But other Jews were jealous. (Acts 17:1-2, 4-5) The Jews are angry. Luke is very clear why. Some patronesses have given Paul their support: “quite a few prominent women,” Luke subtly notes. There is a potential loss of honor (and potential funding) for the Thessalonian Jews, if these prominent women stop acting as patronesses for the Jewish community. Thessalonian Gentiles, though, won’t care because those patronesses will support some other Thessalonian cause.
