For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. Acts 17:23

Acts 17:16–34 – The Story of the Church: Living Into This Drama in the 21st Century
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 3, 2021 (am)

It is daunting to be charged with carrying the clear, pure gospel out into a world of people who know little to nothing about God or His ways or His Word. How comfortable are you with that? Yet, it is our calling. So, where do we start? What do we say? How do we say it? How far do we go? And what keeps us from doing it?

Luke records an experience here on Paul’s second missionary journey that’s amazingly instructive for the unique challenges of our day and age. But it also provides us with an opportunity to test our hearts—to see why it may seem so hard.

There are three things we see Paul doing here.

Noticing the Need – 16-21

Paul was left in Athens (16) alone while Silas and Timothy were still in Berea (14-15). And as we’ve noted before, he had the opportunity for a little down-time. Those wounds from Philippi (16:22-23) couldn’t possibly have been fully healed yet. Plus, Paul must’ve been exhausted. He had no team with him—the perfect time for a quick break, a little R&R.

But, not so with Paul. Once he arrived 16 … at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols. He looked at the city with God’s eyes, not his own. He evaluated with God’s mind and felt with God’s heart. This is like Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem (Mat.23:37), deeply moved in spirit by their spiritual lostness. Paul, even in his own isolated, depleted state, looked around Athens and saw the emptiness and despair. He noticed the need.

17 So, he followed his custom: he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons—[God-fearers] like Cornelius (10:2)—and he also reasoned in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. And this is where Paul’s experience begins to be really helpful to us. But first, let’s note a couple points that help us enter in to these activities.

This marketplace was known as the Agora. It spread out north of the Acropolis as a veritable forest of idols (Bruce, 330). It wasn’t so much like our marketplaces today—a grocery store, say, or a set of stores that’s only about commerce. It was the center of cultural life, and even academic life. It was the place where you heard the news and kept up on the latest developments in all sorts of areas.

Paul engaged two different groups there who were well-established not only in Athens, but in the history of [philosophy]: Epicureans and Stoics (18). Once again, though, this isn’t really what we’d think of it being today. For us, [philosophy] is more of an academic discipline that kicks around abstract ideas that have little to do with daily life. In the Agora of Athens, these [philosophical] groups were discussing what we’d call worldview. It was of utmost relevance. And the people paid attention to it. Look at v.21: they were all about hearing new ideas.

Now, the early read from 18 … [these] Epicurean and Stoic philosophers [on what Paul was sharing was not very positive]. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” A babbler is one who picks up ideas as randomly as a bird picks up seed, then passes them off as his own—no real system, just a sort of [philosophical] scrap collector. 18 … Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and resurrection. And this is no trifling charge; Socrates [was] accused [of the same offense], also in Athens, some 450 years earlier, and [that’s what] led to his death (Gempf 1093).

This may explain why 19 … they took him and brought him to the Areopagus…. The insinuation here is that this was more of a command than an invitation (Gempf 1093). Areopagus (19) is the Greek word for Mars Hill. Primarily it’s just the name of a place, but it was also the name given to the supreme body for judicial and legislative matters in Athens (Toussaint 403). So, Paul was given the ears of the leading guys here.

The philosophers (18) who took him there asked: 19 … May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean. What a great invitation! An unconverted group is saying: [Tell us what you believe!] Here, then, is where we can go to school on Paul’s methodology. He’s about to address a group of people that are virtually spiritual clones of the people you and I talk to in our world every day. Let’s watch and see how he does it.

Telling the Truth – 22-31

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. These words, very religious, are rather ambiguous. Today it would be like saying:  I can see you’re very spiritual—could be positive, could be negative, depending on who’s saying it, and when, and where, and why, and to whom. But it got things started.

With his next words (23), all ambiguity melted away as he gave the basis for his assessment. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. That sounds bold enough in English, but listen to what it could sound like in Greek: Since [you acknowledge your] ignorance of the divine nature, [I will] tell [you] about it (Bruce 336). So, Paul seized an available opening then moved straight toward addressing an evident error. This was a frontal assault on idol worship. But it wasn’t just because they shouldn’t be [worshiping] idols. Rather, it was because their inscription proved they didn’t know God!

And this was no small problem. 23 [This] God whom you don’t know, Aeropagus, made the world and everything in it! He’s your Creator, which means you owe your very life, your existence, to Him! He’s the Lord of heaven and earth (24), which means your allegiance is due to Him! He rules over all! And He does not live in temples made by man (24). He can’t be localized. He can’t be tamed, domesticated. You can’t impress Him, charm Him, curry His favor by putting Him in a place of honor because He already occupies the place of highest honor! So, you need to recognize that you can’t wow Him just by putting up a monument to your own ignorance of Him! Plus, 25 [He’s not] served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since—he has no [needs]!—he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything!

How do you deal with a God like this? You can’t build Him anything He desires or give Him anything he lacks! You can’t earn His favor because there’s nothing He wants! You can’t barter with Him because He owns it all! He [needs] nothing from you, but you owe Him everything!

The medievals called this aseity: underived, self-existence, from the Latin a se: from himself (Grudem 1994 160). And not simply the fact of your existence, but the very continuation of your existence, is due to Him alone: he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (25).

Think about that. But Paul’s not done yet: 26 … he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. All people come from one man, made by God, so there’s no advantage being from Athens, or being Greek, or being tall or short or rich or poor or male or female or white or black…. There’s not even any advantage in finding your way to Athens once you are born! It’s God Who [determines] where you live and when. And all of this just fulfills His own purpose!

And what is that purpose? 27 [T]hat they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us—and this is the first hint that something’s really wrong in this whole picture. Our relationship with God is broken somehow. That’s why we don’t know Him, why we’re groping toward Him. And we have altars to unknown gods scattered all through our lives, that we erect in hope of finding Him. Every time we cross our fingers or knock on wood or say a little prayer or wish for something better or think we deserve more, we’re appealing to an unknown god who’s sovereign over our satisfaction. And something inside us just believes that, if we appease him (if he’s pleased with the altar we built him), he’ll grant the satisfaction we seek! Yet, all the while, [the true God Whom we’re really seeking] is actually not far from each one of us (27), 28 for “In him we live and move and have our being.” He’s right there. And He’s everything we need or want! But we still can’t find Him! We’re groping! His existence is so undeniably evident in creation that people should seek Him (Rom.1:20). But in further demonstration of our ignorance (30), we can’t find Him on our own, even though He surrounds us like water surrounds a fish!

Paul then quoted one of [their] own poets (28), Aratus, who was groping very near the truth when he wrote: we are indeed his offspring (28). Strategically, this was a brilliant move on Paul’s part: citing one from among them who recognized such things, like quoting a NYT Bestselling author. He was in touch with their culture—another good lesson for us. But this was more than a mere strategy. He was telling them the unvarnished truth. They were God’s offspring. And that meant something. Primarily, it meant 29 … [they] ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. They’re not the offspring of an inanimate object! They don’t bear that image! They should recognize that, and realize what it means!

What Paul is introducing them to here is a worldview, and a sense of history. Things are headed somewhere in this world! The God Who made it, and all of us who live it it, placed us where we are and is working out all the details of history according to His plan. It’s all going somewhere! It’s realizing His purpose! For a time He was patient with our ignorance (30) of all this—even with the sort of ignorance that creates false gods out of stuff He’s made—but now (30) there has been a new development: now he commands people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. So, [judgment] is coming! This God Whom they don’t know is going to hold them accountable! There’s just no denying it! He’s already [set] a day [of judgment]. He’s appointed a [Judge]. And He’s proven that He’s quite serious about all this by raising [that Judge] from the dead! (31) Pretty solid proof!

Receiving the Results – 32-34

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. He didn’t meet the fate of Socrates. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite (one of the leaders) and a woman named Damaris and others with them. So, some mocked, some [listened], and some believed. But this wasn’t Paul’s primary concern. He was called to tell the truth. And once he’d done that, he was called just to receive the results. That was God’s work!

But the Areopagus, who loved new ideas, couldn’t tolerate the resurrection! Many today feel just the same. We want connection with God, even relationship, but with god as we understand him—my god…. Friends, like Paul, just keep noticing the need, telling the truth, and receiving the results.

Conclusion

And that’s our point here today. The point is, we know that God has called us to be his witnesses to the truth of the gospel. We know that involves opening people’s eyes to their need and to God’s solution in Christ—the call goes out to all in Scripture, and that’s what needs to happen today. But the fact is, most often we still don’t do it. Why? Let’s walk backwards through Paul’s example and see if we can find an answer—test our hearts.

• Sometimes we don’t do it because we’re discouraged with our results. We don’t see people come to faith in Christ. But look at the Apostle Paul here on [Mars Hill]. He didn’t even get to finish! The results must be left in God’s hands. That is a crucial reminder to us today.

• Sometimes it’s because we just don’t know what to say. First, I must remind you: no one needed to teach Cubs fans how to celebrate the 2016 World Series win! When we’re excited about something, we just talk about it! We may need to check our hearts on this point, but we’ll get back to that in a moment. But, second, it’s always beneficial to have some good resources that help us tell the truth clearly and help keep you on track. And we have a number of those available. Just ask!

• Finally, though, the step in Paul’s example that concerns me most is the first one: noticing the need. Do you see the world through the eyes of God? Do you think with His mind and feel with His heart? Does the fallenness of this world move you more to anger and resentment, to complaining and withdrawal, or to sympathetic sorrow and an ever more vigilant and motivated witness?

If there is a lack in our ability for effective gospel witness, I don’t believe results or resources define it. I think we must look first at the state of our hearts. Do we notice the need?

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Resources

Beale, G. K. and D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Acts, by I. Howard Marshall, 513-606. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Beveridge, Henry, ed. Commentary upon the Acts of the apostles, vol. 1, by John Calvin. Translated by Christopher Featherstone.

Bruce, F. F., ed. 1988. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The book of Acts, revised, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Acts, by Conrad Gempf, 1066-1114. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Dockery, David S, ed. 1992. New American Commentary. Vol. 26, Acts, by John B. Polhill. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Acts, 2073-2156, by John B. Polhill. Wheaton: Crossway.

______. 1994. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Longman III, Tremper and David E. Garland, eds. 2007. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 10, Acts, by Richard N. Longenecker, 665-1102. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, ed. 1980. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 5 Acts, by I. Howard Marshall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Stott, John, ed. 1990. The Bible Speaks Today. The Message of Acts, by John Stott. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

 

NEXT WEEK: I Have Many in This City, Acts 18:1–17