Paul and Silas in Thessalonica; Acts 17:1 – 9 Part 3

Church History: Date: A.D. 49-52
He continued to do this three Sabbath days successively. If he could not convince them the first Sabbath, he would try the second and the third. Some of the Jews believed, notwithstanding their rooted prejudices against Christ and his gospel, and they consorted with Paul and Silas: they not only associated with them as friends and companions, but they gave up themselves to their direction, as their spiritual guides; they put themselves into their possession as an inheritance into the possession of the right owner, so the word signifies; they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to them by the will of God, (2Corinthians 8:5). They adhered to Paul and Silas, and attended them wherever they went. Many more of the devout Greeks, and of the chief women, embraced the gospel. These were proselytes of the gate, the godly among the Gentiles (so the Jews called them), such as, though they did not submit to the law of Moses, yet renounced idolatry and immorality, worshipped the true God only. These were admitted to join with the Jews in their synagogue-worship. Of these a great multitude believed, more of them than of the thorough-paced Jews, who were wedded to the ceremonial law. What an honor to Christ, and what great influence it may have upon many, besides the advantages of it to their own souls. No mention is here made of their preaching the gospel to the Gentile idolaters at Thessalonica, and yet it is certain that they did, and that great numbers were converted. It should seem that of the Gentile converts that church was chiefly composed, though notice is not taken of them here; for Paul writes to the Christians there as having turned to God from idols (1Thessalonians 1:9), and that at the first entering in of the apostles among them.

Wherever they preached, they were sure to be persecuted; bonds and afflictions awaited them in every city. The authors of their trouble were the Jews who didn’t believed and were moved with envy. The Jews were in all places the most inveterate enemies to the Christians, especially to those Jews that became Christians. It was against these people that they had a particular spitefulness, as deserters. Now see what that division was which Christ came to send upon earth; some of the Jews believed the gospel and pitied and prayed for those that did not; while those that did not envied and hated those that did. Paul in his epistle to this church takes notice of the rage and enmity of the Jews against the preachers of the gospel, as their measure-filling sin. (1Thessalonians 2:15-16).