This blog is a continuation of yesterday’s blog. We noted what can happen to a township when an opposing view seeks to play dirty politics to advance their agenda. A riot built on lies and misrepresentations began in the city of Thessalonica for the primary purpose of capturing the perpetrators, that is, Paul and his companions. Not able to find them, they dragged Jason out of his house before the magistrates of the city to indict them for insurrection. Luke uses the word, “Politarch,” which has been found in several inscriptions in Macedonian towns. This word does not appear in any other Greek literature from which Luke could have copied. This tidbit supports the view that Luke’s writing was authentic for the time in which it was written rather than propose the idea that someone else wrote it many years after the fact.
Now, the title of the blog concerning the example of these leaders is the focus of our attention. You will notice from Acts 17:1-9 that these Politarchs were reasonable men. Jason had put up bail or a “security” which was his right to do. This right was the privilege of the people when a charge was made that could not be proven in a brief trial. Their leaders upheld the obvious decision that Jason and others with him could not be condemned without solid proof. Therefore, the Christians were given the benefit of the doubt. This was not always done, especially when the opposition escalates to the point of physical force. Today, when leading figures can suppress the words of free speech that goes against their views, they will belittle, shame, and ostracize individuals to silence them. And, if that doesn’t work, they will remove you from any medium to be heard by falsely accusing you of wrongdoing to control public opinion. And, if that doesn’t work, they will physically remove you or threaten physical harm to you or your loved ones. The shift to a socialist economy and power is more pronounced as a result of Trump’s presidency. He hasn’t caused the division. He has only revealed it by unmasking what has been hidden from the American people. The division is obvious and open for all to see. Yet, as is often the case with conflict, many people are influenced by wicked minds to misinterpret the cause and effect. If we didn’t have this problem before Trump, then, he must have created it. So, the solution for many is to get rid of the creator of the problem and the problem goes away. Are we so naive? The problem still exists and it will not be so easily masked, now. Leaders will continue to do so by manipulating the voting public, but the lines of demarcation are clearly made, and the agenda’s on both sides are equally obvious. So, now what? Now, we will either passively accept the power that we are under and prepare for trials and persecutions on every hand, or we can take up arms and defeat the old republic. Which do you think is the will of God? Every child of God knows the answer to that question. While it may not be what we want, we must accept the inevitable and never forget that this world is not our home.
When Paul writes the first letter to the saints in Thessalonica that he wanted to make a return trip to them (1 Thess. 2:18) but “Satan hindered us.” Tomorrow, we will look at their excellent example of loyalty and faithfulness in the midst of persecution. Given the introduction to the first letter and that Satan hindered Paul from returning, it seems clear that the opposition had increased in Thessalonica. His opportunity to teach was not open.