OPEN BOOK – HINTS FROM THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS: BEROEA

BRUCE C WEARNE looks at what Acts reports about the outcomes of Paul and Silas’ continued travels to spread the Gospel in Macedonia and Greece…

As a consequence the brothers there immediately arranged for Paul and Silas to have safe passage by night to Beroea; and on arrival they went [as was their practice] to the Jewish synagogue. And because these Jews were of greater integrity than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with great interest, examining the Scriptural record, day-after-day, in order to adequately reflect on the matters raised. That was how many of them came to believe and [this time] as well as a few Greek women of high standing, there were [Greek] men as well. But that meant that when new of Paul’s preaching the Word of God at Beroea reached the Jews of Thessalonica, they came there in order to incite the crowds [against them]. So the brothers there arranged Paul’s onward travel, and he then left by sea, taking leave from Silas and Timothy who remained behind. Those who ensured Paul’s safe passage accompanied him as far as Athens; and from there they made their return trip taking with them Paul’s request to Silas and Timothy that they come to him [in Athens] as soon as possible. – Acts 17:10-15/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne

ONTO BEREOA: Paul and Silas continued their travels across Macedonia and Greece despite opposition. PICTURE: Kevin Smith/www.freeimages.com

Luke’s account tells us that the people Paul visited were those who had some knowledge of what has been happening throughout the Jewish world. These people would have heard something about Jesus of Nazareth. And clearly, it was not just people of Jewish background who opposed the spread of the news that the Jewish Messiah had come, died and been raised from the dead. Among those who believed were Jews who gladly accepted the news that their Messiah had come. They had been convinced by Paul and by other teachers as well. Usually, it seems, these teachers were of Jewish background.

Luke also makes a point of emphasising the generosity of the Beroean synagogue. Rather than entering into a weekly pattern of Sabbath synagogue attendance involving argumentation, we read that for this synagogue, Paul’s commendation of the Messiah became a daily exercise for the Jewish believers in that place. And once again we hear of the Greek women of high standing who believed. From this community Paul solicited funds to distribute to those impoverished by Judaea’s famine. There generosity was part of their response to the Gospel. Paul’s method with them was “look and see for yourself”. His appeal was to the same authority – the Holy Scriptures, the law and prophets.

In Pisidian Antioch, the Jewish resistance to Paul’s message incited the Greek women of high standing in that community. But here, as with Thessalonica, the Greek women of high standing are mentioned among those who believed. These women were worshippers of the God of Israel, in whom they found the basis for their public contribution and respect. Paul’s preaching of the Gospel brought a harvest. The soil had been spiritually prepared and the seed of the Good News brought a harvest anticipated by the law and the prophets.

There was an important issue that Paul and his colleagues had to address: how were the Christians, the believers, the ones who believed that the Messiah had come, to respond to the hard-edged tactics of those Jews who didn’t believe and who wanted the teaching suppressed? We can see that the brothers and sisters considered it important to “keep the peace”. Paul was assisted in his travel to a new destination and meanwhile Timothy and Silas remained. They were not as controversial as the former pharisee. Teaching continued but the civil tension was avoided with Paul’s exit. Paul waited in Athens, expecting them to join him shortly, presumably when they had finished their own work. They were learning to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves (Matthew 10:16) as Jesus had prophetically taught.