17:1 Paul, Silas, Timothy, and perhaps others left Philippi and headed southwest on the Egnatian Road. Luke evidently stayed in Philippi since he again described Paul's party as "they"instead of "we"(cf. 20:5-6). Paul and Silas probably stayed overnight in Amphipolis, which is 33 miles (a day's journey by horse) along the Egnatian Way. It stood at the mouth of the Strymon River. The next day they travelled another 27 miles farther to Apollonia. Another day of travel farther west on the Via Egnatia took them to Thessalonica (modern Salonika) on the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea.695Luke recorded more information concerning their ministry in Thessalonica where they stayed for some time. Thessalonica was the chief city and capital of Macedonia. As such is was a strategic center for the evangelization of the Balkan peninsula (cf. 1 Thess. 1:7-8).
17:2-3 Paul evidently spoke in the synagogue only three Sabbath days (cf. 13:5, 14; 14:1), but he seems to have stayed longer in Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thess. 4:1; 2 Thess. 2:5). We know he supported himself there by making tents (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:7-10), and the Philippians sent two monetary gifts to him there (Phil. 4:15-16). Perhaps he ministered primarily to Jews the first three weeks and then turned to the Gentiles.
Luke described Paul's method of evangelizing in Thessalonica as reasoning (Gr. dielexato, cf. v. 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8-9; 24:25) from the Scriptures, explaining (dianoigon), giving evidence (proving, paratithemenos), and proclaiming (katangello). These terms imply that Paul dealt carefully with his hearers' questions and doubts. He showed that the facts of gospel history confirmed what the Scriptures predicted. His subject was Jesus whom Paul believed was the Christ. His Jewish hearers needed convincing that their Scriptures taught that Messiah would suffer death and rise from the grave (cf. 3:18; 13:30, 34; Luke 24:13-27; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Paul used the Old Testament to prove that Jesus was the Messiah (Christ).
"Interpretation of the Scriptures plays a key role in Paul's message (17:2, 11)."696
17:4 Paul's reasoning persuaded (epeisthesan) some in the synagogue services (cf. 26:28; 28:23). His converts seem to have been mainly Gentiles (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9) many of whom were God-fearers (cf. 10:4; 13:43; 16:14), but some of them were Jews. Jason (v. 5), Aristarchus (Col. 4:10), and Secundus (20:4) appear to have been among these new believers. The "leading women"could have belonged to the upper classes or they may have been the wives of leading men of the city.697In either case the gospel had an impact on the leadership level of society in Thessalonica.
17:5 The Jews treated Paul harshly here as they had in Galatia (13:45, 50; 14:2, 19) because they were again jealous of the popularity and effectiveness of his message.
"Loungers of the type employed here by the Jews to attack Paul and Silas were common in the agora or forum of Graeco-Roman cities. They invariably assembled around the rostrum where an orator was speaking, and applauded or heckled according to who paid them . . ."698
Jason was evidently Paul's host in Thessalonica as Lydia had been in Philippi (16:15, 40).699
17:6-7 The Jewish antagonists charged the missionaries with revolutionary teaching, namely that another king, Jesus, would rule and reign (cf. 1 Thess. 3:13; 5:1-11; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; 2:14).
"Those,' they said, who are upsetting the civilised world have arrived here.' That is one of the greatest compliments which has ever been paid to Christianity. . . . When Christianity really goes into action it must cause a revolution both in the life of the individual and in the life of society."700
The Jews in Jesus' ministry made similar charges, namely that He advocated overthrowing the emperor (Luke 23:2; John 18:33-37). These Thessalonian Jews also claimed no king but Caesar (cf. John 19:15). Jason was guilty of harboring the fugitives.
Several inscriptions found in Thessalonica describe the rulers of the city as politarchs, the very word Luke used to describe them here (cf. v. 8).701This was a title used only in Macedonia to describe city officials.
"Since the term was unknown elsewhere, the critics of Luke once dismissed it as a mark of ignorance. Sixteen epigraphical examples now exist in modern Salonica, and one is located in the British Museum on a stone which once formed part of an archway. It was evidently the Macedonian term. It was Luke's general practice to use the term in commmonest use in educated circles. Hence he called the officials of Philippi praetors', and an inscription has similarly established the fact that this was a courtesy title given to the magistrates of a Roman colony."702
17:8-9 The city officials could not find the missionaries to bring them to trial. Consequently they made Jason and his friends pay a bond guaranteeing that Paul would cause no further trouble but leave town. If trouble continued, Jason would lose his money. If it did not, he would receive it back. Paul did leave town and wrote to the Thessalonians that Satan hindered his return (1 Thess. 2:18). His inability to return may have been the result of this tactic of his enemies. The Christians, however, carried on admirably for which Paul thanked God (1 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:14-16).
