The Process 1.0

The Importance of Being Berean Luke records the story of the Bereans in Acts 17:10-15. His most impactful observation is made in v.11: “But these [the Berean synagogue members] were more noble-minded than the ones in Thessalonica, of such a nature that they welcomed the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures everyday [to determine] whether these things were so (true).” The word translated ‘examining’ can actually be used in the legal sense of a judge leading an investigation or an interrogation. Essentially, the Bereans are pictured as the judge, the scriptures as the guiding legislation, and Paul’s interpretation, i.e. that Jesus was the Christ, as the testimony that was under scrutiny. The Bereans did not take affront at Paul’s assertion but took the effort to determine what was true. The result was that “many believed” (v.12). Thus, the term ‘Being Berean’ has become symbolic of an attitude of eagerness to determine the validity of someone’s assertions concerning what the Bible says. People who are Being Bereans don’t just listen to sermons. They have their Bibles open and maybe even a Greek or Hebrew app on their phone. They might check the context of the passage under consideration or a relevant verse from another passage that comes to mind. Being Bereans are pro-active learners who willingly engage with the passage and the interpretation being shared. However, don’t confuse Being Bereans with others who do some of the same activities, but with different motives. The ultimate motive of a Being Berean is to know what is true because truth is valuable to them. Others might critique sermons in order to appear scholarly, advanced, or just plain smarter. Their goal is to gain the approval of men. The goal of a Being Berean is to know the truth and to experience the freedom that it brings. The original Bereans examined the scriptures, and many believed. What is implicit in that statement is that what they believed changed the course of their lives! Some view truth as facts to be displayed as evidence of their own intellectual brilliance, but Being Bereans view the truth as factors that influence their thoughts, their habits, and their lives. Being Bereans have embraced the truth that scripture is the word of God, is living and active, and, as such, can birth within us the peace and joy that God has freely granted us.