Unto salvation to every one
1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Paul was a Jew, Jews were his people, teaching in the synagogue was natural, comfortable, maybe even habitual. Nothing wrong with a good habit, but what if God has bigger plans for us, plans to take us beyond our good habits? Let's keep reading
3opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ.
4And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.
Next stop, similar story, in fact this same pattern has been repeating for quite a while now in Paul's ministry.
10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
12Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few.
13But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.
Same story, Paul preaches Christ in the synagogue, some believe, some revile, Paul keeps moving forward. In Athens we see Paul's work still includes the Synagogue, Paul's "home church" if you will, but it adds a direct daily ministry outside of the synagogue. It's almost as if Paul is starting to find a new comfort zone.
16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.
17So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him.
Notice the prompting Paul is receiving from the spirit, prompting to expand. When he gets to Corinth this prompting becomes a bit more direct.
4And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
It might seem that the spirit is prompting Paul here to stay within his comfort zone, to continue in his Synagogue based ministry. He is having success right? Persuading both the Jews and the Greeks? What Paul is being pressed in the spirit to do though, is to add some salt to his message, some controversy. To testify to the Jews that Jesus was Christ, is a great way to get one thrown out of a synagogue, out of his comfort zone.
6And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
This was a pivotal moment in Paul's ministry, but notably it doesn't happen in one moment. It happens through a years long pattern of successes mixed with failure. Even the spirits prompting in Paul's life seems, at times, to lead only to failure or pain. The end result though is Paul being prodded into the path that he had already been chosen for. A path that near the end of his life he would describe as a reward.
14I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.