Our information on Jason and Aristarchus come from the verses below.

"Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul an Silas, as did a reat many of the

devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and

with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city

in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the

assembly, they attacked Jason's house. When they could not find them, they dragged

Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, "These people who

have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has

entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the

emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus." The people and the city

officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason

and the others, they let them go." (Acts 17:4-9)

"Timothy, my co-worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my

relatives [or compatriots]" (Rom 16:21)

"The city was filled with confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging

with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel companions."

(Acts 19:29)

"He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and

Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe...." (Acts 20:4)

"Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the

coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from

Thessalonica." (Acts 27:2)

"Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do

Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers." (Philemon 23-24)

Jason was a supporter of Paul in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9), and was arrested for

inviting Paul to use his house. He was a Jew and was with Paul in Achaia just before

Paul’s final journey to Jerusalem (Rom 16:21). Aristarchus was also from

Thessalonica and was probably also a Jew (Col. 4:10-11). He joined Paul in Achaia for

the journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4), so was in Greece at the same time as Jason.

From 1 Thessalonians we deduce that there were few Jews in the church of

Thessalonica. Both Jason and Aristarchus appear to have been Thessalonian

Christian Jews who were in Achaia at the same time and these coincidences should

make us suspect that they were one and the same person.

Now, Jason seems to have been the benefactor around whom the church in

Thessalonica formed. Philip Harland has demonstrated the importance of

benefactors/patrons to ancient associations, including Christian congregations and

argues that they became the church leaders. It is therefore possible or even likely that

Jason was the leader of the Thessalonian church. The name "Aristarchus" means

"best leader" and is therefore just the sort of name that we would expect to be given to

Jason. This case of renaming would then closely parallel those of Crispus-Sosthenes,

and Justus-Stephanas, who were also church leaders and benefactors/patrons.

Aristarchus's role as benefactor would explain why he was dragged to the theatre, for

Christian benefactors were often attacked (consider Jason, Sosthenes, Prisca and

Aquila).

The problem with the Jason-Aristarchus hypothesis has always been to explain why

Luke would call him "Jason" in chapter 17, but "Aristarchus" thereafter. Why does

Acts not identify Aristarchus as Jason? However, this objection is not fatal. Jason was

accused of hosting Paul, so the terms of his bail may well have been that he stop

supporting Paul. It would therefore not be surprising that Luke would use his alias,

Aristarchus, subsequently, to avoid revealing that Jason had broken the terms of his

bail. It seems that Luke often used silences to protect the Christians from the charge

that they harbored law breakers.

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