Acts 17:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."

NIV: explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said.

NASB: explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.'

CSB: explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah."

NLT: He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, 'This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.'

KJV: Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

NKJV: 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.”

The Jewish interpretation of the Messianic prophesies in the Old Testament are very specific. The Messiah is a warrior or a king who will rescue Israel from foreign occupation, bring peace and prosperity, and renew the nation such that other nations will give them honor. This is a literal reading of the prophecies, but it is incomplete. Messiah as worldly Savior is for the millennial kingdom. The Messiah—Jesus—first came to save the world from the eternal death brought on by sin. To do this, the Messiah had to die and rise again.

This is what Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:26–47) and likely every other city with a strong Jewish population. He can give context to several prophecies that don't seem to agree with the Warrior-King theme. Isaiah 50:6 speaks of one whose enemies beat Him, pull out His beard, and spit on Him. Isaiah 52:13—53:12, which many Jewish people struggle to ignore, describes the Messiah as someone who is despised, pierced for our transgressions, and heals us through His wounds. This idea that the Messiah must suffer and die is difficult for those who think more of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13–14 who is given dominion over the nations.

"Christ" is from the Greek root word christos; it is Greek for "anointed one" as "Messiah" is the Hebrew form. "Explaining" is from the Greek root word dianoigo. Literally, it means to open what has been closed. Metaphorically, it means to enlighten, to open one's mind. It is used in the story of the two disciples whom Jesus met after the resurrection; the men's eyes were opened (Luke 24:31) after Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (Luke 24:32). "Proving" is from the Greek root word paratithemi. Literally, it means to set something nearby; metaphorically, it means to explain or to set the meaning of something before someone else. The word is also used in Acts 14:23 of the elders that Paul's group committed to the Lord.

Acts 17:1–9 relates that Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled to Thessalonica, having left Luke in Philippi. As usual, they start in the synagogue, showing how the prophecies of the Jewish Scriptures say the Messiah must die and rise from the dead. And as usual some of the Jews and many of the Gentiles believe them, while other Jews reject their message. For the first time, however, Paul's antagonists can't find him or his team, so they attack several converts. The new church protects Paul, Silas, and Timothy and sends them southwest to Berea.

Acts 17 describes how Paul's ministry travels down the coast of Greece. In Thessalonica, some Jews and God-fearing Gentiles believe while other Jews start a riot (Acts 17:1–9). The Bereans study the veracity of Paul's statements—until the Thessalonian Jews arrive and threaten to start another riot (Acts 17:10–15). Paul flees to Athens where the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers accept Paul's argument when he uses Greek poets to introduce God as the creator of the world, but lose interest when he mentions the resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:16–34).

Acts 17 continues Paul and Silas' travels out of Macedonia and on to Greece. The two have been through modern-day Asia minor where they picked up Timothy in Lystra and Luke in Troas (Acts 16:1–10). They have established a strong church in Philippi but were forced to leave after being falsely imprisoned (Acts 16:11–40). They now skip down the coast to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. From here, they will spend a considerable amount of time in Corinth before heading back to Judea and Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:1–22).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.