Paul and Silas had escaped a dangerous situation in Thessalonica and traveled down the road to the next town, Berea.
Acts 17: 11 The Jewish people here (Berea) were more receptive than they had been in Thessalonica. They warmly and enthusiastically welcomed the message and then, day by day, would check for themselves to see if what they heard from Paul and Silas was truly in harmony with the Hebrew Scriptures. 12 Many of them were convinced, and the new believers included—as in Thessalonica—quite a few of the city’s leading Greek women and important men also. [1]
What a refreshing attitude Paul and Silas found in Berea. While there had been a great many people who had come to faith in Thessalonica, there were many who were strongly opposed. The Jewish people had been anticipating a Messiah for generations. They had assumed that he would come as a political ruler to overthrow the despised Romans. They didn’t foresee the Messiah dying and coming twice.
When Paul went to the synagogues, he would go back through the Hebrew Scriptures, or our Old Testament, to show how God had prophesied that Messiah would suffer and die. Many Jews were set in their ways and refused to listen to Paul’s explanation. The Bereans not only listened but looked up and verified what Paul was telling them.
How about you, what do you do when someone tells you something surprising about the faith? Do you look it up, assume you know it, or just trust the teacher? Discernment is important and all of us need to be ready to verify what teachers of the Word say. There are many Bible references available at a click of a mouse. We just must be willing to check out what we hear.
The Apostle Paul talks about the value of Godly wisdom in James 1:5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
To hear more about Paul’s second mission trip, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/mission-trip-two-radio-show/harvest-in-the-battle
Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jas 1:5). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[1] The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.