The Apostle Paul’s gospel message had a very clear and direct point of emphasis that he shared throughout his ministry: eternal life is possible, because of what Jesus Christ did, we can now live forever. Paul explained to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, “that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus” (Acts 13:32). Paul went on to explain, “that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39).
Paul later started preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and the only thing that changed was how he got the people to understand who he was talking about. The Gentiles didn’t have the benefit of getting to know God through the promises he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Gentiles worshipped the Greek gods Zeus, Hermes, Artimis, and other popular mythological characters. Paul told the crowds at Lystra, “we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15).
Over time, Paul’s gospel message brought thousands of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul’s success infuriated the Jews and resulted in him being persecuted the rest of his life. While Paul was in Thessalonica, some Jews who were jealous took some wicked men of the rabble, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar (Acts 17:5). These men attacked the house of Jason where Paul was staying, “they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:6-7).
The gospel message that Paul had delivered to the Jews in Thessalonica was, “that is was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.” Paul told the Thessalonians, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ” (Acts 17:3). The reason why the Jews perceived Paul’s message as turning the world upside down was because they were looking at things from a purely materialistic perspective. The Jews were not concerned about the spiritual benefit of living forever. The Jews thought the promise God made to Abraham to give him the land had to do with them owning the physical resources that were at God’s disposal (Matthew 21:33-46).
The resurrection of the dead may have confused the Jews because they weren’t aware that they were going to be judged along with everyone else. Jesus’ description of the final judgment made it clear that those who were going to inherit the kingdom of God would come from among all the nations, not just Israel. Jesus said:
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:31-34)
Jesus referred to those who would inherit the kingdom as sheep and in another passage said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:14-16).
The Greek word that is translated turned upside down in Acts 17:6, anastatoo (an-as-tat-oˊ-o) is derived from the base word of anastasis (an-asˊ-tas-is) which is translated resurrection in Acts 17:18. The Greek word anistemi literally means, “to stand again” (G450). Anastasis on the other hand means “a standing up again, i.e. (literal) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive or by implication [its author]), or (figurative) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth). The Jews thought Paul was turning their world upside down because he was agitating their minds (G387), but they weren’t grasping the spiritual truth that was being presented to them i.e. that they were spiritually dead and needed a resurrection.
Paul’s brief visit to Thessalonica was followed by two letters that revealed the Thessalonians continued being interested in the topic of the resurrection of the dead. In his letters, Paul shared specific details about the resurrection in these letters that aren’t discussed anywhere else. Paul linked the resurrection of the dead with the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11) and used the Greek word harpazo (har-padˊ-zo) to describe the event (1 Thessalonians 4:17), which is where the term rapture came from. Paul concluded his second letter with an admonition for the Thessalonians to stand firm in their belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17), indicating that the persecution that resulted from them having their world turned upside down was continuing just as it was with Paul.
