(Suggested Reading: Chapter 17)
Preaching and Persecution at Thessalonica
The wind bloweth whither it listeth and so it is that no evangelism is recorded at Amphipolis and Apollonia. But when Paul arrives at Thessalonica he enters the synagogue there and reasons with them out of the Scriptures. It does not say he preached, but rather suggests a public, free discussion of the points Paul raised concerning Christ in the Jewish Scriptures. The Jews were doubly responsible to believe, as the custodians of the Holy Scriptures, which the Gentiles lacked. “What advantage then has the Jew... much every way: chiefly because that to them were committed the oracles of God” Rom. 3:1, 21What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 3:1‑2). Since the New Testament had yet to be written and circulated, Paul must have reasoned from type, shadow, and prophecy of Christ in the Old. The Old Testament is full of teaching concerning the rejection, sufferings, and death of the Messiah, types of the Church, and the future glory of Israel in the millennium after the rapture of the church. The Jews only wanted the Scriptures which spoke of their Messiah’s glory and ignored the Gentiles, so that the Lord Himself had to call them senseless Luke 24:13-2713And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:13‑27). So with people today who only see the Church and ignore Israel’s coming portion in their land. Well, some believed Paul’s teaching and consorted with him and Silas; others became the core of a violent persecution of the believers. The Thessalonian epistles were the first Paul wrote, and had their genesis in the difficulties and questions which troubled the new converts as the result of the persecutions after Paul left the city. And so Paul wrote “for ye, brethren, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen as also they of the Jews, who have both slain the Lord Jesus and the prophets and have driven us out by persecution, and do not please God, and are against all men, forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, that they may fill up their sins always; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost” 1 Thess. 2:14-1614For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: 15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thessalonians 2:14‑16).
And so it is that the Jews, as usual, moved with envy at the Gentiles receiving the blessing of the gospel, stir up a public riot. They storm the house of Jason which was probably where the Christians met. Their movements had been observed, for the Jews hoped to find the Apostles there. Instead they find Jason and “certain brethren” whom they tumultuously carry along to the magistrates. Here they lay charges against them cunningly contrived to cause injury to their persons “and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.”
Clearly the Christians did nothing contrary to the decrees of Caesar. They rendered to Caesar the things that were Caesar’s and to God the things that were God’s. But Paul had spoken to them about the end times 2 Thess. 2:55Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:5) and truly there is “another king, one Jesus.” It seems more than likely that the Thessalonians did not really understand what Paul taught them. In garbled form it may have reached the ears of their enemies. They would be ready to blow out of proportion any scrambled version of what Paul said. So we are not looking at an isolated incident. The Christians here were persecuted in the world and shaken by false teachers in the Church who told them they must be going through the great tribulation. The Thessalonian epistles were written to assure them such was not the case, and to establish the correct order of events. As A.C. Gaebelein says “He told them that they were to wait for His Son from heaven 1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10); that there would be the falling away first and the man of sin be revealed before the day of the Lord could come 2 Thess. 2:3-73Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:3‑7).”1 We need to read the Thessalonian letters today because we have a recurrence in the 20th Century of the teaching that the Church is to go through the tribulation.
Returning now to the charges laid against the apostles, we cannot fail to note how consistent the Jews are. After all, had they not once cried “we have no king but Caesar” John 19:1515But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. (John 19:15). Well they knew that in the Roman Empire rebellion was not tolerated and perpetrators of public disturbances were dealt with harshly. But the magistrates clearly saw that, whatever Paul and Silas might have done, they were not present to defend themselves. Jason and his companions had merely met together with the accused. To keep the peace Jason has to post bail. Then they are all let go. But the brethren know that it is no longer safe for Paul and Silas to be in town and send them away by night to Berea, some forty miles away.
Retreat to Berea
This was, and still is, a quiet town, nestled at the foot of mountains. Seizing the opportunity Paul and Silas enter the synagogue there. “These were more noble than those at Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.” Thus they obeyed the command of the Lord Jesus “search the Scriptures... they are they which testify of Me” John 5:3939Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39) uttered during His life on earth, and affirmed again in His resurrection Luke 24:25-3225Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:25‑32). This course of action so commended itself to the inspired writer that he only records the great number who believed; at Thessalonica the emphasis is on the divided state and the activity of the unbelievers. These unbelievers could not contain their rage and marched all the way from Thessalonica to Berea to stir the people up again. The course of wisdom is for Paul to depart. Silas and Timothy remain in Berea; Paul goes on to Athens. Before the brethren who conduct him to Athens leave him, he instructs them to send for Silas and Timothy. We now find Paul alone in this big city yet not alone for God is with him.
The City of Athens
Athens is situated in the small triangular peninsula of Attica east of the Peloponnesus. This peninsula has long been blessed with a most delightful climate, with uniformly clear skies. The land, though thin and not too fertile, supports vineyards and olive orchards. The surface of Attica features small plains, separated by low mountains. Athens was once a naval power and had a harbor called the Piraeus, clustered around which was her commercial center. At one time her commerce rivaled that of Corinth’s. But by the time Paul visits her Athens occupies an ever-diminishing role in the affairs of our ancient world. She is now largely a university city. Her site is a few miles from the coast on a rocky spot called the Acropolis or “upper city.” On the summit of the Acropolis the Athenians erected the Parthenon, a temple to Athena, goddess of wisdom. They partly financed its construction with money stolen from the common war chest to which the Greek states contributed as insurance against another Persian invasion. An architectural masterpiece, it is the admiration of men to this day.
Before Rome ruled Greece, Athens, like other Greek cities, was a state by itself. Indeed, in the Greek language the word for ‘city’ and ‘state’ is the same. Each Greek city had its own local gods. This created almost impossible barriers to intermarriage between Greeks of different cities. Religious differences, trade rivalries, and jealousy ensured constant warfare between the cities of Greece. When Persia invaded Greece a shaky unity was formed against the common foe, but a great civil war followed the successful repulsion of the Persian invasion. Then Alexander the Great arose. His campaigns against their ancient common enemy drew the dissident Greeks together. His military camps molded the dialects of the men from the city states into a common Greek which became the language of the people, and in which the New Testament was written. Later on, the iron heel of Rome subjugated the fickle Greeks politically, but they soon rose to intellectual dominance over their stern masters. Of all Greek cities none represented the brilliance of the intellect of man as well as Athens. In spite of this, the city was wholly given to idolatry.
The Origin and Development of Greek Idolatry
Idolatry was unknown in the world until after the flood. Every country of the world has preserved traditions of the flood, greatly corrupted, it is true, but nonetheless traceable to a common origin. Morris and Whitcomb say “scores and even hundreds of such traditions have been found in every part of the world in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres; and common to most of them is the recollection of a great flood which once covered the earth and destroyed all but a tiny remnant of the human race.”2 Greek beliefs about their gods can be traced to their roots in Noah’s flood.
The Greeks held that the gods dwelt on Mt Olympus. Being near, this mountain would be more convenient than Mt Ararat. There are twelve Olympian gods3 a slight expansion of the eight who came out of the ark to allow for the things they wished to deify. They had a king Zeus whom the Romans called Jupiter (God the Father). This tale was a corruption of the rule in the earth God established in Noah, Gen. 9:1-71And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. (Genesis 9:1‑7). Then the gods left the mountain, came down to Greece, and found earth goddesses with whom they mated to produce a prolific progeny. Here again we trace the re-peopling of the world after the flood by the sons of Noah after their descent from Mt. Ararat. The resulting offspring merely provided for the deification of human lusts and passions. Giving up God they opened the floodgates for the worship of demons for such “the gods” truly were. This was Paul’s direct accusation against the men of Athens “Athenians, in every way I see you given up to demon worship” (or “worship of the gods”) 17:22.
The Athenians were not alone in this. The Greeks had a god at the gate of their houses, an altar to another in the yard, a goddess of the family hearth, and many gods in their ornate cemeteries. Sports played a prominent part in their lives, but here again they were festivals of the gods. They deified their lusts and passions with gods of love and wine, whose worship was linked with immorality and reveling of the worst sort. Looking outside themselves to the world and the universe at large, they deified all aspects of nature. They worshipped the earth as Demeter “mother earth” and the springtime as Persephone, her beautiful daughter. Watercourses were peopled by gods and nymphs, as were individual trees. Woods and mountains were haunted by sacred beings and satyrs. The unexplained forces of nature were also deified the seas, thunder, earthquakes, and the sun, who climbed the heavens in a chariot driven by swift horses. As well, they maintained a link with Satan through the temple of Aesculapius, the god of healing, at Epidaurus, where many testimonies of cures have been found engraved on stone, and through the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, where people asked questions and received evasive answers which could be interpreted more than one way. This temple became so wealthy that its riches were administered by a union of the normally dissident states, which all sought the oracle’s advice on political and other matters. This was known as the Amphictionic League. An elaborate mythology, including the wars of the gods and titans, tied the whole rotten system together. Much of this is nothing more than corrupted, distorted and embellished tales of the conditions before the flood described in Genesis 6.
Greek idolatry found material expression in beautiful sculpture and in temples to the gods which are still a marvel to the world after more than two thousand years. Athens was the crown of Greece, and the most religious of Greek cities. Its statuary merely gave formal evidence of the darkness of the mind of man.
The Schools of Philosophy at Athens
But idolatry posed a problem for man—man into whose nostrils God had breathed the breath of life so that he became a living soul. Having separated himself from God, how could he explain his existence, the meaning of life, how quiet his conscience? The Greek answer was philosophy and the cultivation of the mind. This took root not only in Athens but in Alexandria and other centers of Greek culture. We will now briefly consider the two schools of Greek philosophy mentioned in Acts 17 but only enough to explain references to them in the text. To go beyond this is pointless. It has been well said that philosophy “may dignify, but it is impossible to regenerate man; it may cultivate virtue, but cannot restrain vice.”4
The founder of the Epicurean school was Epicurus (341-270 B.C.). He taught his followers that the gods were not interested in man. In his view they neither created things nor had any interest in them. Flowing from this premise was the logical conclusion “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Epicurus said that pleasure was the chief end of life this alone would give happiness “love goes dancing around the world calling for all men to awake to happiness.” The Epicureans lived for the day, sought congenial friendships, ignored wealth, fame, and office, since they detracted from the pursuit of pleasure. Their principles led to open debauchery, crime, and selfishness. It will be noted that while Epicurus conveniently removed the thought of man’s accountability to God, Paul restored it in his discourse.
The founder of the Stoic school was Zeno (340-265 B.C.). The name of his school was taken from the portico (stoa) in Athens where he taught. Zeno acknowledged a divine mind controlling the world, but held that man’s mind was part of it, making all men brothers. Virtue was the only good, and one must not deviate in the slightest from the path of duty, but be like the stars, whose courses could be plotted. The cold Stoic held man to be self-sufficient. If faced with adversity he thanked the gods for his unconquerable soul. Stoicism struck a sympathetic chord in the stern rulers of the Roman Empire and appealed to the rich and educated. So it greatly influenced society. The Stoic doctrine of the brotherhood of man furthered the breakdown of national and class distinctions throughout the Empire. Stoicism also nurtured pride, which is hateful to God, and independence from Him because of self-sufficiency a denial of the creature’s true place. Paul refuted this teaching too.
At this point an observation should be made that is, that these apparently differing schools of philosophy are merely opposite ways of departing from the living God. The Epicureans preached self-indulgence; the Stoics self-discipline. All was self, with God left out. While the competing schools appear to differ, actually they both offered a way of life in which man could pass through this world with his responsibility limited to his fellow man. That is why both Epicurean and Stoic philosophers unite to take Paul away from his preaching in the Agora. Their differences vanish when God or His servants are in question. In other words, the Stoics departed from God one way the Epicureans another. And this has been the pattern of the ages wherever man is. In Israel, while departure was tempered by a knowledge of the true God, still the religion of the Pharisees had many elements in it close to the Stoics, as the Sadducees had to the Epicureans. What is needed, then, is not to reconcile these conflicting philosophies but to bring man back to God so they can be abandoned. This is the Apostle Paul’s goal.
Paul Is Challenged by the Philosophers of Athens
Now that we have acquainted ourselves with the life and thought of ancient Athens, we will return to Paul. While he waits for Silas and Timothy to rejoin him, his spirit is stirred within him when he sees the city wholly given to idolatry. That is the difference between Paul and lesser men. Most believers, finding themselves without fellow Christians in a completely pagan but beautiful city like Athens, would be tempted to play the tourist and enjoy the sights. Not so Paul, whose dictum to Timothy is “preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season.” Three doors are opened for his gospel activity in Athens the synagogue, the Agora and the Areopagus.
As usual Paul enters the synagogue, but this is given only the briefest mention. Next, he discourses in their Agora, or market place, just as philosophers have done since Socrates’ day. His personal evangelism in the Agora, carried on daily with the Jews, proselytes, and any who will hear him, comes to the attention of the philosophers of the Epicurean and Stoic schools— “for some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers attacked him. And some said, what would this chatterer say? And some, He seems to be an announcer of foreign demons, because he announced the glad tidings of Jesus and the resurrection (to them). And having taken hold of him they brought him to Areopagus saying, “Might we know what this new doctrine which is spoken by you is? For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We wish therefore to know what these things may mean” —17:18-20. They do not understand his message, some thinking it means one thing, some another. Since the Greeks do not believe in the resurrection of the dead, they probably think “resurrection” is a goddess like Persepone—their goddess of springtime—and the consort of a foreign god called Jesus. Now the Greek Pantheon—the roster of the gods—had been declared closed by edict. Additions to the Pantheon were forbidden under severe penalties, but lest a god had been forgotten inadvertently, provision was made for “the unknown god.” So Paul is seized and escorted from the Agora to the Areopagus. This is an open-air court with seats cut out of the rock. It licenses philosophers and would-be lecturers in the interest of public morals. But it is more probable that the question of transgressing their edict is uppermost in their minds. Little do they think that Paul will speak to them about their own unknown God.5
Paul Announces the Unknown God to the Areopagites
Luke’s account of Paul before the Areopagus would suggest that he made a speech to that body rather than delivered a sermon to them. He does not even mention the Name of Jesus, as he did in the marketplace. But Luke’s record of the event was indicted by the Holy Spirit to leave a certain impression on the reader’s mind. It suggests to us how difficult it is to reach the highly educated man as opposed to the outright sinner—how little the fruit where the human intellect is elevated—and that only basic truths can be put before such people, who are incapable of comprehending God or His ways. The reader can satisfy himself that Paul’s speech is a digest by reading and timing it. A body such as the Areopagus would not permit Paul to address it for less than one and a half minutes and then stop. Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin was much more lengthy. Stephen summarized the history of the Jewish nation—Paul the history of the Gentiles.
The history of the Gentiles began with forgetfulness of God, so that Paul brings them back to the point of departure—God. By their own admission God is unknown. So Paul says “whom therefore ye reverence not knowing (Him) Him I announce to you.” Paul points out that God has made His existence, power and wisdom known by His creation, of which man, though the crown of it, is still part. It is an argument we find in his epistle to the Romans— “for the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” —Rom. 1:20, 2120For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:20‑21).
Next Paul brings them back to the truth that this God whom they have forgotten is a spirit. The Lord Jesus told the woman at Sychar’s well— “God is a spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” —John 4:2424God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24). This being the case He is infinite and fills all things— “where shall I go from Thy spirit? and where flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into the heavens Thou art there or if I make my bed in Sheol behold Thou (art there)” —Ps. 139:7, 8. This being so what folly for man to seek to confine the divine presence in a shrine of his own making. This is the same argument Stephen used before the Sanhedrin, not against the temples of the gods but against the Temple of the True God— “however the most high dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet, Heaven is My throne and earth is My footstool: what house will ye build Me? saith the Lord” —7:48, 49. Now this does not set aside the complementary and opposite truth that the Temple at Jerusalem was God’s House and acknowledged as such by the Lord. In the unfolding of His ways it had a purpose and a great Temple will rise again at Jerusalem. But it does set aside man’s two great thoughts with respect to a temple—first that an infinite God can be confined in a building made by finite man—secondly that God needs something from man, a need that is satisfied by erecting a splendid structure. When Moses finished the work of the tabernacle the glory of the Lord not only filled it but a cloud covered the tent thus overflowing the structure—Ex. 40:34, 3534Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34‑35). And at the dedication of the Temple Solomon bowed to this truth saying “but will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee—how much less this house that I have built?” —1 Ki. 8:2727But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (1 Kings 8:27). God is also exceedingly rich and self-sufficient. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fulness thereof” —Ps. 50:12. Not only does He need nothing from man but He is the great giver. He has given “life and breath and all things.”
Without compromising the truth Paul does not administer a blanket condemnation. If the Epicureans are placated by the statement that God is not worshipped with men’s hands “as though He needed anything” they are, on the other hand, told that He created all things. If the Stoics are pleased to hear partial confirmation of their doctrine of universal brotherhood the true link of man to man is stated and the ruling hand of God is insisted upon as determining the boundaries of the nations within the framework of the times before appointed. The Jew knew that “the Lord is the governor among the nations” —Ps. 22:28—but the Gentile needed the instruction. The Stoics acknowledge that there is a divine mind controlling the world of which man’s mind is part, so making all men brothers. Paul states that men are brothers not through sharing a divine mind but through being made of one blood6—that is through a creative link. He is not a god. Having established man’s true place, not as a god but a creature, he is free to take up the creature’s responsibility to seek the Lord. The tendency of the nations was to follow the pattern of the prodigal son in Luke 15 the elder son (the Jew) stayed at home. Unknown to the nations, however, their movements were providentially controlled as to time and space. God never abandons His creature or His interest in His creation, no matter what man may do.
Now let us pause, and at the expense of repetition, notice the wisdom of Paul. He does not utterly condemn the society of the Greeks but commends all that is good while setting aside what is not. This is truly the spirit of Christ. In judging Thyatira—Rev. 2—which is a prophetic forecast of the Church of Rome, the Lord does not forget the good works while censuring the bad— “I know thy works” He says works of mercy such as the establishment of hospitals, care of the sick and aged, etc.— “and charity and service, and faith . . . and the last to be more than the first.” And so it is with the Lord’s great Apostle. There is no ranting with Paul. He ignores all their divinities except one— “the unknown God.” He disposes of the erroneous element in each of the competing philosophies while affirming what is commendable in them. Having done this he answers the underlying question which gave rise to both schools of philosophy—i.e. what is the purpose of life? Man’s search for a philosophy of life is really a search for a philosophy of death. If time did not run out for him like sand out of an hourglass, the search would scarcely be undertaken. He seeks the meaning and purpose of a life that is wasting away before his eyes, but needs “that blessed hope” which only the gospel gives.
Paul states the purpose of life plainly as the knowledge of God—v. 27. To the Hebrews he writes “he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” —Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6). To these Gentiles he points out that God gave life and breath to man—v. 25—so that man is the offspring of God. This disposes of the Stoic tendency to elevate man to the status of a god or the Epicurean tendency to degrade him to an animal. God gave this life “that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” God, then, is not distant on Mt Olympus, but very near. Then he reinforces his argument, not from the Scriptures, of which they are ignorant, but from the words of two of their own poets Epimenides the Cretan and Aratus. Since in God we live and move and have our being the Godhead cannot find expression in carved stone. God is not cold and inanimate as the best of sculpture is. Neither is man His offspring in creation. A sculptural representation of the deity speaks of distance not nearness. Man has created this distance not God. Thus skillfully does Paul trace the history of man’s departure from God and expose the perpetuation of this departure in temples and their sculptural contents.
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Their idolatrous misrepresentation of God had only built an artificial barrier between God and His creature. This Paul has torn down and exposed their system as but man hiding away from God. “The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God” Ps. 9:17. To be turned into hell means that hell wasn’t God’s intention for them they were diverted into that place by their intentional forgetfulness of God. So Paul brings in the necessity of repentance. Repentance in Scripture is siding with God against ourselves it is self-judgment and justifying God completely. It is in contrast to self-interest the guiding theme of the philosophers of Athens.
Possibly at this point Paul introduced the gospel. A call to repentance and a warning of coming judgment, necessary in preaching, must be accompanied by the offer of a Saviour. If not, then perhaps those who clung to Paul and believed were privately instructed by him. Scripture is silent here so we must be too.
God is going to judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has raised from among the dead. If God raised one man, He has the power to raise others, and will do so. The resurrection always brings the thought of judgment otherwise why would God raise the body? And judgment, or man’s accountability to God, is at variance with all schools of human teaching and philosophy. That is why when they hear Paul speak of the resurrection of the dead some mock and others say, “we will hear you again of this matter.” But the opportunity does not occur again, and they have passed out of time and into a lost eternity. In all its starkness this tells us the meaning and purpose of life. Man is given life v. 25 and the purpose of that life is to seek God and know Him v. 27 by repentance v. 30 before death, so he may not have to stand before a righteous judge without righteousness. This truly puts an end to all philosophical debate as to the meaning and purpose of life. It is well to remember this, as Christians too. For while God has saved us we are still responsible for the things done in the body. We shall receive praise or blame for them at the judgment seat of Christ. “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God...everyone of us shall give account of himself to God” Rom. 14:10, 1210But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:10)
12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12).
Well, at Athens some believed “among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” No assembly was formed at Athens as far as the inspired record shows, and history tells us that it was long a barren spot for Christianity. If man vaunts himself against God, we should not look for blessing. The affairs of Jacob, the schemer, the man of the earth, are so complicated that many pages of the Bible are devoted to them. So here, just to describe what the Athenians were about has been a lengthy matter. O for the simplicity which is in Christ! How little space is given to the Bereans. They were more noble than those in Thessalonica. They were not of course noble in their own eyes or in man’s eyes, but in God’s. They were approved by God because they searched the Scriptures daily and tested things by them. And so God poured out a blessing on them. While the fruit at Athens is small this is not Paul’s fault. Athens actually closes off his recorded public testimony to Christianity. The zenith of Paul’s career still lies ahead of him, but the Holy Spirit does not see fit to record his public preaching further. His recorded testimony as a prisoner later is a distinct thing. It is in connection with his own defense and a new phase of his ministry—bearing testimony before kings—9:15. Also his parting address to the Ephesian elders cannot be construed as public testimony—these remarks are addressed to the Church—not to the world.
A Brief Comparison of the
Opening and Closing Testimony of Peter and Paul
The following comparisons are drawn to show how the Apostles’ doctrine we have received is wholly of God and without disagreement in spite of the diverse make up of each Apostle’s audience and the time interval between their discourses. The two great Apostles used wisdom in what they said. Paul was all things to all men, but only that he might win them to Christ.
The Proofs of Christianity—Christianity is based on facts. Peter writes— “we have not followed cunningly devised fables” —2 Pet. 1:1616For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)—as the Athenians had. Paul says “this thing was not done in a corner” —26:26. So on the day of Pentecost Peter says “this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” —2:32. Peter spoke with confidence because the other Apostles, besides himself, were witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection. We also know the Lord was seen of “above five hundred brethren at once” —1 Cor. 15:66After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6). Peter then attests to a Christ raised from the dead whom he had seen on the earth. Paul on the other hand saw that same Christ not on the earth but in the glory. Therefore he says with assurance that He (God) “hath raised Him from the dead” —17:31.
The Message of Christianity—It is of primary importance to understand two things—the selective nature of each audience addressed and under what circumstances the messages are delivered, on the other.
Peter has a select audience, Jews, indoctrinated in the Holy Scriptures but select only from God’s standpoint, not man’s. Paul, on the other hand, has a select audience—the cream of human philosophy—from man’s viewpoint, but not from God’s viewpoint. Peter’s message was preceded by acts of the Holy Spirit, in power, which he explains; Paul’s message by weakness, disputing in the marketplace, where he is called a babbler. Peter could appeal to the Scriptures for his audience understood them; Paul only to nature and the poets of Greece for that is the limit of understanding of the men of Athens. Peter’s audience knew about Christ; Paul’s audience had never heard of Him so that he has to refer to Him as “that Man.” Peter spoke in the shadow of the temple of the true God; Paul before the temples of pagan gods.
Paul, after sweeping away the cobwebs of idolatry, reveals the unknown God to his audience, the Creator of the universe, and man in particular, who owes his origin to God. Peter, not having to contend with ignorance, starts out with Christ, the Messiah of Israel, raised from the dead—2:24-33, really in accordance with Psalm 21— “Thou settest a crown of pure gold on His head. He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it Him, even length of days for ever and ever” —Ps. 21:3, 4. This life is in resurrection, of course, a statement with which Paul is in agreement. Paul says God has given assurance to all men that He will judge the world in righteousness, because He has raised that Man from among the dead. “That Man” is to be the judge of all men. In connection with that judgment the will of God is revealed. If man will seek after God before the judgment as Paul pleads, then Peter says— “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.” Peter didn’t understand those words at the time he spoke for he needed a vision to see that all flesh included Gentiles as well as Jews. Paul says, very well, if you refuse that wondrous blessing Peter tells you of—the Spirit poured out upon all flesh—you will be judged. That is the other side of the will of God—that He will judge those who derided His will to pour out His Spirit on them. To avoid this judgment and secure the promised blessing both Apostles unite in a call for repentance. There will be no repentance in hell, for then it will be too late. There is only remorse there. But now, to the Jews Peter cries— “repent and be baptized every one of you” —2:38. God “now commands all men everywhere to repent” Paul says—17:30 . . . “all men” —not just Jews as at Pentecost— “everywhere” —not just Jerusalem.
Finally, Peter was “a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed” —1 Pet. 5:11The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (1 Peter 5:1); Paul was a witness of the glory of Christ and became a partaker of His sufferings.