Sifting The Word

Acts 17:11 ~ “Now these [Berean Jews] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

What made the Bereans noble-minded? “more noble”, (Gk: eugenesteroi)-“better bred”.

1. “They received the word with great eagerness” …were willing to hear reason, and admit the force of it, and to subscribe to that which appeared to them to be truth, though it was contrary to their former sentiments. Conversely, in Thessalonica many of the Jews out of pride and prejudice refused to listen. The Bereans on the other hand received it into their hearts, so that it had a place there, and worked effectually in them: they believed it, not with a mere historical faith, but from the heart obeyed this form of doctrine delivered to them; and this they did with all readiness, as an hungry man receives his food and feeds on it. They received the word with the joy of the Holy Spirit. The word (Gk: logos) “something said” or to “relate” (in words [usually of systematic or set; a discourse)…the spoken word of the apostles, the word of truth, the Gospel of Salvation. They (Bereans) received into their understandings, not merely notionally, so as to give their assent to it; but spiritually and experimentally, being opened by the Spirit of God for the purpose of the Gospel. They received it into their hearts, so that it had a place there, and worked effectually in them.

2. “Examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Examine (Gk: anakrinontes)-to scrutinize. “to see whether these things were so.” (ei echoi tauta houtos). Literally: "if these things had it thus."
They did not dispute with the orator or source of the words they compared what they heard up against what they knew as truth, the writings in the Old Testament. To see whether the things which the apostle preached, concerning the Messiah, his incarnation, obedience, sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead correlated with the OT. Which is the same as what Christ did on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:27, 32)

Their nobility had nothing to do with their earthly birth, it had to do with their spiritual birth.