Paul in Athens

Introduction

Attention

What drives your life? What makes your heart tick? What is most important? I know we’re in church and so there is a “right” answer, but I’m not interested in that right now. I want you to consider, what is the lens through which you make decisions?

Recap

We’re squarely in the middle of Paul’s second Missionary Journey. It starts by tracing his steps back through Galatia where he did the bulk of his first journey. They then travel west in an attempt to get into Asia, but the Holy Spirit forbids them. As they are trying to figure out what to do, Paul has a vision of a Macedonian man. At that point, they head into Macedonia. Their first real stop in in Philippi. They have an adventure there and then are asked to leave. At which point they head to Thessalonica, are expelled and come to Berea and a similar experience awaited them there too.At the end of his ministry in Berea, he was escorted to Athens where he was to await Timothy and Silas as they stayed on at Thessalonica.

Context

Athens is the political and intellectual capital of the Attic region of Greece and had been an influential city for over 1000 years by the time Paul arrived. Athens influenced the Western world, including what we now experience, through the passing on of Greek culture and beliefs. Athens contained a large university where students would come and attach themselves to philosophers of the day.

Two of the popular philosophies of the day were stoicism and epicureanism.

Stoicism - logically based, rejected greek mythology but lived socially ethical lives. It’s summed up in this: Ethical living and indifference to the inconveniences of life led directly to personal happiness." - Judith Odor, “Stoicism,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Epicureanism - A philosophy that took its name from the Samian philosopher Epicurus (41–270 bc). Its central tenet was that pleasure was life’s greatest good and goal. - N.T. Parker, “Epicureanism,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). In short, epicureanism’s philosophy was maximize pleasure, minimize pain

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (Areopagus)

AREOPAGUS—the Latin form of the Greek word rendered “Mars’ hill.” But it denotes also the council or court of justice which met in the open air on the hill. It was a rocky height to the west of the Acropolis at Athens, . . . and consisted of nine archons or chief magistrates who were then in office, and the ex-archons of blameless life. The magistrates would be called Areopagites.

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Need

At issue in Athens was where they placed their allegiance. They had a pantheon of gods that represented almost every sphere of life, submitting to their whims and requirements. What Paul found fascinating was that they were so worried about appeasing the right god, they worshiped an “unknown god.” Paul saw that their faith, allegiance, was in an attempt to appease gods and find their favor.

In our day, we may not bow the knee to idols, but we do have our own things that we put our allegiance in: money, security, identity, nationality, people, and politics. Our idols are no less dangerous to us than the idols of Athens were to the Athenians. The thrust of Paul’s message in Athens is that in God's patience, he gives us the opportunity to repent of our idolatry and live in his rule and reign, but don’t wait because judgment will happen.

Paul’s Experience

This passage is broken up into two main sections: Paul’s experience in Athens and then his message in the Areopagus. The first portion is verses 16-21.

Paul is stirred up, distressed, when he sees the sheer number of idols in the city. The stirring up is an inward experience The city was full of idols

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Chapter 17)

Petronius, a contemporary writer at Nero’s court, says satirically that it was easier to find a god at Athens than a man

Some commenters said while the city of Athens contained around 10,000 people, there were about 30,000 altars or idol to various gods.

John Stott’s comments on what the CSB renders “deeply distressed” are really helpful to set the context of what happened next:

 The clue to interpreting the nature of Paul’s emotion is that *paroxyno* is the verb which is regularly used in the LXX of the Holy One of Israel, and in particular (such is the consistency of Scripture) of his reaction to idolatry. Thus, when the Israelites made the golden calf at Mount Sinai, when later they were guilty of gross idolatry and immorality is relation to Baal of Peor, and when the Northern Kingdom made another calf to worship in Samaria, they ‘provoked’ the Lord God to anger. Indeed, he described Israel as an ‘obstinate people…who continually provoke me to my very face’ So Paul was ‘provoked (RSV) by idolatry and provoked to anger, grief and indignation, just as God is himself, and for the same reason, namely, for the honour and glory of his name. Scripture sometimes calls this emotion ‘jealousy’ - https://johnstott.org/bible_studies/14-oct-2015/

In this righteous jealousy, Paul goes about his typical methodology in any city: start in the synagogue. He was without his co-laborers, so he didn’t have much support, so he likely set up a tent shop in the marketplace in order to engage with Athenians outside of the synagogue. His teachings caught the ears of the Stoic and Epicureans of the city and they begin to debate with him while others called him names.

Acts—The Church Afire (The Prelude of the Athenian Address (Vv. 16–24))

The word translated (ignorant show-off in the CSB) “babbler” is literally “seedpicker.” Originally used to describe birds picking up seeds and grain, over the years the word came to mean one who peddled others’ ideas as original without understanding them—a plagiarist, a chirping gutter sparrow who went around peeping borrowed ideas! This was undoubtedly a very “in” word with this crowd: “seedpicker… gutter sparrow… ignorant babbler.”

Apparently, Paul’s message seemed unclear to Athenians and they thought he was proclaiming foreign deities, so they escort him to the Areopagus, but in a turn of irony,

In verse 21 Luke gives his evaluation of the Athenians: All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.They were the babblers!

Isn’t this something that we do too? We spend time listening to TED talks, podcasts, radio show, TikTok, and other things to know what are the newest and trendiest ideas. Don’t we like to do that too? Paul got to contribute to the Athenians love of hearing about new ideas as he was brought to the Areopagus.

Paul in the Areopagus

The address comes in three sections: Introduction, background, and response.

The introduction is a courteous description of what he saw around him in Athens and why he is proclaiming what he’s proclaiming. He saw their religiosity and their desire not to leave out any gods. This was his launch pad for a brilliant Jewish speech made to a Gentile audience.

We’ve talked before about how Rabbis would hide things in their teachings, like easter eggs. This was for two reasons. First, a Rabbi had the text memorized and was so steeped in the Scriptures that they would just think in references to Scripture. Second, the Rabbi wanted their disciples to go looking and engage with the text as well because the allusion would be to a verse, but that verse wasn’t the point of the quotation. It was typical for a Rabbi to teach on a topic, but the hint from the Old Testament would contain a fuller picture of what the Rabbi was talking about. We looked at how this deepened our understanding of Paul’s message in Pisidian Antioch as he proclaimed the inclusion of the Gentiles into the family of God. Here Paul is going to hide a ton of Easter eggs which will help us understand in a deeper fashion what his message actually was.

Let’s read again the bulk of the message that Paul gives (slide, please?)

Acts 17:24–29 (CSB)

The God who made the world and everything in it (Is 42:5)—he is Lord (Maker) of heaven and earth (Ps 115:15)—does not live in shrines made by hands (Is 66:1). Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything (Ps 50:1-12), since he himself gives everyone life and breath (Jb 12:10) and all things. From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live (Dt 32:8). He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us (Jr 23:23-24). For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination (Is 44:9-10).

Before we get into what I think is underneath the surface bringing depth and clarity to Paul’s message, I want to show you how one of these Easter Eggs works. In verse 24, Paul says that God does not live in shrines made by hands. The word that Luke uses in recording this message is one that is used only a handful of times and all but one reference has to do with a temple made with hands. Luke only uses it one other time in Acts 7:48. This is Stephens speech before he is killed. In this speech Stephen talks about the temple not being made with hand and then quotes Isaiah 66:1-2. The quotation seems to agree with Stephen’s argument, but if we take a deeper look at Isaiah 66, we get to the end and read this in verses 18-23.

Isaiah 66:18–23 CSB

“Knowing their works and their thoughts, I have come to gather all nations and languages; they will come and see my glory. I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, Lud (who are archers), Tubal, Javan, and the coasts and islands far away—who have not heard about me or seen my glory. And they will proclaim my glory among the nations. They will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the Lord on horses and chariots, in litters, and on mules and camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. I will also take some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. “For just as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will remain before me”— this is the Lord’s declaration— “so your offspring and your name will remain. All humanity will come to worship me from one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another,” says the Lord.

So when Paul uses this word, he might even have this passage in mind. He’s talking to Gentiles about their inclusion in the family of God and the fulfillment of his Kingdom on earth.

Here’s what I think is underneath the surface of verses 24-29:

God will not give up his glory to anyone else or his praise to an idol. (Is 42:6-8) He rules over all creation and he has given earth to mankind in order to steward it (Ps 115:14-18): Multiply, fill the earth, have dominion over it.

God is going to gather all nations and they will see his glory. From the ends of the earth, people who hadn’t heard about the glory of God will be brought into his presence and they will be made a special people. All humanity will worship God who is not held or confined to temples (Is 66:18-23). Nor does he benefit at all from our sacrifices, what he desires is a heart that honors God. Those who offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors him, and whoever orders his conduct, God will show him the salvation of God (Psalm 50:23). God not only is going to draw in the nations, but he’s the one who has decided when and where they will be, he is the one who defines their limits in time and geography. All the false prophets and priest peddling these idols are leading the people away from the one who is near, not far away and yet fills the heavens (Jr 23:23-24).

Poem of Epimenides:

They fashioned a tomb for you, holy and high one,Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies. (Quoted in Titus) But you are not dead: you live and abide forever, For in you we live and move and have our being. (Quoted in 17:28)

Arastus Poem (Phenomena):

"Let us begin with Zeus, whom we mortals never leave unspoken. For every street, every market-place is full of god. Even the sea and the harbour are full of this deity. Everywhere everyone is indebted to god. For we are indeed his offspring ... "(similar to Ps. 139:7-13; Je 23:23-24)

Compare those to Psalm 139:7-13 “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”— even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you. For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

These idols you worship, don’t you see the futility? Is 44:19-20 “No one comes to his senses; no one has the perception or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and ate. Should I make something detestable with the rest of it? Should I bow down to a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes. His deceived mind has led him astray, and he cannot rescue himself, or say, “Isn’t there a lie in my right hand?””

Here in these few sentences, Paul has demolished their whole way of religion and proclaimed the one God to them.

We have to pause here and bring this to our time. “In Athens, the idols were visible in temples and artwork, but the same holds true of all that humans pursue and give themselves to in the absence of the one true God. Physical idols as well as the reckless pursuit of things such as money, power, sex, prestige, or fame are all attempts at feeling around for something greater, something more” (ESVEC). We all are pulled to worship created things instead of the creator. We begin to think that if we don’t pay more attention to this, or pursue that more fervently that all will come crashing down around. We become enslaved by the fear of what could happen if we stop. Slowly, we slip further and further into idolatry. This is the tendency, this is the flesh that we continue to contend with.

What are the idols that keep popping up in your life? Career? Marriage? Money?

What is it that you are really afraid of? Athenians were afraid that they weren’t going to appease the right gods so they kept coming up with more and more and made efforts to cover their rears by worshiping unknown gods. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that God won’t provide? Are you afraid that what God has planned isn’t good enough? Are you afraid that if you don’t make it to the next promotion that you will be a failure? What are you afraid of? And what are we going to do about it? That’s what Paul turns to next.

Vickers says this about Paul’s conclusion:

Paul reaches the goal of his address in verses 30–31. The times of acting in ignorance are over. God has not yet judged idolatry, but he will, and now the Athenians know it. Paul calls them to repent, but he has not mentioned personal sin or reasons for condemnation, as he has done in earlier speeches in Acts. The only difference, however, is the basis for judgment. . . Paul has called them to account for their sin of idolatry, presenting the message of the one true God and the impossibility of idolatry. . . They can either stay in their idolatry, against which Paul has made a devastating case, or turn to the one true God. In addition, the call to repent is based on what Paul says next: the day is coming in which this one God will judge the world (v. 31).

Paul again alludes to the Old Testament in his conclusion, reaching back to Daniel 7:13-14 “I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” This is Daniel’s Son of Man vision, which Luke picks up on in a couple different places in his Gospel and Acts.

Paul tells the Athenians to repent because they are going to be judged by Jesus in righteous justice. It’s at this point that he’s interrupted. Commenter R Kent Hughes says “This admirable account plainly shows how far Attic [Greek] tolerance goes and where the patience of the intellectual ends. They all listen to you, calmly and smilingly, and at times they encourage you, saying: “That is strange!” or, “He has brains!” or, “That is suggestive!” or, “How fine!” or, “Pity that a thing so beautiful should not be true!” or, “This makes one think!” But as soon as you speak to them of resurrection and life after death, they lose their patience and cut short their remarks and exclaim, “Enough of this! We will talk about this another day!” I think Paul is seeking to cause them the same distress he experienced so that they would turn away from their sin and to the one true God.

Along with the resurrection, there’s also a call to action. Again, Hughes comments: “Everything is fine as long as we remain theoretical, but when we call for action, men begin to shift their posture and look at their watches. Seeing their accountability to the true God makes many uncomfortable.”

I think this is why the church today is all about great teaching. “Fill our ears with fine and challenging words. Make us think about what could be. But don’t make us do anything that will impact our lives, our comfort, or our independence.” In a lot of ways, we are like the Athenians! Let me hear a good speech, sing some songs, but don’t require anything of me. Leave my idols alone, I like my life the way it is. Don’t make me change who I am or what I prioritize. Tell me what I should agree to and let me live my life.

Application and Conclusion

I started off by asking, “What is the lens through which you make decisions?” And as we went through the passage, you may have been wondering how that question relates to what we’ve talked about so far. When we make decisions without God’s input, when we are driven by things that aren’t the Lord, we have put something between us and God. Idols are anything that we set up in the way of our devotion to God.

If you make decisions based on what is best for your career and without a thought of what the Lord would want, you have set up an idol. If you are adjusting who you are to be accepted by a certain group of people, friends or otherwise, and living in a way that is contrary to how God has designed you to live your life, you have set up an idol. If you feel that the only hope for our nation is a political party or figure, you have set up an idol.

You see, we can have all of our idols and still show up to church on Sunday, sing our songs, listen to a sermon, say amen at the end of the prayer, and go right back to our idols. God doesn’t want people who merely show him lip service. When we come and “act the part” and then go back home to our idols, we’re giving God lip service. We’re giving him what we think is necessary to stay on his good side.

The problem with that is that Israel was the king of lip service. They sacrificed their animals, brought their tithes, ate kosher, followed the rules that they thought were important because they were outward and could be seen. But that’s not what He wanted of them and its not what he wants of us now. The Athenians gave lip service to all sorts of gods too. It wasn’t going to prevent them from experiencing judgment. Lip service won’t do you any good either.

God wants partners who are going to bring his kingdom and blessing into all the world. He doesn’t want your show, he wants your heart.

Let me paraphrase Psalm 50

Psalm 50:7-23 DJ Paraphrase

Selah

“Listen, my people, and I will speak;

I will testify against you, Church.

I am God, your God.

I do not rebuke you for your tithes

or for your songs,

which are continually before me.

I will not take money from your household

or cash out of your wallet,

for every dollar is mine,

the money in a thousand countries.

I know every bird of the mountains,

and the creatures of the field are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and everything in it is mine.

Do I need your money to buy food

or your songs to feel good about myself?

Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice to God,

and pay your vows to the Most High.

Call on me in a day of trouble;

I will rescue you, and you will honor me.”

But God says to the wicked:

“What right do you have to recite my statutes

and to take my covenant on your lips?

You hate instruction

and fling my words behind you.

When you see a thief,

you make friends with him,

and you associate with adulterers.

You unleash your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue for deceit.

You sit, maligning your brother,

slandering your mother’s son.

You have done these things, and I kept silent;

you thought I was just like you.

But I will rebuke you

and lay out the case before you.

“Understand this, you who forget God,

or I will tear you apart,

and there will be no one to rescue you.

Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me,

and whoever orders his conduct,

I will show him the salvation of God.”

God wants us to order our lives in submission to him by loving him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving our neighbor as ourselves.