The berean test is about applying critical thinking skills to compare lyrical content from popular christian artists against the bible for accuracy. The book of religions john hayward the bereans are a sect of protestant dissenters from the church of scotland, who take their title from, and profess to follow the example of, the ancient bereans, in building their system of faith and practice upon the scriptures alone, without regard to any human authority whatever. Gleanings from the book of acts berean bible society. The codex was more like the modern form of the book. The early church in the book of acts is a great example of why small groups are beneficial to the church community. The berean study bible text is the result of a meticulous translation and styling process to maintain core meanings and produce an english text of high literary quality, effective for public reading, study, memorization, and evangelism.
The journey from thessalonica to berea would have taken two days on foot. Then the brethren immediately sent paul and silas away by night to berea. Berean bible church is located in virginia beach, virginia, and is an independent bible church with reference to denominational affiliation, and are led through a serious, often versebyverse study of the scriptures by pastor david b. They form a mob made up of bad characters from the marketplace, probably daylaborers who were at the time unemployed. The berean fellowship today still desires to follow in the footsteps the noble bereans from lukes account in the book of acts. Whatsoever is written in the bible is for our learning, in which we can receive instructions in righteousness, godly. Throughout most of this excursion, silas stayed by pauls side, sharing a beating and imprisonment in philippi acts 16. How can we be more like the noble bereans and less like the rabble from thessalonica acts 17. Berean bible society po box 756 germantown, wi 530220756 phone. The bereans acted out the instructions of the prophet isaiah when considering whether testimony is the true word of god. The book of acts in general is a history book that bridges the precross scriptures of the old testament and gospels when the gospel of the kingdom was the main focus of teaching and the postcross period when gods full revelation to man had been given through christ jesus a time when the gospel of the grace of god.
Acts 17 tells us that the bereans examined the scriptures daily to see if the. As i continue to read the book of acts, i am inclined to conclude that. Apr 04, 2021 the book of acts is the book between the earthly ministry of the son of god, which closed about 33 a. Oct 23, 2018 luke, the author of the book of acts, mentions silas 12 times. Now the bereans were of more noble character than the thessalonians, for they received the message with. We are studying pauls second missionary journey, which is recorded in five chapters in the middle of the book of acts. Mar 16, 2019 in acts 17, luke contrasts the response of some jews in thessalonica with those in berea. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. In our study of the book of acts we have seen the birth of the church on pentecost at the jewish temple. Just last week, in philippi, we saw the crowd join the attack against paul and silas.
In fact, all three episodes in acts 17 show that the gospel was presented in a rational and reasonable fashion. The brothers immediately sent paul and silas away by night to berea, and when they arrived they went into the jewish synagogue. As any biblical student knows, it is the berean s approach to the scripture and their response to it that makes them an interesting study. Wood third edition berean school of the bible, a global university school 1211 south glenstone avenue springfi eld, mo 65804 usa 18004431083 fax. Inasmuch as the mystery is mentioned twelve times in those epistles, we could refer to them as the mystery epistles, ephesians, philippians and colossians were written about 64 a. The holy spirit at work in believers an independentstudy textbook by george o. In the second chapter, the book deals with devout jews from every nation under heaven, including some jews from rome. Reading scripture like a berean may look different than you think.
The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Now the berean jews were of more noble character than those in thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the. Verse 1 demonstrates clearly that the unnamed author of acts is the same person as the unnamed author of the third gospel luke 1. The noble mindedness of these berean jews is a matter of emphasis. He has crossed the aegean sea to philippi, where he preached the gospel, was beaten and imprisoned, and founded a church. It may be that these gentiles converted through the personal examples of paul, silas, timothy, and the early converts among the jewish bereans.
Salvation reoffered to israel in progress week 4, session 2 the book of acts. Berea and bereans where is berea and who were the bereans. Why were the bereans examining the scriptures daily. The jews that had caused so much trouble in thessalonica heard about pauls success in berea. We are in acts chapter 19, and we will pick up with verse. The name berean test comes from the book of acts, describing the care in which the bereans handled the gospel message preached by the apostle paul. The book of acts adult bible study berean baptist church. In summary, the bereans have long been seen as a positive example of how a person or community should respond to biblical teaching. The principle stated how unbelievers might be like the bereans how believers might be like the bereans dont be a calcified christian. According to lukes report, these bereans were more nobleminded than the believers in thessalonica. And, the berean jews were examining the scriptures daily to see if the word. This is our understanding the scriptures segment, and dave, i think its helpful to talk about all the things that we do, and some segments are maybe not interesting to our listeners and viewers out there as others but, hopefully, this is what we are about, understanding the scriptures, an currently going through the book of acts. Thats the question i recently posed to my congregation and the question i want to explore this week.
He shows that it is a violent religion intended to subjugate the world, particularly jews and christians. If there were variations in the promises to believers throughout the book of acts, and beyond, might not believers to whom these promises were given, still be part of the original church that began in acts 2. Upon arriving at berea, we read that they first looked for the jews there. The account of paul and silas in this location is recorded in acts 17. Idols in athens introduction of luke jesus taken up into heaven matthias chosen to replace judas the holy spirit comes at pentecost.
Paul and silas preached to them during paul s second missionary journey. The holy spirit, who inspired luke to write the book of acts, recorded for us some key lessons we can learn from the bereans. The gospel of luke and the book of acts form a single, twovolume work. Stedman writes, i hope you are realizing, more and more as we go through this book, that here is a description of normal christianity. The bereans studied the scriptures every day to verify he was teaching the truth even as the law of moses demanded in deuteronomy 18. Now the berean jews were of more noble character than those in thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures. The church grew and flourished but stayed in jerusalem until the martyrdom of stephen. According to the book of acts, chapter 17 verse 11, paul of tarsus and silas preached at berea, and the inhabitants. New living translation and the people of berea were more openminded than those in thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to pauls message. The bereans were residents of the city of berea in macedonia. The writer of acts points out that the bereans were of more noble character than the thessalonians. The evangelization of thessalonica and berea acts 17. Before we look at our text, i want to share with you a quote that i found in a commentary on acts. In the last chapter of acts, 30 years later, paul is addressing a company of jews in rome concerning moses and the prophets.
The bible speaks to us about the bereans in acts 17. Nov 03, 2020 read what scripture says about the bereans in acts 17. It started in jerusalem, then spread to judea, then to samaria, and now it is penetrating the uttermost parts of the earth. Now these were more nobleminded than those in thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Later, it described those of a generous spirit, who are openminded toward truth, not prejudiced, hostile, or suspicious of others, but give others a fair hearing. Now therefore are we all here present before god, to hear all things that are commanded thee of god. The berean attitude involves study of gods word to confirm what someone is saying a. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout judea and samaria. Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. Furthermore, the bereans were checking whether pauls and silas.
We believe that the scriptures are meant to be studied and shared freely. The result of this noble searching of the scriptures was that many of them the jews believed acts. Sun sunday morning bible fellowships sunday school sunday, 9. Ephesians, philippians, colossians, i timothy, philemon, titus and ii timothy. Now the berean jews were of more noble character than those in thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what paul said was true. This verse was quickened to pastor mark, the founding pastor, in tenth grade as his class was studying the book of acts in bible class at a local christian school. How to be better bereans 1 of 3 the gospel coalition. The book of acts opens with a little company of jews in jerusalem. Luke, the author of acts, specifically notes that nonjews or gentiles came to believe in the same truths.
Arguing what theyve always believed, hindering their ability to learn the truth 2ti 3. Sopater, likely a gentile christian, continued to assist paul and timothy in ministry long after pauls first visit to berea. Often in religious discussions, people simply believe what others have told them b. We are in the 16th chapter of acts, and the gospel has just reached europe. Lectures on the book of acts 20092010 lectures on the servants of god study 20102011 lectures on the books of hebrews, galatians, and 1 john 20112012.
Originally, it meant wellborn and implied nobility. The bereans are mentioned only in passing, in the book of acts 17. The author quite certainly was luke for the following reason. All these references correspond to pauls second missionary journey. The book of acts is the book between the earthly ministry of the son of god, which closed about 33 a. When you read through the book of acts, you quickly see that rioting and mobs are not a new phenomenon. In lystra, in chapter 14, the crowd was riled up and stoned paul and left him for dead.
Berea still exists as a small city of about 50,000 people, and is called veroia today. Some accept that rational message berea, others act in a disorderly fashion to oppose pauls message thessalonica. The bereans are a sect of protestant dissenters from the church of scotland, who take their title from, and profess to follow the example of, the ancient bereans, in building their system of faith and practice upon the scriptures alone, without regard to any human authority whatever. Luke labels these gentiles as prominent or honorable men and women. Mar 30, 2020 sopater the berean, son of pyrrhus, accompanied him acts 20. Sopater the berean, son of pyrrhus, accompanied him acts 20. Some might surmise that the bereans were more nobly disposed than the thessalonians because they were off the beaten. It was built upon a solid biblical foundation and has always placed special emphasis on the authority of scripture, the supremacy of jesus christ, and the importance of advancing the gospel through personal. All that peter and the eleven were preaching was in fulfillment of israels prophecies. The berean s example was a balanced one in that they separated themselves from the world.
The greek word used in acts is eugenesteroi, which comes from eugenes, from which we derive the personal name eugene. Berea was located about 70 kilometers 43 miles southwest of thessalonica. Now these jews were more noble than those in thessalonica. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. At this time, paul and silas were making their way along different territories preaching. The thessalonians rejected paul and the gospel and threw him out causing an uproar but the bereans didnt.
Who are the berean christians and what can we learn from them. Why christians should be bereanlike todays daily blessing. They examined the scriptures every day to see if what paul said was true. It is difficult to know what is true in 2018but the bereans were met with the. At this time, paul and silas were making their way along different territories preaching the gospel of jesus christ to all men. Whatsoever is written in the bible is for our learning, in which we can receive instructions in righteousness, godly examples or patterns to emulate, and ungodly or. Studying scripture like the bereans olive tree blog. What did you like best or what caught your attention. We are continuing our study through the book of acts.
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