The Berean School of the Bible (BSB) is Global University’s adult continuing education program. If you’re unfamiliar with BSB, you might be wondering how it got its name. Here is a quick explanation and history of the Bereans and why they are so influential for today’s Christians.
Who Were the Bereans?
The Bible tells us about the Bereans in Acts 17:10–15. This group of people lived in the Greek city of Berea, and Paul and Silas preached to them during Paul’s second missionary journey.
Lessons From the Bereans
Christians today can learn valuable lessons from reading about the Bereans. Several things make this specific group of Christians quite remarkable, including the following:
- They had great respect for Scripture. Although they didn’t know Christ yet, the Bereans had already established the discipline of studying the Scriptures daily. They made it their mission to become familiar with God’s Word. They carefully examined what they heard. Instead of just taking Paul’s word for it, the Bereans carefully examined his message by comparing it to the Old Testament Scriptures. They listened closely and then researched the message on their own before coming to a conclusion about who they believed Jesus Christ to be. Therefore, they could see that Silas and Paul’s message was true, and they believed in Jesus Christ as a result.
- They protected Paul. When Paul was threatened by Jewish enemies from Thessalonica, the Bereans protected him by getting him safely out of the area. Instead of turning him over to the Jews from Thessalonica, they stood firm in their convictions and did not separate themselves from him out of fear.
In short, the Bereans knew that the single most accurate and infallible source of instruction was God and that followers of Christ needed to diligently search the Scriptures daily. Only then will we be willing and ready to accept God’s truth and the message of Jesus Christ. This is also what we teach at the Berean School of the Bible.
Learn More About the Berean School of the Bible
As you can see, Global University’s Berean School of the Bible has an important and influential namesake. The Bereans were a positive example for how Christians today should view the Bible, practice their faith, and receive God’s truth.
If you’d like to learn more about the purpose and the mission of the Berean School of the Bible, please contact Global University for more details.