Daily Scripture Reading Acts 17:22 - 18:11
I often hear Pastors and lay-Christians share the gospel by simply telling people a few facts about Jesus and then informing the non-believers they need to put their faith in Jesus in order to be saved. The problem with that is people need to have some background in order to truly believe in Jesus.
For example, in order to believe in George Washington, it is not enough to simply believe George Washington was a general and president. It is necessary to have at least some knowledge of American history and know some basic facts like there were colonists who came from Europe, settled America, and eventually fought the British to gain their independence, with George Washington being a leader of that fight.
Likewise, in order for people to truly believe in Jesus, they have to understand the context in which Jesus lived on earth. In today’s passage we will see how Paul established some context for believing in Jesus when he spoke to the Athenians.
The first part of Acts 17 tells us Paul went to Athens while Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. In Athens, Paul began reasoning with Jews and Greeks in the synagogue and marketplace, and drew enough attention that he was brought to the Areopagus. The Epicureans and Stoics wanted to hear his new teaching.
Acts 17:22 ¶ So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.
Acts 17:23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
The word “objects” is plural, indicating Athens had multiple idols and altars. The fact that they had an altar to an unknown god indicates they were trying to make sure they worshipped every known and unknown god.
Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
It is valuable to think about Paul’s methodology and approach when he spoke to the Athenians. HIs goal was for the Athenians to believe in Jesus, but he did not start by telling them about the resurrection because they didn’t have any context to understand the meaning and importance of the resurrection.
Instead, Paul started with what the Athenians could grasp and understand. He started at the very beginning, making reference to the God who made the world and everything in it.
In modern times, many people start an evangelistic effort by telling people about Jesus. However, people can’t believe in Jesus if they don’t understand the context in which Jesus died and rose again. The first thing non-believers have to understand is that the world and everything in it was created by Yahweh. They have to admit there is a God who is far more powerful than all humanity combined, and who has authority over all humans.
Acts 17:25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
False gods are crafted and moved around by humans. The one and only true God cannot be controlled by humans in any way, shape, or form.
Acts 17:26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
Acts 17:27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
Paul spoke a very broad summary of world history. Likewise, for people to believe in Jesus today, they need to have a basic grasp of world history. They need to understand that Yahweh created the world and everything in it, humans multiplied upon the earth, every human is a sinner, Yahweh sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, then He raised Jesus from the dead to prove Jesus is God Himself, not a mere man.
Acts 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’
Acts 17:29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the craft and thought of man.
Paul differentiated Yahweh from all the other false gods in the world. False gods are crafted by men. Yahweh was not.
Acts 17:30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent,
Acts 17:31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead.”
After summarizing world history, Paul explained how Jesus fits into the overall story of the world.
Don’t miss the last phrase of verse 31. Paul stated clearly that Jesus rose from the dead and that the act of rising from the dead is proof Jesus is God.
In order for us to effectively evangelize in the 21st century, we need to speak about Jesus after we have established the context of world history in which Jesus lived, died, and rose again.
Acts 17:32 ¶ Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.”
Note the word “sneer”. Just as some of the Athenians sneered at the concept of rising from the dead, so too people in all ages and cultures, including ours, will sneer at the idea Jesus rose from the dead. However, believing Jesus rose from the dead is a crucial component of being saved.
Acts 17:33 In this way, Paul went out of their midst.
Acts 17:34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
The first phrase of this verse tells us some of Paul’s audience believed. It is striking how much immediate success Paul had as he traveled and proclaimed the truth about Jesus.
Acts 18:1 ¶ After these things he departed Athens and went to Corinth.
It is about 45 miles / 70 km from Athens to Corinth. It would have taken at least 2 days to travel from one to the other.
Acts 18:2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, and his wife Priscilla, who recently came from Italy because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,
Acts 18:3 and because he was of the same trade, he was staying with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers.
Acts 18:4 And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:5 ¶ But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly bearing witness to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 18:6 But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Acts 18:7 Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a God-fearer, whose house was next to the synagogue.
Acts 18:8 And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.
While there was opposition from the Jews, we see in this verse that the leader of the synagogue became a believer.
Note the word “many”. Paul converted many Corinthians to Christianity. Note that baptism happened somewhat immediately, not years later.
Acts 18:9 And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent;
Acts 18:10 for I am with you, and no man will lay a hand on you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
Acts 18:11 And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
When Paul spoke in the Areopagus, he did not start by telling them about Jesus. Instead, he summarized world history and then explained how Jesus fits into world history.
What are all the historical facts leading up to Jesus that people need to know and believe in order to truly believe in Jesus?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”