“When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’ he said. “

Acts 17:1-3

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MARCH 10, 2025

After they departed from Philippi in Macedonia, Paul and Silas traveled to the port city of Thessalonica on the coast of the Aegean Sea in northern Greece. Jews of the Diaspora had established a synagogue there, and as was his custom, Paul entered their place of worship. Using passages from the Scriptures on three successive Sabbath days, he explained that the suffering and resurrection of the Messiah were foretold.

Once again, Paul connects with his listeners through the common ground of their shared texts. Although our society today is biblically illiterate, passages from the Bible can still be a powerful tool for conversation. I doubt Paul was scrolling through parchments to find references to illustrate his exhortations. He knew the Scriptures. What passages might Paul have chosen for those listening in the Thessalonian synagogue? I imagine something like:

From the Law:              “’… when I see the blood, I will pass over you.’” Exodus 12:13b

From the Psalms:        “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.” Psalm 22:16

From the Prophets:    “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11

The basic events of Jesus’ ministry as well as His death would have been familiar to the Jews of the diaspora, for they were aware of the happenings in Jerusalem. Today, too, most people in America have at least heard of Jesus. Some may have a concept of His death providing forgiveness of sins. While there is no expectation of a coming Messiah in Western society, our stories need to communicate the amazing, loving initiative of God to intervene redemptively in our world.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Does your personal story contain Scripture references you have memorized to succinctly capture the message of the gospel? If so, have you reviewed them lately?
  • If not, take time this week to select and memorize a few key verses.
  • Share your story out loud with a brother or sister including these passages you have chosen. How prepared are you to reason from the Scriptures with someone regarding the truth of the gospel?

 

Church Reading Plan: Exodus 21; Luke 24