Acts 17:1-9 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:… are types of those — I. WHO REJECT TRUTHS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOVEL AND UNPALATABLE. The propositions that Paul laid down (ver. 2) were novel and unpalatable, and therefore the Jews rejected them. How many today consider it a sufficient reason for rejecting a doctrine (whether of religion, politics, science, etc.) because they have never heard of it before! How many reject truths because they do not like to believe them! But we cannot by unbelief make a truth vanish, any more than we can put out the sun by winking. II. WHO ENDEAVOUR TO SILENCE OPPONENTS BY FORCE. The Jews could not confute Paul by argument, and therefore they stirred up a riot against him. This is still a popular method, though the force employed may be the more refined method of ostracism. A brickbat is not the only method that will break a head. III. WHO STOOP TO BASE ALLIANCES TO ENSURE THEIR TRIUMPH. The Jews did not storm Jason's house, but "market loungers," whom they would not, on ordinary occasions, have touched with a stick, were enlisted. Not the only occasion on which professed defenders of religion have condescended to use dirty tools. IV. WHO ENDEAVOUR TO OVERTHROW OPPONENTS BY MISREPRESENTATION (vers. 6, 7). How clever was this misrepresentation, because there was so much truth in it. V. WHO PURSUE A CONTROVERSY WITH EMBITTERED MALIGNITY. (R. A. Bertram.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: |
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