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               "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                    The Sins Of The Jews (1 Thess 2:14-16)

INTRODUCTION


1. In our text, Paul reveals how the Thessalonians suffered persecution
   - 1 Th 2:14
   a. It was at the hand of their own countrymen - cf. Acts 17:5-10
   b. In this they were imitators of the churches in Judea, who were
      also persecuted by their countrymen - Acts 8:1;  Acts 12:1-4

2. Mentioning the Judaean persecution, Paul lists the sins of the Jews
   - 1 Th 2:15-16
   a. This passage might be construed by some as anti-Semitic
   b. But it really isn't, for it comes from the heart of one who
      loved his Jewish brethren - cf. Rom 9:1-5; Rom 10:1-2

[A careful consideration of these verses and related passages can
provide food for thought, especially regarding the grace of God, His
longsuffering, and the danger of despising it.  Let's begin our
consideration by looking more closely at what this passage says
about...]

I. THE SINS OF THE JEWS

   A. THEY KILLED THE LORD JESUS...
      1. Which Peter was not hesitant to proclaim - Acts 2:23; Acts 2:36;
         Acts 3:14-15; Acts 4:10; Acts 5:30
      2. Those who were personally involved accepted responsibility for
         this act - Mt 27:25

   B. THEY KILLED THEIR OWN PROPHETS...
      1. They killed prophets in the days of Elijah - 1 Kings 19:10
      2. They killed prophets, including Zechariah, despite the reforms
         of Jehoida the priest - 2 Chron 24:14-21
      3. As summarized by Ezra, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, and Stephen - Acts 17:5-10; Neh 9:26;
         Jer 2:30; Acts 7:52

   C. THEY PERSECUTED THE APOSTLES...
      1. In Jerusalem the apostles had been beaten and threatened - Acts 5:40
      2. Ultimately there was the death of James, and the imprisonment
         of Peter - Acts 12:1-5
      3. Paul had been persecuted in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra - Acts 13:50; Acts 14:1-6; Acts 14:19
      4. He had been run out of Thessalonica and Berea by the Jews - Acts 17:5-10; Acts 17:13-14

   D. THEY DID NOT PLEASE GOD...
      1. As rebuked by Moses in the wilderness - Deut 9:7
      2. As described by God to His prophet Ezekiel - Ezek 2:3

   E. THEY WERE CONTRARY TO ALL MEN...
      1. Tacitus describes them as "cherishing hatred against all
         others"
      2. Juvenal says "They would not even point out the way to any one
         except of the same religion; nor, being asked, guide any to a
         fountain except the circumcised."
      3. Diodorus Sicuhs describes them as "those alone among all the
         nations who were unwilling to have any intermingling with any
         other nation, and who regarded all others as enemies"
      -- As quoted by Barnes in his commentary on 1 Th 2:15

   F. FORBIDDING THEM TO SPEAK TO THE GENTILES...
      1. As happened at Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13:42-51
      2. The idea that Gentiles could now be included among God's
         people was abhorrent to many Jews, as indicated by their
         reaction in Acts 22:21-22
      3. Even some Jewish Christians demanded that Gentiles had to be
         circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved
         - Acts 15:5

[In this manner the Jews as a nation of people had been filling up the
measure of their sins, and the fullness of God's wrath was about to
come upon them (perhaps the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD - cf. Acts 23:29-39).

Now it is important to stress that these were not the words of an anti-
Semite.  Paul loved his brethren in the flesh (Rom 9:1-5; Rom 10:1-4).  They
are simply facts of history, given objectively by a Jew who himself had
been guilty of the same things!  Consider how Paul described
himself...]

II. THE SINS OF ONE JEW (PAUL)

   A. HE HAD BEEN A BLASPHEMER...
      1. Prior to his conversion - 1 Tim 1:12-13
      2. Compelling even others to blaspheme the name of Christ - Acts 26:9-11

   B. HE HAD BEEN A PERSECUTOR...
      1. Wreaking havoc of the church - Acts 8:3; Acts 9:1-2; Acts 26:9-10
      2. An indication of his zeal for his Jewish faith - Phil 3:6

   C. HE HAD BEEN AN INSOLENT MAN...
      1. "a violent aggressor" (NASB), "injurious" (KJV) - 1 Tim 1:13
      2. "It does not mean merely doing injury, but refers rather to
         the manner or spirit in which it is done. It is a word of
         intenser signification than either the word 'blasphemer,' or
         'persecutor,' and means that what he did was done with a
         proud, haughty, insolent spirit. There was wicked and
         malicious violence, an arrogance and spirit of tyranny in what
         he did, which greatly aggravated the wrong that was done."
         (Barnes)

CONCLUSION

1. So what is the point?  Certainly Paul was not anti-Semitic...
   a. What he says was not true of all Jews
      1) Many had become Christians (e.g., the apostles, Paul himself)
      2) There were churches "in Judea" - cf. 1 Th 2:14
   b. Any Jew who came to Christ would be "grafted" back in -
      cf. Rom 11:23-24
   c. The Gentiles as a group were not much better - cf. Rom 1:18-32

2. But there are important lessons to be learned...
   a. The danger of even God's chosen people falling away -
      Heb 3:12-19; Heb 4:1-2
   b. The wonderful grace of God for those willing to repent
      1) As seen in the life of Paul - 1 Tim 1:12-16
      2) As still extended to the Jews - Rom 11:1-5; Rom 11:23
   c. The wrath of God coming upon those who refuse His grace -
      cf. Rom 2:4-11
      1) To those who obey not the gospel - >1 Pet 4:17; 2 Th 1:7-9
      2) To those who persist in sin - Heb 10:26-31

As we are therefore reminded of how some of the Jews fell from grace,
may it serve to caution us not to receive God's grace in vain:

   "We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to
   receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: `In an acceptable
   time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped
   you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
   salvation."  (2 Cor 6:1-2)
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