The Unknown God
Apostle Paul during his second of four missionary journeys arrives in the Greek city of Athens. While there “His spirit was stirred when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” Acts 17:16.
Athens was the citadel of the many Greek gods. It was the center of Greek Philosophy, Literature , Science and Art.
Paul visits the Synagogue where he “disputes with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those there.” Acts 17:17.
Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” Acts 17:18-21
Paul had passes through the Areopagus at Mars Hill where Greek religeous leaders would gather for discussion and debate. As he passed through the Areopagus, he is provoked by the many idols set up there including an altar to The Unknown God. Acts 17: 23.
Paul’s message at the Areopagus. Acts 17:22-31
The unknown God you declare is the God I worship. He made the world and everything in it. He does not dwell in temples made with hands.
He gives to all life, breath, and all things…so that they would seek the Lord, for in Him we live and move and have our being, for we are His offspring.
Since we are His offspring, we should not dwell on worldly things for He has commanded all men to repent, for He has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has ordained, whom He had raised from the dead.
Response of the audience. Acts 17:32-34.
When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said “we will hear you again on this matter.
Paul departed, however some of the listners joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Below is the message audio.
Below is the underlined link to the typed notes.