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Acts 17 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
It’s interesting to ponder how each person responds to the Gospel differently. Some, who we think will understand, (the Jews in Paul’s case) end up being the most hostile and resistant. Others, however, are surprisingly open. Their attitude surpasses our expectations. We see this in Paul’s case as well. But, just like the parable of the sower, the seed that’s sown shows no discrimination or favor. It’s freely given to all and always dependant on the soil.
The second observation is that Paul’s message doesn’t change. It doesn’t matter who his audience is, or how they react. He is loyal to the message until The Spirit prompts him to leave, or, in some cases, flee for his life. He does not cater the message to certain types of people, but he does become all things to all men in order to deliver that consistent message. Sometimes it’s hard to be confident in the message when people laugh, mock, or walk away. I’m sure Paul experienced this continually. But he was not discouraged. He led those who followed and moved to the next group of people.
Paul was so persistent with his relational ministry as he moved from place to place and made a personal appeal to each people group he spoke to. He was direct and truthful, but graceful and relevant. As we look at our own lives, are we concerned when people don’t respond the way we expected? Do we back off too quickly, or stay in the same place too long? Are we discouraged by people’s negative reactions when we speak out about our faith? Paul’s actions in this chapter set the example of how we should strive to consistently deliver the Gospel to all people, no matter their response or reactions.