Act 17:6-7 | KingComments | STEP | The authority with which Paul and Silas spoke is not without result. They spoke the Word with conviction ( ). This made such an impression on three groups of people that they joined Paul and Silas. The first group consists of “some of them”, that is some of the Jews, because in their synagogue they have spoken ( ). The second group is formed by “a large number of the God-fearing Greeks”. These are not proselytes, but worshipers of the God of Israel who adhere to the Noahite covenant. The third group is “a number of the leading women”. Even today, women are often in the majority when it comes to responding to the gospel. This may have to do with the fact that a woman is by her nature more familiar with the suffering in the world. She experiences this personally, for example in giving birth to children to which pain is connected ( ). She also wonders, more than men do, why suffering is in the world and therefore often opens herself to the gospel. Men are more often insensitive to the consequences of sin. After the three groups that joined Paul and Silas, a group that strongly opposes the gospel comes forward. The majority of the Jews does not want the message that Paul brings. As we always see, they reject the gospel and also begrudge others to hear about it. They take along people who hang around – this is the literal meaning of the word “mob” – in the marketplace. These idlers are easily persuaded to cause a popular uproar and bring the city into turmoil. They head for Jason’s house, assuming they will find Paul and Silas there. Apparently Jason has given shelter to both preachers. Their intention is to bring Paul and Silas out to the people, that is to say, to have them sentenced by a people’s assembly. But they do not find Paul and Silas in Jason’s house. In their frustration about this they seize Jason and some brethren and drag them before the city authorities, while shouting against them the accusation they had intended for Paul and Silas. In this way Jason and the brethren share in the persecution for the sake of the gospel because they identified with it because they accommodated Paul and Silas. Luke speaks more often about hospitality ( ). The Lord Jesus expresses His appreciation about it ( ; cf. ; ). The accusation is that they upset the world. Thus they give unintentional testimony of the power of Christendom. At the same time they also say that Christendom is dangerous to the state. Nowadays Christians who are faithful to the Bible are also increasingly confronted with such an accusation. They are quickly called fundamentalists, people who are a danger to society. The uproar of the world – by which is meant the Roman world empire (cf. ) – finds its origin, according to the prosecutors, in the preaching of another king than the emperor: “Jesus”. The word “another” has the meaning of “another of some other kind”, i.e. not of the kind of Caesar. It does not refer to just another person than Caesar, but to Someone Who is different according to His Being. If it is Someone Who has all authority in heaven and on earth, He is the greatest imaginable threat to the empire. We see here, just like when the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, that it is about the contrast between Christ and the Roman Empire, which will also be seen in the end time. The Jews still prefer to acknowledge the emperor as their king rather than accept Jesus as their King. After all, they already told Pilate that they had no king but Caesar ( ). In the end time the apostate people will confirm that choice by accepting the antichrist as their messiah and with him the dictator of the restored Roman Empire ( ; ). The accusation shows that Paul and Silas spoke about the kingship of the Lord Jesus. This kingship is also central in the two letters that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. He mentions it in almost every chapter. The kingship of Christ means that He has a kingdom. That kingdom is not yet public on earth, but it is present. It is present in the hearts of those who acknowledge Him as Lord over their life ( ). However, it will also be openly established on earth when the Lord Jesus returns from heaven and takes His place on His throne on earth. The first part of the accusation is not justified. Paul and Silas have nowhere acted against the emperor’s decrees. Nowhere Christians are called upon to build the kingdom of God through political activities, but to wait for Him Who will do so. With their actions, the Jews – and not the preachers of the gospel – stir up all those who hear their accusations. Opponents of the gospel never bring peace. Nor can they because the arguments they put forward against the gospel are baseless. Opponents of the gospel never have a clear story, but are vague in their language, no matter how self-confident they may speak. Jason and those who were dragged with him before the city authorities are released after having paid a pledge. There is nothing else to do against them. It seems that they can’t be punished for dealing with the subversive preachers. However, the city authorities do want a guarantee in the form of a pledge to ensure that they will not continue to support these intruders.

‏ Acts 17:6-7

Reactions on the Preaching

The authority with which Paul and Silas spoke is not without result. They spoke the Word with conviction (1Thes 1:5). This made such an impression on three groups of people that they joined Paul and Silas. The first group consists of “some of them”, that is some of the Jews, because in their synagogue they have spoken (Acts 17:1). The second group is formed by “a large number of the God-fearing Greeks”. These are not proselytes, but worshipers of the God of Israel who adhere to the Noahite covenant. The third group is “a number of the leading women”.

Even today, women are often in the majority when it comes to responding to the gospel. This may have to do with the fact that a woman is by her nature more familiar with the suffering in the world. She experiences this personally, for example in giving birth to children to which pain is connected (Gen 3:16). She also wonders, more than men do, why suffering is in the world and therefore often opens herself to the gospel. Men are more often insensitive to the consequences of sin.

After the three groups that joined Paul and Silas, a group that strongly opposes the gospel comes forward. The majority of the Jews does not want the message that Paul brings. As we always see, they reject the gospel and also begrudge others to hear about it. They take along people who hang around – this is the literal meaning of the word “mob” – in the marketplace. These idlers are easily persuaded to cause a popular uproar and bring the city into turmoil.

They head for Jason’s house, assuming they will find Paul and Silas there. Apparently Jason has given shelter to both preachers. Their intention is to bring Paul and Silas out to the people, that is to say, to have them sentenced by a people’s assembly. But they do not find Paul and Silas in Jason’s house.

In their frustration about this they seize Jason and some brethren and drag them before the city authorities, while shouting against them the accusation they had intended for Paul and Silas. In this way Jason and the brethren share in the persecution for the sake of the gospel because they identified with it because they accommodated Paul and Silas. Luke speaks more often about hospitality (Acts 16:15 ; Acts 18:3 ; Acts 21:16). The Lord Jesus expresses His appreciation about it (Mt 25:38-40; cf. 1Pet 4:9; 3Jn 1:5-8).

The accusation is that they upset the world. Thus they give unintentional testimony of the power of Christendom. At the same time they also say that Christendom is dangerous to the state. Nowadays Christians who are faithful to the Bible are also increasingly confronted with such an accusation. They are quickly called fundamentalists, people who are a danger to society. The uproar of the world – by which is meant the Roman world empire (cf. Lk 2:1) – finds its origin, according to the prosecutors, in the preaching of another king than the emperor: “Jesus”.

The word “another” has the meaning of “another of some other kind”, i.e. not of the kind of Caesar. It does not refer to just another person than Caesar, but to Someone Who is different according to His Being. If it is Someone Who has all authority in heaven and on earth, He is the greatest imaginable threat to the empire. We see here, just like when the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, that it is about the contrast between Christ and the Roman Empire, which will also be seen in the end time.

The Jews still prefer to acknowledge the emperor as their king rather than accept Jesus as their King. After all, they already told Pilate that they had no king but Caesar (Jn 19:15b). In the end time the apostate people will confirm that choice by accepting the antichrist as their messiah and with him the dictator of the restored Roman Empire (Rev 13:11; Rev 13:1).

The accusation shows that Paul and Silas spoke about the kingship of the Lord Jesus. This kingship is also central in the two letters that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. He mentions it in almost every chapter. The kingship of Christ means that He has a kingdom. That kingdom is not yet public on earth, but it is present. It is present in the hearts of those who acknowledge Him as Lord over their life (Rom 14:17). However, it will also be openly established on earth when the Lord Jesus returns from heaven and takes His place on His throne on earth.

The first part of the accusation is not justified. Paul and Silas have nowhere acted against the emperor’s decrees. Nowhere Christians are called upon to build the kingdom of God through political activities, but to wait for Him Who will do so.

With their actions, the Jews – and not the preachers of the gospel – stir up all those who hear their accusations. Opponents of the gospel never bring peace. Nor can they because the arguments they put forward against the gospel are baseless. Opponents of the gospel never have a clear story, but are vague in their language, no matter how self-confident they may speak.

Jason and those who were dragged with him before the city authorities are released after having paid a pledge. There is nothing else to do against them. It seems that they can’t be punished for dealing with the subversive preachers. However, the city authorities do want a guarantee in the form of a pledge to ensure that they will not continue to support these intruders.