First Mennonite Church
July 14, 2024
Proclaiming the Unknown God
Text: Acts 17:16-34
Athens, although not exactly at the golden age of Pericles and Socrates when Paul visited, was
still a great university city, carrying the torch of high-culture status. Athens was where bilingual
Roman aristocrats did finishing-school. It was the center where important ideas were carefully
considered by the intellectually curious of both locals and foreigners. As we will see, Paul there
delivered one of his most important presentations of the gospel, tailored to his audience.
Therefore, let us see how Paul gives a reasoned defense of the gospel before his suspicious
audience.
When Paul arrived at Athens and while he waited for the arrival of Silas and Timothy, he went
around exploring the city. He certainly must have admired the beauty, majesty, and ingenuity of
Grecian architecture. There were the magnificent ruins of the Parthenon and ruins of other temples. As
a cultured man that Paul was, he certainly must have engaged the locals with great respect. Paul
was, in many ways, cosmopolitan, yet he was greatly disturbed by the proliferation of idol
shrines he found throughout the city. His monotheistic belief that “Yahweh alone is God,” aroused
his anger at the sight of such degree of idolatry. Paul’s aversion to idols derives from
God’s prohibition of creating and worshiping images in the likeness of either animals or humans.
In Exodus God commanded saying, “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not
make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath
or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your
God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and
fourth generation of those who hate me. (20:4, 5)
Therefore, he engaged theologically with two philosophy groups, the Epicureans and Stoics, at
the synagogue and the agora. Paul’s auditors came out with two erroneous conclusions regarding
Paul’s message: 1) that he was an amateur philosopher. The Greek word translated “babbler”
actually is “seed-picker” or collector—spermologos. Paul’s proclamation of a risen Jesus was ill-
conceived. To these philosophers, such proposition was of little or no value, thus irrelevant and
intellectually impoverished. 2) That Paul was advocating for a foreign god. Jesus as Messiah,
Savior, and Lord, whom God raised from the dead certainly was a strange new idea to Paul’s
debaters.
Paul was then taken to the Areopagus, which is the name of both an elevated open-air space
west of the Acropolis in Athens and of the council that hears and gives its verdict on the debates
that took place there. At the Areopagus, Paul had to defend himself from those who beleive he
was simply an incompetent “seed-picker” and someone trafficking a new religion.
There, the council asks Paul, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?”
By addressing his auditors by name, Athenians, and by presenting the grounds on which his
discourse will be based—his keen observation of how very religious the Athenians are, Paul
reveals he is neither of the two misconceptions his audience has about him. Paul is a skilled and
honorable debater—not a babbler, and two, he is not advocating a foreign god, but addressing an
Athenian mystery about the “Unknown God.”
With these two points made clear, Paul reveals that his discourse is religious or theological in
nature, requiring a religious response as well—conversion to faith.
Paul’s conclusion that the Athenians were very religious or superstitious, appealed his audience’s
pride. To be religious or superstitious defined how philosophers and the educated
saw themselves.
Paul took the opportunity to present Yahweh to the Athenians as the “unknown god” to whom
they had dedicated a shrine. This God is the creator of the world and everything in it. He is Lord
of heaven and earth, therefore cannot be contained in temples built by human hands. God is
sovereign, yet he provides for the needs of all. He created all men equal wherever they live and
whatever their circumstances are. They all come from one stock and blood and all share the same
sensibility towards their Creator. For in each person God placed the potential and need to seek
God, although he is near every heart that seeks him. Paul then draws from Greek poetry and
quotes lines familiar to them: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Although, for
Paul, “Him” refers to no other than Yahweh, the God he is proclaiming.
The fact that God created humans with the potential of seeking Him corrects the view that the
true God is hidden or shrouded in mystery as the Athenians believed he is. Yahweh is seeking
and desiring to be found by anyone who is searching. This God did not create humans and
abandoned them. Yes, our God has not abandoned us. And, once again, Paul quotes another line
of Greek poetry, “We are his (God’s) offspring, therefore since we are God’s offspring,” Paul
continued, “we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image
made by human design and skill.” Thus by saying this, Paul rebukes his captured audience who
considered themselves so highly and sophisticated. In other words, Paul was telling the
Areopagites, “You do not resemble any of the grotesque and repulsively distorted images you are
worshiping. By worshiping these gargoyles and effigies of animals and mythical creatures you
are debasing and distorting yourselves. You bear the image and likeness of the God who created
you,” Paul tells his auditors. Then with prophet-like authority and unapologetic command, Paul
presses on: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people
everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man
he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
Once again, let us consider three lessons from this passage:
- Paul was accused of being a “babbler,” talking about things not only incomprehensible
but irrelevant to the sophisticated mind. This reminds us that the message of a crucified
and resurrected Christ will be challenged if is worthwhile for serious consideration. But
as we saw, Paul knew how to connect with his audience. Paul took the opportunity to
know the city and found an open door—the shrine to the unknown god. Starting from
there he showed them that religion/the Christian faith is inherently practical and
reasonable. Faith in God shapes who we are and how we see and treat others. Faith in
God pushes us to make reasonable connections with others, even when they might not
think there is something worthy about having faith in God or believing Jesus is Savior. - Paul begins his sermon with the words, “The God who made the world and everything in
it is the Lord of heaven and earth…” At the core of the evangelistic message is God and
the work of Jesus Christ, his son. Evangelism is not about “what” but about “who.”
When sharing the faith we should not talk about rules, prohibitions, obligations, and duties,
nor about a list of doctrines. Evangelism is sharing about God’s love in Christ Jesus. It is
about what he did and does for us. Jesus offered his life on our behalf. He forgives sin.
He inspires hope and helps us carry on with our daily lives. He holds our hands and or in his
arms when we are weak or in need of comfort. And, on the other hand, he makes us
whole in worship and promises to take us to himself, either when we die or if he comes
before we die. The sermon ends with God as the main actor: God overlooks, commands,
sets the day when he will judge the world, and provides proof through the resurrection. The starting
point for having a relationship with this God is repentance. It is by turning around; by
leaving the past, and engaging with the new that we start our relationship with God in
Christ. That is the goal of evangelism.
- Some have pointed out Paul’s lack of specific citation of scriptures, which they say led
to poor results. But as we saw, Paul’s presentation was solidly biblical, according to
Israel’s scripture—that is: the Old Testament and the life of Jesus.
However, there is a lesson we can learn about Paul’s non-bible referencing. Sharing Jesus to
others might not always require specific textual referencing of the Bible, at least initially. It
might be this insistence of having to quote book, chapter, and verse when doing evangelism
one of the reasons believers feel inept to share the gospel with others. Paul’s Areopagus
speech was grounded on a common element between his audience and his mission. The
Athenians were searchers of God and Paul was sharing about God. So, let us find points of
connection with those we want to share the gospel. It could even be our shared experience
of searching for meaning in life. Some are searching and not necessarily for God. Some are
searching for security, peace of mind, physical well-being, connection with family, or
meaningful relationships, still yet others are searching for fame, material things, or
pleasure. Some of our pursuits can yield deeper satisfaction, while many, only passing and
shallow satisfaction. However, at one point or another, we find ourselves searching, even if
only in our minds and hearts to. If we listen closely to those we meet, we can hear what they
are ultimately searching and longing for. There we can make the connection.
Again, Paul’s ultimate goal in speaking at the Areopagus was not to prove himself as an
excellent debater, nor for him to win the argument, but to present Jesus as Lord, Savior, and
judge. That should always be the goal when sharing the gospel. And as we see, the results were
diverse. Some people “sneered” when they heard him speak about the resurrection, others
were more polite and said. “We will listen to you at a later time, yet others believed, namely
Dionysius who was a “member” of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and “a number
of others” (Acts 17:32–33). And Paul was offended nor disheartened. He continued to carry
on the message and went to Corinth.
Amen.
Pastor Romero