Feb 17, 2018
Paul got his opportunity to share about the gospel in front of a sophisticated gathering of philosophers and great thinkers. These men had asked Paul to come and tell them more about this foreign deity of his. From their perspective, Paul was teaching something new, something they hadn’t heard before, which piqued their interest. They had described Paul’s message regarding Jesus and the gospel as a strange thing and they wanted to hear more. In Acts 17:22-34, we have Paul’s address to the council of the Areopagus. It could have been easy for him to be a bit intimidated by the sheer number of philosophers and great thinkers in the room. But Paul was at ease, a man in his element. He had received his theological education from one of the best: Gamaliel, considered a leading rabbi and teacher in Israel. He had also been trained as a Pharisee, and had a strong understanding of the Mosaic law. Paul was no slouch. He had the credentials and indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. So, he was not out of his element and never felt out of his league. He met these men right where they were, using one of their own gods as an jumping off place for his discussion. He was going to reveal to them the identity of the one god they worshiped but who they didn’t know. They simply called him the unknown god, but Paul was going to let them know that the only God they didn’t know was the one they desperately needed to know. The one whose Son had died on the cross for their sins.