Daily Thoughts from Acts: The Noble Heart (Acts 17:10-15)

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.  (Acts 17:10-15 ESV)

Once again Paul needs to leave town because he is the lightning rod for persecution.  If he were to stay there would undoubtedly be more harm that would come to the new believers.  They won’t be exempt from persecution (both of Paul’s letters to the Philippians and the Thessalonians give testimony to that), but Paul’s absence will bring a bit more ease.  Besides, there are new territories where the gospel must be preached.

The Berean Jews, Luke notes, were more noble than those of Thessalonica, not just because they received the gospel with eagerness but because they were willing to search the Scriptures to confirm the gospel.  Paul is happy for his listeners to check out his message against the Scriptures.  Because the Bereans looked to the Old Testament to assess Paul’s and Silas’s explanation, many of them believed and so did some leading Greek women and men who had embraced Judaism. 

It is fascinating that women are so drawn to the gospel.  It is not as if Paul is preaching a message to women about women and how they are viewed by Jesus.  Christianity does view women with equality to men and of great value as spokespersons for and servants of the gospel.  But that is something these women learn only after they are converted to the faith.

When the persecution from Thessalonica follows them Paul has to flee again because he is the target of the persecution.  Luke does not at this point give many details about the travels of Silas and Timothy, but Paul gives more information in 1 Thessalonians 3, and Luke gives more details at Acts 18:1, 5. These passages reveal the following sequence:

(1) Paul traveled to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy in Berea (17:14–15).

(2) Paul summoned Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens (v. 15).

(3) Silas and Timothy joined Paul in Athens (v. 16; 1 Thess. 3:1–2).

(4) Paul became concerned for the churches he had just founded in Macedonia (in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea), so he sent Timothy to Thessalonica to find out how that church was doing amid its persecution and opposition (1 Thess. 3:1–2). At the same time he must have sent Silas somewhere else in Macedonia (Acts 18:5), being willing to be left at Athens “alone” (1 Thess. 3:1). It is likely that Silas went at least to Philippi but possibly also to Berea.

(5) Paul “left Athens and went to Corinth” (Acts 18:1).

(6) Silas and Timothy joined Paul again in Corinth, bringing good news from the churches of Macedonia (18:5; 1 Thess. 3:6).

(7) From Corinth, Paul wrote his two letters to the church at Thessalonica (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; both of these letters come from “Paul, Silvanus [= Silas], and Timothy”).

The gospel cannot be stopped by persecution.  Genuinely seeking hearts will have the truth of the gospel confirmed to them.