I just learned this week that Paul had two ministry companions accompanying him on the journey to Rome: Luke and Aristarchus. I had never seen this before! In the back of my mind, I had known that Luke was there on the perilous sea voyage. But for some reason I had missed the fact that Aristarchus was there too.
“We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.” – Acts 27:2
It’s just a small phrase. But I had missed its significance all these years. (I love it when God shows you something new you’ve never seen before in the Bible!)
I wrote about Aristarchus a couple of blog posts ago. Aristarchus was a key ministry leader! It was Aristarchus who was seized by the crowd and dragged into the Great Theater of Ephesus, when the mob rioted for two hours! Aristarchus was the one on that stage taking the brunt of all that rage.
Afterwards, “When the uproar [in Ephesus] had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through the area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people and finally arrived in Greece.” – Acts 20:1-2
It seems that Aristarchus, after having just been the focal point of the mob-riot in Ephesus, accompanied Paul on his journey throughout Macedonia. (Acts 20:4) After all Aristarchus was a Macedonian, from Thessalonica.
Aristarchus’s hometown of Thessalonica is first mentioned in Acts 17, immediately following Paul’s time in Phillipi. It was in Phillipi where Paul cast the demonic spirit out of the fortune-telling slave girl … and as a result, was beaten (along with Silas) and thrown in prison.
God showed up, shook the prison with an earthquake, and brought a revival to the entire household of the jailer.
The next morning Paul and Silas were released from prison by the city magistrates, after which they left Phillipi … and proceeded to travel to Thessalonica.
“As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’ he said. Some Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.” – Acts 17:1-4
These were the first Christians in Thessalonica!
Perhaps Aristarchus was one of these who came to faith in Jesus at that time.
In reading Acts 17 of Paul’s time in Thessalonica, it specifically mentions three Sabbath days that Paul taught in the Jewish synagogue. It’s easy to assume Paul was only in the city for three weeks.
However, in the letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Phillipi he states:
“It was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.” – Philippians 4:14-16
This blew my mind! I had never seen this before!
Immediately following the events in Philippi, Paul (and Silas and Timothy) travelled to Thessalonica where they must have stayed for a considerable amount of time if the brand-new Christians from Phillipi were sending financial aid again and again to help provide for Paul’s needs.
I had never seen this before!
Not only that … when we look at the two letters Paul wrote to the Christians of Thessalonica, he states:
“You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. … Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 9
If Paul points out how he worked night and day so as not to be a burden to anyone, he was obviously doing a trade – making tents most likely – or perhaps doing day-labor jobs to provide for his needs.
This obviously indicates his stay in the city was more than three weeks … probably a few months.
Paul reiterates how hard he worked in his second letter:
“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. … For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’” – 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10
Exactly how long was Paul, and Silas and Timothy in Thessalonica starting this brand-new church? We don’t know. All we know is that they had to flee suddenly due to a riot.
“But the Jews [of Thessalonica] were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials … the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.” – Acts 17:5-8
It is not specified who the others were who were dragged out in this riot of Thessalonica, but perhaps Aristarchus might have been seized as a focal point of this riot too?? It is something curious to ponder.
Not only that … if the mob rushed to Jason’s house, obviously the brand-new church of Thessalonica had been meeting in Jason’s home. Obviously, it was here that Paul had been teaching the brand-new believers, for however long he had been there.
I personally think Aristarchus was part of this early group of brand-new believers meeting in this brand-new church in Jason’s house.
“As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas [and Timothy] away to Berea. … When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
“The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timoty stayed at Berea. The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.” – Acts 17:10-15
And so we have Paul here in Athens. Waiting.
This is the view from atop the great rock called Mars Hill … looking far away to the north. Somewhere out there to the north is Thessalonica.
Will the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica be ok?? Has Paul been able to teach them enough so that they can stand strong in the face of persecution? Has Paul been able to teach them enough doctrine so that they are not led astray by false teachers??
Timothy will help them! Timothy is still there.
Waiting … in Athens. Waiting … for Timothy to come and bring news of whether the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica are doing ok.
This is the backdrop for the letters Paul wrote to the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica.
This is the backdrop for 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
