Sha’ul’s Second Missionary Journey ~ Part 11
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We continue our ongoing story of Sha’ul’s Second Missionary Journey beginning in Acts 17:22.
Sermon About “The Unknown God”
This is Sha’ul’s third and final missionary speech in the Book of Acts. He appealed to the Athenians’ religious inclinations, drew upon observable data from nature to discuss the attributes of God, marshaled insights from pagan poets, and identified God and the need for humans to repent in preparation for the day in which God will judge the world in righteousness through Yeshua, whom God vindicated by raising Him from the dead. [1]
To those who approach life intellectually, Sha’ul offers knowledge in place of ignorance (v. 23). He does not use the Scriptures at all since these would carry no weight with these highly educated pagans. Instead, he quotes from Greek poets in v. 28 (first Epimenides, then Aratusor or Cleanthes). He presents God as Creator, Giver of all, and Ruler of nations and history (vv. 24–26), and as One who seeks our love (vv. 27–28), which consists not in idol-worship (vv. 24–25, 29) but in turning from sins (v. 30), because a day is coming when God will judge everyone through the resurrected Yeshua (v. 31). His resurrection gives public proof that the Gospel is true and therefore objectively demands belief. [2]
22 Sha’ul stood up in the Council meeting and said, “Men of Athens: I see how very religious you are in every way! 23 For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which had been inscribed, ‘To An Unknown God.’ So, the one you are already worshipping in ignorance is the One I proclaim to you.
As an example of Athenian superstition, Sha’ul noted the altar erected to an unknown God. No such inscription has been found, but it is no surprise that such an altar existed. Doubtless, it was erected to ensure that no gods were overlooked (and thus angered) in the people’s devotion.
24 “The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples; 25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he lacked something; since it is He Himself who gives life and breath and everything to everyone. 26 “From one man he made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. 27 God did this so that people would look for him and perhaps reach out and find him, although in fact, he is not far from each one of us, 28 ‘for in him we live and move and exist.’ Indeed, as some of the poets among you have said, ‘We are actually his children.’ 29 So, since we are children of God, we shouldn’t suppose that God’s essence resembles gold, silver, or stone shaped by human technique and imagination.
Sha’ul’s argument from nature included a fundamental natural theology: God is the Creator of all things; God is beyond the human realm (transcendent); God is not obligated to any human; God is sovereign over all peoples; God as Creator is quantitatively different from His creation.
30 “In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he is commanding all people everywhere to turn to him for their sins. 31 For he has set a Day when he will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man whom he has designated. And he has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man from the dead.”
Sha’ul built upon his argument from natural theology by introducing an eschatological dimension. God had overlooked such ignorance but now commanded humanity to acknowledge its evil ways and turn from them (repent). He has established a day of judgment on which the world will be held accountable to Yeshua’s righteous standard, which God raised from the dead.
The Crowd’s Reaction
32 At the mention of a resurrection of dead people, some began to scoff, while others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
The same division noted earlier between open- and closed-minded Jews (Yochanan 7:43 [3]) is now seen among Gentiles.
33 So Sha’ul left the meeting. 34 But some men stayed with him and came to trust, including the High Council member Dionysius; there was also a woman named Damaris, and others came to trust along with them. [4]
Although it is said that Sha’ul was unsuccessful in Athens, verse 34 proves the contrary: the persons named became the core of that city’s Messianic community.
In our next post, we will continue to explore Shaul’s Second Missionary Journey when Sha’ul journeyed to Corinth in chapter 18.
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[1] Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary.
[2] David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary.
[3] 43 So a division occurred among the crowd because of Him.
[4] Acts 17:32–34.
My Heart is for Israel 