Jason: Welcomed Paul Into His Home

What is more, Jason has welcomed them into his home. Every one of them does what is contrary to Caesar’s decrees by naming someone else as king: Jesus.”

Timothy my coworker says hello to you, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 
-Acts 17:7, Romans 16:21

The man Jason was a Thessalonian.  Jason is the name that Hellenistic Jews used for Jesus or Joshua and it means "to heal", or "one who will heal".  The transliteration of Jason in Greek is Iason.  What we know about Jason, is that he welcomed Paul and Paul's coworkers into his house.  Jason took Paul's welfare under his responsibility.

Paul stayed with Jason for the three weeks while he was in Thessalonica.   The new church there would later receive the two letters that we have in the New Testament.  When a riot was stirred up by those who were upset by this new work, the rioters came looking for Paul and company at Jason's house.  Not finding Paul, the thugs dragged Jason and others before the city officials to accuse them.

Jason had to post bail to be released.  So, Jason not only housed and fed Paul, and gave him a secure place to sleep; but Jason also was dragged to court over God's work through Paul and had to pay bail to be released for something that was not his nor Paul's fault.

Jason welcomed Paul and his associates into his home.  Jason became like a person of peace.  Jason gave Paul a base.  The gospel comes to it's hearers with power in the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5), but the people bringing it are human. 

When Jesus trained the first disciples in how to do missions trips, part of the plan or way was to find a person of peace, who would receive them (Luke 10:5-9).  Some examples are Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia (Acts 16), the jailer (Acts 16), Aquila & Priscilla (Acts 18), Justus (Acts 18). A concise teaching on Persons of Peace, by Tom Wolf is here.


What Jason did for Paul was just like what Martha and Mary did for Jesus (Luke 10:38) at Jesus' favorite place, Bethany.  What Jason did for Paul was also like what Zaccheus did for Jesus, when he welcomed him into his home (Luke 19:6).  What Jason did for Paul was also like what Rahah did for the spies, whom she sheltered in her Jericho flat (James 2:25).

Without the hospitality given, we would not have any of these stories and the propulsion forward of the gospel or salvation history.  Missions, church growth, and apostolic & kingdom activity does not work without hospitality.  

Five to ten years later, Jason was probably with Paul in Corinth (Romans 16:21).