Whether you’re new to studying the Bible or just looking for a little extra help, a Bible Study Guide For Acts 17 can be a useful resource. This article provides a brief overview of the book of Acts and then discusses a few lessons that we can learn from it.
Acts 17:1-9 God’s work in Thessalonica
During Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica, many problems occurred. In addition to the persecution, the church also came under the influence of false prophets. These prophets led the believers to believe that Christ was returning very soon. This led to confusion and doubt.
Paul warned the believers to beware of false prophets. He also wrote about the practical issues associated with false prophets. This is one reason why Paul wrote two letters to the Thessalonian believers.
Paul’s missionary preaching in Thessalonica focused on the resurrection of the dead and preparation for the coming of the Lord. He also spoke of Jesus as Christ. He pointed out the suffering of Jesus and his resurrection. He also told the believers to hold fast to Christ.
However, some of the Thessalonian believers lost interest in following Christ in the present world. This caused them to be idle and to treat their responsibility to live a godly life as meaningless.
Acts 17:10-15 God’s work in Berea
Several Jewish religious leaders tried to discourage Paul’s evangelistic efforts in Berea. They were particularly jealous of the fact that Gentiles were accepting Jesus as the promised Messiah. They were also concerned that Paul’s message was being diluted by Jewish haters.
While Jewish religious leaders opposed Paul’s missionary efforts in Berea, a number of Bereans were convinced of the truth of the gospel. These Bereans sought to verify the claims of Paul by searching the scriptures. The most common type of convert in Berea was a Gentile.
The Jews of Berea were fair-minded and were more open to the gospel than the Jews of Thessalonica. They were skeptical of the idea that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but were interested in checking the accuracy of Old Testament prophecies.
Acts 17:16-34 God’s work in Athens
During his second missionary journey, Paul visited Athens. This city was the intellectual capital of the world. As a result, Athens had become a center of culture, art, and beauty. However, as a result of their idolatry, the people of Athens were unable to find God.
Paul became deeply disturbed by the amount of idolatry that he saw in Athens. In fact, there were over 30,000 idols in the city. As a result, the citizens of Athens became enslaved by their idols.
As a result of the city’s idolatry, Paul was depressed. As a result, he began to preach the gospel in Athens. This was the first time that he referred to the person of Jesus.
Paul uses the ideas of the Epicureans and Stoics to teach the Athenians about their weaknesses in relating to God. He contrasts the true God with the false gods. He uses the concept of a resurrection for the dead. He also emphasizes that God is above creation.
What lessons we can learn from Acts 17
During this second missionary journey, Paul and Silas are sending to three different cities to preach the gospel. Each city has its own unique reaction to the gospel. Here are some of the lessons that we can learn from these three cities.
The city of Athens is filled with idols. It is also a city that doesn’t understand the message that Paul is preaching. Paul was only there for a short time. But he did find that the people were interested in learning about the new religions. It was also a city where people believed that God was real.
The city of Berea had more open-minded people. They were eager to hear the message of Paul. They also were willing to study the Old Testament. This made them feel that the claims made by the missionaries were true. However, some of the Jews in the city became jealous of their success. They started a mob to stir up the people. They also dragged other Christians to the Roman authorities.
Application
During a visit to Thessalonica, Paul, and Silas decided it was a good time to check out the locals and check out the town hall for themselves. Taking a break from their eccentric tendencies they opted to take in the local brews and beehives. The resulting cocktail proved to be a tamer affair than anticipated. This was a good thing as the locals were more than a little miffed by the plethora of free drinks. The aforementioned night time excursion proved to be the perfect opportunity to lay the foundations for the church of the future. Using a generous security deposit in the form of two of the local brethren, the sand was soon in the bucket. The follow day, day a flurry of new converts were baptized, and Paul and Silas snuck off for the night. This was the genesis of a burgeoning missionary movement that would spawn the likes of Luke and Timothy.
