In Thessalonica—Proclaiming Jesus Christ as security and safety taken away from Believers.

Acts 17:1-9

• Map showing where Thessalonica is.
• Paul describes Jesus and His resurrection from the Old Testament.
• Population riled up against the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Believers accused of harboring other Christians against the will of governing authorities.
• Security and safety taken away from Believers.

Map showing where Thessalonica is.
“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.” Acts 17:1

Paul and his companions had just been at Philippi, as described in Acts 16:11-40 [circled in red on the map below]. They went through Amphipolis, Apollonia, and then came to Thessalonica [circled in yellow on the map below]. In Thessalonica, there was a Jewish synagogue, and the events surrounding the hostility towards the preaching of the Good News was connected to the Jewish community there.

Paul describes Jesus from the Old Testament and His resurrection.
“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” Acts 17:2-3

The custom of Paul was to visit the Jewish synagogues and to show how Jesus is the Christ, Son of God, and the fulfillment of all of the laws and Prophets of the Old Testament. In the Jewish synagogues, others were allowed to share from the scriptures. The scriptures were only from the Old Testament because the New Testament had not yet been put together. Faith in Jesus Christ came merely by hearing the testimony of Jesus and believing in the heart and confessing by mouth that He is Lord.

As a 1959 “Baby Boomer”, I attended a Church when I was in my 20^s that allowed for a time of testimonies. Anyone could stand up and share with the congregation about their life with Jesus Christ. This was also a time when people spoke openly about Christ who died on the Cross to atone for sin, was resurrected from the grave after three days, and who gives eternal life to whoever believes. Our testimony was, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 

In the days of Paul, the Old Testament was the entire of word of God [Except Jesus was the word made flesh, and faith came by hearing His testimony]. If Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Scriptures would verify that, so Paul used the Old Testament Scriptures to show how Christ is the fulfillment of all Prophecy. The New Testament is filled with quotes from the Old Testament to prove Jesus is the Christ and Savior of the world. The “scarlet cord” is a phrase referring to the Old Testament Scriptures pointing to Jesus as the Christ. Today, the Old and New Testament has become the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Examples of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Old Testament include Psalms 22 and
Isaiah 53. “But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me.” Hosea 6:7 The covenant was that God would send his Son Jesus Christ to bring eternal Salvation, but the Jewish leaders conspired to kill Him. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you will come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2 Jesus Christ is the eternal Savior, born in Bethlehem and King of all kings.

Our Lord Jesus spoke of how Moses wrote of Him, Jesus said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46 Paul also referred to Christ as been the Rock mentioned in the Old Testament from which the Water of Life sprung forth, “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” 1 Corinthians 10:4-5

Philip said, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth…” John 1:45-46

Population riled up against the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.” Acts 17:4-5

The Jewish people gathered a mob of wicked men to start an uproar against anyone connected to the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In today’s atheistic culture, an uproar has been started against belief in God, they fight against the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and they oppose the presence of the Holy Spirit. They are being led by the entity that gives them what to speak, do, feel, and think. This entity enlivens the image of the beast to speak and live through people and by what they say and do they make war against the Gospel of Christ. People are being groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

Christians are attacked from all angles of their natural senses. We are given bad things to see, terrible things to smell, intolerable things to hear, things distasteful in our mouth, and given things to solicit hurtful feelings. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20 On top of that, they are physically aggressive in their quest to intimidate the followers of Christ. Persecution, affliction, and death is happening at the hand of the psychotic “lamb”.

When Paul spoke of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how Jesus was the fulfillment of Prophecy, some believed and some didn’t. A great multitude of the devout Greeks believed. Devout Greeks were Gentiles known as “God-Fearers” who adopted the Jewish customs and laws of Judaism. They would have been very eager to hear how service to God came by faith in Jesus Christ not by obedience to the laws of Judaism. That is why the grace and mercy of God is so important, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” Ephesians 2:8 For this message of grace, mercy, and Salvation, the “Devout Greeks” joined Paul and Silas in the ministry of the testimony of Jesus.

There were also more than a few of the leading women among the “God-Fearers” who also joined Paul and Silas in the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Women played a huge role in the spreading of the Good News, leaders in grounding the Churches, even as Philip had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses, “…Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven , and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.” Acts 21:8-9 “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10

Philip was one of the seven waiters put in charge of a non-profit restaurant type of operation, Acts 6:1-7.

While the “God-Fearers” of the devout Greeks and leading women believed the testimony of Jesus, the Jewish people did not. That is what caused the Jewish people to gather wicked men to cause an uproar against the way of Jesus Christ. In today’s atheistic culture, whenever we attempt to share our born-again experience, there is going to be conflict, arguments, debate, etc. to oppose the seed of the Gospel from reaching good soil. “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude 1:12-13

Jason’s house [his family, his servants, etc.] was attacked by a mob of wicked men, and their intent was to bring them out to the hostility of the Jewish people. Even then, Jason clung to his faith in Jesus Christ and was a huge help to Paul when Paul was imprisoned, as quoted, “Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.” Romans 16:21 As followers of Jesus Christ, we have to remain strong within today’s atheistic culture. They do everything they can to make us feel insecure living for God through Jesus Christ. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be ^[b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

Believers accused of harboring other Christians against the will of governing authorities.
“But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” Acts 17:6-7

The wicked mob, commissioned by the Jewish people, stormed into the house of Jacob looking for Paul and Silas. The Jewish people planned on putting a stop to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because great multitudes were coming to God by faith in Jesus Christ instead of through the laws of Judaism. As described in the previous section of Acts 17:4-5.

After forcefully entering Jason’s house, the wicked mob found no sign of Paul and Silas. As a result, they dragged Jason and other followers of Christ to the rulers of the city. The Jewish people accused Paul and Silas of turning the world upside down and accusing Jason and his companions of harboring Paul and Silas. Those of today’s culture know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to turn their social network upside down. That’s because we dedicate our body as the home of the Holy Spirit, but they want the body to be the home of the entity that governs through their words, feelings, thoughts, and feelings. They serve the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 The “he” in this verse is the “man of sin”. Click here for a post on the “man of sin”

The governing authorities of today’s atheistic culture are there to ensure that the community remains together in the name of the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. If the Gospel of Christ was to be the focus of an uproar in the community, they would use their power and authority to hold those responsible accountable. That is why the manmade churches of today have abandoned the message of the Cross, government lawmakers do not integrate the values of the Bible in their laws and policies, the educational system prohibits the teaching to the Bible in the classrooms, and Christianity is not welcomed in any sector of society.

We who proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior are accused of rejecting the god and king of this world. We reject the governing entity that speaks and lives through people as we desire that Jesus speaks and lives through us by the Holy Spirit. Those of today’s atheistic culture are proclaiming what the Jewish people proclaimed against Paul and Sials, “…these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 

To be a friend of those living for Jesus Christ is to be known by today’s culture as those who are harboring Christians. That is an unspoken rule today, which is progressing into an overt rule, that friendship with Jesus Christ is an enemy of the mainstream community family. They are looking for the influencers over the body of Christ, looking for those who are responsible for spreading the Good News about Jesus. We Christians turn their world upside down because we believe Jesus who said, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4

Security and safety taken away from Believers.
“And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.” Acts 17:8-10

The Jewish people troubled the crowd and rulers of the city by saying Paul, Silas, Jason, and other Christians were turning their city upside down and lifting Jesus up as King over Caesar. In today’s culture, the population of the community and community leaders are troubled against Christianity. We believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit within an atheistic culture that serves as their king the entity that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. In response, they seek to take security from us.

Taking security in worldly terms is similar to posting bail and holding Jason responsible for the behavior of Paul and Silas. This would also create a legal paper trail against Jason, Paul, and Silas, as they would have been looked at as legal offenders against the common “good” of the community. In our spiritual warfare, “taking security” has a very different meaning, and our warfare is a spiritual one, not physical, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 “Taking security” would also refer to taking the sense of peace and safety away from Jason for befriending influencers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In today’s culture, security is taken away from those who believe in God. That is done by blaspheming God by proclaiming the entity that has power over physiology to be more powerful than God. Those of today’s culture say, “We can be”, which is another translation of, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:4 Security is taken from the forgiveness of sin we have through Jesus Christ by the entity that gives people what to feel and think. We are made to feel regret, shame, and guilt while thoughts are made to focus on past failures, mistakes, and shortcomings. They come against the security we have in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Our security is being taken away in forms that are documented. At the workplace there are paper trails of infractions and failures, which are always debatable, questionable, and not quite accurate. In the schools there are bad reports, bad grades, etc. to make us look like poor students who do not conform to expected standards of performance. With community agencies, our security is taken by making us look oppositional to governing authorities, rules, policies, deadlines etc. Our security is taken by making us unqualified to succeed in an anti-Chrisitan culture. And of course, there are the legal problems that tare documented, whether just an accusation, complaint, or an actual infraction of community interpreted laws.

Security is taken away from parents who are responsible for keeping their children aligned to expected community standards, but a child is rebellious to the unwelcoming community culture and to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Security is taken when we feel and know someone has been into our home while we were away. Security is taken when that piece of documentation we need for a community agency disappears after having it in a secure place for a long time. Security is taken away when we are not able to access people and documents due to internet or phone problems.

Security is taken from health concerns, from meals, from housing/living situations, from social standing, from self-esteem, and from who we are as a person.

Jason was responsible for keeping Paul and Sials from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and responsible for bringing Paul and Silas to the city rulers for their arrest/punishment. Therefore, “…the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.” On the map below, Berea is seen just southwest of Thessalonica.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11