Who were the Bereans in the Bible?

City of Macedonia, visited by Paul, where he found some Jews who were more noble than those of Thessalonica, inasmuch as they tested by the scriptures what Paul preached: to which is added "therefore many of them believed." Sopater was of this city. It is now called Kara Verria, on the eastern slope of the Olympian range. Acts 17:10, 13; Acts 20:4.

It goes without saying that 'more noble', in its context here, refers to the Jews: the Jews in the synagogue in Berea were more noble than 'those', i.e. the Jews, in Thessalonica. To see this consider the following:

The context makes it clear that 'these' and 'those' refer to two groups of Jews. We read that Paul and Silas 'went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica' (verses 10 and 11). 'These' at the end of verse 10 refers to the Jews in the synagogue in Berea. They are compared to 'those' (Jews) in Thessalonica that the preceeding verses deal with (verses 5-9). Incidentally, the ESV renders it as 'Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica'. It could hardly refer to the believers in Thessalonica. These had received the word 'as word of God' (1. Thess.2:13), had become models to the whole region (1.Thess. 1:7.8). These young converts displayed 'work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope' (1.Thess. 1:3) and 'turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven' (1.Thess.1:9.10). Further, it could not have been a comparison of one set of Christians with another. At the time, there were no Christians in Berea. Verse 12 is very clear that their faith in the gospel followed their searching of the scriptures: 'Therefore many of them believed'. The contrast with the Jews from Thessalonica is further amplified in the next verse (v. 13): 'But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.' Here we find that while even the unbelieving Jews in Berea did not do anything to persecute Paul, those from Thessalonica even took it upon themselves to come all the way to Berea. What is contrasted is two sets of Jews: those in Berea and those in Thessalonia. Further confirmation is found in verse 14, after they had believed. Here they are no longer referred to as 'Jews' but as 'brethren': 'And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul...'.

Having said this, we have no reason to assume that the Berean Jews lost their noble character upon becoming Christians. Surely, they will have continued on their pathway of ready reception in conjunction with continued verification by means of the Scriptures.

When the Jews bring Jason before the rulers charging him with harboring Paul and Silas in his home, the rulers were troubled, but not so cruelly unjust as the Philippian rulers were in having Paul and Silas beaten. They only take security from Jason and the others and release them. The Lord had seen fit that Paul and Silas were not found by their persecutors. The brethren considered it unwise that Paul and Silas should remain at the time, however, and sent them away by night to avoid further trouble. We know from Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians that the assembly left in Thessalonica suffered serious persecution after this; but though so young in the faith, they maintained an exemplary witness to Christ and the gospel apart from the presence of Paul and Silas to encourage them (1 Thess.1).

Traveling westward they came to Berea, and again entered the synagogue to teach. The Jews in this case were more honorable than those in Thessalonica, for rather than rejecting the message out-of hand, they listened to the word spoken, and searched the Old Testament scriptures daily to find Out if the message was substantiated by God's Word. Therefore many of them believed. Here again women of prominence are mentioned (Greeks) and men also, not a few. In this case, as in Thessalonica, though the work began in the synagogue, it was by no means confined to Jews. The Spirit of God has not deemed it necessary to inform us, however, as to how the work progressed in Berea later.

How long they were there we are not told, but it was evidently only a short time before the militant Jews of Thessalonica, hearing of the Word preached in Berea, came there to stir up the people against the Lord's servants. They not only rejected the message of grace themselves, but were determined that others must not even hear it.

Again wisdom dictates that Paul should leave Berea: he went toward the sea with others who evidently knew the territory, but left Silas and Timothy behind. It may be that they considered it best to go by way of the seacoast to Athens, some distance south of Berea. Paul's guides, however, returned back to Athens, with instructions from Paul for Silas and Timothy to come soon to Athens.

Paul's service in Thessalonica was cut short by this riot, for he served in the spirit of the Lord's instruction recorded in Matthew 10:23. Hence a move was now made to Berea, where the Jews showed a very different spirit. They had an openness of mind, that is characterized as "more noble," and when Paul showed them what the Scriptures had foretold, they searched them diligently, and thereby many believed. A mind that is ready and free from prejudice, and that gladly bows to Scripture, is indeed a noble thing.

Such hostility to the Word of God marked the Thessalonian Jews however that they pursued Paul to Berea, and in the face of further trouble, Paul slipped away to Athens, outwitting his pursuers by a simple ruse. Silas and Timothy remained at Berea, for evidently the animosity was now specially directed against Paul. Hence it came to pass that in his visit to Athens, the great centre of Greek culture and wisdom, Paul was solitary and alone, as far as his service was concerned.

The apostle now proceeded to Berea. Here the Jews were more noble. They examined what they heard by the word of God. There was great blessing here also. Many believed, but the Jews, like hunters after their prey, hastened from Thessalonica to Berea, and raised a tumult which forced Paul to leave the place almost immediately. Accompanied by some of the Berean converts, he directed his course to Athens. Silas and Timotheus were left behind.

In the last case it was the power exercised by the enemy over the passions of the Gentiles that caused the persecution of the apostles: at Thessalonica we again find the old and universal enmity of the Jews. Nevertheless many Jews and proselytes received the gospel. After a tumult there also, the apostles go away to Berea. There the Jews are more noble; what they hear, they examine by the word of God. Through this a great number among them believed. Nevertheless the Jews of Thessalonica, jealous of the progress the gospel made, go over to Berea. Paul leaves the city and passes on to Athens. Silas and Timothy remain for the moment at Berea, Paul being the special object of the Jews' pursuit. At Athens, although he resorted to the synagogue, yet, his spirit stirred at the sight of the universal idolatry in that idle city, he disputes daily in public with their philosophers; consequent on these interviews, he proclaims the true God to the chief men of that intellectual capital. He had sent word to Silas and Timothy to join him there.

What a great work was wrought in the hearts of these people here in the three Sabbath days when Paul preached the gospel at Thessalonica. They "turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God and to await his Son from the heavens" (1 Thess. 1:9-10a). They heard about the second coming of Christ and every chapter of 1 and 2 Thessalonians deals with this. They were a model assembly. Sometimes people say the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonian Christians, but they are wrong, the Bereans were more noble than the unbelieving Jews in the synagogue in Thessalonica, not the Thessalonian believers, in that they "searched the Scriptures daily to prove these things that they were so" (Acts 17:11). What a testimony these Thessalonians had, turning to God. Their testimony went out throughout all Asia because these men that turned the world upside down said there was another King, one Jesus.

Into three of the four divisions into which Macedonia was at this time divided, Paul, Silas, and Timothy had penetrated; Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea had each in turn been blessed with the preaching of the gospel of the grace of God. And as persecution arose in one place they moved on, and could do it the more readily, because the above-mentioned towns were situated in different divisions, and so under different governments, though all were subject to one central proconsular jurisdiction, the head-quarters of which for the whole of Macedonia was fixed at Thessalonica. Of three Roman proconsular provinces in these parts we have mention made in the New Testament, viz., Macedonia, Achaia, and Illyricum or Illyria. Of work in the first we have read. To apostolic labours in Achaia Luke by his history will now introduce us. Of work in Illyricum we have no specific record beyond the brief notice in Rom.15:19. But what a labourer was Paul! How true was it he did not seek to build on another man's foundation, but carried out as far as in him lay the words of Scripture, "To whom He was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand" (Rom.15:20,21). "I laboured more abundantly than they all;" he had previously thus written of himself to the Corinthians (1 Cor.15:10). No Apostle was more active or made longer journeys than he did. Of the band of four who had crossed from Troas to Neapolis, Luke had been left at Philippi and Timothy had remained for a time at Thessalonica, when Paul and Silas left it by night for Berea. Now Silas and Timothy, who had rejoined him, were left for a little at Berea, and Paul went forth alone to break new ground. The Thessalonian saints had sent Paul and Silas away, thus caring for their safety. The Bereans did the same for Paul, against whom the fury of the mob in the city was really directed. But some of them, as we see, went with him all the way to Athens, manifesting in this marked way their true Christian love.

A believer of Berea who accompanied Paul from Greece into Asia. Acts 20:4. The Editors of the Greek Testament add '[son] of Pyrrhus.'

Berea

"Ever onward" was the great Apostle's motto. So, carrying out the Lord's instructions, "When they persecute you in this city, flee ye unto another" (Matt.10:23), Paul and Silas departed to Berea, now Verria, or Kara Verria. This was situated in another division of Macedonia - Macedonia Tertia - and so under different jurisdiction. Nothing daunted by past experiences, they sought out the Jews in that city, by entering into the synagogue. Here they had a more favourable reception from the frequenters of the synagogue, who, not indeed ready to receive the Word just on the authority of two strange men, searched the Scriptures daily, and proved that the new teaching was correct. Jealousy and clamour had been displayed at Thessalonica; a readiness to weigh matters, and fairness in listening, characterised those in Berea. "They received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." The result we read: many of them believed. A great number, too, of Greek women of honourable estate, and of men not a few. Was Berea to be a second Derbe, where they could labour in peace? Or, would it resemble more what had been experienced at Iconium and Lystra, to which places, as we have seen, Jews went from a distance to stir up opposition. Alas, it was to be like these two latter; for Jews from Thessalonica went to Berea, about fifty miles distant, having heard that the Word of God was being preached there by Paul. What persistent hostility to God and to His grace! Allowed to stir up opposition and to trouble the people, the brethren in Berea, so recently converted as they all were, cared for Paul, and sent him away as far as the sea, and some even conducted him to Athens. What malice actuated those Jews! They would not receive the truth, and, if possible, would hinder anybody else from enjoying it. Children of the devil were thus manifested (John 8:41-44; 1 John 3:10). Is this an uncharitable statement? Scripture so characterises persistent opponents of the faith (Acts 13:10). Let us look at things in their true light.

"As far as to the sea" they went. So we should read according to the oldest uncials, and not "as if to the sea," which might be held to have been but a blind to put pursuers off the scent. At what point they embarked for Athens is not stated. A road from Berea eastward toward the sea lay through Pydna, where it turned southward, then through Anamum and Hatera to Dium, where it has been suggested that they took ship for Athens. There was also another road to Dium according to the Antonine itinerary. As Luke, however, has not traced the route we cannot definitely fix the road to Dium, nor settle on that port as the place of embarkation. We can, however, pause to admire the devotedness of those brethren who escorted Paul, and did not leave him until he reached Athens. The sea voyage to Athens would occupy a little time, say from three to six days, according as the vessel went continuously, or stopped the nights by the way. So we may compute the journey from Berea to Athens and back to have necessitated an absence from home of these brethren of between two and three weeks. But sure we are neither the time, the expense, nor the fatigue was grudged in caring for, and cheering, and helping on his way one who had ministered such blessings to their souls, and, it may be, whose weakness of sight made him more dependent on others. Brotherly love was active in them. They were manifestly children of God. Paul must for a time be at Athens alone; Silas and Timotheus abode at Berea still.