2. Greece (16:9-18:17)

In Philippi, the Christian movement has its first direct encounter with Roman authorities not instigated by a hostile Jewish synagogue (16:11-40). In fact, the Jews appear to have been expelled from Philippi as this Roman colony had followed Rome’s example of the expulsion of Jews by Claudius earlier in the year (18:2). This is seen in the charges against Paul and Silas (16:20-21). The Romans were very sensitive to disturbances of the status quo and to any proselytizing that induced Romans to leave their traditional religious practices. Paul was guilty of both when he exorcised the slave girl.

Why didn't Paul claim his Roman citizenship before he was beaten and imprisoned (16:19-24)? The outcome (vv.35-40) suggests that Paul sacrificed himself to place the authorities in a position where they could take no action against the Christian community for fear that Paul would bring charges against them for their treatment of a Roman citizen.

That Paul and Silas could rejoice in such extreme adversity reflects the profound reality of Christian experience. Life in Christ provides a frame of reference that sets all experiences in a new light, enabling them to become means of God’s grace, not only for believers but also for those associated with the experience (16:25-34).

Paul’s experience in Thessalonica (17:1-9) replays the pattern of initial outreach to the Jewish community, response and rejection, outreach to Gentiles, and Jewish instigation of action by local authorities against the Christians. A more serious issue emerges here, however. Paul and his companions are described as these men who turn the world upside down by defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus (17:6-7). The escalation of charges from social/religious disruption in Philippi to political revolution in Thessalonica reflects the world’s awareness that the reality of Christian experience threatens the structures of the world’s order. There is a sense in which the Gospel is always seditious to fallen social, economic, cultural, and political structures. Christians are citizens of a new order whose reality signals the demise of all lesser orders. This is the key to social holiness, not simply “tinkering with the machinery” of the world order, but living out the reality of God’s order in ways that bring cleansing, healing, liberation, and wholeness to the world’s uncleanness, disease, bondage, and brokenness.

Even when there is positive response to the Gospel as in Beroea (17:10-12), the threatened old order cannot tolerate any “cancer” of liberation, which might spread and destroy its status quo (vv.13-14).

Athens (17:16-34) is the only major city evangelized by Paul without any evidence of the establishment of a Christian community. In spite of his work in both synagogue and marketplace, there is no note of positive response. The only response noted is the skeptical and critical response of the philosophers who drag Paul before the Council of the Areopagus (the censorship board) to question the legitimacy of his public teaching.

Paul’s response (17:22-31) is a masterful attempt to clothe the Gospel in the perceptual framework of his Stoic and Epicurean hearers. Remarkably, Paul makes no mention of the Crucifixion, the one thing that would be incomprehensible to his hearers. His attempt is largely a failure. Only a few believed (vv.32-34). While the Gospel must be clothed in the perceptual framework of the hearers, care must be taken not to remove the challenging, confrontive heart of the Gospel. Paul later acknowledges that the Cross is folly to the Gentiles (1Co 1:18). Paul must have realized his mistake, for when he came to Corinth (18:1-17), he decided “to know nothing . . . except Jesus Christ and him crucified,” which brought him “in weakness and fear, and with much trembling” to this city (1Co 2:2-3) that vied with Athens for cultural and philosophic superiority.

When we consider that Paul came to Corinth from the “defeat” of Athens, that Paul’s companions are refugees for their faith (18:2-3), and that there is much opposition, the results of faithfulness are manifest. Many Corinthians believe and are baptized, the Lord strengthens Paul’s ministry in the face of opposition, and Paul ministers in Corinth for a year and a half.

In contrast to heightened concern of Roman authorities in Philippi and Thessalonica, Gallio reflects another side of Roman response (18:12-17). The Jews, having expelled Paul eighteen months earlier, seem intent to clarify for the new proconsul the distinction between Jews and Christians, undoubtedly to preclude Gallio’s viewing Christian growth as Jewish proselytizing and hold the Jews accountable. Their worst fears are actualized. Gallio presumes Christians are Jews, in spite of an implied charge of sedition. He affirms the Jews' rights to govern their own affairs and confirms that right by allowing them to discipline Sosthenes without interference.