Now that I have a blog, I have a public venue where I can voice some of insights in Scripture that the Lord has given through my study of Scriptures. We often hear that we are to be like the Berean Christians because they searched the Scriptures daily to see if the things that Paul said were so. As Luke says, the Bereans were “more noble” than the Thessalonians. Because this is the common way to understand this passage, ministries and churches use “Berean” in their name, desiring to promote such a spirit among the believers. Of course, this is an extremely honorable and godly goal. However, it is based on a misreading of the passage.
If you read Acts 17:1-13, you will note first of all that Paul followed his normal pattern of beginning his ministry in a new city by presenting truth in the synagogue. In Thessalonica Paul reasoned for three Sabbaths, “explaining” and “giving evidence” to the Jews. Though some Jews were persuaded, most of the Jews apparently were not, so they stirred up things to such an extent that Paul and his company had to leave.
When Paul entered the synagogue in Berea, on the other hand, he was met with a more sympathetic crowd. The Jews in the synagogue were “more noble-minded”, in that they showed “a willingness to learn and evaluate something fairly” (Louw and Nida’s definition of the Greek word behind “noble-minded”). When Paul presented the two key truths of the gospel (that according to the OT the Messiah had to suffer and rise again, and that Jesus of Nazareth is that Messiah), the Berean Jews were willing to listen to Paul’s teaching and then examine the OT to see if it was in fact true. Because they were willing to go through this process, they were confronted with truth and came to believe it. Verse 12 says that many Jews were converted.
The key verse that supposedly talks about the Berean Christians is v. 11. Clearly, this verse is speaking about the Berean Jews and compares them with the Thessalonian Jews, who incidentally pursued Paul to Berea and stirred up the crowds there as well. In other words, the ones who examined the Scriptures daily were Jews at the time and were not believers.
This week in my devotions I was struck by another insight about this issue that also gives further clarity. This “Be Like the Bereans” teaching is an implicit “degradation” (can’t think of a better word) of the Thessalonian Christians, because supposedly they were not as noble-minded as the Berean Christians. I don’t think anyone would say this explicitly, but this is basically what they are saying implicitly. But as I read 1 Thessalonians, I am struck by Paul’s praise for them by the way in which they received his preaching as the Word of God, not just as the word of men. The Holy Spirit clearly came with power as Paul preached the gospel to them. Therefore, I think I would be very content to “be like the Thessalonians.”
Having said all this, I will clarify by saying that we all should be those who examine the Scriptures as we hear preaching, because we want to be assured that we are hearing truth (and because we want to act on it if it is in fact truth). But I don’t think we should use Acts 17:11 to teach it, at least, not if we want to teach the exact truths of Scripture.
In conclusion, I want to testify to how much the Lord has impressed on my heart recently the power of truth. I remember being struck by this truth when I was reading Judson’s testimony about converting from a Congregationalist to a Baptist. He and his wife (in spite of her protests) were exposed to the truth about baptism and changed their convictions, in spite of their own personal inclinations and the difficult results that they would have to face (having to break ties with their Congregational co-missionaries and churches back home).
Of course, there are truths in Scripture that are even clearer than mode of baptism–the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and many other orthodox teachings. I hope I never underestimate the power of truth if it is just taught simply and clearly. God’s Spirit can accomplish amazing works in such a situation.
I praise the Lord for giving me opportunities to proclaim the truth on deputation. I had a good meeting in Crossingville on Wed with a small group of believers and then with a little larger group in Enola last night. It was a joy to preach a message on Matt. 4:4 that I have given numerous times before on deputation. I get to sit under preaching this evening at the missions conference and will be able to minister one more time in SS tomorrow morning. Then I have a week of no meetings before I minister again in Kittanning on Oct. 25.
