Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 17]
old verb to agitate. The excitement of the multitude "agitated"
the politarchs still more. To the people it meant a revolution,
to the politarchs a charge of complicity in treason if they let
it pass. They had no way to disprove the charge of treason and
Paul and Silas were not present.
17:9 {When they had taken security} (\labontes to hikanon\). A
Greek idiom=Latin _satis accipere_, to receive the sufficient
(bond), usually money for the fulfilment of the judgment.
Probably the demand was made of Jason that he see to it that Paul
and Silas leave the city not to return. In 1Th 2:17f. Paul may
refer to this in mentioning his inability to visit these
Thessalonians again. The idiom \lambanein to hikanon\ now is
found in two inscriptions of the second century A.D. (O. G. I. S.
484, 50 and 629, 101). In Vol. III Oxyrhynchus Papyri no. 294
A.D. 22 the corresponding phrase \dounai heikanon\ ("to give
security") appears. {They let them go} (\apelusan autous\). The
charge was serious but the proof slim so that the politarchs were
glad to be rid of the case.
17:10 {Immediately by night} (\euthe•s dia nuktos\). Paul's work
had not been in vain in Thessalonica (1Th 1:7f.; 2:13,20). Paul
loved the church here. Two of them, Aristarchus and Secundus,
will accompany him to Jerusalem (Ac 20:4) and Aristarchus will
go on with him to Rome (27:2). Plainly Paul and Silas had been
in hiding in Thessalonica and in real danger. After his departure
severe persecution came to the Christians in Thessalonica (1Th
2:14; 3:1-5; 2Th 1:6). It is possible that there was an escort
of Gentile converts with Paul and Silas on this night journey to
Beroea which was about fifty miles southwest from Thessalonica
near Pella in another district of Macedonia (Emathia). There is a
modern town there of some 6,000 people. {Went} (\ap•iesan\).
Imperfect third plural active of \apeimi\, old verb to go away,
here alone in the N.T. A literary, almost Atticistic, form
instead of \ap•lthon\. {Into the synagogue of the Jews} (\eis t•n
sunag•g•n t•n Ioudai•n\). Paul's usual custom and he lost no time
about it. Enough Jews here to have a synagogue.
17:11 {More noble than those} (\eugenesteroi t•n\). Comparative
form of \eugen•s\, old and common adjective, but in N.T. only
here and Lu 19:12; 1Co 1:26. Followed by ablative case \t•n\ as
often after the comparative. {With all readiness of mind} (\meta
p•s•s prothumias\). Old word from \prothumos\ (\pro, thumos\) and
means eagerness, rushing forward. In the N.T. only here and 2Co
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