The “Unknown God!” - Acts 17-18

Acts 17:22-28 (ESV Strong's)

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

The “Unknown God!” 

Blaise Pascal was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and, more importantly, an apologist for Christianity.   He lived in the 1600s.   This would have been over 1,550 years after the above even took place with Paul as he addressed the philosophers and seekers of truth at the Areopagus.   But, it was Pascal who penned the following words about the nature of man and the hole in man’s heart for God:

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

The reason Paul was in Athens, the city that contained the Areopagus (Areios Pagos; from Ἄρης Arēs (the name of the Greek deity of war); rock of Ares, a place in Athens), was because he was being persecuted by the Jews in the last cities he preached the Gospel.   His companions sent him to Athens for safety.   They may have, in their weakness, thought Paul simply needed a break from all the beatings (verbal and physical) he was taking.   Yet, Paul was Paul.  He had to preach the gospel (Romans 1:13-16).   Paul was an expert with the Old Testament to show the Jews how Christ was spoken about in the Law and the Prophets.  Yet, Paul did not speak of the OT to anyone at the Areopagus.   Paul simply spoke to them in their “language.”   These Greek philosophers spoke a different thought process than Paul’s Jewish audience.   Paul recognized his audience.   He adjusted the delivery method based upon the audience.  The content was the same.  The words and approach were different.   I recently asked a friend, who had recently heard me preach, to critique my message and delivery (to help me grow).  He was a great critic.   He gave me great pointers.  However, one of the areas I disagreed with was his thought that we should have a consistent style.   He had heard me preach before and thought that time had a better style than this time.   I did not disagree, it did.   But, the point of the style change was the both the audience and the text.   When speaking God’s word we have to be conscious of the perspective of the audience and the contents of the text.   Matching the content with the view of the audience is great preaching. This is what Paul shows us in his delivery of Christ.  Yet, Paul never even used Jesus’ name.   The results for Paul was the same. Some believed and many scoffed.   But, Paul delivered the message in the language of the hearers.