corinth. In this chapter, Luke tells us the following:
- The meeting of Aquila and Priscilla (18:1-3)
- The arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia (18:5)
- Paul’s ministry in the synagogue (18:4, 6-8)
- Paul’s vision of encouragement (18:9-11)
- The experience before Gallio (18:12-17)
The Meeting of Aquila and Priscilla (18:1-3)
This is our first introduction in the New Testament to this outstanding couple that had a tremendous impact on the church in the 1st century. In this passage Luke tells that:
- Aquila was “a native of Pontus” which was a Roman Province on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea in what is now modern day Turkey.
- They came to Corinth from Rome because “Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome…” The Roman historian, Suetonius, says this decree was issued in 49 A.D. because of a riot in a Jewish ghetto that was instigated by a man named Chrestos. Most scholars take this as a reference to Christ, meaning that there as a conflict between Jews and Christians in Rome. Romans 16:3 indicates that Aquila and Priscilla later returned to Rome.
- Aquila “…was of the same trade…” as Paul. Verse 3 tells us that they were working as “tent-makers.” The word literally means leather workers.
- Paul “…stayed with them…” while he was in Corinth.
The Arrival of Silas and Timothy (18:5)
This is an interesting verse. We have to read between the lines to piece together the movements of Silas and Timothy during this period. The last time Luke mentions them is in Acts 17:15 while they were still in Berea. Paul had gone ahead to Athens and was waiting for them there. I Thessalonians 3:1ff indicates that Silas and Timothy had joined Paul in Athens. Because Paul was concerned about the new Christians in Macedonia, he sent Timothy (and apparently Silas) back to Macedonia to check on the churches there while he traveled on to Corinth. When they arrived back from Macedonia, verse 5 says Paul “…began devoting himself completely to the word…” In other words, he quit his secular job and did nothing but teach and preach. He was able to do that because Timothy and Silas brought a financial gift to him from the Christians in Macedonia, specifically Philippi (see 2 Cor. 11:9 and Philippians 4:14-16).
Paul’s Ministry in the Synagogue (18:3, 6-8)
Verse 3 – “And he was reasoningin the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Four times in Acts 17 & 18 the word translated “reasoning” is used (see also Acts 17:2, 17; 18:19) The word is a compound word. The first part is a preposition meaning through and the last part is a noun verb meaning to speak. So the word carries the idea of attempting to convince or persuade through speech. As we have seen over and over again, it was Paul’s normal method to begin his ministry of teaching and preaching in the synagogue.
Verses 6-7 chronicles the intense opposition Paul encountered in the synagogue. Verse 6 says Paul “…shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads…” which was a way of saying, “We have done our duty, you have been warned, and we are not responsible for your fate.” (See Acts 13:51) Jesus commanded His followers to do this in places that were unresponsive to their message (see Matthew 10:14 and Mark 6:11). Because of the opposition Paul stopped teaching in the synagogue and began teaching at the home of a man who lived next to the synagogue! The name of the man, Titius Justus, indicates he was a Roman citizen. While Luke describes him as “a worshiper of God” it is not clear if he actually had come to believe in Jesus.
Verse 8 indicates that not everyone in the synagogue rejected Paul’s message. The leader of the synagogue, Crispus, came to faith in Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 1:14 Crispus is mentioned as one of the few people baptized by Paul at Corinth.
Paul’s Vision of Encouragement (Acts 18:9-11)
The fact that Paul had this vision is an indication that he was getting discouraged. That is not surprising considering all that he had endured for the sake of the gospel. Even though he had received a clear call to go to Macedonia, he had been run out of very city he visited in that area. Nor was he well received in Athens. Now, in Corinth, opposition had once again reared its ugly head. Surrounded by a morally corrupt culture that glamorized sin and degenerate life-styles, Paul was probably tempted just to move on to somewhere else. In this vision the Lord gave Paul three concrete reasons to continue his ministry in Corinth:
- The promise of the Lord’s presence – “…I am with you…”
- The promise of the Lord’s protection – “…no man will attack you in order to harm you…”
- The promise of a coming harvest – “…for I have many people in this city…” The word translated people is “laos” which is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament to refer to the people of God.
This vision renewed Paul’s enthusiasm for ministry in Corinth and he stayed there for a year and one-half. The only place Paul ministered for a longer period was the great city of Ephesus on the third missionary journey.
The Experience Before Gallio (Acts 18:12-17)
“Gallio” – He was the proconsul (Roman governor) of Achaia beginning in 51 A.D. and reigning for approximately two and one-half years. His mention here is an important clue in putting together the chronology of Paul’s travels. Gallio was the son of the famous Roman orator, Seneca, and the brother of the Stoic philosopher, Senecca (Junior). He was known as an extremely fair and kind person. His brother said of him, “No man was ever as sweet to one as Gallio is to all.” The Lord used this man to provide Paul the protection promised him in the vision of verses 9-10.
“This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law…” – Paul’s enemies tried to convince Gallio that Paul was violating some Roman law. The Jews were free to practice their religion under Roman law and Gallio viewed the dispute between Paul and the Jews as nothing more than an internal Jewish theological debate of which he wanted no part. F.F. Bruce points out that Gallio’s ruling meant that Paul and his companions were free to share the gospel as long as they did not cause a public disturbance.
“Sosthenes” – Apparently Sosthenes became the leader of the synagogue after Crispus converted to Christianity. He was among those who brought charges against Paul before Gallio. When they were rebuffed by the proconsul, those who had come with Sosthenes turned on him and beat him. This beating may have convinced Sosthenes that he was hanging out with the wrong crowd! In 1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul mentions a man named Sosthenes as the co-author of that letter and as his brother in Christ. Sosthenes apparently became the second leader of the synagogue in Corinth to come to faith in Christ.
The Return to Antioch (Acts 18:18-22)
After staying in Corinth for a while longer, Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, decided it was time to move on. He had been away from his friends in Antioch of Syria for several years, and he was anxious to see them. So, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him (some see significance in that Luke puts Priscilla’s name first, perhaps indicating that her special gifts had made her the more effective of the two in ministry [see also Acts 18:26 and Romans 16:3]), he set out for the port at Cenchrea. There “he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow…” Sometimes Jews would take a Nazarite vow agreeing not to drink wine or cut their hair for a specific period of time. It was a period of focusing on discerning the will of God. Paul had taken such a vow in Corinth, perhaps to discern whether or not it was time for him to move on. Now that the vow as completed, he had his hair cut. After a brief stop in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila apparently stayed, Paul sailed to Caesarea, went to Jerusalem, and then back to Antioch, thus ending his second missionary journey.
Practical lessons from Acts 18:1-22:
- No culture or sub-culture is beyond the transforming power of the gospel. Corinth was the very last place one would expect the gospel to take root.
- We need each other! Paul depended on people such as Silas, Timothy, Aquila, and Priscilla to stand beside him and help him in ministry. The support sent to Paul by the Philippians greatly enhanced what he was able to accomplish. We always get more done for the kingdom by cooperating with rather than fighting with our fellow believers.
- Everyone, at some time or another, struggles with discouragement. Paul was not immune from that.
- In times of discouragement, the promise of “I am with you” is sufficient to see us through.
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Acts - Session 25
ACTS STUDY – SESSION 25
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey – Part 3: Thessalonica, Berea, Athens
(Acts 17:1-34)
The book of Acts records four major journeys of the Apostle Paul:
- First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4-14:28)
- Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:6-18:22)
- Third Missionary Journey (Acts 19:1-21:3)
- Journey to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:30)
While each of these journeys has its own significance, the Second Missionary Journey is especially important. It was on this journey that Paul first took the message of Jesus into Europe. Churches were established in such key places as Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. By comparison, the First Missionary Journey was much shorter in both duration and ground covered and the Third Missionary Journey was primarily a retracing of the second. So far in our study of the Second Missionary Journey, we have traced Paul and his companions from Antioch (the location of the church that sent them out) to Derbe & Lystra (where Timothy joined the mission), across Asia (where Paul was forbidden to preach, to Troas (where Paul had his famous Macedonian vision), across the Aegean Sea to Philippi (where we ended the previous session). In this study we will follow Paul and his companions to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens.
Acts 13:1 – “Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica…” – That statement probably covers a period of several days if not weeks. Amphipolis was about 30 miles west of Philippi. Apollonia was about 30 miles west of Amphipolis. Thessalonica was about 30 miles west of Apollonia. All of these towns were on the famous Via Ignatia which connected Europe to the east with Asia to the west. It is no accident these towns were spaced about 30 miles apart because that is the distance a person could travel in a day on foot. While those no record of Paul preaching in Amphipolis or Apollonia, it is reasonable to assume that he shared the gospel as he went. However, he did not linger in these smaller towns because his strategy was to plant the gospel in larger metropolitan areas. And the city of Thessalonica certainly met that criteria. Thessalonica was:
- Founded in 315 B.C. on the site of a much more ancient village by King Cassander of Macedon who named it after his wife who was a half-sister of Alexander the Great.
- The largest city in Macedonia with an estimated population of around 200,000 in Paul’s day.
- A great commercial center between east and west. It’s main street was the Via Ignatia.
- A free or self-governing city.
Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica (Acts 17:2-8)
Verses 2-3 – Preaching in the synagogue
“…according to Paul’s custom…” – It was out of theological conviction that God desired the salvation of Jews that Paul, whenever he could, began his ministry in a city in the synagogue (see Romans 1:16)
“…reasoned with them…” – The word translated “reasoned” originally meant simply “to converse” but over time it came to carry the idea of “discussion by means of question and answer.” In other words, Paul made a thought-out, reasoned argument to them concerning Jesus.
“…from the Scripture…” – When one makes an argument, there must be some objective standard to which to appeal. For Paul, that standard was the Old Testament Scripture. The Jews in the synagogue also had the Scripture as their standard.
“…explaining and giving evidence…” – The phrase means he simply opened the Scripture and placed the information before them.
From the Scripture, Paul made a powerful three-fold argument:
1. That the Scripture looked toward a suffering Messiah (cf. Isaiah 53)
2. That the Messiah would rise from the dead (cf. Psalm 16: 10-11)
3. That Jesus is the fulfillment of these Old Testament prophecies
Verse 4 – The response to Paul’s teaching
“…some of them…” – That is, some of the Jews
“a great multitude of God-fearing Greeks” – This became a pattern for Paul’s ministry. While some Jews responded, many more Gentiles responded.
“a number of the leading women” – Some might think that the phrase “leading women” would be an oxymoron in describing women in the first century world. However, women played a much larger role in Macedonian society than in many other places in the ancient world. That leadership was reflected in the churches as well.
Verses 5-7 – The opposition to Paul
“But the Jews, becoming jealous…” – Notice the primary motive of the opposition. They could not refute Paul’s teachings about Jesus on theological grounds, so they attacked him personally. They did so because they were jealous of the following he was getting.
“taking along some wicked men from the market place” – The NEB translates this as “low fellows from the dregs of the populace.” These were more or less professional rabble-rousers.
“Jason has welcomed them” – Apparently, a man named Jason allowed Paul and his companions to stay with him, much as Lydia had done in Philippi.
The mob made two basic charges against Paul and his companions:
· They had “upset the world” or as some translations say had ”turned the world upside down.” Actually, this was true and was a great compliment to the effectiveness of Paul’s ministry.
· They had acted “contrary to the decrees of Caesar.” This was a distortion of what they were preaching. The message of Paul had nothing to do with earthly rulers; it focused on spiritual rulers. Paul was not trying to lead a revolt against Rome; he was calling people to the true Messiah.
Verses 8-9 – The response of the city officials
“received a pledge” – Jason and the others were forced to post some kind of bond until Paul and his companions left town.
Paul’s Thessalonian correspondence indicates that believers in that city were severely persecuted after Paul left (see 2 Thessalonians 1:4ff).
Paul’s Ministry in Berea (Acts 17:10-14)
Berea is about 50 miles west of Thessalonica. The ministry in Berea followed much the same pattern as that in Thessalonica.
Verses 10-11 – Ministry in the synagogue
“more noble minded” – What made the difference? They were willing to examine Paul’s teachings in the light of Scripture rather than to outright reject it based on prejudice and jealousy.
Verse 12 – The response. Notice again the reference to “prominent Greek women.”
Verse 13 – The opposition. Notice it came primarily from Jews who traveled the 50 miles to Berea just to attempt to undermine Paul’s ministry. This demonstrates the depth of their jealousy and hatred for him.
Verses 14-15 – The departure of Paul for Athens
“Silas and Timothy remained” – Apparently Timothy had stayed behind at Thessalonica for awhile (see Acts 17:10). Now he remained behind at Berea along with Silas. This indicates Paul was the lightning rod attracting the trouble. It was not terribly unsafe for the others to say.
Paul’s Ministry in Athens (Acts 17:15-34)
Athens was the key city of ancient Greece. By the time Paul visited the city in the middle of the 1st century A.D., Athens was already many centuries old. It had long since been surpassed in political power by Rome, but it was still the intellectual center of the Roman world. It was where the great thinkers of the age gathered.
Verse 16 - Paul the preacher
It has been said that there were more idols in ancient Athens than in all of the rest of Greece combined. As Paul saw the proliferation of idols in the city and saw an entire population that was living in spiritual darkness, he could not help but declare to those people the truth of the Gospel.
Verses 17-21 – The audience
- Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue (v.17)
- Whoever would listen in the market place (v.17)
- Epicurean philosophers (v.18) – These were followers of Epicurus, an Athenian philosopher who lived from 341-270 B.C. Among other things, he taught that pleasure was the chief end of life. It is little wonder that he had a large following!
- Stoic philosophers (v.18) – These claimed as their leader Zeno who taught in Athens about 300 B.C. Their name comes from their meeting place. The word stoa means portico. Stoics were pantheists (nature is god) and fatalists (it is best just to accept whatever may happen with as little feeling/emotion as possible).
- Those at the Areopagus (vv.19-21) – The word areopagus means hill of Ares. Ares was the Greek God of war whom the Romans referred to as Mars. Thus the phrase Mars Hill. The Areopagus was both:
- A place – A small hill northwest of the Acropolis in Athens and crowned with a temple to Mars
- A council or court - Had at one time held its sessions on the hill and was the most respected judicial body in Athens
Verses 22-31 – Paul’s message
Several themes are interspersed throughout this summary of Paul’s message:
- God is personal, creator, sovereign Lord, and cannot be contained in shrines (v.24).
- Far from being dependent on His creation, God is the One who gives all created things life (v.25).
- God guides the destiny of all nations and He is within reach of all who seek Him. (vv.26-29)
- God will judge the world through the person of Jesus Christ, thus all people should repent (vv.30-31).
Verses 32-34 – The response to Paul’s message.
- At the mention of the resurrection of Jesus, some mocked him (v.32a).
- Others attempted to put Paul off until another time (v.32b).
- Some believed (v.34)
Practical Lessons from Acts 17:1-34
1. Christians should be prepared to make a reasoned defense of their faith. Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive! (see I Peter 3:15)
2. There is a time to fight and a time to move on. It takes a wise person to discern the time properly.
3. Jealousy is one of Satan’s insidious weapons, causing much harm to the kingdom of God.
4. Not everyone will respond to the truth of the Gospel. The reality is that God’s people have always been more of a remnant than a majority.
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