Study Questions for November 14, 2004

 Acts 17:1-34 - Preaching to the Open-minded

1. What was the essence of Paul’s message in the synagogue at Thessalonica?
 
2. What was the motive behind the opposition to the Gospel in Thessalonica?
 
3. Paul was such a lighting rod for opposition that people like Jason became collateral casualties. Was Paul accountable for Jason’s suffering? Should Paul have been more sensitive to the impact on others that his message provoked?
 
4. What was the key factor for explaining the Berean Jews receptivity to the Gospel?
 
5.  It almost seems as if Paul was going to lay low on his own and wait for Silas and Timothy to join him, but he couldn’t resist sharing the gospel. In what sense might we share the apostle Paul’s distress in our own culture?
 
6. In most Jewish contexts, Paul’s evangelistic starting point was salvation history. What was his starting point in Athens?
 
7. Describe the various reactions Paul received in Athens. Have you ever been accused of being a babbler for the sake of the Gospel? Have you ever been sneered at for presenting the truth of God’s Word? How does Luke wrap up Paul’s experience in Athens?

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