Troubling the People and the Rulers - Acts 17:8

The beloved physician Luke shared when Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke himself shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in Thessalonica, “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come here also. Whom Jason has received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus”, and in chapter seventeen and verse eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how the Jews, “troubled the people and the rulers of the city” where we read:

And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

The verse begins, “And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they troubled the people” which means “and the envious Jews agitated, disturbed and disquieted the male and female human beings” “and the rulers” or “and the leaders, commanders and magistrates” “of the city” which means “belonging to the dwelling place, habitation and abode of Thessalonica”. Luke shared how the envious “Jews” agitated both the leaders and the people within the city of Thessalonica”.

The verse goes on to say, “... when they heard these things.” Luke continues with the words, “when they heard” or “at the time and moment the commanders and leaders were endowed with the faculty of hearing, perceiving and understanding” “these things” which means “the ideas concerning Paul and His turning the world upside down with their teachings about Jesus”. Luke shared how the “leaders and commanders” were “troubled” by the way Paul and Silas upset the world and the entire city with their teachings.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the unbelieving and envious Jews continued to complain about the doctrine of “Paul, Silas, Jason and the fellow believers”. They charged these believers in Jesus with arousing the entire city of “Thessalonica” including their leadership, and after the “leaders” heard what they were doing, they became upset with them as well. We shall see what happens to “Paul” and “Jason” in our next few verses, but for now let us understand there was a great cost paid for “Paul, Silas and their companions” to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. God loves everybody, and He wants them to receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Those who are wise will yield to Him, and become a part of upsetting the unbelieving world with their words.

Next time Luke shares, “when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".