acts 17:16-21
16. Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as
he was observing the city full of idols.
17. So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the
market place every day with those who happened to be present.
18. And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were
saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange
deities,"--because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
19. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new
teaching is which you are proclaiming?
20. "For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean."
21. (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing
other than telling or hearing something new.)
paul heads to athens ahead of silas and timothy; they're still in berea.
so...he does his usual deal of talking to the 'god seekers'; telling jews and gentiles who are worshipping god about jesus.
he also talks up jesus in the market place.
some of the philosopher types around talk with him... and the general dialog goes something like this:
"who's the nutjob who blabbers on?"
"he's some religious type who worships strange gods."
the idea that he teaches something new/strange gets folks curious, so they drag him to philosophy central (the areopagus) and
ask him to go over the whole thing.
areopagus / mars hill :: a rocky outcropping near the acropolis
originally the meeting place for important gov't stuff, but now more likely a spot
where the locals would meet to argue about philosophy.
note luke's commentary on the idle nature of the athenians and their pastime of telling/hearing something new.
22. So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are
very religious in all respects.
23. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an
altar with this inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
24. "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does
not dwell in temples made with hands;
25. nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all
people life and breath and all things;
26. and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having
determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
27. that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not
far from each one of us;
28. for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, `For we also are His children.'
29. "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or
silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.
30. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
31. because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He
has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
32. Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said,
"We shall hear you again concerning this."
33. So Paul went out of their midst.
34. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman
named Damaris and others with them.
paul gives a speech...
this is the only pure gentile speech we have in acts...
he covers topics they know, starts with things they know, and moves from there to christ. or trys to.
outline:
intro (v22-23): you are religious...you have an unknown god monument (a god you don't have an idol for)
god: he created and runs everything (v24-28)
(from wikipedia) paul quotes epimenides' poem Cretica is quoted twice in the New Testament. In the poem,
Minos addresses Zeus thus:
They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one—
The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!
But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever,
For in thee we live and move and have our being.
paul quotes that last line in v28
paul also quotes the fifth line of Aratus's Phaenomena:
Let us begin with Zeus, whom we mortals never leave unspoken.
For every street, every market-place is full of Zeus.
Even the sea and the harbour are full of this deity.
Everywhere everyone is indebted to Zeus.
For we are indeed his offspring... (Phaenomena 1-5).
idols: stupid idea, he made everything - you can't make something to stand in for him (v29).
but now: god has sent jesus, who will judge the world (v30-31).
it seems that his conversation is cut short after the crowd sniggers at his mention of the ressurection (v32).
crowds reaction?
paul leaves as a result of this reaction...but some did believe (two people listed).
communicate -
1. be willing to meet people 'where they are'?
paul's sermon starts with common ground/belief. he then tries to show why they should agree with him...
paul starts far away from christ...just talking about monotheism and the supernatural.
this is classic argument - logical consistency, etc.
how do we do this?
all of you won't excell at this; don't worry, neither will most of the people you talk to.
there will be people like you that you talk to - people who have the questions/issues you had, etc.
speak to them like you would want.
listen and learn about who they are and what they value.
2. evidence/argument is good
some argue that you you just present jesus and go from there.
paul doesn't do this.
paul appeals, pleads, and persuades.
how do we do this?
i think it's important to find agreement on pre-gospel issues, the existence of god being a pretty big issue.
1. the gospel speaks to everyone.
worth recognizing that it is truth for everyone.
before any discussion of contextualizing, i want to emphasize that the news of jesus christ shouldn't be touched or
changed. how we discuss it should however.
1 cor 9:19-23
19. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the
Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
21. to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the
law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
22. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that
I may by all means save some.
23. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
2. communicate in a way that is effective
with kids, this is different than adults...
other people's choices aren't up to you.
- don't take the blame
don't take emotional responsibility (hard to do this when you care...).
- don't waste your resources trying to make it different
if someone doesn't want what you offer (the gospel), move on.
if paul stayed in athens arguing with these folks forever where would the rest of acts be?
put in our context, if you spend lots of time/money/energy on people who aren't responding to the gospel
you are preventing yourself from fruitful life.
- find the place where you are received.
in this case that will be corinth.