October 8, 2024
In Acts 17, Paul encounters the intelligentsia of the first-century world. Paul’s engagement with the philosophers in Athens would be like addressing the combined faculties of the leading academic universities in England and America. Paul encountered three different worldviews in Athens. First, he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and Gentile Godfearers. He also encountered two popular Greek philosophies of the day — Epicureanism and Stoicism.
In brief, Epicureans sought individual happiness and pleasure, which they defined as the absence of bodily pain and trouble of the soul. In contrast, Stoicism was pantheistic and fatalistic. Paul’s message was that salvation is experienced only through faith in Jesus alone.
Paul began with a compliment: “I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.” The Athenians even had an altar to an unknown god lest they offend a deity. If there was a possibility of an unknown God, then how could the Athenians place Paul on trial for proclaiming the message about Jesus? Paul’s defense emphasized the fact that the Athenians recognized the possible existence of a god of whom they had no knowledge. The God of the Bible is the Creator who made the world, does not live in man-made shrines and does not need anything. Furthermore, God is sovereign. As Lord, God determines “the appointed times and the boundaries” of inhabitation.
Why is God worthy of all worship and loyalty?
There is knowledge of God available through creation. Notice that Paul stated that people “might” seek God and “perhaps” find Him. Interestingly, the verb translated “find” is one expressing a tone of uncertainty about finding God — “though He is not far from each one of us.” Since we are God’s offspring we should not think of Him as a man-made idol of gold, silver or stone. The title of the J. B. Phillips book Your God is Too Small summarizes a key part of Paul’s message to the Athenian philosophers he encountered. As Paul stated, God is creator, the Lord of heaven and earth and the only being who does not need anything. He is the giver of life, breath and all things.
Where can believers go to seek God and learn more about Him?
God does not ask people to repent. God commands people to repent. The issue of repentance is an eternal issue because God has set a day of judgment. Everyone must repent by turning from nonexistent gods to serve and worship the living, true God. The resurrection of Jesus is central to the Christian faith. Although the Greeks thought the human body was inconsequential, some individuals wanted to hear Paul again on the issues he preached. We have no record of this occurring. Paul did have some success preaching in the academic capital of Europe. Several people believed, namely a man named Dionysius the Areopagite who belonged to the respected council interrogating Paul, a woman named Damaris and other unnamed individuals.
How should knowing a day of judgment is coming affect the way we live and witness?
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This lesson was written by Mark Rathel, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and originally published by The Baptist Paper. This study is based on the Explore the Bible curriculum from Lifeway Christian Resources. The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
