Daily Bible Nugget #283, Acts 17:11

The Nugget:

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

My Comment:

They who search the Scriptures are truly noble (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240).

Who are the “these”? This account tells how listeners from a town called Berea responded in a better way (were “more open-minded,” NET Bible; were “much nicer,” CEV) than did those in Thessalonica, a town where Paul and those ministering with him had to flee because of persecution. Notice what the Bereans did: when they heard Paul’s message about the Bible, they searched the Scriptures to verify whether what he was teaching agreed with what the Bible says. When they found the Bible agreed with what Paul was teaching, they believed Paul’s message.

I think there are some very important lessons to be learned from this account of Paul’s ministry and the response of his hearers:

First, they took the time to really listen. They paid close enough attention that they could remember what Paul taught–remember enough so when they checked it out in the Bible they were able to verify the truth of what Paul taught.

Second, the Bereans had access to the Bible for themselves. This means that even back in those days, Bibles were available to the people to read. If you read the New Testament carefully you will find many incidental examples that show just how much the average person in Israel knew, at least collectively. I suspect they knew more than a good many Christians and many of our spiritual leaders do today.

Third, the Bereans were literate enough that they could read the Bible for themselves. This is an interesting and important concept. The greatest motivation for pursuing education in early American history was that it was felt important to teach children how to read so that they could read the Bible for spiritual profit and for their salvation. Now, in the United States, we have foolishly abandoned this motivation in public education by largely removing the Bible from our schools–and we wonder why children and young people and our society as a whole are spiritually and morally illiterate, by and large.

Fourth, the Bible is proven to be understandable, for the Bereans were able to read the Scripture; they were able to confirm the validity of Paul’s message; they came to faith in Jesus Christ as a result.

Fifth, the practical utility of searching the Scripture to arrive at doctrinal truth is demonstrated by the experience of the Bereans.

If we are wise and noble like the Bereans, we will follow their highly commended example and do the same. By way of practical application, readers here would find it helpful to (1) study carefully the cross references I furnish every day; (2) invite others you are in contact with to visit this site regularly to deepen their knowledge of the Bible and how to study it; (3) pay close attention to the Scripture your own pastor uses in his messages, and as time permits, study those verses by means of cross reference Bible study using The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, my revision and expansion of that classic resource, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible; (4) teach high school age young people how to study the Bible using these resources–it will lead to a whole lifetime of understanding the Bible better and will bring them into a closer relationship with God and His written Word.

If we are foolish, as are most of the people in our culture today, we will ignore–at our eternal peril–the message of the Bible, and go about our business using precious time–precious and very short in the light of eternity–for less worthwhile interests and pursuits.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1250 for Acts 17:11.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 1270-1271 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Acts 17:11.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Acts 17:11. more noble. or, well-born. Gr. eugenēs (S#2104g). High in rank, hence they were more courteous (CB). T#1099. *Ac 13:7. Ge 34:19. 1 Ch 4:9. *Pr 1:5. 9:9. Je 2:21. Lk 19:12g. Jn 1:46-49. 1 Cor 1:26g. Thessalonica. ver. +Ac 17:1. 1 Th 1:1. 2 Tim 4:10. they received. *Ac 2:41. 8:14. 10:33. 11:1. Ne 8:3. +*Jb 23:12. *Pr 2:1-5. **Pr 4:7, 20-22. 8:10. Ec 5:1. Song 8:2. Je 6:16. *Mt 13:11, 23. Mk 4:8. Lk 10:38, 39. 2 Cor 8:5. 1 Th 1:6. **1 Th 2:13. *2 Th 2:10. **James 1:21. **1 P 2:2. the word. Gr. logos, Mk 9:32n. +Ac 8:4. 10:36. *Lk 16:29. readiness of mind. Ac 10:33. %Ac 14:2. 16:14. %+*1 Samuel 25:17. **Ps 25:9. Mk 12:37. *S#4288g: Ac 17:11. 2 Cor 8:11, 12 (willing mind), 2 Cor 8:19 (ready mind). 2 Cor 9:2 (forwardness). This word is used in the New Testament (1) of a ready desire to hear God’s word, and (2) of a ready desire to give to God’s work (Thomas Walker). and searched. or, examined. Gr. anakrinō, *S#350g. Rendered (1) examine: Ac 4:9. 12:19. 24:8. 28:18. Lk 23:14. 1 Cor 9:3. (2) judge: 1 Cor 2:15, 15. 4:3, 3, 4. 14:24. (3) ask question: 1 Cor 10:25, 27. (4) search: Ac 17:11. (5) discern: **1 Cor 2:14. Thayer defines this word “By looking through a series (ana) of objects or particulars to distinguish (krino) or search after. Hence, to investigate, examine, inquire into, scrutinize, sift, question” (Lexicon, p. 39). Compare “search” at Jn 5:39, the same English but a different Greek word (*S#2045g). T#1069. Le 11:3. 1 Ch 28:8. **Ps 1:2, 3. 119:18, 97-100, *Ps 119:148. Pr 2:2. +*Pr 8:9. *Pr 15:14. +**Is 8:20n. *Is 34:16. *Lk 16:29. *Lk 24:44. *Jn 3:21. +**Jn 5:39n, Jn 5:40. 1 Cor 2:14g. 1 Tim 4:13. +**2 Tim 3:15-16. *1 P 1:10-12. +*2 P 1:19-21. *1 J 4:5, 6. the scriptures. ver. Ac 17:2. Ac 8:28. 26:22, 23. *Ps 119:105. *Ps 138:2. +*Je 15:16. +*Je 23:18, 22, 28, 29. +Mt 21:42. +*Mk 12:24. +*Ro 15:4. 2 Tim 2:15. daily. Ac 16:5. Ex 16:4. *Dt 17:18-20. +*Jsh 1:8. 2 Ch 8:14. Ezr 3:4. *Ne 8:18. +*Ps 1:2. Pr 8:34. Lk 11:3. +*Lk 21:36. +**Col 1:10. +*He 3:13. *He 11:6. *1 P 2:2. *2 P 3:18. whether. or, if. FS184D1, +Lk 22:67. A. T. Robertson notes that the Bereans “were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul’s preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey)” (Word Pictures, vol. 3, p. 275). T#1059, T#1121. Ac 8:31n. Dt 13:3. +**Pr 14:15. 15:14. *Pr 18:1n, +*Pr 18:17. +**Is 8:20n. Ezk 14:10n. +*Da 11:30. Ho 6:3. +*Mk 4:24. +*Lk 8:18. Jn 4:42. 7:17. **Ro 14:12. 1 Cor 10:15. +*1 Cor 14:29. *2 Cor 4:2. +*Ga 1:8n, 9. **+1 Th 5:21. 1 Tim 4:1. James 1:19. *2 P 3:16, 17. **1 J 4:1.