29th Oct 26 | 04:00
Daily Study
Loving those who hurt us
Acts 17 - Series 02/Episode 02 - Sat 10th Oct 2026 - Loving those who hurt us - Acts 17:10-15 - MINISTRY IN BEREA - Matthew 05:44-45
Acts 17:10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Repeatedly, for Paul and the team, it was the Jews who had resisted the Gospel and had instigated violence against them. Before _Acts 17_, the pattern is unmistakable: Jewish opposition escalates from contradiction → jealousy → organized resistance → mob violence → attempted murder.
1. Damascus - The Jews plot to kill Paul - Acts 9:22-23 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (23) Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.
2. Jerusalem - Hellenistic Jews attempt to kill Paul - Acts 9:29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
3. Paphos - Elymas, the Jew, withstood Paul and Barnabas - Acts 13:6-8 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, (7) who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. (8) But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
4. Pisidian Antioch - Jews contradict, oppose, and expel Paul - Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
5. Iconium - Jews poison people's minds and plan to stone Paul - Acts 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
6. Lystra - Jews from Antioch and Iconium incite mob violence - Acts 14:19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
7. Thessalonica - Jews stir up a mob and attack Jason's house - Acts 17:5-6 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. (6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Considering all of these experiences that Paul had to face from the Jews, how would we have related with the Jews if we were in Paul's place? Would we not have stayed far away from the Jews for the sake of self-preservation? This was not the case with Paul. As Paul and Silas reached Berea, they went immediately to the synagogue of the Jews and ministered the Gospel to them.
Why? What made Paul and the team go repeatedly to the Jews to share the Gospel?
Paul was obeying God. The Gospel had to come to the Jews first. Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (17) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
The message of the Gospel had to come to the Jews first because their understanding of righteousness was based on works rather than on faith in Jesus. Romans 9:31-32 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. / Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (22) even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; / Romans 3:24-26 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This crucial message of justification before God by faith in Christ Jesus had to reach the Jews. The Jews ought to be the ones who should compellingly share the Gospel to the rest of the world because they have the Scriptures with them. Romans 3:1-2 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? (2) Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
Learning: We must love those who hurt us.
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