26 Nov Paul’s Footsteps #85
Footsteps #85
Beneath the great rock acropolis, which was to the Greek-like Zion was to the Hebrew, Paul (Acts.17:22) raised his hand outstretched and cried, “Athenians, I observe that in every respect you are unusually religious.” Their attention was won and he continued, “for in wandering through your city, and gazing about me, I have found an altar to the unknown God.” And so, he preached to them of the “One God.” He drew the minds of his idolatrous hearers beyond the limit of their false religion to a true view of the deity – everyone listened. He proceeded to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven had come, he called them to repentance, and proclaimed the day of judgment by Jesus, to whose work God had set His seal by raising Him from the dead.
Once he began to tell them of that cross, which was to them foolishness, and of the resurrection from the dead, which was conceivably alien to their habits of belief, all interest was for them at an end. Some mocked, others jeered saying, “We will hear you again another day maybe.”(17:32.)
Thus closed the labours of the apostle in Athens, the centre of learning for the world. Apart from a few converts, no church was established. When people are wholly satisfied with their own attainments and knowledge, little more needs to be expected of them. Even today it is possible to intellectualise away the simplicity of the message of Faith in Christ. Some people are highly intelligent to their own eternal ruin. In later centuries a church did grow up in Athens.
Greater success would be had in the next Greek city that they made their way to – Corinth. It was here that he would meet Aquilla and Pricilla. The trip by ship took about 5 hours. Paul would spend the next 18 months here and write to the Thessalonians (the next letter we will consider.)
Corinth was the new Sodom and Gomorrah of heathendom. It was famous for its gross immorality. Paul was a tentmaker by profession, as was the already converted Aquila, and while plying their trade spent many an hour in discussion.
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