Two Responses

Acts 17:1-15

v. 6 

These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.

Paul and Silas traveled through Thessalonica where they found the synagogue and began to teach the Scriptures. Paul did this for three days which was their normal plan. Some were persuaded, mainly Greeks and some leading women, but the Jews were jealous! In their tirade they gathered some wicked men and formed a mob setting the city in an uproar. They could not find Paul or Silas so they came to Jason's door, a man who had housed the missionary team. He and some brothers were dragged to the authorities. The charge was that These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. The leaders were disturbed as well until Jason gave them money and were let go. Even those who disbelieve know that Jesus and His followers had truly changed the world. 

Response: Hostile and violent, unresponsive to the gospel except for a few

After being sent away, Paul and Silas went to Berea and immediately went to the Synagogue to teach the Scriptures. These Jews received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many Jews, Greeks and some leading women believed. When the agitators heard about what was happening Berea, they came on a dead run to cause more trouble. Paul was sent away, and Silas and Timothy stayed to teach the people and would later join Paul.

Response: More Noble, responsive to the gospel, not hostile or violent

The Jews in both of these towns were close in distance but world's apart in the responses to the gospel. Although the Greeks and the leading women responded similarly, no doubt because they were not in the Jewish community either. As outcasts they had greater freedom with which to evaluate what was being said. Maybe to some of them the ideas were new and captivating. However, the Jews were blinded by the spirit of the Pharisees and not able to see the true condition of their souls. Deniability might have been one thing, but they swung all the way to violence and rioting using their age-old excuse that Jesus was claiming to be another king and disobeying the decrees of Caesar. The Jews themselves were not ready-on-the-spot Roman citizens, but found this claim a handy excuse when it suited them as they did with Jesus Himself and now again with those proclaiming His message. Jesus Christ is the great divider of the human heart, to believing hearts he is life and light, but to unbelieving hearts he is death and darkness. 

Father,

Thank You for showing me how the human heart needs Jesus. Without Him hearts fall for foolish ideas and those who manipulate those ideas. Keep my eyes open to see such people so that my heart may remain fully Yours and so that I can be light to others. 

In Jesus name,

Amen