The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Acts 17:10-11
Luke carefully draws a sharp contrast here between the rabble in Thessalonica, whom Paul and his friends had encountered earlier in chapter 17, and these Jews in Berea, who were more noble. In what did their nobility consist? Well, not merely in receiving the word, but also in checking it out with the Scriptures. A noble person is one who has not only an open mind but also a cautious heart. He will not accept a teaching unless he checks it with the Scriptures.
That is what the Scriptures are for. They are your guide so that you can tell what is true and what is false, what is right and what is wrong. And unless a Christian does this, he is lost in a sea of relativism, where he does not know what is right or what is wrong. Your mind becomes confused and blinded and you can be misled and manipulated, as the rabble in Thessalonica manipulated the crowd there — unless you have the nobility to check things out according to the Scriptures. That is what these Jews did, and it was a tremendous help. They checked up on the Apostle Paul.
The value of this story to us, and the reason Luke includes it, is that by it we might learn the necessity of testing any man's word. Do not listen to just one man's tapes, or read only one man's books or messages. It is a very dangerous practice. You will be misled by his errors and you will not know how to recognize them. Never give yourself to following a single man. Check whatever you read with what is in the Scriptures and with other teachers. Establish what the Word of God says. That is the authority. How delighted Luke is to commend these Bereans for their nobility in doing this very thing!
Thank you for your word, Lord. I ask that you give me a noble heart to study your word and take it and it alone as my guide and my authority.
Life Application
What characterized the nobility of the Berean Christians? Is it safe and/or prudent to follow one man's teaching exclusively? What is a certain safeguard against possible confusion from teachings contrary to the Word of God?
This Daily Devotion was Inspired by one of Ray's Messages
Rabble and Nobles
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