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never used again afterwards. Here, once again, Luke shines out as a truthful historian. Unlike Philippi or
Troas, which were `colonies', Thessalonica was a `free city'. Such cities were allowed a measure of
self-government, and were generally as `Greek' in their atmosphere as a colony was `Roman'. The Roman
Governor did not interfere with purely local matters, and the local magistrates were even granted the power of life
and death.
These magistrates are referred to by Luke as politarchs. In connection with the apostle's visit to Thessalonica, in
some free cities there was a `senate' or `assembly' - an arrangement which was true of Thessalonica (see Acts 17:5
where the word demos is used). In connection with the apostle's visit to Thessalonica, it is interesting to note that
the British Museum contains the following inscription on marble slabs that once formed part of a triumphal arch
built to commemorate the victory of Augustus over Antony.
The title "Politarch", and the names, Sosipator1 Secundus2 and Gaius3 were inscribed on a triumphal arch in
the town of Thessalonica. The original is now in the British Museum.
ΠΟΛΕΙΤΑΡΧΟΥΝΤΩΝ ΣΩΣΙΠΑΤΡΟΥ1 ΤΟΥ ΚΛΕΟ ΠΑΤΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΛΟΥΚΙΟΥ ΠΟΝΤΙΟΥ ΣΕΚΟΥΝ∆Ο
Υ2 ΠΟΥΒΛΙΟΥ ΦΛΑΟΥΙΟΥ ΣΑΒΕΙΝΟΥ ∆ΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΦΑΥΣΤΟΥ ∆ΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠΟ
ΛΕΩΣ ΖΩΙΛΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΡΜΕΝΙΩΝΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΝΙΣΚΟΥ ΓΑΙΟΥ3 ΑΓΙΛΛΗΙΟΥ ΠΟΤΕΙΤΟΥ
.
. . . .
There are seven names in this inscription, and three of them are the same as those borne by friends of the apostle
from this very district: Sopater of Berea (Acts 20:4), Secundus of Thessalonica (Acts 20:4) and Gaius, the
Macedonian (Acts 19:29).
The whole atmosphere is changed when we step out of Acts 16 into Acts 17. We leave a Roman colony, with its
`praetor' (Acts 16:20) and `lictors' (Acts 16:35), and its appeal to Roman exclusivism (Acts 16:21); and we enter a
Greek city with its demos (Acts 17:5), and its politarchs.
The Jews' attempt to move the city proves abortive, the magistrates finding nothing against Jason, except that he
entertained some new religious ideas. Apart from having to give some guarantee that he would not imperil the
peace of the city, he is allowed to go free.
As the apostle had no desire to foment strife, and realized that he would not further the truth by another period of
imprisonment, he permitted the brethren to send Silas and himself away by night to Berea. The structure
emphasizes the close parallel that is intended with the visit to Thessalonica, but whereas Acts 17:2,3 represents the
apostle as `opening and alleging' from the Scriptures, in the corresponding passage in connection with Berea, this
feature is kept in the background, and the attitude of the Bereans brought to the fore :
`These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so' (Acts 17:11).
This reference has stood on the title page of The Berean Expositor ever since it was published in 1909, and
together with 2 Timothy 2:15, has been our watchword and inspiration ever since. Berea is now called Verria, and is
a city of some 20,000 inhabitants. At the time of the apostle's visit, there were sufficient Jews among the population
to justify a synagogue, and it was of these Jews that the term `more noble' was used.
Light is thrown upon the choice of Berea and the withdrawal by night, by some words of Cicero addressed to a
prefect of Macedonia whose maladministration had exasperated the people:
`You came to Thessalonica without the knowledge of any, and by night; and when you could not endure the
laments of the mourners and the storm of complaints, you stole away to the secluded town of Berea' (Cic. in Pis.
36).
The word eugenes, `noble' is used in Acts 17 in a figurative sense, and approximates to the Latin `ingenuus'.
The word is used in our own language in the form `ingenuous', meaning noble in character, generous, honourable,
straightforward. The ingenuous character of the Bereans was manifested in their attitude towards the apostle's
teaching and the Scriptures. Eugenes also occurs in Luke 19:12, and 1 Corinthians 1:26.