Study From the Book of Acts,17

Study From the Book of Acts,17

Today we study the seventeenth chapter of the Book of Acts and we choose two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in Biblical Counselling.

At Thessalonica, there was a great deal of evidence in the Scripture that Paul could use in his argument. For example, Ps.22, written over one thousand years earlier by David and Is. 53. The Old Testament abounds with evidence of the Messiah’s character and life that clearly matches that of Jesus. Even so, the Jewish leaders of the synagogue felt threatened by the gospel because it contradicted their own teachings.

Paul and Silas travelled 50 miles southwest to the city of Berea. The people there received the word with all readiness and searched the Scripture daily to find out whether these things were so.

At Athens, Paul is greatly distressed at the sight of numerous pagan temples and alters. The people’s offerings were being sacrificed to demons. By doing this, the Gentiles were having fellowship with the powers of darkness. For these people to be so deceived by the devil was deeply troubling to Paul.

Some of the philosophers in Athens mocked Paul, calling him gutter sparrow, a small bird that snatches up scraps of food. Paul was accused of grabbing at bits of knowledge without digesting or thought what he taught. Because Paul did not speak eloquently (1 Cor. 2:1), some philosophers in Athens arrogantly reticulated him, arguing that he was not sophisticated enough to be taken seriously. Others thought that Paul was advocating foreign gods named Jesus and Resurrection, incorrectly understood to be a male and female deity.

Because the men of Athens had scant knowledge of the Hebrew Scripture, Paul started with the general revelation visible in creation itself. There was an alter was built to honour a god NOT-KNOWN. Paul started by talking about Our God whom we know. Then, he began his presentation of the gospel by appealing to natural revelation and to certain true statement of the Athenian poets.

Paul points out that God is not far away, we can have fellowship with Him. In fact, every day we depend upon Him for our life and breath. Our loving Creator has sent His Son Jesus Christ to demonstrate His love for us. it is our responsibility to respond to His Son and to fellow Him.

 Structure:

Verses 1-4: preaching Christ in Thessalonica

Verses 5-15: ministering at Berea

Verses 16-21: the philosophers at Athens

Verses 22-34: addressing the Areopagus.

Principle 33: 17-11 --“---They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scripture daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Lesson 33: the Bereans did not take Paul’s word for it about how the Old Testament Scripture prophesied the ministry, sufferings and resurrection of Christ. They looked for themselves-and God commended them for their diligence.

Principle 34: verse 17:27:” ----they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us---.”

Lesson 34: When we seek the Lord, we do not go in search of a disinterested God who has better things to do five galaxies away. We seek a God already near to us who invites our search, and He promises to reward it.8/6/2025.