Being A Woman Of The Wordনমুনা

Be a Berean

Paul and Silas preached to the Bereans on Paul’s second missionary journey approximately AD 49-52. Berea was in Macedonia and west of Thessalonica. Paul did not see opposition from the Bereans, but instead saw opposition by unbelievers from Thessalonica who were making their way to Berea. Paul had just spent time preaching in Thessalonica where the unbelieving Jews were eager to shut Paul up. They stirred up the crowds and started riots, so Paul and Silas had to leave once it was dark. On arriving in Berea, they immediately went to the synagogue. 

The Bereans were of more noble character because of their eagerness for the Word of God. They also examined and compared what they heard to the Old Testament Scriptures. They went further than just hearing the Word of God. The Bereans wanted to be sure what they were hearing was truth.  Jen Wilken, author of the book “Women of the Word”, says that Scripture interprets Scripture. What a perfect picture of this in our key verse. Pushing forward and digging in to compare Paul’s preaching to the Old Testament Scriptures led many of the Bereans to faith in Jesus Christ.  

I often hear the phrase “Be a Berean”. Sisters, let’s keep that at the forefront of our minds as we are overloaded with pretty Scripture graphics, false teaching, and drive-thru Bible verses to make us feel good for the day. Push forward, dig in, have an eagerness to study the Word, compare Scripture to Scripture, and examine what we are reading. The more we do this, the more the Holy Spirt reveals to us the absolute truth of Scripture, and then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. Ephesians 4:14.  

The Word of God is right in front of us, sisters. Our lifeline as believers is between those pages. Don’t seek “new revelation” or try to “hear the voice of God’ outside of Scripture.  Everything we need in this life is within the pages of the Bible. Dig in!