And context, context, context, read the preceeding and following lines
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. |
So, they did rely on a man's word initially -- two men, Paul and Silas who spread the Good News amongs them. Then they checked the OT to see if the references to the Christ were correct. And also, the Berean Church included GREEKS -- who wouldn't have read the scriptures as they were not of Jewish origin, they took the Gospel for what Paul and Silas preached, tradition alone, not scripture.
Furthermore, note what happened before -- in Thessalonia. There, "For three weeks he [Paul] reasoned with them from the Scriptures" --> THESE THESALLONIANS were cynical personal interpretation folks who disagreed with Paul and Silas' interpretation of scriptures (the OT) on the Christ.
Remember, both the Thesalonians in the passages before this and the Bereans were Jews who studied the OT for the references of Jesus being the Christ. Why did they study this?
because of the ORAL TRADITION that Paul and Silas brought, claiming Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
The Thesalonians rejected this as "it weren't in scripture, cynical personal interpretation", while the Bereans accepted Holy Tradition, i.e. ORAL teaching by Paul and Silas.
if anything, the tale of the Bereans shows the error of cynical personal interpretation.
Remember, the Bereans AND Thessalonians had the Septuagint and nothing from the NT.
The Thessalonians stuck to cynical personal interpretation and rejected the oral teachings of Paul and Silas.
The Bereans did NOT stick to cynical personal interpretation and listened to Paul and Silas. They referred to scripture but accepted the ORAL teachings of Paul and Silas. And they believed.
This is an utter refutation of cynical personal interpretation.
And also, the Berean Church included GREEKS -- who wouldn't have read the scriptures as they were not of Jewish origin, they took the Gospel for what Paul and Silas preached, tradition alone, not scripture.Oh brother!!!
1Th 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
Written NT scriptures to the Thessalonians and ALL the holy brethren...
Col 4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
Written scripture to the Collosians and Ladodiceans...
Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Written scripture to the Ephesians...
Man, invest in a bible, would ya???