[:en]SCRIPTURE: ACTS 17
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:24-25)
“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 all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31)
IN THESSALONICA (vs. 1-9)
Paul arrived at Thessalonica and went into the synagogue to explain the scriptures for three Sabbath days. He proclaimed Jesus is Christ who suffered and raised from the dead. Some Jews and prominent women believed but there were also oppositions from Jews who were jealous. Since Paul was staying in Jason’s house, they arrested Jason and made him post bond before letting him go.
IN BEREA (vs. 10-15)
Upon arriving at Berea, Paul and Silas went to the Jewish synagogue. The Bereans were of noble character. They received the Word with a prepared heart. They searched the Scriptures and tested what the preacher said. And they studied the Word daily. As a result, many Jews and a number of prominent Greek women and men believed.
The Jews in Thessalonica went to Berea to stir up crowds against Paul. Paul departed for Athens while Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
IN ATHENS (vs. 16-34)
Athens was a famous city. It was a center of religion and culture. There were two main philosophies in Athens – the Stoics and the Epicureans. The thinking of Stoics was materialist built on pride and personal independence. They believe nature as their god. They were pantheists. The philosophy of the Epicureans centered on experience. They desired pleasure, not reason. They were Atheistic. The Stoics and the Epicureans called Paul “babbler” meaning “a preacher of foreign divinities”. When Paul preached about Jesus and His resurrection, they said he was speaking about two new gods. So, they brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, their official court.
Paul stood up and used the altar with an inscription: “To an unknown God” to present the truth about God as follows:
- God is the creator who made the world and everything in heaven and earth (vs. 24).
- He exists before anything. He is not an image of gold or silver made by human design and skill (v. 25)
- He controls everything because He determines the times and places when man should live (v. 26)
- He is a divine being (v. 29) – He does not live in temples built by human hands. He is the one who gives all our life and breath.
- He is the Savior (v. 30) – He commands all people to repent and be saved.
- He is the judge (v. 31) – One day, He will judge the world with justice.
The message reached the listeners with mixed reactions. Some sneered, others are undecided and a few believed and became followers of Paul. Among them were a man named Dionysius and a woman Damaris.[:]