Acts 17:1

The continuation of the second missionary tour is the theme of Acts 17, in which Luke relates the success of Paul's mission in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), even greater success in Berea (Acts 17:10-15), Paul's arrival in Athens where he was invited to speak in the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-22), and the account of Paul's address on Mars' Hill (Acts 17:23-34).

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. (Acts 17:1)

The passing by of certain towns to visit others gives a clue to the plan Paul was following. It was that of "planting the gospel in strategic cities ... he did not aim to preach wherever he could find an audience ... but had a program for establishing churches in key centers."[1] Dummelow observed that:

His plan was first to evangelize the seats of government and the trade centers, knowing that if Christianity was once established in these places it would spread throughout the empire.[2]

When they had passed ... The use of the third person pronoun "they" in this verse is significant. As Wesley said, "Luke seems to have been left at Philippi."[3] Apparently Luke continued there, preaching throughout that area until Paul returned (Acts 20:5,6), upon which occasion Luke again referred to himself as in Paul's company, continuing to do so until the end of Acts.

It was also concluded by McGarvey that due to the grammatical antecedent of "they" being "Paul and Silas," "it is implied that Timothy also remained with Luke, to still further instruct and organize the church."[4]

THESSALONICA

At least as far back as the fourth century B.C., there was a city called Therma (named after hot springs in the area) "situated at the junction of the main land route from Italy to the East with the main route from the Aegean to the Danube."[5] Cassander, the son of Antipater who governed Macedonia while Alexander the Great was campaigning in the East, was the man "who refounded and embellished Therme, and called it after his wife Thessalonica, Alexander's sister."[6] This was in 315 B.C., eight years after Alexander died. It became the capital of Greek Macedonia and, under the name of Salonika, has continued until today as "one of the principal seaports of southeastern Europe, population 217,049 (1951 census)."[7]

Synagogue of the Jews ... As always, Paul first addressed the beloved chosen people, turning away from them only when compelled to do so by their rejection. "To the Jew first" (Romans 1:16) was a controlling principle with Paul.

[1] Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 445.

[2] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 841.

[3] John Wesley, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House), in loco.

[4] J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Acts (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1892), 2p. 109.

[5] The New Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1962), p. 1272.

[6] E. M. Blaiklock, Cities of the New Testament (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1965), p. 46.

[7] The Encyclopedia Britannica (Chicago: William Benton, Publisher, 1961), Vol. 19, p. 890.