Community Bible Study -- Acts
 Text of Presentation, Lesson 15, Acts 17:1-34

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Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey (Part 2)

As Acts 17 begins, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke have completed a successful visit to Philippi, a city in Macedonia (modern Greece). Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed and asked to leave . . . but a strong church was established. Paul seems to have learned how to preach successfully in a city with few Jews.

Nevertheless, Paul apparently still prefers to testify in a synagogue . . . so he takes the Roman military superhighway, the Via Egnatia, west from Philippi, bypasses Amphipolis (a city larger than Philippi), and goes to Thessalonica, capital of Macedonia, with a large Jewish population. Reading from the text:

As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah" he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city (Acts 17:2-5).

This story makes us feel like “deja vu all over again,” because it sounds like Paul’s visits to the Galatian cities of Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. He goes into the synagogue, and argues for three weeks that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fulfill Messianic prophesy. Some Jews believe, as do lots of God-fearing Gentiles. Apparently so many believe that the Jewish leaders become jealous of their positions of influence, and arrange a mob to start a riot. The mob looks for Paul and Silas, but can’t find them . . . so it grabs local believers: most notably Jason, who is probably a Jew and Paul’s strongest supporter. It seems the plan is to grab Paul and Silas and throw them to the mercy of the mob . . . but with local citizens they decide it best to follow the legal route and go to the municipal authorities. The charges? . . . they sound familiar:

·        Jason is harboring “men who have caused trouble all over the world” (Acts 17:6-7a).  Paul’s opponents seem to have learned that where he preaches, riots soon follow.

·        The Christians are committing sedition by saying Jesus – not Caesar – is king (Acts 17:7b). This is the same charge the Jewish leaders lodged with Pilate against Jesus.

The authorities may be confused . . . but the charges are serious, so Jason and the others are required to post bond before being released. The “bond” sounds like what we would call a “bail bond,” but some commentators say it was an agreement to drop the charges if Paul and Silas leave town. Whatever . . . Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke are hustled out of town before sunrise. They avoid the main highway, and go down a secondary road to Berea: a smaller, quieter place – but with enough Jews to have a synagogue, and a population which Luke says is both “noble” and thoughtful. He writes:

The Bereans . . . received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11).

This is an oft-quoted verse . . . reminding us not to automatically believe what preachers say, but to study the bible for ourselves. That’s one reason God gave us a brain.

And when the Bereans study scripture, they find Paul is right! “Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greeks” (Acts 17:12). But, the Jews of Thessalonica learn Paul is in Berea  . . . so they travel there and “agitated the crowds” against the Christians (Acts 17:13).

It now becomes clear the problem Paul: his powerful preaching and irrefutable logic is what agitates the Jews. Silas and Timothy can stay if Paul leaves; so he’s packed off to the coast . . . then on to Athens, where he will wait for Silas and Timothy to rejoin him after they finish in Berea. 

Considering both Paul’s experiences in Thessalonica and Berea and his earlier mission trip to Galatia . . . one lesson we learn from his example is perseverance! In every synagogue, those whose hearts are prepared to receive the good news of Jesus accept it with great joy . . . but those whose hearts aren’t prepared strongly oppose Paul’s preaching. The Pharisees who lead the synagogues are Paul’s strongest opponents, and they are able to poison the minds of most of the others so strongly that Paul and his team are forced to leave town – and even pursued to the next town! In cities like Philippi without a synagogue: Paul and his team find believers, but in the end are also run out of town for one reason or another. Nevertheless, Paul keeps at it . . . and he always leaves strong churches behind!

Ironically, this reaction is exactly what Jesus predicted in the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13)! We mustn’t forget that – in addition to His message of love – Jesus said:  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. . . . Great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5: 11-12). And He also said: “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved . . . I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:22, 34b).

In Paul’s letter to the Romans he writes: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:18). Should we criticize Paul for ignoring this advice . . . for failing to “make every effort to live in peace with all men”? But what will it take for Paul to live at peace with those who so strongly oppose him? For the Jews, Paul must stop saying Jesus is God, and that salvation comes by believing in Jesus (apart from observing the oral law). For the Gentiles, Paul must stop saying their Greek gods are worthless idols. But Paul can’t stop saying these things, because they are fundamental Christian beliefs! Based on recorded visits to 8 cities so far in Acts, Paul has been modifying his approach . . . but his concessions are on minor points. Despite a strongly negative reaction, Paul has not compromised on substantive issues – and that may be another lesson from these stories.

By contrast, in 21st century “postmodern” America we are urged to “get along” and to compromise on everything (because there are no absolute truths). However, the examples of Jesus and Paul and 2000 years of Christian martyrs, don’t allow compromise on fundamentals. Martin Luther refused to compromise, and was excommunicated and condemned to die . . . John Wesley was “locked out” of Anglican pulpits and forced to preach outdoors. Yet, as John Calvin said:  “One man with God is a majority.” Christians must – like Paul – be faithful and persevere.

Returning to the story . . . Paul is in Athens. He has lots of energy, and can’t sit quietly and wait for his colleagues! . . . especially not when “distressed” by rampant idolatry in the city. (Photos on the web site include some of the altars to pagan gods which still stand today in the excavated agora, the ancient marketplace of Athens.) Paul goes to the synagogue – as usual – and presents Jesus as the Messiah. He apparently receives a lukewarm reaction. Unlike any city Paul has visited so far, he doesn’t seem to attract even a handful of supporters; perhaps the Jews of Athens are so Hellenized they just go through the motions of Judaism, without believing anything strongly enough to either support or oppose Paul!

So Paul goes to the agora and talks directly to Gentiles. Casting aside memories of being stoned when he did this in Lystra, Paul preaches to anyone “who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17). This time, Paul is fortunate that the culture of Athens is such that the people “spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). Paul isn’t considered a threat – just the purveyor of a new idea to be debated! . . . and “a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him” (Acts 17:18).

Luke records the short version of the debate in Acts 17:18 – which assumes the reader knows about Epicurean and Stoic philosophies. Most people don’t, so a thumbnail sketch of these two competing doctrines – especially in the context of Paul’s preaching “about Jesus and the resurrection” – might be help understand the rest of the chapter.

The Epicureans were the first evolutionists; they believed the world was the result of random motion. They also believed the gods were no longer involved with man, and that there is no life after death; as a result, they sought a life of serene detachment and limited desire. Paul's teachings about the One True God who sent His Son to die and be resurrected as a Savior for mankind is directly contrary to these core beliefs. For this reason, the Epicureans asked: “What is this babbler trying to say?” (Acts 17:18).

The Stoics believed there is an inherent logic to the universe which they called “Logos.” They sought to get in sync with this natural order by being happy with things as they are. They believed helping others was “natural” for man, and that goodness was its own reward. Stoic views have something in common with what Paul is preaching – if the natural order is attributed to a loving Creator-God – but the Stoics are concerned that Paul “seems to be advocating foreign gods” (Acts 17:18). Remember . . . the ancients believed gods were associated with a specific local place or people – so this is an important issue!

Nevertheless, although the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the agora disagree, both know Paul is presenting an interesting new philosophy, which merits further discussion.  They invite him to an elite debating society on Mars Hill: the Areopagus.

Paul’s Mars Hill discourse is recorded in Acts 17:22-31. It’s quite different from his previous speeches . . . except for remnants of what he told the pagans of Lystra. Paul realizes nothing he can say will please the Epicureans, so he adopts a “divide and conquer” strategy: appeal to the Stoics, and hope they will support him to the Epicureans. (He uses this same technique later in Jerusalem with the Pharisees and Sadducees.)

Paul starts by saying: “You guys are pretty close to the truth . . . missing just a few details; let me fill in the gaps.” The people of Athens have erected an altar to an “Unknown God,” to avoid offending an important god of whom they are unaware. Paul identifies this with the One True God, whom he describes in the context of the “Logos” preached by the Stoics. He presents God almost as a “Super-Logos,” who made man, and guides his destiny: a loving father, who wants man “to reach out to Him and find Him” (Acts 17:27). He quotes Greek poetry which characterizes man as the offspring of gods, then turns this around by saying: “Therefore, since we (agree man is) God’s offspring,” it’s impossible for God to be a manmade idol (Acts 17:29). Checkmate!

Paul builds the story of Jesus on this foundation. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance,” he says, but no longer (Acts 17:30). God sent his son Jesus to call mankind to repentance; and God will judge the world by the standard preached by Jesus. As proof of what I’m saying, God raised Him from the dead.

But this goes too far for most of the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill; only “a few men became followers of Paul and believed” (Acts 17:34). The Epicureans “sneered” at Paul’s claim about the resurrection of Jesus – as expected – but the Stoics do not defend him. Even if they agree with Paul’s logic about idols not being gods, the story of Jesus being raised from the dead is a problem . . . do they just take the word of a Jewish stranger? The best they can do is say, “We want to hear you again on this subject” (Acts 17:32). 

There must be more to this story than Luke records, because Paul immediately leaves Mars Hill (Acts 17:33), and leaves Athens for Corinth – never to return. This isn’t like Paul: when challenged in the past, he has continued to preach as long as people will listen – or until he is run out of town. Moreover, Silas and Timothy expect to meet Paul in Athens, and the prospect of “misconnecting” must at least cross his mind. Perhaps the reason is that the philosophers on Mars Hill – like today’s post-modern philosophers – treat all points of view as relative; they discuss and debate everything, but consider nothing absolute, and nothing worth fighting about. And their so-called tolerance is conveyed with the smug air of know-it-all superiority of those who consider themselves the intellectual elite. It’s hard to have a real discussion with people like that; at least the legalist Jews debated Paul out of mutual respect for scripture! 

Paul feels his Mars Hill speech is a failure; he later tells the Corinthians he came to them “in weakness and fear, and with much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3). Yet his technique is ingenious: to bring to the gospel to those of a different culture – and/or those not familiar with the bible – Paul starts with something his hearers understand and agree with . . . then uses this as a foundation for the story of Jesus. And Paul does leave a church in Athens, led by the two Gentiles mentioned in Acts 17:34. 

We may need to revisit Paul’s idea in 21st century America. Our ministers tend to preach assuming at least elementary knowledge of the Bible – but after 40+ years of keeping the bible out of schools and keeping expository preaching out of mainline churches, that assumption is no longer valid. We may need to follow Paul’s Mars Hill technique and begin by seeking common ground from which to build the story of Jesus. Then we can teach the bible – which contains God’s promises of salvation through Jesus which brought in early believers, both Jew and Gentile.

Next week is the third and last portion of Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey. It begins in Corinth, a bustling coastal boom town, and a very sinful city. It’s the last place we might expect Paul to go . . . but it’s such a good place to troll for sinners that he stays for 18 months. Then he returns to Antioch, and promptly begins his 3rd Missionary Journey: revisiting the churches he strengthened as he began his 2nd journey. Next week’s lesson also introduces important coworkers: Priscilla and Aquila from Corinth, and Apollos, a Jewish Christian from Alexandria, who ministers in Ephesus and Corinth.