Sketches From The Life of Paul
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 9: Paul at Berea and Athens.
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Paul's work was to bear the tidings of salvation
to a people who had no intelligent understanding
of God and his plans. He was not traveling for
the purpose of sight-seeing, nor to gratify a morbid
desire for new and strange scenes. His dejection
of mind was caused by the apparently insurmountable
obstacles which presented themselves against
his reaching the minds of the people of Athens.
Grieved at the idolatry everywhere visible about
him, he felt a holy zeal for his Master's cause. He [p. 91] sought out his Jewish brethren, and, in their
synagogue at Athens, proclaimed the doctrine of
Christ. But the principal work of Paul in that city
was to deal with paganism.
The religion of the Athenians, of which they
made great boast, was of no value, for it was destitute
of the knowledge of the true God. It consisted,
in great part, of art worship, and a round of
dissipating amusement and festivities. It wanted
the virtue of true goodness. Genuine religion gives
men the victory over themselves; but a religion of
mere intellect and taste is wanting in the qualities
essential to raise its possessor above the evils of his
nature, and to connect him with God. On the
very stones of the altar in Athens this great want
was expressed by the inscription, "To the
Unknown God." Yes; though boasting of their wisdom,
wealth, and skill in art and science, the learned
Athenians could but acknowledge that the great
Ruler of the universe was unknown to them.
The great men of the city seemed hungering for
subjects of discussion, in which they would have
opportunity to display their wisdom and oratory.
While waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet him,
Paul was not idle. "He disputed in the synagogue
with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him."
The great men of Athens were not long in finding
out this singular teacher, who presented to the
people doctrines so new and strange.
Some who prided themselves upon the extent of
their intellectual culture entered into conversation
with him. This soon drew a crowd of listeners
about them. Some were prepared to ridicule the
apostle as one far beneath them, socially and [p. 92] intellectually, and said jeeringly among themselves,
"What will this babbler say? Other some, He
seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods;
because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection."
The Stoics and the Epicureans encountered him;
but they, and all others who came in contact with
him, soon saw that he had a store of knowledge
even greater than their own. His intellectual
power commanded the respect and attention of the
more intellectual and learned; while his earnest,
logical reasoning, and his power of oratory, held
the promiscuous audience. Thus the apostle stood
undaunted, meeting his opposers on their own
ground, matching logic with logic, and philosophy
with philosophy.
They reminded him of Socrates, a great philosopher,
who was condemned to death because he was
a setter forth of strange gods. Paul was counseled
not to endanger his life in the same way. But the
apostle's discourse riveted the attention of the
people; and his unaffected wisdom commanded their
respect and admiration. He was not silenced by
the science or irony of the philosophers; and, after
exchanging many words with him, and satisfying
themselves that he was determined to accomplish
his errand among them, and tell his story at all
hazards, they decided to give him a fair opportunity
to speak to the people.
They accordingly conducted him to Mars' Hill.
This was the most sacred spot in all Athens,
and its recollections and associations were such
as to cause it to be regarded with superstitious
awe and reverence, that with some amounted to
dread. Here, the most solemn court of justice had
long been held to determine upon criminal cases, [p. 93] and to decide difficult religious questions. The
judges sat in the open air, upon seats hewn out in
the rock, on a platform which was ascended by a
flight of stone steps from the valley below. At a
little distance was a temple of the gods; and the
sanctuaries, statues, and altars of the city were in
full view.
Here, away from the noise and bustle of crowded
thoroughfares, and the tumult of promiscuous discussion,
the apostle could be heard without interruption;
for the frivolous, thoughtless class of society
did not care to follow him to this place of
highest reverence. Around him here were gathered
poets, artists, and philosophers,—the scholars
and sages of Athens,—who thus addressed him:
"May we know what this new doctrine, whereof
thou speakest, is? for thou bringest certain strange
things to our ears; we would know, therefore, what
these things mean."
The apostle stood calm and self-possessed in
that hour of solemn responsibility, relying upon
the divine assurance, designed for such a time as
this, "It shall be given you what ye ought to say."
His heart was burdened with his important
message, and the words that fell from his lips
convinced his hearers that he was no idle babbler:
"Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things
ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by and
beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this
inscription, To the Unknown God. Whom therefore
ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto
you." With all their intelligence and general
knowledge, they were ignorant of the true God.
The inscription upon their altar showed the strong
cravings of the soul for greater light. They were
reaching out for Infinity. [p. 94]
With earnest and fervid eloquence, the apostle
continued: "God that made the world and all things
therein, seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and
earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though
he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life,
and breath, and all things; and hath made of one
blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face
of the earth, and hath determined the times before
appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
that they should seek the Lord, if haply they
might feel after him, and find him, though he be
not far from every one of us."
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