Acts 17:16-34 (NIV)
Read by: Kathy Haug
Do you know anyone who believes there might be a God but we probably can’t know him, or who thinks of the world as spiritual>
On today’s episode of Daily Read, Paul finds himself invited before two groups of greek philosophers that might fall into similar camps. He is waiting in Athens and is shocked at how many idols there are everywhere. So he begins to confront them and goes to the marketplace to do so. And there he runs into a group of epicurean philosophers and the stoic philosophers. And understanding who these folks are is a key to understanding today’s passage and what it means for us today.
First we have to understand that philosophers were much more religious than how we might think of philosophers today. Epicurean philosophers believed that the world and whatever gods exist are very far apart from each other and they don’t really interact. So, we should just get on with our lives in a way that maximizes pleasure from a quiet existence. Today this shows up in what we call the pursuit of happiness. Then the Stoics believed that divinity lay within the present world and within each human being. So, we should pursue virtue as a way of unlocking this inner divine reality. Today this might show up in how people think about being spiritual or listening to their inner voice.
Both of these philosophies are easy to mistake with orthodox Christian faith, but are in fact very much opposed to it. We see this in what could be read as encouragement and curiosity. They call him a babbler, which in a culture of high rhetoric is a slap in the face, and to say that he’s preaching foriegn divinities is what Socrates was accused of before he was killed generations before. So, Paul appeals to the resurrection of Jesus.
----------REFLECT----------
1. How does Paul describe the difference between the LORD and the idols of Athens?
2. Have you ever been ridiculed for having faith in Jesus? Recall one of those moments. How did you respond, did you get defensive, did you disengage, do you lean in, or something else?
3. Is there anyone that you know who might think there is a god, but thinks that it’s probably a long way off and unknowable, or who is looking for connection to the divine in the world apart from the Holy Spirit? Take a moment to pray for them and consider today how you might share bravely about the risen Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Bible Project: Acts 13-28 Overview >>
InterVarsity Press Selections: Acts >>
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