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Commentary on "Preserving Relationships"
Day 3: Monday, July 9, 2012 - The Episode in Berea
Overview
Today’s lesson is about “the episode in Berea”. The first half of the lesson, however, makes the point that the trouble in Thessalonica likely was partially fueled by “inappropriate actions of the new believers.”
The second half of the lesson discusses how trouble-makers came from Thessalonica and stirred up trouble in Berea—but even that trouble could not stop “many of the Jews” from believing.
The lesson ends with the challenge to members to contemplate example “of the Christian church acting in ways that were clearly in the wrong” and asks what we can learn from those events.
Observations
Once again, Paulien camps on speculative conclusions that go beyond Scripture. First, the passage in Acts 17 (see yesterday’s lesson) that described Paul’s visit to Thessalonica clearly articulated that the jealousy that occurred was the result of unbelieving Jews being confronted with the gospel. There is no indication that the believers were misbehaving and making the problem worse. Paulien is using Scripture out of context to try to make this point.
In fact, this lesson is a great example of the fact that Adventists do not believe in the inerrancy and reliability of Scripture. Paulien is speculating and juxtaposing texts to make a point that Scripture does not make. This is an illegitimate use of the text.
Scripture never instructs us to look at the church and thus learn what NOT to do.
The Bereans were more noble than were the Thessalonians because they did not merely take the apostles’ word if teaching, Rather, they searched the Old Testament Scripture to be sure that what Paul was telling them was true.
The lesson for us from the story of Berea is NOT that we are to look at the church and identify failures that might make unbelievers angry with us. The real story is that unbelievers WILL hate believers and WILL oppose them.
Our “job” is to believe and stay immersed in Scripture. Conjecture and speculation are not adequate foundation upon which to build teaching to fits one’s agenda
Summary
- Once again Paulien speculates to make his point.
- Scripture does not suggest that the believers themselves were behaving in an annoying manner that angered the unbelievers. Rather, the cause of the riots was the juxtaposition of truth with the darkness.
- The Bereans were noble because they diligently searched the Scriptures to confirm Paul’s teaching.
- We are never instructed to critique the Christian church in order to figure out how Christians have behaved badly, thus inciting anger.
- The point of the story of Berea is that we must be committed to searching Scripture in context in order to be properly equipped.
Copyright 2012 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised July 8, 2012. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Camp Verde, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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