from Philippi to Athens
May 7, 2009 (Thursday)
Usually I wait until Friday to take up the next event in the life of the Apostle Paul, but we will do it today instead, discussing Paul’s mission to Thessalonica and Berea.
In response to the Macedonian call, Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke had traveled from Troas to the Roman Colony of Philippi, in Macedonia. After great success in winning converts, opposition and mob rule got them a beating and a night in prison. Even there the Lord blessed them with converts to faith in Christ. The next day local officials apologized for their cruel treatment, but they urged the missionaries to leave Philippi. After meeting with the new church at Lydia’s house, Paul and Silas, along with Timothy, left the town. Luke remained in Philippi for the following six years.
The three walked about 100 miles to Thessalonica, where they spoke in the synagogue, urging the Jews to accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. Many Jews and Gentiles believed, and began meeting together in the home of one of the new Christians, a man by the name of Jason. As opposition to them mounted, another unruly mob developed, and they prowled the streets looking for Paul and his companions. They seized Jason and dragged him before the authorities, accusing him of treason for saying Jesus is a king. After the tumult had settled, Paul’s friends urged him to leave, and so they went to Berea, where they had a good ministry for a few months, until the Thessalonians who opposed them came, creating another mob scene, ending with Paul being escorted to the coast to avoid another beating and, possibly, imprisonment or death. Silas and Timothy remained behind.
The friends with Paul took him 250 miles south to the great city of Athens. He possibly went by sea, although the Bible does not say how he traveled, and the route by the coast may have been a diversion tactic to confuse those who may have been tracking him overland. When he parted with his escorts in Athens, he sent word by them back to Timothy and Silas to join him there.
I’m sure that Paul reviewed his vision every day, hearing the man from Macedonia calling, “Come help us!” He was determined to do just that.