Paul at Berea and Athens

At Berea Paul commenced his work again by going into the synagogues of the Jews to preach the gospel of Christ. He says of them, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women, which were Greeks, and of men not a few.”8Red 50.1

We here see that questioning doubts and obstinate unbelief were not commended by the inspired apostle. In the presentation of the truth, in these last days, a diligent searching of the Scriptures should be awakened in those who honestly desire to be right. This will produce similar results to those that attended the labors of the apostles in Berea. Those who preach the truth in these days meet many who are the opposite of the Bereans. They cannot controvert the doctrine presented to them, yet they manifest the utmost reluctance to investigate the evidence offered in its favor, and assume that even if it is the truth it is a matter of little or no consequence whether or not they accept it as such. They think that their old customs and faith are good enough for them. But the Lord, who has sent out the apostles and their successors to their work, giving them a message to bear to the world, will hold the people responsible for the manner in which they treat that message of heavenly origin. God will judge all according to the light which has been presented to them.8Red 50.2

The apostles taught during the day, disseminating light to those who were in darkness; and then, through the larger portion of the night, labored with their hands to sustain themselves without calling upon any one for material aid. They did this to remove all suspicion that they were seeking personal advantage. Paul afterward writes, “For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail; for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.”8Red 50.3

The minds of the Bereans were not narrowed by prejudice, and they were willing to investigate and receive the truths preached by the apostles. If men and women would follow the example of the noble Bereans, in searching the Scriptures daily, and in comparing the messages brought to them with what is there recorded, there would be thousands loyal to God's law, where there is one today. Even many who profess to love God have no desire to change from error to truth, but cling to the pleasing fables of Satan's creation. Error never sanctifies the receiver; but truth of heavenly origin purifies the heart.8Red 51.1

The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica, filled with jealousy and hatred of the apostles, not content with having driven them from their labors among the Thessalonians, followed them to Berea, and again stirred up the excitable passions of the lower class to do them violence. The teachers of the truth were again driven from their field of labor. Persecution followed them from city to city. This hasty retreat from Berea deprived Paul of the opportunity he had anticipated of again visiting the brethren at Thessalonica.8Red 51.2

Although the opposers of the doctrine of Christ could not hinder its actual advancement, they still succeeded in making the work of the apostles exceedingly hard. God, in his providence, permitted Satan to hinder the return of Paul to the Thessalonians. The faithful apostle pressed on through opposition, conflict, and persecution, to carry out the purpose of God as revealed to him in vision.8Red 51.3

Paul was sent from Berea to Athens. He was accompanied on his journey by some of the Bereans who had been newly brought into the faith, and who were desirous of learning more concerning the way of life from his teachings. When the apostle arrived at Athens, he sent these men back with a message to Silas and Timotheus to join him immediately in that city. The latter had remained behind in Berea to carry on the work so well commenced there, and to guide the new converts into the mysteries of their holy faith.8Red 52.1

Athens was indeed the metropolis of heathendom. Paul did not here meet with ignorant, superstitious idolaters, as at Lystra; but he encountered a people famous for their intelligence and education. Sculpture, representing gods, and deified heroes of history and poetry, met the eye in every direction; while magnificent architecture and paintings represented the national glory, and the national worship of imaginary gods.8Red 52.2

The senses were entranced by the beauty and glory of art. Sanctuaries and temples, erected with a total disregard to cost, reared their lofty forms on every hand. Victories of arms, and deeds of renowned men, were commemorated by tablets, and inscriptions upon marble. All these things made this renowned city like a vast gallery of art. As Paul looked upon the beauty and grandeur surrounding him, and saw the city crowded with idols, his spirit was stirred with jealousy for God, whom he saw dishonored on every side.8Red 52.3

His heart was drawn out in deep pity for the citizens of that grand metropolis, who, notwithstanding their intellectual greatness, were given to idolatry. Paul was not deceived by the grandeur and beauty of that which his eyes rested upon, nor by the material wisdom and philosophy which encountered him in this great center of learning. He perceived that human art had done its best to deify vice and make falsehood attractive by glorifying the memory of those whose whole lives had been devoted to leading men to deny God.8Red 53.1

The great moral nature of the apostle was so alive to the attraction of heavenly things, that the joy and splendor of those riches that will never fade occupied his mind, and made valueless the earthly pomp and glory with which he was surrounded. As he saw the magnificence of the city, and its costly devices, he realized their seductive power over the minds of the lovers of art and science; his mind was deeply impressed by the importance of the work before him in Athens. He longed with affection for the sympathy and aid of his fellow-laborers. His solitude in that city of magnificence, where God was not worshiped, was oppressive. As far as human fellowship was concerned, he felt himself to be utterly isolated. In his Epistle to the Thessalonians he expresses his feelings in these words; “Left at Athens alone.”8Red 53.2

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 and indignant at the idolatry everywhere visible about him, he felt a holy zeal for his Master's cause. He sought out his Jewish brethren, and, in the Jewish synagogue of Athens, proclaimed the doctrine of Christ. But the principal work of Paul in that city was to deal with paganism.8Red 54.1

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 festivity. It wanted the virtue of true goodness. Genuine religion gives men the victory over themselves; but a religion of dry intellect and taste is lacking in the essential qualities 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 of art and science, the learned Athenians could but acknowledge that the great Ruler of the universe was unknown to them.8Red 54.2

The great men of the city seemed hungering for matters of discussion, in which they would have opportunity to display their wisdom and oratory. While waiting for Silas and Timotheus 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 propounded such strange things to the people on all suitable occasions.8Red 54.3

Some who prided themselves upon the depth 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 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.”8Red 55.1

The Stoics and the Epicureans encountered him; but they, and all others who came in contact with him, soon saw that he had a fund of knowledge even greater than their own. His intellectual power commanded the respect and attention of the more intelligent 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 their logic, and philosophy with their philosophy.8Red 55.2

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 admiration and respect. He was not silenced by the science or irony of the savants; and, after bandying 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 of doing so.8Red 55.3

They accordingly conducted him to Mars’ Hill. This place was the highest on the Athenian coast, and its recollection and associations were such as to cause it to be regarded with superstitious awe and reverence, that with some amounted to dread. There courts of justice had been held to determine upon criminal cases, and to decide difficult religious questions. There was a platform in the open air, with seats for the judges hewn out of solid rock. This platform was reached by stone steps. At a little distance below stood the temple of the gods, and their sanctuaries; and massive architecture, sculpture, and statuary made the place one of great magnificence.8Red 56.1

Here the Athenians conducted Paul, away from the public thoroughfares, and the tumult of promiscuous discussion; for the frivolous, thoughtless class of society did not care to follow him to this place of highest reverence. Here the apostle could be heard without interruption. Learned men 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.” “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ Hill and said, 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. 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.”8Red 56.2

Thus, in the most impressive manner, with hand outstretched toward the temple crowded with idols, Paul poured out the burden of his soul, and with deep reasoning revealed the fallacies of the religion of the Athenians. His words could not be controverted. Pointing to their statuary and idols, he declared to them that God could not be likened to forms of men's device. The works of art could not, in the faintest sense, represent the glory of the infinite God. He reminded them that their images had no breath nor life. They were controlled by human power; they could move only as the hands of men moved them; and those who worshiped them were in every way superior to that which they worshiped. Pointing to noble specimens of manhood about him, he declared, “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.”8Red 57.1

Man was created in the image of this infinite God, being blessed with intellectual power, and a perfect and symmetrical body. He declared that the heavens were not large enough to contain God; yet how much less able were those temples made with hands. Paul, under the inspiration of his subject, soared above the comprehension of the idolatrous assembly, and sought to draw their minds beyond the limits of their false religion to right views of the true Deity, whom they instinctively acknowledged, and had called the “Unknown God,” This glorious Being, whom he now declared unto them, was independent of man, needing nothing from his hand to add to his power and glory.8Red 57.2

The people were carried away with admiration of Paul's reasoning and eloquence. The Epicureans began to breathe more freely, believing that he was strengthening their position, that everything had its origin in blind chance; and that certain ruling principles controlled the universe. But his next sentence brought a cloud to their brows. He asserted the creative power of God, and the existence of his overruling providence. He declared unto them the true God, who is the living center of government.8Red 58.1

This divine Ruler had, in the dark ages of the world, passed lightly over heathen idolatry; but now he had sent them the light of truth, through his Son; and he exacted repentance from all men unto salvation; not only from the poor and humble, but from the proud philosopher, and the princes of the earth. “Because He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”8Red 58.2

As Paul thus spoke of the resurrection from the dead, his speech was interrupted. Some mocked; others put his words aside, saying,“We will hear thee again of this matter.” Thus the teaching of the apostle was brought to a close; for the Athenians, though enjoying the reputation of high literary and scientific culture, clung to their idolatry, and turned away from the light of a true and reasonable religion. When a people are wholly satisfied with their own attainments, little more need be expected of them. Highly educated, and boasting of their learning and refinement, the Athenians were yearly becoming more corrupt, and having less desire for anything better than that which they possessed.8Red 58.3

The labors of Paul in Athens were not wholly in vain. Several became converts to Christianity, and joined themselves to him. His words also, and the description of his attitude and surroundings, as traced by the pen of inspiration, were to be handed down through all coming generations, bearing witness of his unshaken confidence, his courage in loneliness and adversity, and the victory he gained for Christianity, even in the very heart of paganism.8Red 59.1

The providence of God has given us this glance at the life of the Athenians, in all their knowledge, refinement, and art, yet marked with vice and shame, that he might show how through his servant he rebuked idolatry, and the sins of a proud, self-sufficient people. The words of Paul memorialize the occasion, and give a treasure of knowledge to the church. He was placed in a position where he might easily have spoken that which would irritate his proud listeners, and bring himself into difficulty. Had his oration been a direct attack upon their gods, and the great men of the city who were before him, he would have been in danger of meeting the fate of Socrates. But he carefully drew their minds away from heathen deities, by revealing to them the true God, whom he acknowledged, but who was to them unknown, as they themselves confessed by a public inscription.8Red 59.2