A Summary of the Events of Acts 17:1-9

From verse 1 of chapter 17 of Acts we read of Paul and Silas, having been in Philippi, they now pass through—verse 1— ‘Amphipolis and Apollonia.’ When they come to ‘Thessalonica, where there is a synagogue of the Jews’. So, we see that the apostle Paul never leaves behind his people…

His focus becomes increasingly on the Gentiles, but he never leaves behind his people. He speaks at the end of the book of Romans about his heart for his people. And here’s an example: when there is a synagogue, when the people of God are gathered, even if they do not yet believe, that is who they are at least in name, the people of God, and therefore they must be reached first. And that’s what Paul does.

We read in verse 2, ‘Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.’ Paul, remember, does have the official accreditation of a rabbi—in fact, he is a Pharisee—so he would have been given a place as someone who had the authority to preach. And what he does is he reasons with them from the Old Testament.

He explains, verse 3, and he proves that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. And he says, verse 3, “This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ”—the anointed one.

We read in verse 4 that some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. There’s a bit of a revival here: wonderful response. But, as is often the case when there is great success with the gospel, there is also great opposition.

And so we read in verse 5, “The Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason.” So Jason’s obviously who was showing hospitality to Paul and Silas here. And they attack his house. They seek to bring Paul and Silas out to the crowd.

But verse 6: they could not find them, so they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also!” Verse 7: “Jason has received them,” they say, “and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Verse 8: “And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.” 9: “And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.”