Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Jason is a lesser-known figure in the New Testament, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans. His account provides insight into the early Christian community's challenges and the spread of the Gospel during the apostolic era.
Biblical References:1.
Acts 17:5-9 :Jason is introduced in the context of Paul's second missionary journey. Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica, where they preach in the synagogue. Their message attracts a significant following, including some Jews and a large number of God-fearing Greeks. However, their success incites jealousy among certain Jews, who form a mob and incite a riot in the city. Unable to find Paul and Silas, the mob drags Jason and some other believers before the city officials, accusing them of harboring men who are "turning the world upside down" and defying Caesar's decrees by proclaiming Jesus as king. Jason is forced to post bond before being released.
2.
Romans 16:21 :In his letter to the Romans, Paul sends greetings from several of his companions, including Jason. This mention suggests that Jason was a close associate of Paul and possibly traveled with him or supported his ministry in some capacity.
Historical and Cultural Context:Jason's name is of Greek origin, which may indicate his Hellenistic background. This aligns with the presence of God-fearing Greeks in Thessalonica who were receptive to Paul's message. The account in Acts highlights the tension between the nascent Christian movement and the established Jewish and Roman authorities. Jason's willingness to host Paul and Silas and face legal repercussions underscores his commitment to the Christian faith and the early church's reliance on hospitality and community support.
Theological Significance:Jason's account exemplifies the cost of discipleship and the courage required to support the spread of the Gospel. His actions demonstrate the early church's solidarity and the risks believers faced in a hostile environment. By standing with Paul and Silas, Jason played a crucial role in the mission to spread Christianity beyond Jewish communities to the Gentile world.
Legacy:Though Jason's appearances in the New Testament are brief, his legacy is one of faithfulness and courage. He is remembered as a supporter of Paul and an example of the early church's resilience in the face of persecution. His account encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith and to support one another in the mission of the church.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Jasonhe that cures
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Jason(one who will heal), called the Thessalonian, entertained Paul and Silas, and was in consequence attacked by the Jewish mob. (Acts 17:5,6,7,9) (A.D. 48.) He is probably the same as the Jason mentioned in (Romans 16:21) It is conjectured that Jason and Secundus, (Acts 20:4) were the same.
ATS Bible Dictionary
JasonA kinsman and host of Paul, at Thessalonica. His person and goods were interposed to shield the apostle from the rabble, A. D. 52,Acts 17:5-10. He seems also to have been with him at Corinth, five years afterwards,Romans 16:21.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
He that will cure, the host of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica. The Jews assaulted his house in order to seize Paul, but failing to find him, they dragged Jason before the ruler of the city (
Acts 17:5-9). He was apparently one of the kinsmen of Paul (
Romans 16:21), and accompanied him from Thessalonica to Corinth.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
JASON (1)ja'-sun (Iason): A common name among the Hellenizing Jews who used it for Jesus or Joshua, probably connecting it with the Greek verb iashthai ("to heal").
(1) Son of Eleazar, sent (161 B.C.) by Judas Maccabeus with other deputies to Rome "to make a league of amity and confederacy" (1 Maccabees 8:17; Josephus, Ant, XII, x, 6), and perhaps to be identified with (2).
(2) The father of Antipater who went as ambassador of Jonathan to Rome in 144 B.C. (1 Maccabees 12:16; 14:22; Ant, XIII, v, 8).
(3) Jason of Cyrene, a Jewish historian, who is known only from what is told of him in 2 Maccabees 2:19-23. 2 Maccabees is in fact simply an abridgment in one book of the 5 books written by Jason on the Jewish wars of liberation. He must have written after 162 B.C., as his books include the wars under Antiochus Eupator.
(4) Jason the high priest, second son of Simon II and brother of Onias III. The change of name from Jesus (Josephus, Ant, XII, v) was part of the Hellenizing policy favored by Antiochus Epiphanes from whom he purchased the high-priesthood by a large bribe, thus excluding his elder brother from the office (2 Maccabees 4:7-26). He did everything in his power to introduce Greek customs and Greek life among the Jews. He established a gymnasium in Jerusalem, so that even the priests neglected the altars and the sacrifices, and hastened to be partakers of the "unlawful allowance" in the palaestra. The writer of 2 Maccabees calls him "that ungodly wretch" and "vile" Jason. He even sent deputies from Jerusalem to Tyre to take part in the worship of Hercules; but what he sent for sacrifices, the deputies expended on the "equipment of galleys." After 3 years of this Hellenizing work he was supplanted in 172 B.C. in the favor of Antiochus by Menelaus who gave a large bribe for the high priest's office. Jason took refuge with the Ammonites; on hearing that Antiochus was dead he tried with some success to drive out Menelaus, but ultimately failed (2 Maccabees 5:5). He took refuge with the Ammonites again, and then with Aretas, the Arabian, and finally with the Lacedaemonians, where he hoped for protection "as being connected by race," and there "perished-miserably in a strange land."
(5) A name mentioned inActs 17:5-9 and inRomans 16:21. See following article.
J. Hutchison
JASON (2)
ja'-sun (Iason): A Greek name assumed by Jews who bore the Hebrew name Joshua. This name is mentioned twice in the New Testament. (See also preceding article.)
(1) Jason was the host of Paul during his stay in Thessalonica, and, during the uproar organized by the Jews, who were moved to jealousy by the success of Paul and Silas, he and several other "brethren" were severely handled by the mob. When the mob failed to find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and "certain brethren" before the politarchs, accusing Jason of treason in receiving into his house those who said "There is another king, one Jesus." The magistrates, being troubled, took security from them, and let them go.
There are various explanations of the purpose of this security. "By this expression it is most probably meant that a sum of money was deposited with the magistrates, and that the Christian community of the place made themselves responsible that no attempt should be made against the supremacy of Rome, and that peace should be maintained in Thessalonica itself" (Conybeare and Howson, Paul). Ramsay (St. Paul the Traveler) thinks that the security was given to prevent Paul from returning to Thessalonica and that Paul refers to this in1 Thessalonians 2:18.
The immediate departure of Paul and Silas seems to show the security was given that the strangers would leave the city and remain absent (Acts 17:5-9).
(2) Jason is one of the companions of Paul who unite with him in sending greetings to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:21). He is probably the same person as (1). Paul calls him a kinsman, which means a Jew (compareRomans 9:3;Romans 16:11, 21).
S. F. Hunter
Greek
2394. Iason --Jason, the name of one, perhaps two, Christian...Jason, the name of one, perhaps two, Christian. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Iason Phonetic Spelling: (ee-as'-oan) Short Definition:
Jason...Library
Aristo of Pella.
... The work of Aristo is known as the Disputation of Papiscus andJason, and Celsus
tells us thatJason was a Hebrew Christian, while his opponent was a Jew of...
For, First of All, under King Seleucus, the Son of Antiochus the...
... Then, after an interval of time,Jason, the brother of Onias, went to Antiochus
the king, who had succeeded his brother Seleucus, and promised him an increase...
Thessalonica and Berea
... took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and
set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house ofJason, and sought...
Paul and Silas in Macedonia
... They attackedJason's house, so as to bring Paul and Silas out before the people,
and when they did not find them, they draggedJason and some of the brothers...
Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of...
... xii.2.5), Eleazar, Manasseh (Ant. xii.4.1), Onias II., Simon II.((Ant. xii.4.10),
Onias III.,Jason (Ant. xii.5.1), Menelaus, and Alcimus (Ant....
Acts XVII
... And rushing to the house ofJason, they sought to bring them out to the
people. (6) But not finding them, they draggedJason and...
The Syrian Persecution.
... and vulgar, and the brothers of the good Onias were among the worst; Joshua, the
next in age, changed his glorious prophetic name to the GreekJason, and going...
1 Thessalonians i. 3-Jan
... Did not they that warred against the Preaching go to Paul's host, and not
having found him, dragJason before the rulers of the city?...
How
... we have already informed the reader. This Jesus changed his name toJason,
but Onias was called Menelaus. Now as the former high...
After This, Selecting from all the Treatises which Contain...
... impress those of more intelligent mind, he continues: "Of such a nature do I know
the work to be, entitled Controversy between one Papiscus andJason, which is...
Thesaurus
Jason (5 Occurrences)... The Jews assaulted his house in order to seize Paul, but failing to find him, they
dragged
Jason before the ruler of the city (Acts 17:5-9). He was apparently
...Jason's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceJason's (1 Occurrence). Acts 17:5 And the unbelieving
Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken...
Menelaus
... men-e-la'-us (Menelaos): According to the less likely account of Josephus (Ant.,
XII, v, 1; XV, iii, 1; XX, x, 3), Menelaus was a brother ofJason and Onias III...
Desolation (131 Occurrences)
... leader of the old orthodox party in Judea; the head of the Hellenists was his own
brother Jesus, or, as he preferred to designate himself,Jason, this being...
Unpersuaded (3 Occurrences)
... Assaulting the house ofJason, they sought to bring them out to the people. (WEB)....
Assaulting the house ofJason, they sought to bring them out to the people....
Onias
...Jason, the brother of Onias, having offered the new king larger revenue, secured
the priesthood, which he held until he himself was similarly supplanted by...
Antiochians
... Many worldly Hebrews, however, for material advantage were willing to apostatize,
among them,Jason, the brother of the faithful high priest Onias III....
Sosipater (1 Occurrence)
... SOSIPATER. so-sip'-a-ter (Sosipatros): Sosipater unites with Lucius andJason
in sending greetings to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:21)....
Thessalonica (8 Occurrences)
... The "rulers of the city" before whom the Jews "drewJason," with whom Paul and Silas
lodged, are in the original called politarchai, an unusual word, which was...
Antiochus
... an-ti'-o-kus (Antiochos; A, Antimachos (1 Maccabees 12:16)): The father of Numenius,
who in company with Antipater, son ofJason, was sent by Jonathan on an...
Resources
What are the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Community of Christ (RLDS)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat should we learn from the account of Paul and Silas? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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