Paul Reminiscences

I THESSALONIANS 2:1-2

Verse 1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

Verse 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

I. The shameful treatment of Paul and Silas is recorded in Acts 16:12-40.

A. Paul states that the shameful treatment he received in the city before he arrived at Thessalonica didn’t stop him to preaching the same truth to them.

1. There are two cities between Philippi and Thessalonia, the town of Amphipolis and Apollonia.

a. There isn’t a record of anything major happening in either of these towns.

b. It is just a towns that Paul and Silas passed through.

c. There is a natural curiosity as to why Paul and Silas didn’t preach in those towns.

1) There is no record as to why, as the name of those towns appears only one time in the entire Bible.

2) Apollonia is in northern Greece or Macedonia on the international highway called Via Egnatia, 30 miles from Amphipolis and 38 miles from Thessalonica.

The exploits of Jason is found in Acts 17:5, 6, 7, 9, and most likely in Romans 16:21.

Paul also gained a traveling companion named Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, Acts 27:2.

Aristarchus traveled with Paul to any places.

Acts 19:29 - At Ephesus, Aristarchus and Gaius (who was of Derbe, Acts 20:4) was drawn into the theatre as “hostages” until Paul could be found.

Acts 20:4 - Aristarchus accompanied Paul into Asia.

Acts 27:2 - Aristarchus traveled with Paul as he went to Rome.

Colossians 4:1 - When Paul wrote to the Colossians from Rome, he described Aristarchus as a fellow prisoner, not only with Christ, but also of the Roman Government, namely because Aristarchus would stay with Paul wherever he was, even if it was in jail.

Philemon verse 24 - Paul describes Aristarchus as a fellow prisoner of the Lord, and his fellow laborer.