Episode Sixty-Eight
Thessalonica, Berea, & Athens
Winter to Spring, 51 AD
After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and spending a night in each town, Paul and Silas walked all the way to Thessalonica[1].
There was a Jewish Synagogue in Thessalonica. According to his custom, Paul went into their meeting.
For three Sabbaths he dialogued with them by unrolling the scriptures, explaining and showing that the Christ had to suffer and come back from the dead. He said to them, "The Christ is this Jesus, the one I'm telling you about."
Some of them became convinced and joined with Paul and Silas - so did a whole lot of the god-fearing Greeks, and more than a few of their main women.
Now Paul and Silas begin meeting with the Christians in Jason's house for a number of weeks. Timothy, who stayed a while in Philippi, also arrives at some point.
The Jews who were not convinced became jealous.
When Paul and Silas got to Berea, they went into the Jewish Synagogue.
These Jews were more high-class than the ones in Thessalonica. They were totally ready to receive the word.
Every day they searched the Scriptures to see if these things were correct.
As a result, many of them believed. So did more than a few of the outstanding Greek men and women.
Paul and Silas now meet for some weeks with the church in Berea. At some point, Timothy joins them there, too.
Now, when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they came to Berea and stirred up their crowds.
So then, right away, the brothers and sisters sent Paul away to go down the road to the sea.
Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.[4]
The ones who went with Paul went with him all the way to Athens.
Making an early spring voyage, this may be one of the three times Paul shipwrecked.
In Athens, Paul told his carriers to send Silas and Timothy to him as quickly as possible."[5], and then they left.
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, his spirit inside him was aggravated when he saw the whole city was full of idols.
When Silas and Timothy arrived, they helped Paul recover from his shipwreck.
When Paul was better, the three men decided that Timothy should go back to Thessalonica and see how they were doing. (Paul and Silas were both still banished from Thessalonica.)
They also decided that Silas would go back to Berea, and that Paul would go to Corinth after Athens.
They all planned for Timothy to find Silas in Berea, after some time, and then go to find Paul in Corinth.
So Silas and Timothy left Athens.
Then Paul went into the Synagogue and dialogued with the Jews and god-fearers.
He also talked in the marketplace each day with whoever happened to be there.
One day in Athens, while Paul was preaching Jesus and the resurrection, he met some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers.
Some of them said, "What is this seed-picker trying to say? Others said, "He seems like the announcer for some strange gods."
So they took his arm and brought him to Ares' Hill.
The Athenian Council said to Paul, "Can we know what this new doctrine is that you're talking about? You're bringing strange things into our ears, and we would like to know what they desire."[6]
So Paul stood in the middle of Ares' Hill and said, "Men, Athenians. I see that you are, in all things, devoted to many gods. Because while I was walking around and thinking about your worship-objects, I also found an altar that had these words: "To God Unknown". So, this one who you don't know, who you worship, I announce him to you.
“The God who made the world and everything that's in it, the one who is Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in man-made temples. He is not served by human hands – as if he needed anything – since he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.
“He made - out of one blood - all the nations of mankind that live on the face of the earth, and he set out pre-arranged times and places for them to live and seek the Lord, in case they might fumble around and maybe find him, although he's really not that far from every one of us. Because "In him we live and move and have our being", as some of your poets have said - as well as, "We, too, are his children."
“So, being the children of God, we shouldn't think that gold or silver or stone, or a statue and our imagination… is anything like what God is like. So, it’s true that God overlooked these times of not knowing. But now he's telling all men everywhere to change their mind, because he has a set day on when he is going to judge the world by righteousness, by a man he has appointed. He gave everyone evidence by bringing him back from the dead.”
But when they heard "bringing back from the dead", some made fun of him.
Others said, "We will listen to you again about this."
So Paul left them. And some people joined him and believed, including Dionysius from Ares' hill, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
After these things, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
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Ep.68 Footnotes:
[1] They travelled roughly 90 miles in three days. Thirty miles a day was about the average walking speed for those days, which is a large part of the reason why those two towns were placed where they are.
[2] In Thessalonica, the leaders of the City Council were called Politarchs (city-chiefs).
[3] From Thessalonica, Berea is a long day’s walk across the plains of Macedonia. Thessalonica was a busy trading port, but it was winter, and Paul & Silas couldn’t have sailed out of there if they’d wanted to!
[4] When Paul and Silas were arrested in Philippi, Timothy was not. So Timothy stayed behind. The same thing happened in Thessalonica. Young, "timid" Timothy just didn't attract much attention!
Since Luke is writing in 60 to 62 AD for Paul's trial, Luke avoids mentioning Timothy until their time in Berea. He doesn't want to give the Romans the idea that Paul and his companions were lawbreakers in general! Even though Timothy himself was not strictly exiled from either city, it's just safer to not bring it up!
[5] This is probably one of Paul's first three shipwrecks; (mentioned in 2nd Corinthians; Luke never mentions them.)
Winter to Spring, 51 AD
After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and spending a night in each town, Paul and Silas walked all the way to Thessalonica[1].
There was a Jewish Synagogue in Thessalonica. According to his custom, Paul went into their meeting.
For three Sabbaths he dialogued with them by unrolling the scriptures, explaining and showing that the Christ had to suffer and come back from the dead. He said to them, "The Christ is this Jesus, the one I'm telling you about."
~~~!~~!~~~
Some of them became convinced and joined with Paul and Silas - so did a whole lot of the god-fearing Greeks, and more than a few of their main women.
Now Paul and Silas begin meeting with the Christians in Jason's house for a number of weeks. Timothy, who stayed a while in Philippi, also arrives at some point.
~~~!~~!~~~
The Jews who were not convinced became jealous.
One day, they used some troublemakers hanging out in the city square to help gather a crowd. They made chaos in the city by breaking into Jason's house. They were trying to find Paul and Silas to bring them before the Council, but they weren't there.
So they dragged Jason and some brothers to the City Leaders[2], shouting, "The ones who've been turning the world upside down have come here too! And Jason is keeping them! They're all breaking the law Caesar gave, saying there's another king - Jesus."
The crowd and City Leaders got upset when they heard all this.
The Council took a security deposit from Jason and the rest, and let them go. The Council promised to return the money when Paul and Silas were gone.
That same night the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.[3]
So they dragged Jason and some brothers to the City Leaders[2], shouting, "The ones who've been turning the world upside down have come here too! And Jason is keeping them! They're all breaking the law Caesar gave, saying there's another king - Jesus."
The crowd and City Leaders got upset when they heard all this.
The Council took a security deposit from Jason and the rest, and let them go. The Council promised to return the money when Paul and Silas were gone.
That same night the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.[3]
Timothy (who is NOT in trouble with the city) stays behind to help the church, as he did in Philippi.
~~~!~~!~~~
When Paul and Silas got to Berea, they went into the Jewish Synagogue.
These Jews were more high-class than the ones in Thessalonica. They were totally ready to receive the word.
Every day they searched the Scriptures to see if these things were correct.
As a result, many of them believed. So did more than a few of the outstanding Greek men and women.
Paul and Silas now meet for some weeks with the church in Berea. At some point, Timothy joins them there, too.
~~~!~~!~~~
Now, when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they came to Berea and stirred up their crowds.
So then, right away, the brothers and sisters sent Paul away to go down the road to the sea.
~~~!~~!~~~
Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.[4]
~~~!~~!~~~
The ones who went with Paul went with him all the way to Athens.
Making an early spring voyage, this may be one of the three times Paul shipwrecked.
In Athens, Paul told his carriers to send Silas and Timothy to him as quickly as possible."[5], and then they left.
~~~!~~!~~~
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, his spirit inside him was aggravated when he saw the whole city was full of idols.
~~~!~~!~~~
When Silas and Timothy arrived, they helped Paul recover from his shipwreck.
When Paul was better, the three men decided that Timothy should go back to Thessalonica and see how they were doing. (Paul and Silas were both still banished from Thessalonica.)
They also decided that Silas would go back to Berea, and that Paul would go to Corinth after Athens.
They all planned for Timothy to find Silas in Berea, after some time, and then go to find Paul in Corinth.
So Silas and Timothy left Athens.
~~~!~~!~~~
Then Paul went into the Synagogue and dialogued with the Jews and god-fearers.
He also talked in the marketplace each day with whoever happened to be there.
~~~!~~!~~~
One day in Athens, while Paul was preaching Jesus and the resurrection, he met some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers.
Some of them said, "What is this seed-picker trying to say? Others said, "He seems like the announcer for some strange gods."
So they took his arm and brought him to Ares' Hill.
The Athenian Council said to Paul, "Can we know what this new doctrine is that you're talking about? You're bringing strange things into our ears, and we would like to know what they desire."[6]
So Paul stood in the middle of Ares' Hill and said, "Men, Athenians. I see that you are, in all things, devoted to many gods. Because while I was walking around and thinking about your worship-objects, I also found an altar that had these words: "To God Unknown". So, this one who you don't know, who you worship, I announce him to you.
“The God who made the world and everything that's in it, the one who is Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in man-made temples. He is not served by human hands – as if he needed anything – since he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.
“He made - out of one blood - all the nations of mankind that live on the face of the earth, and he set out pre-arranged times and places for them to live and seek the Lord, in case they might fumble around and maybe find him, although he's really not that far from every one of us. Because "In him we live and move and have our being", as some of your poets have said - as well as, "We, too, are his children."
“So, being the children of God, we shouldn't think that gold or silver or stone, or a statue and our imagination… is anything like what God is like. So, it’s true that God overlooked these times of not knowing. But now he's telling all men everywhere to change their mind, because he has a set day on when he is going to judge the world by righteousness, by a man he has appointed. He gave everyone evidence by bringing him back from the dead.”
But when they heard "bringing back from the dead", some made fun of him.
Others said, "We will listen to you again about this."
So Paul left them. And some people joined him and believed, including Dionysius from Ares' hill, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
~~~!~~!~~~
After these things, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
(See Episode 69)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ep.68 Footnotes:
[1] They travelled roughly 90 miles in three days. Thirty miles a day was about the average walking speed for those days, which is a large part of the reason why those two towns were placed where they are.
[2] In Thessalonica, the leaders of the City Council were called Politarchs (city-chiefs).
[3] From Thessalonica, Berea is a long day’s walk across the plains of Macedonia. Thessalonica was a busy trading port, but it was winter, and Paul & Silas couldn’t have sailed out of there if they’d wanted to!
[4] When Paul and Silas were arrested in Philippi, Timothy was not. So Timothy stayed behind. The same thing happened in Thessalonica. Young, "timid" Timothy just didn't attract much attention!
Since Luke is writing in 60 to 62 AD for Paul's trial, Luke avoids mentioning Timothy until their time in Berea. He doesn't want to give the Romans the idea that Paul and his companions were lawbreakers in general! Even though Timothy himself was not strictly exiled from either city, it's just safer to not bring it up!
[5] This is probably one of Paul's first three shipwrecks; (mentioned in 2nd Corinthians; Luke never mentions them.)
A shipwreck at this point would explain why Paul suddenly changes his mind, and needs his companions with him. Paul probably took in water during his shipwrecks and lost health, as opposed to his carriers, who were probably seafaring men and could swim well.
Writing in 60 to 62 AD, Luke never mentions Paul's first three shipwrecks because he's writing for Roman officials. He doesn't want them to think Paul is unlucky or cursed by the gods, and he doesn't want to ruin their perception of Paul's amazing shipwreck-predicting-ability!
[6] Everyone in Athens spent all their spare time just telling or hearing new things.
Writing in 60 to 62 AD, Luke never mentions Paul's first three shipwrecks because he's writing for Roman officials. He doesn't want them to think Paul is unlucky or cursed by the gods, and he doesn't want to ruin their perception of Paul's amazing shipwreck-predicting-ability!
[6] Everyone in Athens spent all their spare time just telling or hearing new things.
The philosophers on Ares' Hill thought of ideas as if they were living things that had their own desires.