Acts 17:10-15 And the brothers immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.… are types of those — I. WHOSE KINDS ARE OPEN TO RECEIVE NEW TRUTHS. To the Berean Jews Paul's propositions were as novel and naturally unpalatable as they were to the Thessalonians, but they did not refuse to examine them. Such openness of mind is equally removed from the ignorant bigotry that assumes acquaintance with all truth, and the vacillating uncertainty which is "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," and consequently is "tossed about with every wind of doctrine." II. WHO ARE IN NO HASTE TO CONCLUDE THAT WHAT IS NEW IS TRUE. The Bereans did not rashly and impulsively embrace Paul's teaching; they carefully considered it — prepared to accept or reject it, according as it stood the test of examination. III. WHO TRY ALL HUMAN TEACHING BY THE DECLARATIONS OF GOD'S WORD. Lessons: 1. Doctrines are not to be rejected merely because they are unpalatable. God's Word must be unpalatable to sinful hearts, just as sunlight is to diseased eyes. 2. In studying Scripture we must carefully guard against prepossessions and prejudices. 3. We must steadily reject the idea that we have learned all that the Scriptures teach. It is possible to pass an object ten thousand times without really seeing it. God has yet more light to break forth from His Holy Word. 4. A diligent and candid study of the Scriptures will lead to faith in Jesus as the Christ. (R. A. Bertram.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. |
    |