When I read this passage I can only be humbled by Paul's own boldness and humility in proclaiming Jesus. Athens was one of the great intellectual and cultural centers of the ancient world, full of idols and leading philosophical schools of the time! Paul was brought to "high" places like the "meeting of the Areopagus" (city council) to proclaim Jesus and state his case to the elite and leading minds of the time. How difficult it may have been for Paul, how courageous and moved he must have been by the Holy Spirit.
As I read this, I can think of our own society full of great and questioning minds and worshippers of unknown gods - gods of all sorts whether objects or of the mind. This passage could be lifted directly to our times today and I thank God that he has not given up on us yet. Passages like this always reminds me of how stubborn the human race can be and how often we have created our own gods to rest upon. May we leave our "gods" down at the feet of Jesus. Have a blessed day!
1 comment:
mahalo, esther, for such an insightful reflection. the modern-day person, though enslaved to many idols, has trouble believing in ANY god; in the athens of paul's day, they believed in EVERY god without discrimination. how would paul distinguish the God of israel from just another "god"? well, he does so very respectfully. he commends his listeners first by saying: "men of athens! i see that in every way you are very religious".
paul knew that man-made gods had to find their "being" somehow in man himself, so the distinction he makes about God is that He is self-existent, that is, God exists apart from whether we believe in Him or not: "He 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 ... for in Him we live and move and have our being".
what an important distinction paul makes between GOD and "gods"! this passage is a reminder that He is the only God worthy of our worship and our lives. may God bless the reading of these verses to our hearts. i was truly blessed by its truths.
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