Paul’s missionary campaign in Mcedonia and Achaia (Acts 15:36-18:17)

Paul’s missionary campaign in Mcedonia and Achaia(Acts 15:36-18:17)

NT2 – Study 7

Outline of this study

1. Paul and Barnabas part company (15:36-41)2. Paul’s return to Derbe & Lystra (16:1-5)3. The call to Macedonia (16:6-10)4. Philippi: the 1st Macedonian church (16:11-40)5. Thessalonica and Berea (17:1-15)6. Athens and the Areopagus address (17:16-34)7. Paul at Corinth (18:1-17)

Source: David Cook, Teaching Acts (Christian Focus)

1. Paul and Barnabas part company (15:36-41)

1. Paul & Barnabas part company

• Purpose of the “mission” = pastoral concern for new believers! (15:36)

• Crisis: “such a sharp disagreement that they parted company” (15:39)

WHY THESE DETAILS??

2. Paul’s return to Derbe & Lystra (16:1-5)

2. Paul’s return to Derbe & Lystra (16:1-5)

Paul choosing to circumcision Timothy Was he being

INCONSISTENT or FREE?(cf. 1 Cor 9:19-23)

3. The call to Macedonia (16:6-10)

3. The call to Macedonia (16:6-10)

• Kept from Asia and Bithynia by “the Spirit of Jesus” (16:6,7) “Come over to Macedonia ... ” (16:9)!

• Note “we” and “us” in v10!!

4. Philippi: the first Macedonian church

(16:11-40)


Power of Jesus’ name in the most diverse of people!

Lydia “a dealer in purple cloth”

Fortune-telling “slave girl”

Unsuspecting “jailer”


Why does Paul insist on an official apology (cf. 16:37)?

5. Thessalonica and Berea (17:1-15)


Thessalonica• “As was his custom ...”

(17:2)• Jews + many “GFGs” +

“prominent women” joined Paul & Silas (17:4)

• Jealous Jews accuses: “defying Caesar” + “another king ... Jesus” (17:7)

• Missionaries sent away after dark! (17:10)


Class exercise: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16• What did the Thessalonians KNOW about

Paul & team?

• How did they RECEIVE the word from Paul & team?

• What EFFECT did the word have on them?


Berea• “of more noble

character” (17:11)• Jews + prominent

Greek women + many Greek men (17:12)

• Jews from Thessalonica stirs (17:13)

6. Athens and the Areopagus address

(17:16-34)

6. Athens & Areopagus address (17:16-34)

• “full of idols” (v16)• Paul echoes OT vs

quoting OT!• Yet clearly

evangelistic, not just apologetic or “pre-evangelism”


Key features of Paul’s speech at Areopagus*• God-centered Worship + creator• Audience-conscious No OT quotes(!)

Divine sovereignty human accountability

• Christ-focused Resurrection• Response-oriented Repent from idolatry• Boldness At Areopagus!

*Following Alan Thompson, The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus (IVP)


How can we reconcile how Paul spoke at the Areopagus with what

he wrote in 1 Cor 2:1-5?

7. Paul at Corinth (18:1-17)


The city• Commercial

metropolis• Seat of governor• Immoral (“live like

a Corinthian”)• Idolatrous

(Aphrodite)


Paul’s first visit• Tent-making with Aquila & Priscilla• First to Jews, “testifying that the Christ

was Jesus” (v5) abusive Jews “I will go to the Gentiles” (v6)

• The Lord assures protection “I have many people in this city” (v10)– Who was the Lord referring to?

On the whole, Paul’s missionary expeditions in Acts 13-21 elicit a divided response from

a variety of social groups. Paul creates quite a stir wherever he goes, but not always

in the same way among the same people. General patterns of support or opposition built up over the course of the expedition accounts are periodically deconstructed

by glaring exceptions.

Source: Scott Spencer, p.146

Questions & Answers

JUMPA LAGI !!!

Paul’s missionary campaign in Mcedonia and Achaia (Acts 15:36-18:17)

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