11 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked , Nor stand in the [1] path of sinners , Nor sit in the seat of scoffers ! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night . 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by [2]streams of water , Which yields its fruit in its season And its [3]leaf does not wither ; And [4]in whatever e he does , he prospers .
4 The wicked are not so , But they are like chaff which the wind drives away . 5 Therefore e the wicked will not stand in the judgment , Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous . 6 For the Lord [5] knows the way of the righteous , But the way of the wicked will perish .
21 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing ? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed , saying, 3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!" 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs , The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury , saying, 6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion , My holy mountain ."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord : He said to Me, 'You are My Son , Today I have begotten You. 8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance , And the very ends of the earth as Your possession . 9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron , You shall shatter them like earthenware e .' "
10 Now therefore, O kings , show discernment ; Take warning , O judges of the earth . 11 Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling . 12 Do homage to the Son , that He not become angry , and you perish in the way , For His wrath may soon be kindled . How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
31 O Lord , how my adversaries have increased ! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul , "There is no deliverance for him in God ." Selah . 3 But You, O Lord , are a shield about me, My glory , and the One who lifts my head .
4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice , And He answered me from His holy mountain . Selah . 5 I lay down and slept ; I awoke , for the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about . 7 Arise , O Lord ; save me, O my God ! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek ; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked . 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord ; Your blessing be upon Your people ! Selah .
171 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia , they came to Thessalonica , where there was a synagogue of the Jews . 2 And according to Paul's custom , he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures , 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead , and saying, " This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas , along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number e of the leading women . 5 But the Jews , becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place , formed a mob and set the city in an uproar ; and attacking the house of Jason , they were seeking to bring them out to the people . 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities , shouting , "These men who have upset the world have come here also ; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar , saying that there is another king , Jesus ." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things . 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others , they released them.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea , and when they arrived , they went into the synagogue of the Jews . 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica , for they received the word with great eagerness , examining the Scriptures daily e to see whether these things were so . 12 Therefore many of them believed , along with a number e of prominent Greek women and men . 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also , they came there as well , agitating and stirring up the crowds . 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea ; and Silas and Timothy remained there . 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens ; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible , they left .
(Read Acts 17:1-9)
The drift and scope of Paul's preaching and arguing, was to prove that Jesus is the Christ. He must needs suffer for us, because he could not otherwise purchase our redemption for us; and he must needs have risen again, because he could not otherwise apply the redemption to us. We are to preach concerning Jesus that he is Christ; therefore we may hope to be saved by him, and are bound to be ruled by him. The unbelieving Jews were angry, because the apostles preached to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. How strange it is, that men should grudge others the privileges they will not themselves accept! Neither rulers nor people need be troubled at the increase of real Christians, even though turbulent spirits should make religion the pretext for evil designs. Of such let us beware, from such let us withdraw, that we may show a desire to act aright in society, while we claim our right to worship God according to our consciences.
(Read Acts 17:10-15)
The Jews in Berea applied seriously to the study of the word preached unto them. They not only heard Paul preach on the sabbath, but daily searched the Scriptures, and compared what they read with the facts related to them. The doctrine of Christ does not fear inquiry; advocates for his cause desire no more than that people will fully and fairly examine whether things are so or not. Those are truly noble, and likely to be more and more so, who make the Scriptures their rule, and consult them accordingly. May all the hearers of the gospel become like those of Berea, receiving the word with readiness of mind, and searching the Scriptures daily, whether the things preached to them are so.
