Between Jerusalem and Rome:
Paul’s Sermon to the Areopagus at Athens
Acts 17:16-34
16 Now
while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he
saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in
the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market
daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of
the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will
this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And
they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this
new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest
certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things
mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then
Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive
that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by,
and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25
Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing
he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made
of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 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: 28 For
in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we
are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto
gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And
the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every
where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from
the dead.
32 And
when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said,
We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from
among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed:
among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and
others with them.
Introduction:
“Paul’s brief visit to Athens is a centerpiece for the
entire book of Acts.” [1]
Outline:
I. The Stage is Set for the Strange Sermon (17:16-21)
II. The Apostle’s Areopagus Address in Athens (17:22-31)
III. The Fruit of Faith in Followers (17:32-34)
I. The Stage is Set for the Strange Sermon (17:16-21)
16 Now
while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he
saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in
the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market
daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of
the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will
this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And
they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this
new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest
certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things
mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
The sermon did not happen in a vacuum, nor does not
encompass all of Paul’s preaching at Athens. He spoke in three venues and to
three widely divergent groups.
The prelude to the Areopagus:
1. The Pauline perception of Athens (17:16)
2. The Pauline disputations in Athens from the synagogue
to the market place (17:17)
3. The Pauline confrontation with the Athenian
philosophers (17:18)
4. The Pauline introduction to the Athenian Areopagus
(17:19-20)
5. Parenthesis: The cultural bent of Athens (17:21)
When assessing the sermon do not neglect its “prelude”
which sets the stage for it!
1. The Pauline perception of Athens (17:16)
Now
while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he
saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
You’re not in Jerusalem anymore!
2. The Pauline disputations in Athens from the
synagogue to the market place (17:17)
Therefore
disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him.
This starts out following the normal practice of Paul as
his modus operandi in every urban
center where he ministered.
3. The Pauline confrontation with the Athenian
philosophers (17:18)
Then
certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him.
And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a
setter forth [2] of strange gods: because he preached
unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
The evangelistic context is altered from Paul’s initial disputations
with the Jews and God-fearers in the synagogue, and the general populace in the
market place, to an encounter with the Greek philosophers. A “shifting of
apologetic gears” must take place here.
“encountered” - “converse” (NASB), “argue” (HCSB), “debate”
(NIV)
The initial impression of the Greek philosophers
representing two competing schools of thought prevalent during that era is
expressed succintly in the following words:
1) What will this
babbler say? [3]
2) He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange
gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
4. The Pauline introduction to the Athenian Areopagus
(17:19-20)
19 And they took him, and brought him
unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou
speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our
ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
This is often referred to as “Mars Hill” by way of
translation, when it also has reference to the ruling council that met there.
In this case the NIV (vv. 19, 22, 33) and the NLT (vv. 19, 22) may be correct
in understanding the name to refer to the “Council” itself whether the meeting
actually took place on “Mars Hill” or not. There is some indication that they
only met there for trials where capital punishment might be imposed. In any
case, “Areopagus” is a transliteration, and the translations indicate whether
the place or the group of leaders is to be understood in context. In the case
of verse 33, it does not say that he left the place, or went off of the hill,
but that he “departed from among them.”
A wide open door for ministry!
this new doctrine
strange things to
our ears
we would know
therefore what these things mean
5. Parenthesis: The cultural bent of Athens (17:21)
(For
all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing
else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Are you a philosopher?
Are you a theologian?
Are you a theologian?
II. The Apostle’s Areopagus Address in Athens
(17:22-31)
22 Then
Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive
that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by,
and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25
Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing
he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made
of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 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: 28 For
in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we
are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto
gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And
the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every
where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from
the dead.
“No text in Acts has received more scholarly attention than
the ten verses of Paul’s speech before the Areopagus.” [4]
It helps to have a good working knowledge of Genesis 1-3,
Romans 1-3, and 1Corinthians 1-2 at a minimum to appreciate what Paul does and
does not do in this sermon.
1) What did Paul
do in this sermon?
He took them from where they were, including what they
already professed to believe, to eternity past and creation, and then brought
them to the judgment throne of Jesus Christ the Lord annihilating all of their false
philosophy, pretences at wisdom, and idolatrous superstitions along the way!
2) What didn’t
Paul do in this sermon?
He could not assume a knowledge of Scripture, so he did
not approach them by directly citing the authors of the Old Testament as he
would Biblically literate Jews and God-fearing Gentiles when he went to the
synagogue. He did not just quote Bible verses to them. However, he did confront
them with the teachings of multiple passages from the Old Testament Scriptures
masterfully weaving them into his defense of the faith. There are multiple
clear allusions drawn directly from the Scriptures of the Old Testament. These
include between 1-2 dozen teachings from every portion of the Scriptures: the
Law, the Prophets, and the Writings, e.g., Deuteronomy, Psalms, Isaiah, and
Jeremiah.
"Let
us thank God daily for giving us the Scriptures. The poorest Englishman who
understands his Bible, knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers
of Greece and Rome.
Let us remember our deep responsibility. We shall all be judged at the last day according to our light. To whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required.
Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with an honest determination to believe and practise all we find in them. It is no light matter how we use this book. Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in which it is used.
Let us remember our deep responsibility. We shall all be judged at the last day according to our light. To whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required.
Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with an honest determination to believe and practise all we find in them. It is no light matter how we use this book. Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in which it is used.
Above
all let us humbly pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. He alone can apply
truth to our hearts, and make us profit by what we read." - J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew
3) What is
different in this sermon?
He is not proving to them that Jesus is the Messiah. They
have no frame of reference for this.
4) Why are there
these differences between this sermon and others recorded in Acts?
He was dealing with a group of men who have been
characterized as “sophisticated pagans”.
These are not people who have been brought up with the
Scriptures.
These are not even Gentile proselytes or God-fearers.
He is addressing the cultural and intellectual elite of
the Roman Empire, in one of the three main centers of advanced education in the
ancient world. [5]
Adolf Deissmann that this sermon is “the greatest
missionary document in the New Testament.” [6]
There are three “spiritual laws” here! No, I did not say
“Four Spiritual Laws”! [7]
1. Spiritual Law #1 - There is only one true and living God, and you are His creation, not the other way around! Therefore, you are obligated to worship Him and Him alone as Lord! (17:22-25)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’
hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too
superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I
found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye
ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the
world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth,
dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped
with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life,
and breath, and all things;
Notice how he begins and ends with worship. He starts by
exposing their superstitious (22) devotions, and ignorant worship (23), and concludes with the
blasphemous ignorance of idolatrous worship (25).
This is the “Spiritual Law of Worship”!
1) The knowledge of God (17:22-23)
2) The nature of God (17:25b)
3) The creation of God (17:24a, 25c-e)
4) The sovereignty of God (17:24b)
5) The worship of God (17:25a)
1) The knowledge
of God (17:22-23)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’
hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too
superstitious. [8] 23 For as I passed by, and
beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN
GOD. [9] Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship,
him declare I unto you.
What has changed? People
are gone, sites are in ruins, but the words remain. Identical ideas remain as
well, while philosophy in general is much less honest. The theological honesty
of ancient Athenian polytheistic philosophy is publicly displayed in the simple
admission on their altar. The degenerate dishonesty of modern paganism is seen
by way of contrast in:
1) their blind refusal to
publicly admit their ignorance,
2) their pretence at an
absence of worship in their lack of visible altars, and,
3) their proud and insistent
conclusions that "God" is either dead or never existed at all, which
is to affirm the same thing either way.
When it comes to the history of philosophy these were the good old days.
The devolution of the human race has continued apace since then with a coordinate degeneration of thought into the greater darkness of proud insanity.
Are you a philosopher?
Are you a theologian?
When it comes to the history of philosophy these were the good old days.
The devolution of the human race has continued apace since then with a coordinate degeneration of thought into the greater darkness of proud insanity.
Are you a philosopher?
Are you a theologian?
How often have you heard someone respond, “I have my
religion”? It isn’t enough to be religious! Examine yourself by the Scriptures!
Examine what you call “your religion” in the light of the Word of God! God will
not be ignorantly “worshippped”! Is that what you are doing? If you are not
worshipping God according to His revelation of Himself in His Word, in spirit
and in truth, then what you call “your religion” is merely another ignorant
superstition, another worship of the creature, another form of idolatry,
whether you are now willing to see it as such or not.
Paul is declaring the truth of God to the Athenians. He
is as much as proclaiming to them, “Know the unknown God!” There is an
underlying assumption here that Paul is about to make explicit: God is
knowable! The truth of God is about to be preached to the first century
Athenians. If they were considered ignorant then, how great is that of our day?
2) The nature
of God (17:25b)
as
though he needed any thing
He does not need what you make with your hands. God does
not need your altars. He does not need your temples. God does not need anything
that you make. He does not need anything from you.
He is the God of eternity!
3) The creation
of God (17:24a, 25c-e)
God
that made the world and all things therein….he giveth to all life, and breath,
and all things
On the contrary, you need everything from Him!
Are you alive? Your life is a gift from God? Do you
understand that?
Do you have breath in your lungs? Your every breath is a
gift from God?
What do you have? Whatever it is, all that you have is a
gift from God?
Whether you acknowlege this or not, whether you
gratefully respond to Him in spiritual worship or not, you are absolutely
dependent upon Him for every good and perfect gift!
He is the God of creation!
4) The sovereignty
of God (17:24b)
he
is Lord of heaven and earth
Here is the true relationship of the Creator God to His
creation!
This issue of relationship is going to be developed in
the next “spiritual law.”
He is the God on the throne!
5) The worship
of God (17:25a)
Neither
is worshipped with men’s hands
It matters to God how He is worshipped, so it better
matter to us!
He is a God of jealousy!
2. Spiritual Law #2 - You are no different than anyone
else, and as such are bound by the decree of God to seek Him and find Him! Therefore,
you are without excuse if you fail to do so! (17:26-28)
26 And hath made of one blood all nations
of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 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: 28 For in him we live, and move,
and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are
also his offspring.
Both the nature of God’s decree and the nature of the
human race bind us to be properly related to Him. We cannot alter how we were
made. We can alter His appointed times. We cannot alter where we exist. We
cannot escape His presence. You can live, you can move, you can exist, but you
can do none of these things apart from God.
This is the “Spiritual Law of Relationship”!
1) The unity of the human race - One blood! (17:26a)
2) God’s sovereignty over the human race including all
events and the creation - He is in control! (17:26b-c)
3) The responsibility of all mankind - Seek and find God!
(17:27)
4) The immanence of God - His transcendance is not the
problem! (17:28)
1) The unity of
the human race - One blood! (17:26a)
And
hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth
There is a vast difference between what Paul was teaching
here and the liberal doctrine of “the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man”. We are all descended from Adam and Noah. We are all related. Whatever
differences we might observe between tribes, nations and races are
theologically meaningless. The human race is one race. We are on a “level
playing field” before God by virtue of creation!
2) God’s
sovereignty over the human race including all events and the creation - He is
in control! (17:26b-c)
and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation
We have limits. God does not. We have temporal and spatial
limits. God has none. God has set the limits in the time/space continuum that
we exist in. We live in the time-space continuum, and cannot escape those
limitations. This did not just happen! God decreed the flow of events in
history, and the specific nature of the universe. He is in control of our
heritage and our environment.
He is the God of history!
He is the God of geography!
3) The
responsibility of all mankind - Seek and find God! (17:27)
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
NASB - “grope”
ESV - “feel their way toward Him”
NIV, HCSB - “reach out”
He is the God who must be sought!
4) The immanence
of God - His transcendance is not the problem! (17:28)
For in
him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring [10]
He is the God who cannot be escaped!
3. Spiritual Law #3 - You are included in the judgment
of God, and nothing is more certain that that! Therefore, you must confess your
ignorance and repent of your idolatry right now! (17:29-31)
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring
of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or
stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this
ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all
men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
This is the “Spiritual Law of Accountability”!
1) Repentance mandate - Repentance as a
universal command from God - You must forsake sin now while there is yet
time (17:29-30)
2) Righteous judgment - Righteousness as a
universal judgment by the Son of God - You will face God in an ordained
event (17:31a-b)
3) Resurrection assurance - Resurrection as a
universal proof in the work of God - You must have faith from God’s Word -
faith in what He will do rooted in what He has done already (17:31c-d)
1) Repentance
mandate - Repentance as a universal command from God - You must forsake
sin now while there is yet time (17:29-30)
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring
of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or
stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this
ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
The ignorance of idolatry
The inversion of idolatry - the perversion of the created
order
The forebearance of God - His mercy, grace, and patience
The right of God to command
The nature of repentance
2) Righteous
judgment - Righteousness as a universal judgment by the Son of God -
You will face God in an ordained event (17:31a-b)
Because
he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained
God is the God of the future!
God is the God of judgment!
God is the God of righteousness!
3) Resurrection
assurance - Resurrection as a universal proof in the work of God - You
must have faith from God’s Word - faith in what He will do rooted in what He
has done already (17:31c-d)
whereof
he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead
The proof is the resurrection! The resurrection is the
proof! Q.E.D.! [11]
Case closed!?!?
What area of doctrine is left untouched or unmentioned in
the sweeping words of this sermon?
The proclamation of Paul spans from the doctrine of God
(theology proper), the decree of God in eternity past, the work of God in
creation (anthropology), the finished work of Christ (soteriology), to the
final end in things to come (eschatology).
Jn. 16:7-11 - 7 Nevertheless I
tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you. 8 And when he is
come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because
they believe not on me; 10
Of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment,
because the prince of this world is judged.
III. The Fruit of Faith in Followers (17:32-34)
32 And
when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said,
We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from
among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed:
among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and
others with them.
Three different reactions to the preaching of Paul are
indicated in this postlude to the sermon.
1. The Mockers of the Resurrection (17:32a-b)
2. The Curious who postpone commitment (17:32c-33)
3. The Believers who follow Christ (17:34)
1. The Mockers of the Resurrection (17:32a-b)
And
when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked
2. The Curious who postpone commitment (17:32c-33)
and
others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul
departed from among them.
“Better to confess Christ a thousand times now, and be despised
by men, than be disowned by Christ before God on the day of Judgment.” - J. C. Ryle
3. The Believers who follow Christ (17:34)
Howbeit
certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the
Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Some seem to insist on
measuring the success of a Gospel preacher, or the faithfulness to the Gospel
message but a head count. If you do not believe me, simply read the “scholarly”
literature on this sermon!
Notice that one of the members of the Areopagus is
included. The evidence of the Spirit working with the Word and bringing souls
to faith is not just limited to one or two here, and is documented by the
inclusion of the names of two of the converts.
Conclusion:
“A sophisticated church is a contradiction in terms. We
are the non-nobles of a crucified Messiah (1Cor 1:18-2:5). The same choice Paul
faced is before every preacher today. Are you willing to be a fool for Christ’s
sake? Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s simple gospel sermons were called “Redolent of
bad taste, vulgar, and theatrical” by the sophisticated religious elites of his
day. He responded, “I am perhaps vulgar, but it is not intentional, save that I
must and will make the people listen. My firm conviction is that we have had
quite enough polite preachers, and many require a change. God has owned me
among the most degraded and off-casts. Let others serve their class; these are
mine, and to them I must keep.” (Christianity Today “The Secrets of
Spurgeon’s Preaching, June 2005).
We can be recognized as sophisticated and culturally
enlightened, or we can determine to know nothing among anyone but Christ and
him crucified—we cannot do both.”
- , “We need fools in the pulpit: Thedanger of sophisticated
ministry” (25 http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/2014/08/25/we-need-fools-in-the-pulpit-the-danger-of-sophisticated-ministry/
When you preach the Gospel do you preach:
1.
the creation?
2.
the nature of God?
3.
the uniqueness of God?
4.
the ignorance of man?
5.
the unity of the human race?
6.
the folly of idolatry?
7.
the command to repent?
8.
the certainty of judgment?
9.
the resurrection as the proof of righteous
judgment?
Complete outline:
I. The Stage is Set for the Strange Sermon (17:16-21)
1. The Pauline perception of Athens
(17:16)
2. The Pauline disputations in
Athens from the synagogue to the market place (17:17)
3. The Pauline confrontation
with the Athenian philosophers (17:18)
4. The Pauline introduction to
the Athenian Areopagus (17:19-20)
5. Parenthesis: The cultural
bent of Athens (17:21)
II. The Apostle’s Areopagus Address in Athens (17:22-31)
1. Spiritual Law #1 - There is
only one true and living God, and you are His creation, not the other way
around! Therefore, you are obligated to worship Him and Him alone as Lord! (17:22-25)
This is the “Spiritual Law of Worship”!
1) The knowledge of God
(17:22-23)
2) The nature of God
(17:25b)
3) The creation of God
(17:24a, 25c-e)
4) The sovereignty of
God (17:24b)
5) The worship of God
(17:25a)
2. Spiritual Law #2 - You are no
different than anyone else, and as such are bound by the decree of God to seek
Him and find Him! Therefore, you are without excuse if you fail to do so!
(17:26-28) This is the “Spiritual Law of Relationship”!
1) The unity of the human race
- One blood! (17:26a)
2) God’s sovereignty over the
human race including all events and the creation - He is in control! (17:26b-c)
3) The responsibility of all
mankind - Seek and find God! (17:27)
4) The immanence of God - His
transcendance is not the problem! (17:28)
3. Spiritual Law #3 - You are
included in the judgment of God, and nothing is more certain that that!
Therefore, you must confess your ignorance and repent of your idolatry right
now! (17:29-31) This is the “Spiritual Law of Accountability”!
1) Repentance mandate -
Repentance as a universal command from God -
You must forsake sin now while there is yet time
(17:29-30)
2) Righteous judgment -
Righteousness as a universal judgment by the Son of God - You will face God in an ordained
event (17:31a-b)
3) Resurrection assurance
- Resurrection as a universal proof in the work of God - You must have faith from God’s Word in what
He will do rooted in what He has done already (17:31c-d)
III. The Fruit of Faith in Followers (17:32-34)
1. The Mockers of the
Resurrection (17:32a-b)
2. The Curious who postpone
commitment (17:32c-33)
3. The Believers who follow
Christ (17:34)
[Sermon preached 31
AUG 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
End notes:
[1] Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New
American Commentary (365). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] On the word translated as
“a setter forth” see Adolf Deissmann, Light
from the Ancient East: The New Testament Illustrated by Recently Discovered
Texts of the Graeco-Roman World, 4th rev. ed. of Licht vom Osten (Tübingen, 1909, 1923), trans. Lionel R. M.
Strachan (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, n.d.; 1978 ed.), pg. 99.
[3] On this expression see Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious
History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks,
n.d.), pp. 225-226. HCSB: “pseudo-intellectual”.
[4] Polhill, op. cit., pg. 369.
[5] The other two were Tarsus, where Paul was raised, and
Alexandria, the home of one of the greatest libraries in the world at that
time.
[6] Op. cit., pg. 384.
[7] Title of a widely distributed tract written by Bill
Bright in 1952.
“Law 1. God loves you and
offers a wonderful plan for your life.
Law 2. Man is sinful and separated
from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his
life.
Law 3. Jesus Christ is God's only
provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and
plan for your life.
Law 4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as
Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's
love and plan for our lives.”
Bill Bright (Peachtree City, GA: Bright Media
Foundation and Campus Crusade for Christ, 2007); on Four Spiritual Laws Online at http://www.crustore.org/four_laws_online.htm
[accessed 28 AUG 2014].
[8] Deissmann criticizes this
as “an incorrect translation, found also in Luther’s Bible.” Op. cit., pg. 285,
note 3. His rendering is “extremely religious.” Modern translations
consistently render it in agreement with Deissmann.
[9] “He walks through the streets, and stands meditating
before an altar. He is profoundly interested by the inscription: “To an unknown
god.” That line on the stone he interprets as the pagan yearning for the living
God, whom he possesses in Christ.” Deissmann, Light
from the Ancient East, op. cit., pg.
254; and Deissmann,
Paul, op. cit., pg. 78. On the
inscription see Deissmann, op. cit., pp. 287-291, Plate V and VI.
[10] “Truly it is one of the
marks of St. Paul’s fineness of perception that, far from denying the “world”
all moral attributes, he credits the heathen with a general fund of real
morality regulated by conscience, in the same way as he praises the depth of
their religious insight.” Deissmann, Light
from the Ancient East, op. cit., pg. 311.
[11] Initials for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum,” from the Greek “hóper édei deîxai” (ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι), meaning
"which had to be demonstrated". This is used at the conclusion of a
proof indicating that the task has been accomplished, i.e., what needed to be
proved has been proved.
[12] “This was delivered as The Tyndale New Testament Lecture 19 DEC
1942 at a Conference of graduate and theological student members of the
Inter-Varsity Fellowship in Wadham College, Oxford.”
Select resources on the sermons in Acts, and in Athens specifically:
Greg L. Bahnsen, “The Encounter of Jerusalem with Athens,” Ashland Theological Journal 13 (Spring 1980), pp. 4-40; on Covenant Media Foundation at http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pa045.htm [accessed 27 AUG 2014]; reprinted in Greg L. Bahnsen, Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith, ed. Robert R. Booth (Nacogdoches, TX: Covenant Media Press, 1996), pp. 198-236, s.v. “Appendix: The Encounter of Jerusalem with Athens;”on Scribd at http://www.scribd.com/doc/159423767/Always-Ready-Greg-Bahnsen [accessed 27 AUG 2014]; and in Thomas Manton, et al., The Risen Christ Conquers Mars Hill: Classic Discourses on Paul’s Ministry in Athens (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, n.d., 2013 printing), pp. 359-400; s.v. “Appendix: The Encounter of Jerusalem with Athens.”
F. F. Bruce, The Defense of the Gospel in the New Testament, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959, 1977), pp. 14-69, s.v. “4. Paul before the Areopagus.”
F. F. Bruce, “Paul and the Athenians,” The Expository Times 88:1 (OCT 1976), pp. 8-12; reprinted in Bible and Spade 6:3 (Summer 1977), pp. 83-94.
F. F. Bruce, The Speeches in the Acts of the Apostles (London: The Tyndale Press, 1942); on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/speeches_bruce.pdf [accessed 8 FEB 2013]. [12]
F. F. Bruce, “The Speeches In Acts―Thirty Years After,” Robert Banks, ed., Reconciliation and
Hope. New Testament Essays on Atonement and Eschatology Presented to L.L. Morris on his 60th
Birthday (Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, 1974), pp. 53-68; on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rh/acts_bruce.pdf [accessed 8 FEB 2013].
D. A. Carson, "Athens Revisited", in Telling The Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), pp. 384-398.
D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501, s.v. “1. The Example of Paul at Athens (Acts 17:16-31)”.
J. Daryl Charles, “Engaging the (Neo)Pagan Mind: Paul’s Encounter with Athenian Culture as a Model for Cultural Apologetic (Acts 17:16-34)”, in The Gospel and Contemporary Perspectives, Biblical Forum Series, Vol. 2, gen. ed. Douglas Moo (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1997), pp. 128-137; reprinted from Trinity Journal 16:1 (Spring 1995), pp. 47-62; on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/athenian_charles.pdf [accessed 27 AUG 2014].
Simon J. Kistemaker, “The Speeches In Acts,” Criswell Theological Review 5:1 (1990), pp. 31-41; on Theodore Hildebrandt’s “Biblical eSources,” on Gordon Faculty Online at https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/kistemaker-speechesacts-ctr.pdf [accessed 27 AUG 2014].
William L. Lane, "The Speeches of the Book of Acts", in Jerusalem and Athens: Critical Discussions on the Philosophy and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til, ed. E. R. Geehan (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1971), pp. 260-272, Ch. XIII, notes on pp. 473-477.
Thomas Manton, Thomas Watson, Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, John Dick, James Henley Thornwell, John Eadie, John Charles Ryle, Benjamin B. Warfield, Ned Stonehouse, Cornelius Van Til, and Greg Bahnsen, The Risen Christ Conquers Mars Hill: Classic Discourses on Paul’s Ministry in Athens (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, n.d., 2013 printing).
Wilbur M. Smith, Therefore Stand (New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1981), pp. 246-271, s.v. Ch. VI: "St. Paul's Address to the Athenian Philosophers".
N. B. Stonehouse, The Areopagus Address (London: Tyndale Press, 1949); on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/areopagus_stonehouse.pdf [accessed 8 FEB 2013]; reprinted in Thomas Manton, et al., The Risen Christ Conquers Mars Hill: Classic Discourses on Paul’s Ministry in Athens (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, n.d., 2013 printing), pp. 289-334.
Cornelius Van Til, Paul at Athens (Nutley, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1954; Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1978; etc.); on Providence Orthodox Presbyterian Church at http://www.providenceopc.org/article5.htm [accessed 8 FEB 2013]; reprinted in Thomas Manton, et al., The Risen Christ Conquers Mars Hill: Classic Discourses on Paul’s Ministry in Athens (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, n.d., 2013 printing), pp. 335-355.
Resources on Acts:
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).
Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
Resources on Paul:
Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).
F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).
D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501.
W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).
F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and Letters”, in The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.
Richard B.Gaffin, Jr., "Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center on Westminster Theological Seminary at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].
Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).
Richard N. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).
Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life, Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
Richard N. Longenecker, Studies In Paul, Exegetical And Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004).
J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925).
Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955).
John Pollock, The Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969, 2012); also published as The Man Who Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York: Doubleday, 1969).
Stanley E. Porter, Paul in Acts, in Library of Pauline Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999; 2001 reprint of The Paul of Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and Theology, in Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).
W. M. Ramsay, The Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html [accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, The Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf [accessed 13 FEB 2013].
A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).
Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).
Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).
James Stalker, The Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 7 FEB 2013].
James Ironside Still, St. Paul on Trial (London: Student Christian Movement, 1923).
