Acts 17:1–4

 ¹ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” ⁴ And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 

Commentary 

Vs. 1 “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.” 

Having then departed from Philippi, the Apostle Paul along with Silas and Timothy now pass-through Amphipolis, which was about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Philippi, and Apollonia which was about 45 kilometers (28 miles) west from there, and so by passing those two Greek cities and following the Egnatian Way (which connected the Adriatic and Aegean seas), and was the most important east west connection in the Roman Empire, because it connected Rome with Asia Minor, they might reach Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews, which would afford them the opportunity to preach Christ and share the Gospel without being arrested again. 

Vs. 2-3 ² Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 

And so, it was upon reaching Thessalonica, that the Apostle Paul as was his custom entered the synagogue, and for three Sabbaths he preached Christ to them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, had to suffer Crucifixion death and Rise and from the dead in fulfillment of them, saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 

Vs. 4 “And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.” 

Now the effect of the Apostle Paul’s preaching was that some there were persuaded, indeed the Scripture says that a great multitude of the devout Greeks, that is Greeks who were trying to follow God according to the Law of Moses became convinced that the Jesus Christ Paul was declaring to them was the Christ, (i.e., Messiah) of the Scriptures. Now along with them were also some of the leading women who also joined with Paul and Silas. And so once again we see that those who are not burdened with a “cultural faith” are often more likely to receive the Word of God open minded and heartily.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.