SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:11
Y fueron stos ms nobles que los que estaban en Tesalnica, pues recibieron la palabra con toda solicitud, escudriando cada día las Escrituras, para ver si estas cosas eran así.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 17:11
Verse 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica] hsan eugenesteroi, Were of a better race, extraction, or birth, than those at Thessalonica; but the word refers more to their conduct, as a proof of their better disposition, than to their birth, or any peculiar lineal nobility. It was a maxim among the Jews, that "none was of a noble spirit who did not employ himself in the study of the law." It appears that the Bereans were a better educated and more polished people than those at Thessalonica; in consequence far from persecuting: 1. They heard the doctrine of the Gospel attentively. 2. They received this doctrine with readiness of mind: when the evidence of its truth appeared to them sufficiently convincing, they had too much dignity of mind to refuse their assent, and too much ingenuousness to conceal their approbation. 3. They searched the Scriptures, i.e. of the Old Testament, to see whether these thing were so: to see whether the promises and types corresponded with the alleged fulfillment in the person, works, and sufferings of Jesus Christ. 4. They continued in this work; they searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica , etc.] That is, the Jews at Berea were more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica, as the Syriac version expresses it; for the comparison is not between the native inhabitants of Berea and Thessalonica, but between the Jews that dwelt in these places: and the one being more noble than the other, does not refer to their birth, lineage, and descent, as in ( 1 Corinthians 1:26) few such were called; and besides, both sorts were Jews, and of the same descent; and as for the proselytes in both places, there were some of the chief and honourable women converted in each: but to their minds, dispositions, and manners; the one were more candid, and ingenuous, and open to conviction and susceptive of the word, than the other; and used the apostles with better manners, with more mildness and gentleness, willing to hear what they had to say, without contradicting and blaspheming, and to examine with patience and candour what they delivered. Not that there is in any man, nor was there in those men naturally a disposition to attend to, and regard the Gospel of Christ; for there is a natural enmity in the minds of men to it, and with them it is folly and nonsense; nor are there any previous dispositions in the minds of men qualifying them for the grace of God; nor is anything of this kind a reason why some, and not others, are called by grace, for all are children of wrath, and none better than others; but this more noble disposition of mind and conduct was owing to the grace of God bestowed upon them; and which showed itself in the following instance: in that they received the word with all readiness ; or who received, etc. which is a character, not of the Thessalonian Jews, as some think; though it is true of them that they received the word with joy of the Holy Ghost, and not as the word of man, but as the word of God, it coming to them not in word only, but in power, ( 1 Thessalonians 1:5,6 2:13) but of the Beran Jews, who exceeded them, who showed at once a readiness and eager desire to attend the Gospel, and embrace it. This is to be understood not of the essential word Christ; though as it is true of him, that he is the word, and he is said to be received, and that readily and willingly, so these Bereans did receive him by faith, they believed in him, and made a profession of him; nor of the written word, for that is designed by the Scriptures, which they searched daily, and by which they examined, tried, and judged of the word they received; but of the word spoken by the apostle, the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation: this they received into their understandings, not merely notionally, so as to give their assent to it; but spiritually and experimentally, so as to feel the power, and enjoy the comfort of it, their understandings being opened by the Spirit of God for this purpose; otherwise the Gospel is unknown unto, and rejected by the natural man: they received the love of the truth, or the word of truth into their affections, not with a mere carnal flashy affection, arising from a principle of self-love; but with a spiritual affection of the Holy Ghost, with real solid gladness, it bringing the good news of salvation by Christ to them who saw themselves miserable, and undone: they received it into their hearts, so that it had a place there, and worked effectually in them: they believed it, not with a mere historical faith, but from the heart obeyed this form of doctrine delivered to them; and this they did with all readiness, as an hungry man receives his food, and greedily feeds upon it, or as a man ready to perish receives and lays hold on anything that offers for his safety. And searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so : they did not dispute with, and cavil at the apostle, as the Thessalonian Jews first did, ( Acts 17:2) nor did they receive the word, right or wrong, or with an implicit faith; but they immediately betook themselves to reading and searching the writings of the Old Testament, to see whether the things which the apostle preached, concerning the Messiah, his incarnation, obedience, sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead, were agreeable to them, or no; determining, if they were not, to reject them, but if they were, to embrace them, as they did; (see John 5:39) and this they did continually day after day. They were neither backward to hear and receive the word, nor slothful to examine it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-15 - The Jews in Berea applied seriously to the study of the word preache unto them. They not only heard Paul preach on the sabbath, but dail searched the Scriptures, and compared what they read with the fact related to them. The doctrine of Christ does not fear inquiry advocates for his cause desire no more than that people will fully an fairly examine whether things are so or not. Those are truly noble, an likely to be more and more so, who make the Scriptures their rule, an consult them accordingly. May all the hearers of the gospel become lik those of Berea, receiving the word with readiness of mind, an searching the Scriptures daily, whether the things preached to them ar so.
Greek Textus Receptus
ουτοι 3778 D-NPM δε 1161 CONJ ησαν 2258 5713 V-IXI-3P ευγενεστεροι 2104 A-NPM-C των 3588 T-GPM εν 1722 PREP θεσσαλονικη 2332 N-DSF οιτινες 3748 R-NPM εδεξαντο 1209 5662 V-ADI-3P τον 3588 T-ASM λογον 3056 N-ASM μετα 3326 PREP πασης 3956 A-GSF προθυμιας 4288 N-GSF το 3588 T-ASN καθ 2596 PREP ημεραν 2250 N-ASF ανακρινοντες 350 5723 V-PAP-NPM τας 3588 T-APF γραφας 1124 N-APF ει 1487 COND εχοι 2192 5722 V-PAO-3S ταυτα 5023 D-NPN ουτως 3779 ADV
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Searched. Or examined. See on Luke xxiii. 14.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
17:11 {More noble than those} (eugenesteroi twn). Comparative form of eugenes, old and common adjective, but in N.T. only here and #Lu 19:12; 1Co 1:26. Followed by ablative case twn as often after the comparative. {With all readiness of mind} (meta pases proqumias). Old word from proqumos (pro, qumos) and means eagerness, rushing forward. In the N.T. only here and #2Co 8:11-19; 9:2. In Thessalonica many of the Jews out of pride and prejudice refused to listen. Here the Jews joyfully welcomed the two Jewish visitors. {Examining the Scriptures daily} (kaq' hemeran anakrinontes tas grafas). Paul expounded the Scriptures daily as in Thessalonica, but the Beroeans, instead of resenting his new interpretation, examined (anakrinw means to sift up and down, make careful and exact research as in legal processes as in #Ac 4:9; 12:19, etc.) the Scriptures for themselves. In Scotland people have the Bible open on the preacher as he expounds the passage, a fine habit worth imitating. {Whether these things were so} (ei ecoi tauta houtws). Literally, "if these things had it thus." The present optative in the indirect question represents an original present indicative as in #Lu 1:29 (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1043f.). this use of ei with the optative may be looked at as the condition of the fourth class (undetermined with less likelihood of determination) as in #Ac 17:27; 20:16; 24:19; 27:12 (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1021). The Beroeans were eagerly interested in the new message of Paul and Silas but they wanted to see it for themselves. What a noble attitude. Paul's preaching made Bible students of them. The duty of private interpretation is thus made plain (Hovey).
