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Congregational Bible Study (30 mins.) bt ch. 17 pars. 8-12 and box on p. 137.
“Some of them became believers” (Acts 17:4-9)
8-10. a) How did the people of Thessalonica react when they heard the good news?
Upon hearing Paul's message, some people in Thessalonica accepted the good news and became believers. Among them were both Jews and Greeks who worshipped God, and also many prominent women. They felt happy and encouraged as they understood the scriptures better.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Like other followers of Jesus, many in Thessalonica felt that Paul's message made sense and were ready to accept the change in their lives, as John 15:20 says, some hear the message with an open heart and want to follow Jesus. So these new believers were excited to learn from Paul and Silas.
The Bible mentions that many Greeks who worshipped God and important women accepted the good news. This shows that Jesus' message reached people of different backgrounds and positions, it did not matter if they were Jews or Greeks, the important thing was their willingness to learn and change.
8-10. b) Why did some Jews feel envious of Paul?
Some Jews were jealous because Paul managed to convince many Greeks and attract them to Christianity. These Jews had tried to attract those same Greeks to Judaism and considered them as their own. Seeing how Paul influenced these people and convinced them to follow Jesus caused them much frustration and jealousy.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Some Jews had tried to attract these same Greeks to Judaism, but when they saw that Paul was teaching them something different, they became jealous and angry. They felt that they were losing followers, and so they became filled with envy as a competition for the attention and respect of the new believers.
The zeal of these Jews also reminds us of what Proverbs 27:4 says, “Envy is cruel as the grave.” Sometimes when someone feels that they are losing their place or influence, envy can lead them to do bad things, and these Jews even went so far as to start riots in their anger.
8-10. c) What did the Jews who opposed the message do?
To show their rejection, the Jews, filled with jealousy, formed a mob in the city. They allied themselves with troublesome men who roamed the market and raised a ruckus, then they attacked Jason's house, where they thought Paul and Silas were, with the intention of handing them over to the mob. When they did not find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and other Christians before the authorities, accusing them of causing trouble and defying the emperor's laws by claiming that Jesus was a king.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
These jealous Jews did not sit back and do nothing. They decided to stir up disreputable people and formed a mob to find Paul and Silas. It is sad to see how in their anger, they sought allies in troublesome people, instead of resolving their differences peacefully.
This also reminds us of the warning in James 3:16, which says that where there is envy and rivalry, there is disorder and evil. In their anger the Jews brought the whole city into great trouble, without thinking of the consequences for others.
11. Of what were Paul and his companions accused, and what law might the Jews have had in mind? (See note.)
Paul and his companions were accused of two serious things. First, they were accused of causing unrest throughout the inhabited earth, even though they were not actually the ones who caused the chaos in Thessalonica. And second, they were accused of promoting another king, Jesus, which was a direct violation of the laws of the Roman emperor. The Jews knew that talking about another King could be seen as treason, and they wanted to use that to hurt Paul and his friends.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The Jews accused Paul and his friends of turning the whole inhabited earth upside down and teaching that there was another king, Jesus. This was a serious matter because in the Roman Empire there could only be one emperor, and any other loyalty was seen as treason. The Jews knew that these accusations would put Paul and Silas in danger.
This type of accusation is similar to the one they used against Jesus when they told Pilate that Jesus claimed to be a king. They knew that mentioning this could be seen as a threat to Caesar's authority and they used the same strategy against Paul and his companions.
12. What shows that the charges against the Christians in Thessalonica could have had serious consequences?
The accusations against Paul and his companions were similar to those made against Jesus when he was accused of saying that he was a king. On that occasion, Pilate, having problems with the emperor, decided to condemn Jesus to death in the same way the charges against the Christians in Thessalonica were dangerous since any hint of treason against the emperor could be fatal. The Jews who accused the Christians knew that they could seriously endanger the lives of Paul and his followers.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The charges against Paul and his friends were similar to those faced by Jesus. Pilate feared that it would be seen as treason if he did not act against Jesus. So he condemned him in the same way. The charges against the Christians in Thessalonica were so serious that they could result in severe punishments, even death.
Charges of treason against the emperor were dangerous and very difficult to defend. As Luke 23:2 says, accusations of rioting or rebellion were viewed very seriously in Rome. The Jews knew this and by their accusation they were trying to ensure that Paul and the Christians would have no escape.
ANSWERS BASED ON THE BOX: THE CAESARS AND THE BOOK OF ACTS
The Roman Empire and the Emperor During the time in which the events of the book of Acts take place, the Roman Empire ruled all of the places mentioned. The Roman emperors, also called Caesars, were the highest authority and were to be obeyed. When the Jews in Thessalonica mentioned Caesar's decrees, they were referring to these laws and commands of the emperors. This was important because disobeying Caesar or questioning his authority could be seen as treason, something the Romans took very seriously.Buy best-selling books online
Tiberius was the emperor throughout Jesus' life and the early years of the Christian congregation at Jesus' trial. The Jews told Pilate that if he set Jesus free he was not being a friend of Caesar, here they were referring to Tiberius and used their power to pressure Pilate to condemn Jesus by saying that they only accepted Tiberius as king.
Although Caligula does not appear in the scriptures, he was an important emperor. His rule was known for being unstable and full of excesses. The Christians of his time lived under his authority, but in the book of Acts, Caligula is not directly mentioned.
Claudius appears twice in the book of Acts. One mention was in relation to a great famine, something that the prophet Agabus predicted and which happened during the time of Claudius. Around the year 46, the second mention is when Claudius ordered all Jews to leave Rome. This shows how the decisions of the emperors directly affected the lives of the early Christians.
Nero was the emperor for a significant part of Paul's life when Paul was arrested and asked to be tried in Rome, he was appealing to Nero who was known for his cruelty, he is also remembered for blaming Christians for a great fire in Rome in 64. Shortly after Paul was arrested again and in 65 executed. Nero represents one of the harshest emperors for the early Christians.
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