Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 17:13
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
13. the word of God ] The Thessalonian Jews would not have termed it so, to such an extent had prejudice and long training in the later Jewish teaching blinded their eyes. When Moses was read there was a vail over their hearts, and they saw not the glory.
and stirred up the people ] In the oldest texts there are two verbs here, “ stirring up and troubling the multitudes.” The first contains the figure of a storm at sea, where all is disturbed down to the very depths, a figure apt enough for the confusion which these men desired to create; the second verb is the same that occurs in Act 17:8, and it is probable from this that the way in which the trouble was produced here was the same as there, by the statement that the Apostles were traitors to the Roman power. (For the figurative language cp. Isa 57:20.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Stirred up the people – The word used here saleuein denotes properly to agitate or excite, as the waves of the sea are agitated by the wind. It is with great beauty used to denote the agitation and excitement of a popular tumult, from its resemblance to the troubled waves of the ocean. The figure is often employed by the Classic writers, and also occurs in the Scriptures. See Psa 65:7; Isa 17:12-13; Jer 46:7-8.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. The Jews of Thessalonica – stirred up the people.] With what implacable malice did these men persecute the Gospel! And in the same spirit they continue to the present day, though it is evidently the sole cause of their wretchedness.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As the waves are stirred with the wind; a fit metaphor to represent the fickle multitude by, that, as the sea, now rolls one way, then another; or as tottering buildings, that shake with every wind.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. the Jews of Thessalonica . . .came thither also“like hunters upon their prey, as theyhad done before from Iconium to Lystra” [HOWSON].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when the Jews of Thessalonica,…. The unbelieving Jews there,
had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea; which they came at, either by persons that came from thence to Thessalonica, or by letters sent them:
they came thither also; as the Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra on a like account, Ac 14:19
and stirred up the people; the common people, the natives of the place, against the apostles; suggesting that they were wicked men, and enemies to all laws, human or divine, civil or religious.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Was proclaimed (). Second aorist passive indicative of , common late verb as in Ac 16:21.
Of Paul ( ). By Paul, of course.
Stirring up and troubling the multitudes ( ). Shaking the crowds like an earthquake (4:31) and disturbing like a tornado (17:8). Success at Thessalonica gave the rabbis confidence and courage. The attack was sharp and swift. The Jews from Antioch in Pisidia had likewise pursued Paul to Iconium and Lystra. How long Paul had been in Beroea Luke does not say. But a church was established here which gave a good account of itself later and sent a messenger (Ac 20:4) with their part of the collection to Jerusalem. This quiet and noble town was in a whirl of excitement over the attacks of the Jewish emissaries from Thessalonica who probably made the same charge of treason against Paul and Silas.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
They that conducted [] . Lit., brought to the spot. Note the different word employed, ch. 14 3 (see note there).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge,” (hos de egnosan hoi apo tes Thessalonikes loudaioi) “Then when the Jews from (up at) Thessalonica came to know or realized,” received the report,
2) “That the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea,” (hoti kai en te Beroia katengele hupo tou Paulou ho logos tou theou) “That the word of God was preached by Paul also in Berea,” as it had been in Thessalonica, as Paul preached to Jew and Gentile wherever he went, Act 20:20-21.
3) “They came hither also,” (eltheo kakei) “They came down to Berea also, of their own accord,” from Thessalonica, with a zeal, but not according to knowledge, Rom 10:2; Act 21:20; Act 22:3; Gal 1:14; Gal 4:17. As also the Jews had done from Antioch and Iconium to Lystra in Asia Minor, Act 14:2; Act 14:5; Act 14:19.
4) “And stirred up the people.” (saleuontes kai tarrasontes tous ochlous) “Shaking up and repeatedly troubling, (inciting) the crowds,” as they had done in Thessalonica, as base rabble-rousers, Christ haters, and persecutors of the church of Jesus Christ, Act 17:5-9; even as Paul did before he became a Christian, Act 26:9-10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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13. And when the Jews. We see how the Jews were carried to and fro with such hatred of the gospel as could never be appeased. For they do not only expel Christ furiously when he is offered unto them at home; but when they hear that he is preached elsewhere, they run thither like mad men. But we must not so much in this place consider the fury of the nation as the desperate malice of Satan, who pricketh forward those which be his to trouble the kingdom of Christ, and to destroy man’s salvation; and he useth them as fans to raise sedition. Wherefore, let us know, that when at this day so many furious enemies do set themselves against the faithful ministers of Christ, it is not men which procure the war, but it is Satan, the father of lying, who doth go about all these things that he may overthrow the kingdom of Christ. ( Joh 8:44.) And though there be not always the same form in fighting and encountering, yet will Satan never cease to make weary those whom he knoweth to serve Christ faithfully, either with open war, or secret lying in wait, or domestical combats.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) They came thither also, and stirred up the people.To the unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica the conversions at Bera were simply a cause of offence. It is apparently with reference to this that St. Paul says of them that they please not God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles (1Th. 2:15).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Stirred up the people Paul would gladly now have returned to visit his dear Thessalonian Church, but “Satan” instigating his Jewish foes, “hindered” him, and he diverges still farther to the southeast.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Berea also, they came there in the same way, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.’
But news of what was happening gradually filtered through to Thessalonica (not immediately. There was time for a period of settled ministry) and those Jews whose hearts had been hardened arranged for the gangs to go to Berea to cause trouble, again seeking to stir up the crowds. They could not bear to think of ‘the word of God’ being proclaimed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 17:13. And stirred up the people. The word , rendered stirred up, signifies primarilyraising a storm. It expresses a violent agitation of the sea, and admirably illustrates the rage and fury of a seditious multitude. Comp. Psa 90:3-4. Isa 17:12-13. Jer 46:7-8.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 17:13-15 . ] is to be connected, not with (so that then the usual attraction would take place; see on Mat 2:22 ), but with for not the coming , but the , had formerly taken place elsewhere.
Act 17:14 . Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away (from the city), that he might journey . Neither here nor elsewhere is redundant, but it indicates the definitely conceived purpose of the direction, which he had to take toward the sea (the Thermaic gulf). See Winer, p. 573 f. [E. T. 771]; Hermann, ad Philoct . 56; Ellendt, lex Soph . II. p. 1004. Others (Beza, Piscator, Grotius, Er. Schmid, Bengel, Olshausen, Neander, Lange) render it: as if toward the sea ; so that, in order to escape the snares, they took the road toward the sea only apparently , and then turned to the land-route. But in that case Luke, if he wished to be understood, would not have failed to add a remark counter to the mere semblance of the . . ., especially as in what follows nothing necessarily points to a Journey by land to Athens. [61]
.] Where Timothy, supposing him to have remained behind at Philippi (see on Act 16:40 ), again fell in with Paul and Silas, is uncertain.
] in Beroea.
Act 17:15 . to bring to the spot ; then, to transport, to escort one . [62] Horn. Od . xiii. 274: (thus also by ship) . Thuc. iv:78, vi:103. 3; Xen. Anal . iv. 8. 8.
. . .] See Act 18:5 , according to which, however, they only joined Paul at Corinth . But this, as regards Timothy, is an incorrect statement, as is clearly evident from 1Th 3:1 , a point which is to be acknowledged, and not to be smoothed over by harmonistic combinations (such as Otto, Pastoralbr . p. 61 f., makes) which do not tally with any of the two statements. See Linemann on 1Th 3:1 . According to Baumgarten, Luke has only mentioned the presence of the two companions again with Paul (Act 18:5 ) when their co-operation could again take an effective part in the diffusion of the Gospel But it is not their being together, but their coming together, that is narrated in Act 18:5 .
[61] Erasmus correctly observes: “probabilius est eum navigavisse quia nulla fit mentio eorum, quae P. in itinere gesserit, cui fuerint tot civitates peragrandae.”
[62] Not: who brought him in safety (Beza and others).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Ver. 13. They came thither also ] Thus they pleased not God and were contrary to all men; wherefore “wrath is come upon them to the utmost,” 1Th 2:15-16 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] . . , as E. V., of Thessalonica . No inference that they came from Thess. can be drawn from this expression: but it is asserted below. See Heb 13:24 .
. ] Not, as E. V., ‘ they came thither also, and stirred up .,’ which destroys the force of the sentence: but they came, and stirred up there also .: no journey having been related of them before , but a precisely similar act of exciting the people. From the distance, some time must have elapsed before this could take place: and that some time did elapse, we may gather from 1Th 2:18 , where Paul relates that he made several attempts to revisit the Thessalonians (which could be only during his stay at Bera, as he left the neighbourhood altogether when he left that town), but was hindered.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 17:13 . . .: as before in the first journey, the bitter and enduring malice of the Jews followed Paul from one place to another, and the use of his name alone shows that he was their chief aim. : the word is often taken with , for it was not their advent which had happened previously, but their incitement to risk against Paul, so Page, Weiss, Wendt, Rendall, etc.; on the word see above on Act 14:7 . , cf. also for its figurative use 2Th 2:2 , very frequent in LXX, and sometimes in figurative sense, as often in the Psalms, cf. 1Ma 6:8 , see above on Act 2:25 , and critical note on .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
of = from. Greek. apo. App-104.
had knowledge = got to know. Greek. ginosko. App-132.
God. App-98.
preached. Greek. katangello. App-121.
at = in. Greek. en.
and stirred up = stirring up. Greek. saleuo. Compare Act 4:3; Act 16:26. The texts add “and troubling” as in Act 17:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13.] . ., as E. V., of Thessalonica. No inference that they came from Thess. can be drawn from this expression: but it is asserted below. See Heb 13:24.
.] Not, as E. V., they came thither also, and stirred up., which destroys the force of the sentence: but they came, and stirred up there also.: no journey having been related of them before, but a precisely similar act of exciting the people. From the distance, some time must have elapsed before this could take place: and that some time did elapse, we may gather from 1Th 2:18, where Paul relates that he made several attempts to revisit the Thessalonians (which could be only during his stay at Bera, as he left the neighbourhood altogether when he left that town), but was hindered.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 17:13. , there also disturbing [stirring up]) Conduct exceedingly outrageous (intemperate).[97]
[97] The fuller reading, , although it was declared by the margin of both Greek Editions to be the less established reading, is however exhibited in the Vers. Germ.-E. B.
The fuller reading is supported by ABDd Vulg. But Ee omit .-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Stirred by Idolatry
Act 17:13-21
From the first, the gospel was baptized in the fire of persecution. How unutterable the loneliness and sorrow of the Apostle as he reached Athens! Did doubt ever enter his mind as to whether he was on the appointed track? If it did, he at once dismissed it. His motto was to forget the things behind. When, in dependence upon God, you have once taken a path, dare to believe it is right, whatever appearances there are to the contrary.
One purpose consumed the Apostle. One thing I do, was the thread on which the many beads of his experiences were strung. Persecuted and rejected today, he is at his favorite work tomorrow. How different this intense earnestness from the trifling of the so-called philosophers of Athens! The Epicurean made the pursuit of pleasure the main object of life. The Stoic, on the other hand, believed in the stern repression of nature. All Greece was absorbed in the cultivation of art, architecture, eloquence, and intellectual brilliance. But here, as everywhere, Paul had but one message-Jesus and the Resurrection. Oh, to be pressed in spirit, as he was, till our earnestness should compel our opponents to give us a serious hearing!
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
the Jews: Act 17:5, Mat 23:13, 1Th 2:14-16
stirred: Act 6:12, Act 14:2, Act 21:27, 1Ki 21:25, Pro 15:18, Pro 28:25, Luk 12:51
Reciprocal: Mat 23:15 – ye make Act 13:50 – the Jews Act 14:6 – were Act 14:19 – there Act 17:10 – Berea Act 18:12 – the Jews Act 20:19 – by the Act 24:25 – judgment 1Th 1:1 – Thessalonians 1Th 2:16 – Forbidding 1Th 3:4 – even 2Ti 4:10 – Thessalonica
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 17:13. The envy of the Jews knew no bounds, so when they heard of the work of the Guspel at Berea they pursued the preachers there. Stirred up the people means they worked up a sentiment against Paul which cut off further opportunity for his work there.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 17:13. They came thither also, and stirred up the people. These short notices in the Acts of the steady, unwearied pursuit of Paul from city to city give us a hint at least of that restless bitter hatred with which this great Gentile apostle was regarded by the majority of his countrymena hate the depth and intensity of which the critical studies of this age is only beginning to fathom.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
13, 14. There seemed to be no serious obstacle to the gospel in Berea, and the disciples may have begun to flatter themselves with the hope that the whole city would turn to the Lord, when an unexpected enemy sprung upon them from the rear. (13) “But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. (14) Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away, to go as if to the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.” There was always sufficient material for a mob, in a the rude heathen population of a city as large as Berea, and there was always sufficient appearance of antagonism between the gospel as preached by Paul, and the laws and customs of the heathen, to enable designing men to excite the masses against it. Hence, the easy success of these embittered enemies from Thessalonica, who, in addition to other considerations, could ask if Bereans would tolerate men who had been compelled to fly by night from Thessalonica.
The statement that the brethren sent Paul away to “go as if to the sea,” certainly implies some disguise of his real purpose. The only supposition answerable to the phraseology employed is, that he started in the direction of the sea, and then turned, so as to pursue the land route to Athens, which was the next field of labor. Mr. Howson, who insists that he went by sea, does not display his usual ability in arguing the question. Paul once traveled from Corinth to Berea by land, and why not now from Berea through Athens to Corinth? The fact that it was the more tedious and less usual route, being two hundred and fifty miles overland, is a good reason why he should have chosen it the more certainly to elude pursuit.
Whether by land or by sea, the apostle now leave Macedonia, and starts out for another province of ancient Greece. He has planted Churches in three important cities of Macedonia. Of these, Thessalonica occupied the central position, with Philippi one hundred miles to the north-east, and Berea sixty miles to the south-west. Each of these becomes a radiating center, from which the light of truth might shine into the surrounding darkness. We have the testimony of Paul himself, that from at least one of them the light shone with great intensity. He writes to the Thessalonians: “From you has sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God is spread abroad, so that we have no need to say any thing.” There was no need of Paul’s voice at any more than central points, when he could leave behind him congregations such as this. No doubt much of their zeal and fidelity were owing to the fostering care of such men as Silas and Timothy, and Luke, whom the apostle occasionally left behind him.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
17:13 {6} But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
(6) Satan has his who are zealous for him, and those who one would least suspect.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Hearing of Paul’s presence in Berea, the Thessalonian Jews followed him there. They evidently adopted the same tactics they had used in Thessalonica to force Paul out of Berea (cf. Act 17:5; Act 17:9). They had charged the missionaries with stirring up trouble (Act 17:6), but it was really they who were disturbing the peace.