THEOSISAlexander Gorsky
The great part taken by the Gentiles in the preaching of the Gospel aroused all the stronger fanaticism and jealousy among the numerous Jews.
It was bitter for them to hear what was offered in the synagogues. Even more of this could be found in the apostle's private conversations with the believers.
They succeeded in raising a disturbance among the people, and part of the crowd rushed to the house of the Christian Jason, where Paul was living.
They did not find the apostle there. But Jason and some other Christians were brought before the tribunal.
Since the persecution came from the Jews, while the Gentiles were only their instrument, different accusations were brought against the apostles than those made at Philippi (Acts 16:20-21).
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Here they could not accuse them, as happened in other cases, of disturbing the peace of the Jews, to whom the laws granted free exercise of their religion, by stirring up divisions among them.
They had no occasion for such charges, because Paul was acting mostly among the Gentiles. Nor would they have accomplished much with such an accusation before authorities who were not particularly disposed toward them.
A political accusation, crimen majestatis, could have the greatest force. Later, the enemies of Christianity often truly used it against Christians.
Since Paul spoke much in Thessalonica about the coming Kingdom of Christ, this gave occasion for slander against him.
They claimed that he taught people to acknowledge as sovereign not the ruler reigning in Rome, but some Jesus (Acts 17:6-7).
Yet the authorities themselves soon saw the injustice of such accusations. Jason and his friends gave assurance that no disturbance should be expected from the preachers, and that Paul and his companion would soon leave the city.
They were then released immediately.