www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 307411

Stone

Creek

June 6, 2012

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Paul was forced to flee

from Berea to Athens by

the Thessalonican Jews.

A hateful bunch

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Athens was a city wholly given over to idolatry.

He sent for Silas and Timothy, and then began

his ministry in Athens.

Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue

with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in

the market daily with them that met with him.

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18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and

of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some

said, 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.

This was new to the philosophers in Athens.

They loved a new religion to discuss.

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The Epicureans, who followed Epicurus (341-270

B.C.), said the chief end of man was pleasure

and happiness. This pleasure, they believed, is

attained by avoiding excesses and (avoiding) the

fear of death, by seeking tranquility and freedom

from pain, and by loving mankind. They believed

that if gods exist they do not become involved in

human events.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

Though the Epicureans may no longer be here,

Their beliefs are alive and well.

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BKC The Stoics, on the other

hand, were followers of Zeno

(ca. 320-ca. 250 B.C.) and got

their name from the painted

portico or stoa, where he

traditionally taught in Athens.

Pantheistic in their view

(belief that God is everything;

that God and the material

world is one and the same), --

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-- they (Stoics) felt a great “Purpose” was directing

history. Man’s responsibility was to fit himself and

align himself with this Purpose through tragedy

and triumph. Quite obviously this outlook, while it

produced certain noble qualities, also resulted in

inordinate pride and self-sufficiency.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

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19 And they took him (not forcibly), and brought

him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what

this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

Areopagus, literally, “Hill of Ares,” was the

meeting place of the Council of the Areopagus, the

supreme body for judicial and legislative matters in

Athens. In the Apostolic Age its power had been

reduced to oversight over religion and education.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

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20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our

ears: we would know therefore what these things

mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which

were there spent their time in nothing else, but

either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

So these people were not

antagonistic to Paul

or his religion.

It was a curiosity.

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Christianity is not a religion to be curious about,

and to discuss intellectually.

It is a relationship with God Almighty through

faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

It is not enough to give intellectual consent

to the Truth.

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Ephesians 2 8 For by grace are ye saved through

faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift

of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus unto good works, which God hath before

ordained that we should walk in them.

We don't do good works to get saved;

We do good works because we are saved.

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2 Corinthians 5 17 Therefore if any man be in

Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed

away; behold, all things are become new.

When we are born into the family of God,

He creates us anew.

Where before, we could do no good works,

because of the weakness of our flesh,

-- Even if we did something good, it was for the

wrong reason, something we got out of it --

Now we are able through the Holy Spirit to do

God's Will and walk a new walk.