The people of Berea are contrasted with those of Thessalonica where Paul and Silas had just stopped to "reason with them from Scripture" about the Christ.
The Thessalonians had listened - and quite a few people had been persuaded - but ultimately ... surprise! ... a group of leaders had stirred up the crowds and run the disciples out of town.
The Bereans, on the other hand, "received the message with great eagerness" AND "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true". (17:11)
This word "examine" is a strong verb. It means to scrutinize. To investigate.
It is so much more than a casual reading.
They rightly recognized Scripture as the final authority on matters of Truth and held Paul's teaching alongside the Scriptures to see if what he was saying was Truth.
They weren't going to accept Paul's teaching just because it was persuasive or novel.
And they weren't going to reject it just because it conflicted with their prior understanding.
They were going to listen closely and then read closely. To the extent Paul's points matched Scripture, they would welcome his teaching.
Nice system.
Please note: We are not told that any of these Bereans held a seminary degree.
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