Paul in Athens and Corinth

Acts 17:22-28; 18:1-4; I Corinthians 1:22-25

GOLDEN TEXT: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—I Corinthians 3:11

PAUL awaited the coming of Silas and Timothy at Athens, at that time the center of the world’s culture and worldly wisdom. We can imagine Paul walking through the streets of that great city, the most wonderful of the world, listening to some of the scientific teachers of that day, and noting the numerous monuments with which the city was fairly crowded. Pliny, the historian, notes the fact that about this time Athens contained more than three thousand public statues and a countless number of lesser images in private houses. The majority were images of gods, demigods and heroes. Every gateway and post carried its protecting god; every street had its sanctuary.

No wonder we read that Paul’s spirit was stirred within him as he beheld this intelligent city wholly given over to idolatry, apparently utterly ignorant of the true God. The longing seized him to tell these worldly-wise men of the great Creator and his wisdom, justice, love, and power. He found the Jewish synagogues as usual, and there he reasoned with the Jews and with devout persons, and in the market places he talked with all who were willing. Our Common Version says he disputed, but the thought of the original Greek seems to be that he conversed, or reasoned.

Invited to make an address in the highest court of Athens, on Mars’ Hill, our Common Version reports the apostle to have begun his discourse by accusing his hearers of being too superstitious. The true meaning of this word seems to be, as the Diaglott renders it, “extremely devoted to the worship of demons.” The Greek word is deisidaimonesteros; daimon, meaning demon or devil. Worshiping not only all the known gods, but also erecting an altar to the unknown god, Paul used this as his approach and preached on the subject of Jehovah, who to his hearers, was truly “the unknown God.”

He told them of God’s love for the world, so great that he sent his Son to be man’s Redeemer from death, so that they might share in the resurrection. He drew their attention to a greater God than they had ever thought of, with love so broad as to include not merely one nation or people but all men of all nations, whom he had made “of one blood.”

Paul anticipated that his hearers might ask, Why, if God is our Creator and we his children, did he not long ago send us a message? And are we responsible for not having worshiped him, when we knew him not? The apostle’s answer was that they were not responsible up to that time. Such ignorance, manifested in idolatry, God winked at or let go unnoticed, because until then, his great plan had not reached that stage of development which authorized the sending of the message to them. But now, said the apostle, God commands all men everywhere to repent of their sins and to come back into harmony with himself.

This call to repentance has gone forth from the church, and while the Lord knew that it would go unheeded by all except a few, it has been his will that the witness be given as widely and effectively as possible. It is God’s plan that this should still be done.

No doubt Paul explained that the reason all men were now commanded to repent was that Christ had given his life as a ransom for all of Adam’s race and the way was now open for all to come into harmony with God through faith in Jesus. On the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice for sin, God had appointed him to be the Judge of all in a great trial period, having given positive assurance in that he had raised him from the dead.

The philosophers of that day at Athens, like many of their successors, sneered at the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Some of them denied a future life entirely; others believed in human immortality, that life is indestructible. All interest in the teaching of the apostle vanished for the majority when they learned that his entire philosophy rested upon the resurrection of the dead. And today this doctrine is proving a test to many. Few can receive it. Yet all who do not receive it are almost certain to fall into some of the pitfalls of error which the adversary has been permitted to arrange for the stumbling of those who reject the counsel of God.

Some of those who declined to hear Paul further said: “We will hear thee again of this matter.” But if the truth did not appeal to them then, it is doubtful if it would do so later. Does not this principle hold true today? Is it not still true that only those who are drawn to the Lord, who have a reverence for him, are inclined to accept the truth? Let us be content to find and to bless with the truth those whom the Lord our God has called and drawn, and let us be content to leave the others for his “due time,” after having placed the truth before them. Soon this age of faith will have been completed, and then the knowledge of God shall “fill the earth as the waters cover the sea”—the grandest revival of all time will have begun, in which “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”—Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; Gen. 12:3; 22:18

QUESTIONS:

What circumstances prompted Paul’s sermon on Mars’ Hill?

What doctrines did he especially emphasize?

What was the response of his hearers, and what does it indicate as to their character?

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