a comparison of mindsets

[talitha]

Thessalonica vs. Berea:

Please read this very carefully:

Acts 17:1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

Let's compare - Jewish Thessalonians vs. Jewish Bereans

Thessalonian Jews
became jealous of the attention Paul and co. were getting
formed a mob to oppose them
brought public accusations against a man who welcomed them
complained to governmental authorities against them
followed them to another city and opposed them there as well

Berean Jews
received what Paul and co. were saying with eagerness
examined the Scriptures to see if what they said might be so

I notice that the ones who examined the Scriptures were the ones who received this new teaching. Seems they were coming at it all with hope, not seeking to disprove.

What do you notice?

blessings
tal

[Lisa0315]

Thessalonica vs. Berea:

Please read this very carefully:

Acts 17:1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

Let's compare - Jewish Thessalonians vs. Jewish Bereans

Thessalonian Jews
became jealous of the attention Paul and co. were getting
formed a mob to oppose them
brought public accusations against a man who welcomed them
complained to governmental authorities against them
followed them to another city and opposed them there as well

Berean Jews
received what Paul and co. were saying with eagerness
examined the Scriptures to see if what they said might be so

I notice that the ones who examined the Scriptures were the ones who received this new teaching. Seems they were coming at it all with hope, not seeking to disprove.

What do you notice?

blessings
tal

Hi!

The thing that I noticed in this Scripture were two words: Jealous and Prominent. Early Christians began buying and selling from each other often exclusively. I wonder how prominent these Greeks were and if perhaps that were not the real reason the Jews were jealous. Would this mean that these prominent Greeks would now start buying and selling with the Christians?

Obviously, your point is much better than mine, but that is the thing that jumped out at me.

Lisa

[talitha]

that's interesting too! yes, I am sure that there was some reason like what you said that they became jealous.

blessings
tal

[CyberPaladin]

I think it really mirriors our world today when you see how many try to marginalize our views, and silence our voices and try to use the law more specificaly courts to get us out of the way public view as much as possible.

[Voegelin]

6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also;

John, Bishop of Nikiu, wrote of a similiar complaint to civil authorities only a few centuries later:

http://cosmopolis.com/alexandria/hypatia-bio-john.html

[talitha]

The Thessalonian Jews in the above passage are a vivid example of what I would really not like to see as the character of this forum. They were so determined to keep things the way they were that they refused to consider the Gospel message which the Apostles brought. And they were militant conservatives - they not only violently opposed the Apostles and ran them out of their town - they pursued them to another town as well, to oppose them there.

That is why Luke commends the Bereans - they actually considered whether this new message might be consistent with the already-revealed Word of God - and because they considered it, many believed.

Let us not be so "conservative" that we miss God's moving.

tal