Be a good berean. We have always heard this term but what does it mean to be a good berean?
Acts 17:10 – And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 – These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 – Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
From these verses is where we get the term berean. Now let’s define a few words to understand what a berean is. The Bible says that the people from Berea were more noble. More noble is one word in the Greek and it is the word eugenes. It comes from eu, meaning good or well and genes, our word gene. It means good genes or royal blood. We get the word genesis meaning birth, or genos meaning origin and we also get the word genealogy. Not only were they more noble, but they received the word with readiness of mind. Received is the word dechomai. We get the word dec meaning ten, decade meaning ten years and decalogue meaning ten words or the ten commandments. Dechomai means to reach out with the ten fingers and accept something given to you. Same word used is I Co 2:14.
I Co 2:14 – But the natural man receiveth not (dechomai not, it accepts not) the things of the Spirit of God (no accept Christ there): for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
They received the word with readiness of mind. Readiness of mind is one word in the Greek, it is prothumia. It means willing, eager or ready. The Bereans were willing, eager and ready to receive the word, and they searched the scriptures. Searched is the word anakrino, meaning to examine, to investigate and question. So, to be a good Berean, one must question, investigate and examine the scriptures, to see whether a preacher is telling you the truth of God’s word. We just can’t take one’s word for it, but we search the scriptures and be a good Berean.
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