Acts 17:8

Acts 17:8. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. It must be remembered that just at this time the Jews, and more particularly the Jewish Christians, were looked upon with extreme dislike and suspicion by the officials of the Empire. From Rome they had been even temporarily banished, owing to an uproar, possibly between the followers of Jesus and the Jews, very likely occasioned by the jealousy of the Jews, as on the present occasion at Thessalonica. Suetonius tells us strangely of this Roman disturbance, and connects it with one ‘Chrestus,' no doubt Christ: ‘Judæos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantes Roma expulit' (Suetonius, Claud. 25). The provincial rulers, desirous to show their loyalty to the Emperor Claudius, and in no wise to compromise the cherished privileges of their city, which they knew were only held during the pleasure of the central authorities at Rome, were naturally troubled and anxious. It was this feeling of insecurity which led to Paul's withdrawal related Acts 17:10.