1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. (Acts 17:1-3 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
This chapter begins with St. Paul’s travel to Thessalonica, the chief city of Macedonia, where he gathered a famous church to which he wrote two excellent epistles. Coming to Thessalonica at this time, he went (as his manner was) into the synagogue, not into a private house. As Christ taught daily in the temple, so did his apostles teach in the synagogues: it was the false apostles that crept into houses, and led captive silly women, as St. Paul complains, 2Ti 3:6. Truth seeks no corners, but rejoices to be publicly seen; besides, the gospel was first to be preached to the Jews, and, upon their rejection, to the Gentiles.
Accordingly, the apostle takes advantage of the synagogue, where all the Jews were gathered together, and preaches to them Jesus and the resurrection.
Where observe, The first grand point that the apostle insisted upon, was to demonstrate, that this Jesus, whom he preached, was the long-expected Messias. Now to prove this, he produces the prophecies of the Old Testament and compares them with what was both done and suffered by Christ, making all things as plain and obvious to the eye of their understanding, as if they had been seen with bodily eyes; satisfactorily demonstrating to their judgments that Jesus is the Christ.
Observe, lastly, How the gospel is like the sea; what is lost at one place, is gained in another; St. Paul is sent away from Philippi, but by that means the gospel was preached at Thessalonica. God overrules the motions of his ministers, and the madness and malice of their persecutors, for the furtherance and spreading of the gospel.