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Scripture Reading: Acts 17:1-34
In this message we come to 17:1-34. In verses 1 through 9 Paul comes to Thessalonica; in verses 10 through 13, to Berea; and in verses 14 through 34, to Athens.
In Acts 16:11-40 we have an account of the raising up of the church in Philippi. This church was raised up through two rather unusual persons. The first was “a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple-dyed goods, from the city of Thyatira” (Acts 16:14). The second was a jailer. According to our experience and observation, churches are often raised up through unusual persons such as these.
After staying in Philippi Paul and his co-workers traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and then “came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews” (17:1). Thessalonica was another leading city, sitting on a gulf in the middle of the shoreline of the province of Macedonia.
In Thessalonica there was a synagogue of the Jews, a place where the Jews sought the knowledge of God by studying the Holy Scriptures. According to his custom, Paul “went in to them, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures” (v. 2). Concerning what did Paul reason with those in the synagogue from the Scriptures? Concerning theology and the law of Moses? Concerning types and prophecies? No, he did not reason from the Scriptures concerning any of these things. Rather, he reasoned concerning Christ, “opening and setting before them that the Christ must suffer and rise from among the dead, and saying, This is the Christ, Jesus, whom I announce to you” (v. 3).
In my Christian life I have seen people reason concerning many things other than Christ. For example, many have reasoned about immersion. Some have argued that believers should be immersed frontward; others argue that they should be immersed backward or straight downward. Each of the parties gave reasons for their opinions. Others have reasoned concerning whether a believer should be immersed once or three times — the first time in the name of the Father, the second in the name of the Son, and the third in the name of the Holy Spirit.
When Paul was in the synagogue in Thessalonica, he did not reason concerning the law. Rather, from the Scriptures he reasoned with those in the synagogue concerning Christ. He set before them that Christ must suffer and rise from among the dead. Then he said to them, “This is the Christ, Jesus, whom I announce to you.”
Because Paul was constituted of the Spirit of Jesus, he was led, guided, and directed by this Spirit. He did not have the heart to reason concerning genealogies, prophecies, or types. He had just one burden, and this burden was according to his spiritual constitution. Paul’s constitution was fully of the Spirit of Jesus. Therefore, in Thessalonica Paul ministered nothing other than the all-inclusive Christ. Many rabbis studied the Old Testament without seeing anything of Christ. Paul, however, could see Christ revealed in the Scriptures.
We need to learn to study the Bible and use the Bible the way Paul did. We should also seek to minister divine things according to Paul’s way. I have observed much reasoning, debate, and contention about certain biblical truths, but I have seen very few reasonings concerning the all-inclusive Christ. Let us learn to reason for the all-inclusive Christ based upon both the New Testament and the Old Testament.
In 17:3 Luke indicates that Paul simply announced Christ to those in the synagogue. Actually, Paul must have reasoned concerning Christ in a lengthy and detailed way. I believe that he reasoned about Christ being God and man. According to verse 3, Paul told them that it was necessary for Christ to suffer. Christ’s suffering implies His incarnation, and His incarnation implies His dual status, that is, His deity and His humanity. Furthermore, Christ’s suffering implies His death. In 17:3 Paul explicitly spoke of Christ’s resurrection, saying that “the Christ must suffer and rise from among the dead.” Therefore, Paul must have reasoned concerning the incarnated Christ in His deity, humanity, human living, suffering, death, and resurrection.
The fact that Paul reasoned in detail concerning Christ is indicated by the fact that on three Sabbaths he reasoned with those in the synagogue from the Scriptures. It is not likely that on these Sabbaths Paul reasoned only for an hour. It is much more likely that he spent several hours, even half a day, reasoning with them concerning Christ.
Paul’s reasoning in the synagogue concerning Christ corresponds to his being led by the Holy Spirit and regulated by the Spirit of Jesus. Paul was this kind of person. Because he was under the leading of the Holy Spirit and the regulation of the Spirit of Jesus, Paul carried on a work of presenting, conveying, and ministering the all-inclusive Christ to others. Paul did not minister law, genealogies, prophecies, or types — he ministered the living and all-inclusive Christ. This is the deeper significance of this portion of the Word. When we come to these verses in Acts, we need to read and study them in this way.
Acts 17:4 continues, “And some of them were persuaded and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude, and of the leading women not a few.” These worshipping Greeks may have been Greeks that were converted to the Jewish religion. The great multitude that joined themselves to Paul and Silas included a number of leading women. It is significant that in Acts the leading women among the Greeks often were among the first to believe in the gospel. This indicates that many of the Greek women were seeking God.
Acts 17:5-7 describes the opposition of the Jews: “But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some evil men who were loafers in the marketplace, gathered a crowd and set the city in an uproar; and coming upon the house of Jason, they sought to bring them before the populace. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city officials, shouting, These men who have upset the world have come here also, whom Jason has welcomed; and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Literally, the Greek word translated “world” in verse 6 means the inhabited earth. Probably the apostles did preach that Jesus is the King. The opposers used their word to accuse them and in a subtle way to involve Caesar. Opposers often have this ability, which may come from the training they have received from the Devil, the evil instigator.
In 17:5-7 we can see how strong was the influence of Judaism. This influence was prevailing not only in Jerusalem but also in the Gentile world, even in eastern Europe. According to verse 8, “they troubled the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things.” Here we see their subtlety in joining with local politics and even utilizing it to persecute the apostles. This indicates that the Jewish religion has been usurped by God’s enemy, Satan, to oppose God’s economy. In principle, the situation is the same today. Religion joins the worldly authorities to frustrate God’s genuine move on earth.
Acts 17:10 says, “And the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas during the night to Berea, who when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.” Why did the brothers immediately send Paul and Silas to Berea? They sent them immediately because the apostles were in danger of being killed. If they had delayed even a little, they might have been put to death.
Once again, upon arrival in Berea, Paul and Silas “went into the synagogue of the Jews.” As usual, their reason for doing so was to grasp the opportunity for preaching the gospel. Paul and Silas were bold, going into the Jewish stronghold. This was necessary in order for them to gain God’s called ones who were held in the fold of Judaism.
Acts 17:11 and 12 say, “Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and there were not a few Greek women of high standing and men.” Vine says that the Greek word rendered “more noble” indicates that the Bereans were more noble minded. F. F. Bruce says that the word means to be liberal, free from prejudice.
I believe that these Bereans were not stubborn, but were quite wise. Whenever we are stubborn we cannot be noble. A noble person is always wise. The Bereans were noble in receiving the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Acts 17:13 tells us that the opposition spread from Thessalonica to Berea: “But when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that the word of God had been announced by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and troubling the crowds.” It seems that these opposers became professionals, not doing any other business except to follow the apostles and to oppose God’s economy. We do not know who hired them or who paid their expenses. Actually, they were “hired” by the Devil.
Because of the opposition that had come to Berea, “immediately the brothers sent Paul off to go as far as the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there” (v. 14). As in verse 10, the word “immediately” is used to describe the brothers sending Paul away from the city.
Verse 15 continues, “And those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they went off.” Athens was the capital of Achaia, a province of the Roman Empire, the center of enlightenment in science, literature, and art for the ancient world. Through the apostle Paul’s visit to such a center, the gospel of the kingdom of God reached the people of the highest culture.
Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked in him as he beheld that the city was full of idols.” The “spirit” here was Paul’s human spirit (Zech. 12:1; Job 32:8; Prov. 20:27), regenerated by the Spirit of God (John 3:6), indwelt by the Lord the Spirit (2 Tim. 4:22; Rom. 8:10-11), and witnessing with the Spirit (Rom. 8:16), in which he worshipped and served God (John 4:24; Rom. 1:9). Such a spirit was provoked by the many idols in Athens.
Even the highest culture did not prevent the people in Athens from worshipping idols, because within them, as in all mankind, was a God-worshipping spirit created by God for man to seek and worship Him (cf. Acts 17:22). However, due to their blindness and ignorance, they took the wrong objects for their worship (v. 23). Now the true God, who created the universe and them, sent His apostle to announce the true object whom they should worship (vv. 23-29).
Why was idol worship prevailing in Athens, the most cultured city? The reason is that in every human being there is a God-seeking and God-worshipping spirit. Of course, many do not seek the true God or worship the true God. Instead, they have the wrong object of worship. Nevertheless, the fact that people worship something or are seeking something to worship is a strong proof that man needs God. There is a need in man, especially in man’s spirit, for God as the true object of worship.
Acts 17:17 goes on to say of Paul, “He was reasoning therefore in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshipped, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” Here we see that in the synagogue Paul reasoned with the Jews and with those who worshipped, who probably were Greeks who worshipped God. In addition to reasoning in the synagogue, Paul reasoned every day in the marketplace with whomever happened to be there. From this we see that Paul reasoned in two places — in the synagogue with the Jews and in the marketplace with the Greeks.
Acts 17:18 says, “And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were confronting him, and some were saying, What does this babbler want to say? And others, He seems to be an announcer of strange demons — because he was bringing good news of Jesus and the resurrection.” The Epicurean philosophers were the followers of the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), whose philosophy was materialism, not recognizing the Creator and His providence over the world, but seeking sensuous pleasures, especially in eating and drinking. Paul’s word to the Philippians (Phil. 3:18-19) and the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:32) referred to them.
The Stoic philosophers were members of a school of philosophy founded by Zeno (340-265 B.C.). They were pantheists who believed that everything was governed by fate and that all happenings were the result of the divine will. Therefore, man should calmly accept them, free from all passion, grief, or joy. They emphasized that the highest good is virtue and that virtue is the reward to the soul. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians also referred to them (Phil. 4:11).
According to Acts 17:18, some said of Paul, “What does this babbler want to say?” Literally, the Greek word translated “babbler” means “seed picker”: a bird that picks up seeds in the street and markets; hence one who picks up and retails scraps of news (M. R. Vincent).
Others in 17:18 said concerning Paul, “He seems to be an announcer of strange demons.” They said this because he was bringing good news of Jesus and the resurrection. Paul’s kind of preaching was a strong indication that he was constituted of Jesus and of His resurrection. Paul was constituted of the all-inclusive Jesus Christ and of His resurrection. He was a person saturated with the Spirit of Jesus. Therefore, he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
Verses 19 through 21 say, “And they took hold of him and led him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is which is being spoken by you? For you are bringing strange things to our ears. We intend to know therefore what these things mean. Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time for nothing other than telling or hearing something new.” Areopagus was Mars’ Hill, the seat of the ancient and venerable Athenian court, which judged the most solemn problems of religion. That Paul was led to the Areopagus indicates that his preaching was very prevailing and that it stirred up the city, becoming the latest news. As we shall see, Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and addressed the Athenians. In the following message we shall consider the content of Paul’s word spoken on the Areopagus.
