Turning the World Upside Down

Acts 17:1-15

Main Idea: Luke briefly records Paul’s stops in Thessalonica and Berea, and both stories give us some important lessons about how to receive and teach the Scriptures.

1. The Word Taught and Received in Thessalonica (17:1-9)
   1. Establish a point of contact with people (17:1-2a).
   2. Expound the Scriptures for people (17:2b-4).
      1. Christocentrically
      2. Boldly
      3. Intelligently
      4. With personal integrity
   3. Expect various responses from people (17:4-9).
2. The Word Taught and Received in Berea (17:10-15)
   1. The Bereans studied the Scriptures openly.
   2. The Bereans studied the Scriptures eagerly.
   3. The Bereans studied the Scriptures carefully.
   4. The Bereans studied the Scriptures daily.
   5. Result 1: Conversions
   6. Result 2: Conflict

Someone once offered me a job by saying, “Tony, I want to change the world. And I want you to help me.” That sounded like a great goal, but it wasn’t unachievable. Not in that case.

Some think talk of world change is triumphalistic, idealistic, and naive. They believe the world is fine the way it is. Comedian Stephen Colbert, in a parody of the traditional commencement address, told Princeton grads, “You can change the world. . . . Please don’t do that, OK? Some of us like the way things are going now” (Mulvihill, “Stephen Colbert”). And while others may admire the idea of changing the world, they are too complacent to go about it.

Christians, though, are expected to be a part of a Christ-centered, kingdom-advancing movement. We are to give ourselves over to impacting the nations for Christ’s sake. We, like the missionaries of Acts, should be dedicated to influencing world change.

This idea is at work in Acts 17. According to verse 6, Paul and his mission team had already “turned the world upside down” by the time they reached Thessalonica. New Testament Professor C. Kavin Rowe titles his work on Acts World Upside Down, and I believe that’s an apt title for the book of Acts as a whole. Rowe writes, “Acts narrates the formation of a new culture” (ibid., 140).

In the first half of Acts 17, we see the primary way they went about upending the world: they proclaimed Christ, not Caesar, as King. The preaching and teaching of the Christ-centered Scriptures impacted the world in a big way because if Jesus is Lord—and he is—then everything changes.

In this section we find the Word of the Lord spreading into two more cities. In Thessalonica and Berea King Jesus was proclaimed, embraced, and exalted. John Stott comments on the centrality of Scripture in these short stories:

Luke chronicles the Thessalonian and Berean missions with surprising brevity. Yet one important aspect of them, to which he seems to be drawing his readers’ attention, is the attitude to the Scriptures adopted by both speaker and hearers. (Message of Acts, 274; emphasis added)

Indeed, these passages provide a wonderful example of how to teach and receive the Scriptures faithfully. We have already noted some unique strengths of Paul’s teaching; what’s particularly exciting about these stops is the way the churches received the Scriptures. Their willingness welcomed whatever changes God desired.

Many today speak of the need to be “Berean Christians”—that is, Christ followers who carefully examine what’s being taught rather than just accepting everything that a teacher says. In light of the fact that many Western Christians spend little time in the Word and are largely dependent on hearing one sermon a week in order to receive biblical training, a “Berean revival” could be wonderfully helpful.

In time Paul would commend the Thessalonians for their exemplary reception of the Scriptures, too:

We constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works effectively in you who believe. (1 Thess 2:13; cf. 1:6)

Both the Berean and Thessalonian churches, then, have much to teach us—particularly in terms of how we should hear, consider, and obey God’s Word.

To visit Thessalonica, Paul and his mission team first travel about a hundred miles southwest from Philippi. Due to opposition, the mission in Thessalonica gets cut short, so the team travels onward about fifty miles west to Berea. Accounts of ministry in these two cities are brief. In fact, we find out much of what can be known about the church in Thessalonica from Paul’s letters to them. Despite the brevity of the visits, however, helpful applications and needed inspiration for Scripture-saturated, Christ-exalting ministry exists within these passages.

The Word Taught and Received in Thessalonica

Acts 17:1-9

Following the Via Egnatia, the interstate of the ancient world, the missionaries passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. Even though Amphipolis was a prominent city, Paul was eager to get to Thessalonica, which was an important seaport in Paul’s day and remains so now. Thessalonica, capital of the province of Macedonia, was the second largest city in Greece; it boasted an estimated population of two hundred thousand.

Let’s consider four applications for gospel ministry from this passage.

Establish a Point of Contact with People (17:1-2a)

Paul’s first point of contact is made, as usual, in the Jewish synagogue. This move was theological, as we have noted, but it was also practical. Paul engages the congregation there for three consecutive Sabbaths. He encountered Jews and God-fearing Gentiles who were familiar with religious things, including the Old Testament.

Paul’s habit of finding a quick way to connect with those in a new location should make us identify points of contact within our own neighborhoods and cities. Often Christians find that serving the city provides a great way to make connections leading to gospel conversations. Volunteering at a youth center, a homeless shelter, a tutoring program, in a home for the abused, in crisis pregnancy centers, or at a local school can lead to wonderful opportunities for sharing the gospel. Doing so demonstrates neighbor love; it demonstrates care for the whole person. Similarly, coaching sports provides a great way to get to know players and parents and to win opportunities to speak truth into their lives. Hosting events in our homes—book clubs, Bible studies, or barbecues—can lead to wonderful chances to talk about Jesus, too. Even taking walks in your neighborhood or frequenting the same restaurants your neighbors do can provide you with ways to connect with people so that you can have gospel conservations with them. The idea is to work, play, and enjoy life with gospel intentionality.

Expound the Scriptures for People (17:2b-4)

Paul’s approach involved the consistent exposition of Scripture in the synagogue. First and foremost Paul did this Christocentrically. As Jesus did with the disciples on the Emmaus road, Paul set before his hearers this message: it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead (vv. 2-3; Luke 24:26). Jesus’s disciples couldn’t see this truth until the Savior opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-46). Paul, then, knew he needed Jesus to open the Thessalonians’ eyes to this fundamental truth as well. We don’t know what texts Paul presented—maybe Psalms 16 or 22 or Isaiah 53—but we do know Paul didn’t merely teach facts about the Bible; he shared its story line, which climaxes in the person and work of Jesus.

A lot of people know stories from the Bible, but they don’t know the story line of Scripture. So, as we have opportunity, let’s tell people about the greatest story in the world. Let’s show them the flow of redemptive history and Jesus Christ, the Redeemer who died on behalf of sinners in order to reconcile them to God.

Paul also expounded the Scriptures boldly. As the apostle showed this suffering-to-glory agenda in the Bible, he affirmed, “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah” (v. 3). Paul made the hero of the Bible, Jesus, the hero of every message. He taught about Jesus’s nature, life, death, resurrection, ascension, reign, and coming kingdom. Doing this took incredible courage. Paul had experienced great persecution from the Jews for doing just this kind of Christ-exalting exposition, yet he won’t stop exalting Jesus as the Messiah! The man was willing to endure countless afflictions for proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.

Reflecting on his ministry at Thessalonica, Paul commented on his trials and God-given boldness:

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result. On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our Godto speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. (1 Thess 2:1-2; emphasis added)

In our modern age of so-called tolerance and increasing hostility toward Christianity, we need to ask the Lord to give us this holy boldness to speak the gospel faithfully.

Paul also expounded the Scriptures intelligently. I don’t mean to suggest that he taught in an academic way; rather, he used a judicious, thoughtful, and logical approach. I draw this from the verbs in verses 2-4: reason, explain, prove, proclaim, andpersuade (Stott, Message of Acts, 247). Paul is reasoning from the Scriptures to make his arguments. He’s not using the Bible in a superficial or mystical way. Instead, he is speaking rationally, logically, and cogently to his audience. The writer of Proverbs underlines the power of well-prepared, thoughtful teaching: “The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth; it adds learning to his speech” (Prov 16:23).

Evangelicals often have an anti-intellectual spirit, but we shouldn’t. While we should always bathe our work in prayer, we need to observe Paul’s approach carefully. Paul helped people think about the Bible—to consider what it meant, what it implies, and how it all points to Jesus. When doing Scripture-driven evangelism, don’t leave your brain at home—and don’t expect your hearers to, either.

It sometimes takes a long time for some people to be persuaded that the good news is true and applicable to them. So be patient. Be winsome. Hear unbelievers’ questions. Answer them kindly, in a way that’s faithful to the Bible and effective in communication.

Paul lived an exemplary life in front of the people. It’s important that we also expound the Scriptures with personal integrity. After commenting on his God-glorifying motivations and his loving pastoral care in 1 Thessalonians 2:3-9, Paul reminds the believers of his godly lifestyle, including his hard work in both manual labor and in ministry of the Word:

For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers. As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to live worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thess 2:9-12)

Paul didn’t say these things to brag but to defend his ministry in Thessalonica. He was assuring the church that he and his coworkers had acted in conformity with both God’s law and human law while they were in Thessalonica. They hadn’t “defied Caesar’s decrees.” They weren’t lawbreakers. They weren’t rebels. They weren’t greedy moneymakers. Instead, they were role models who set an example of what it looks like to obey God. By reminding the church of this fact, Paul was also instructing the believers on how they should live out God’s Word.

Paul’s life illustrated his teaching; his teaching explained his life. We must constantly evaluate both our lives and our teaching for our good and for the good of others (1 Tim 4:16).

Expect Various Responses from People (17:4-9)

Some Jews “joined” Paul and Silas, and a large number of God-fearing Greeks believed. A number of “leading women” also believed. John Polhill says,

That Luke singled out the influential female converts in the Macedonian congregations (cf. 16:14 and 17:12) is very much in keeping with inscriptional evidence that in Macedonia women had considerable social and civic influence. (Acts, 360–61)

We should be encouraged here. God still converts people through faithful, Christ-exalting exposition. Trust in the power of the gospel and proclaim it!

The conversion of so many made many Jews “jealous” (v. 5), something that had also happened in Pisidian Antioch (13:45; cf. 5:17). The disgruntled Jews recruited some thugs in order to stimulate public outrage against Paul and Silas. They stormed the house of Jason, who had opened his home as a gathering place for the new church and had extended hospitality to Paul and Silas. When the attackers couldn’t find the missionaries (Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 321), they attacked Jason and other brothers and brought them out before the crowd (cf. 1 Thess 2:14-15).

The mob leveled three charges against the Christians. First, they essentially called Paul and Silas troublemakers (v. 6). Second, they condemned Jason for harboring the pair. And third, they declared that the men were acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees. This was untrue, but it was a strategic ploy. Rebellion against Caesar was pure treason. The mob believed that, in saying Jesus was King, Paul and Silas defied Caesar. This, John Polhill points out, was virtually the same charge leveled at Jesus in Luke 23:2-4 and John 19:12,15 (Acts, 362).

James Boice clarifies that instead of turning the world upside down as charged, Paul and Silas were actually setting it right (Acts, 290). They did affirm Jesus as the King, but Jesus’s rule dictated not revolution against Rome but respectful submission to human rulers (Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 214). Accusations stemmed from jealousy over the fact that the Gentiles were becoming Christians rather than Jews. The opponents couldn’t refute Paul’s arguments, so they resorted to mob violence.

The city officials were disturbed but responded to the charges with caution (v. 8). It’s possible they were aware of the events in Philippi and didn’t want to commit a similar embarrassing error (Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 214). They forced Jason to post bond, depositing money that would be forfeited if there were any more disturbance. That meant Paul and Silas had to go. During the night the brothers sent Paul and Silas (along with Timothy) fifty miles west to Berea.

Thus, the team was “forced to leave” the believers and would later long to return to see them (1 Thess 2:17-19). The team would make plans to revisit the believers but encountered Satanic opposition in the process (1 Thess 2:18). Nevertheless, they did send Timothy back to the church to encourage them in the faith (1 Thess 3:1-2), and they continued praying earnestly for the church (1 Thess 3:10). Paul had a deep pastoral love for these believers.

James Boice lists five results of Paul’s Christ-exalting exposition in Thessalonica, based on Paul’s later assessment of the experience (Acts, 291):

1. The preaching was blessed by God (1 Thess 1:5).
2. The people received God’s Word eagerly (1 Thess 2:13).
3. The believers tried to model their Christian lives after Paul (1 Thess 1:6).
4. They became models themselves (1 Thess 1:7).
5. The church at Thessalonica became a missionary church (1 Thess 1:8).

This, then, was a worthwhile trip! May the Lord grant us a measure of this fruitfulness as we make known the Word of Christ and the Christ of the Word.

The Word Taught and Received in Berea

Acts 17:10-15

Paul traveled about fifty miles to Berea at night. The journey would have taken about three nights to complete. Luke records Paul’s visit with great brevity, noting the Bereans’ devotion to the Word. As usual, Paul starts off in the synagogue proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. The response of the Bereans to the teaching of the Scriptures is exemplary. Notice four commendable qualities in their actions.

The Bereans Studied the Scriptures Openly

Verse 11 says the Bereans were more “noble” than the Thessalonians. On this John Polhill comments,

He [Luke] used a word (eugenesteros) that originally meant high born but came to have a more general connotation of being open, tolerant, generous, having the qualities that go with “good breeding.” Nowhere was this more evident than in their willingness to take Paul’s scriptural exposition seriously. (Acts, 363)

The Bereans, then, had a teachable attitude. Their hearts were open, not hardened. Here is the first step in becoming a student of the Bible: approach God’s Word with humility, saying, “Teach me, oh God.” Psalm 119 is filled with similar cries (e.g., vv. 12,18,27,33-36,66,125). James told the Christians, “Ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (Jas 1:21; emphasis added).

The Bereans Studied the Scriptures Eagerly

These Berean citizens were serious about what they were learning. Peter urged Christians to study the Bible with the same “eagerness” and passion a baby has for milk:

Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Pet 2:2-3)

Oh, that churches would be filled with people longing more for biblical food than for Sunday-morning cotton-candy entertainment, funny stories, and pithy anecdotes! May God grant us a Berean appetite for the Scriptures.

The Bereans Studied the Scriptures Carefully

Luke also commends the Bereans for their spiritual discernment. They weren’t gullible. They listened to Paul and then proceeded to do their own homework. They examined Paul’s claims about the Messiah to see whether they were true. It’s easy to be drawn in by a charismatic teacher. Paul, in fact, rebuked the Galatians for accepting the false gospel of false teachers rather than weighing their messages against the Word. The Bereans provide us a positive example of examining what is being taught (cf. 1 Tim 4:1-5; 6:2-10; 2 Tim 3:1-9; 2 Pet 2:1-22; 1 John 2:18-27; Jude 3-23).

The Bereans Studied the Scriptures Daily

This group of people did more than study the Bible on the Sabbath. They met every day (cf. Acts 2:42-47). Because Paul’s claims had eternal ramifications, they spent time pondering them daily.

What were the results of doing so?

Result 1: Conversions

As a side effect of such devotion to Paul’s teaching, many of the Bereans believed (v. 12; cf. John 5:39-40). Not only did many Jews believe but many Greeks as well—not just men but Greek women of high standing (cf. Acts 2:18; 5:14; 9:2,36-42; 12:12-17; 16:13-15; 17:34; 18:18-26). Thus, a church in Berea was born.

Let this passage encourage you if you are a Bible teacher. Not everyone will be changed when you teach, but the seed of the Word will bear fruit in some hearers’ lives.

Result 2: Conflict

Unfortunately, the great movement among the Bereans was disrupted because Jews from Thessalonica traveled to Berea, stirring up a mob against Paul (v. 13). This isn’t the first time we have read of such hostility, and it won’t be the last (cf. 16:20-21; 17:6-7; 19:40; 1 Kgs 18:17-18). Apparently Paul was the main object of persecution since Silas and Timothy didn’t leave town when he did (v. 14). They stayed and strengthened the new congregation as the “brothers and sisters” sent Paul off by sea. Paul eventually ends up in Athens where he engages another audience with the gospel (v. 15).

The Word of God is central in these stories. Paul and his companions turned the world upside down by turning the Word loose! Keep teaching and learning the Christ-centered Scriptures, and ask God to use you to change neighborhoods and nations for the glory of King Jesus.

Reflect and Discuss

1. In what ways might you establish new points of contact in your community?
2. What can we learn about expounding the Scriptures from Paul’s example in Thessalonica?
3. Take some time to read 1 Thessalonians. What strikes you about what Paul says regarding the Thessalonians’ heart for the Word? What about Paul’s attitude toward the Thessalonians resonates with you?
4. Why do you think some of the Jews were jealous?
5. How does the story of Paul’s trip to Thessalonica encourage you? How does it challenge you?
6. What does it mean to live as if “there is another King, Jesus”?
7. How did the Bereans study the Scriptures?
8. What challenges you the most about the Berean approach to God’s Word? What might happen if churches today developed the same habits?
9. How does the Berean visit encourage you?
10. In light of these two stories, take a few moments to pray for those who teach in your congregation and for those who hear the Scriptures.