Preaching and Teaching 3 cities

Acts 17


Thessalonica
This was a predominantly Greek city, the Capital of Macedonia, a strategic business place which was only rivalled by Corinth. It was Paul’s plan to minister in large cities and make them centres for evangelising, expecting them to move out in their regions and tell others.

Paul used his trade of tentmaking during the week and then ministered in the synagogue on Sabbath.

He remained long enough to be in need for financial help and for his ministry to be very effective.

Berea
Again this was an effective ministry. The listeners not only listened they also searched the Scriptures to check that what Paul was saying was true. This is how they differed from those in Thessalonia who became jealous and eventually incited hatred again Paul and his team.

In Berea it was the Thessalonians who came to incite trouble. Paul had to leave, he was moved on to Athens.

Athens
Athens was in a period of decline. It was a centre of education and culture, famous university and beautiful buildings, but it was no longer influential. Moral power had been substituted by art and amusement and it broke Paul’s heart.
P. Adams once defined philosophy as ‘unintelligible answers to insoluble problems’

There were two streams of philosophy in Athens which were flamed when Paul began to preach. One group were dedicated to materialism and were atheists and preached ‘Enjoy Life’ (Epicureans) while the other rejected idolatry and taught of One World God preaching ‘Endure Life’ (Stoics).

We do not know how long Paul stayed in Athens but we presume he stayed to teach and discuss. The soil here was not deep and it contained many weeds, but there was a small harvest and to think that his ministry here was dismal may be very wrong.