PrevActs 17:2Next

Acts 17

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

So Paul departed from among them.

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

What does Acts 17:2 mean?

Explanation

Acts 17:2 recounts the apostle Paul's initial actions upon arriving in a new city, Thessalonica, where he encounters a Jewish synagogue.

As was his custom, he goes to them with the intention of engaging them in discussion and debate about the scriptures concerning the identity and mission of Jesus Christ.

Paul's method involves reasoning with them over the course of three Sabbath days.

This suggests that Paul used the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament) to argue that the prophecies therein were fulfilled in Jesus, thereby presenting the case for Jesus being the promised Messiah.

The verse emphasizes Paul’s commitment to teaching and spreading the Gospel as well as his willingness to engage with the local Jewish community through scriptural exegesis and dialogue.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 17 falls within the account of Paul's second missionary journey (roughly A.D. 49–52) described in the book of Acts.

Jewish synagogues were community centers that served as places of worship and learning.

In these venues, it was customary for visiting teachers to be given the opportunity to speak.

Paul's strategy was to start his mission in these synagogues due to the presence of people who were knowledgeable about the Jewish Scriptures, which he could then point to as foretelling the coming of Christ.

Theological Insights

Christocentric Interpretation: This practice of Paul points to a Christocentric interpretation of the scriptures, where Christ is seen as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
Apologetics: Paul's reasoning in the synagogues can be viewed as an example of early Christian apologetics, defending and proving the Christian faith through debate and scriptural evidence.
Jewish-Christian Relations: Paul's engagement in the synagogues also highlights the relationship between early Christianity and Judaism and the attempts by early Christians to reach out to Jewish communities.

Practical Applications

Engagement with Scripture: This verse encourages Christians to be well-versed in their own scriptures and to use them as a basis for teaching and evangelism.
Respectful Dialogue: Paul's manner of reasoning suggests the importance of engaging in respectful and thoughtful dialogue regarding matters of faith.
Consistency and Persistence: Paul's practice of going to the synagogue "as his manner was" demonstrates the value of consistency and persistence in one's ministry or mission work.

Cross-References

Acts 18:4 - "And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks."
Acts 17:10-11 - "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Isaiah 53 - A chapter in the Old Testament that contains prophecies which Christians believe to be about Jesus Christ.

Language Study

The key phrases in the original Greek text from Acts 17:2 that are worth examining include:

"as his manner was" (κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς): This phrase signifies Paul's habitual practice, indicating that it was his regular custom.
"reasoned" (διελέγετο): Coming from the root "dialegomai", it implies a back-and-forth discussion or debate, not a one-sided lecture.
"three sabbath days" (σάββατα τρία): A time reference indicating three consecutive weeks of engagement.
"out of the scriptures" (ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν): Implies that Paul was using the particular content of the scriptures as the foundation for his argument.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The method of reasoning from sacred texts is not unique to Christianity.

In many religions, scholarly debate and interpretation of holy texts are common.

In Judaism, this takes the form of Midrash and Talmudic study, where rabbis dissect and discuss the Torah and other texts.

In Islam, scholars engage in Tafsir, which is the exegesis of the Quran.

Paul's methods are similar in that they involve deep engagement with scripture and communal discussion about its interpretation.

Scientific Perspectives

While the act of discussing religious texts does not directly intersect with scientific inquiry, the methodologies of critical examination and reasoned debate align with scientific methods.

Both disciplines value evidence, logical reasoning, and the testing of ideas through discussion and critical examination.

Commentaries

Different commentators have various perspectives on Acts 17:2:

John Calvin notes Paul's perseverance in the face of potential hostility and the importance of scripture as the sword of the spirit in teaching.
Matthew Henry emphasizes Paul's custom of going directly to the synagogues to argue that Jesus was the Christ, demonstrating the apostle's zeal and bravery.
William Barclay discusses the significance of the Sabbath as an opportunity for Paul to engage with a concentrated audience of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, thereby maximizing the impact of his teaching.

Acts 17

Acts 17

What does Acts 17:2 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 17:2 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?