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RUSSELL SANDERS
7-24-2021
THE APOSTLE PAUL – LESSON 23
SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY – PART 9
THESSALONIAN CHURCH PLANTED
After leaving Philippi, Paul, Silas, and Timothy (Luke remained in Philippi with the new church), (Acts 17) the party proceeded southward through Macedonia towards Greece. They preached in Amphipolis and Apollonia along the way until they came to Macedonia’s chief port city of Thessalonica. It was also the main junction of the trade route and the east-west connection of the Adriatic Sea and Byzantium. It was quite prosperous.
Many Romans lived there. A relatively large contingency of Jews also lived in Thessalonica as evidenced by the first Synagogue that Paul encountered in Europe.
As was Paul’s custom, he sought out the Synagogue and taught there for three solid weeks. He reasoned with the Jews from scripture that it was necessary for Messiah to first have suffered greatly, then died, and then arise from the dead before His Kingdom could be established on earth. This teaching went contrary to their common idea that a victorious Messiah would establish His Kingdom in Jerusalem to rule all the earth in righteousness. Paul showed them the two advents; first the “suffering Messiah,” and then the “victorious Messiah.” He showed by scripture that Jesus of Nazareth completely fulfilled scripture as the “suffering Messiah.”
Some of the Jews believed, but many others did not. A great number of the devout Greeks (Jewish proselytes) also became believers. A number of important women played a key role in helping Paul and Silas establish this group of new believers. A new church was planted, but not without resistance, as we shall see tomorrow.
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