A fulfilled and an unfulfilled prophecy.
These verses would supply us with other material for thought. They present to us:
1. Christian workers patiently and conscientiously proceeding with their mission (Acts 17:1, Acts 17:2).
2. Christian advocates employing the weapon which was prepared for their use (Acts 17:3).
3. Christian laborers reaping a blessed spiritual harvest (Acts 17:4).
4. Faithful followers of the Lord partaking of his sufferings (Acts 17:5-9). But we rather find here—
I. A GREAT PROPHECY FULFILLLED. "Alleging that Christ must needs have suffered," etc. (Acts 17:3); i.e. must needs have so done in order that the Scriptures (Acts 17:2) might be fulfilled (see Luke 24:26, Luke 24:46). The death of the Messiah was the realization of
II. AN UNCONSCIOUS PROPHECY TO BE FULFILLED. The language of the complainants (verse 6) was unintentionally prophetic. They indeed stated, hyperbolically, as something already accomplished, that which the ambassadors of Christ are engaged in doing. But they indicated, truly and graphically, what the gospel of his grace is doing—it is turning the world upside down. We may put the facts thus to our minds:
1. When Christ came evil was everywhere uppermost. The reigning forces of the world at the time of the Incarnation were "not of the Father, but of the world." Within the one favored and enlightened nation were hypocrisy, superficiality, bigotry and unbrotherliness, spiritual delusion; without that circle were superstition, ignorance, atheism, vice, cruelty—all the abominations into which a corrupt heathenism had sunk. Language will not tell the enormity of the world's condition. Nothing would be of any avail but a radical revolution, the overturning of all existing thoughts, habits, methods, institutions—turning the world upside down, bringing to the dust of humiliation everything that was on the throne of honor.
2. The gospel of Jesus Christ is destined to overturn it.