Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 17:7

"whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, [one] Jesus." — Acts 17:7 (ASV)

These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar.

Thessalonica, though a free city, was still under imperial government, and the Jews therefore appealed to the emperor’s decree—probably the edict of Claudius (Acts 18:2)—as at least showing the drift of the emperor’s policy, even though it was not strictly binding except in Rome and the colonies.

This, however, might prove an insufficient weapon of attack, and therefore they added another charge, to which no magistrate throughout the empire could be indifferent. (See the notes on Luke 23:2 and John 19:12.) The preachers were not only bringing in an unlawful religion but were also guilty of treason against the majesty of the empire: they said there was “another King.”

It is clear from the Epistle to the Thessalonians that the Kingdom of Christ, and especially His second coming as King, had been very prominent in the Apostle’s teaching (1 Thessalonians 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12), and this may have provided materials for the accusation.