Welcome to Acts 

Acts 17 highlights Paul's continued commitment to The Great Commission, showcasing his adaptable yet uncompromising approach to Teaching About Jesus and the Gospel across varied cultural and intellectual landscapes, often encountering significant Christianity Accepted and Opposed. In Thessalonica, Paul, following his usual custom, preaches in the synagogue for three Sabbaths, reasoning from the Scriptures that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that Jesus is this Messiah. Some Jews and a large number of God-fearing Greeks, along with prominent women, believe. However, envious Jews stir up a mob, accusing Paul and Silas of disturbing the peace and proclaiming another king, Jesus. This opposition forces Paul and Silas to flee, demonstrating the consistent resistance faced by the spreading Gospel.

From Thessalonica, Paul and Silas proceed to Berea, where they find a remarkably different response. The Berean Jews are commended as "more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). This diligent scrutiny leads many of them to believe, including prominent Greek women and men. This passage offers a powerful model of healthy skepticism and intellectual engagement with the Teaching About Jesus and the Gospel, guided by a commitment to Prophecy Fulfillment within the Scriptures. Nevertheless, Jewish agitators from Thessalonica pursue them, forcing Paul to continue to Athens while Silas and Timothy remain.

In Athens, Paul's spirit is provoked by the city's pervasive idolatry. He engages in daily discussions in the synagogue, the marketplace, and finally, at the Areopagus, where he confronts Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Paul's sermon on the Areopagus is a masterclass in contextualized apologetics. He identifies an altar "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD" as a springboard, introducing them to the God who is creator of heaven and earth, who does not dwell in temples made by hands, and who sustains all life. He challenges their philosophical presuppositions by asserting God's sovereignty, calling them to repent and believe in the resurrected man whom God appointed to judge the world, providing assurance by raising Him from the dead. This bold proclamation of Teaching About Jesus and the Gospel, particularly the resurrection, elicits diverse reactions: some mock, some defer, but a few, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, believe. Acts 17 thus encapsulates the intellectual and spiritual challenges of expanding The Great Commission to the heart of Gentile philosophy, highlighting the Holy Spirit's Role in enabling Paul to bridge vast cultural divides for the sake of the Gospel.