Paul+and+the+Areopagus

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=Paul and the Areopagus=

The term “Areopagus” referred to a civic council in the city of Athens. It was established before the 5th century BC, and originally was the council of elders that functioned as a governing body as well as a court for civil and criminal cases. After the decline of the Greek city-states and during the era of the Roman Empire, it was mainly responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the customs of the city. Paul was brought before the Areopagus because he preached a new deity, and the council had authority to decide the legitimacy of the new religion he was introducing. = = = = =History of the Areopagus=

Location
The Areopagus was a body of men that functioned in early Athenian history as a high court of appeal for the city. It was a democratic institution beginning in the 6th century B.C. that presided over all serious or weighty issues that surfaced in Athenian politics or civil life. It was supposedly named the “Rock of Ares” because the god Ares was tried at that spot by the gods for the murder of a son of Poseidon. The Romans later named that spot “Mars Hill”. Originally it specifically handled murder tribunals and religious matters. It also examined matters of corruption in the civil government. After the decline of the Greek city-states and during the era of the Roman Empire, it was mainly responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the customs of the city. The addition of new deities to the Athenian pantheon was regulated by the Areopagus, and they had the right to decide the validity of the new cults or religions introduced by travelers and wayfarers[|[1]]. It regulated the rights of preachers and teachers, and thereby the spread of worldviews and moral beliefs.

=Paul visits Athens in Acts 17=

Religious atmosphere of the city
Athens had many temples, shrines, and places of worship for possibly thousands of different gods. The largest and most illustrious was the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena; but the city was absolutely saturated with various sites of worship. The Agora, or main marketplace and social center of the city, was filled with temples, and statues and altars lined many of the paths leading towards the elevated regions of the city including the Parthenon and the Areopagus[|[2]] [|[3]]. The Athenians were very superstitious, and according to their polytheistic worldview, they sought to honor and appease as many gods as possible. In one ritual they would allow sheep to wander around the city and when the animals stopped to rest they would sacrifice them on the spot “to the appropriate god”. Since there were so many gods, the Athenians were generally tolerant of all religions and cults, and Jews had established several synagogues in the city.

Culture- (Acts 17:21) interest in discussion and debate
Acts 17:21 says, “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” Athens had been a major hub of philosophy and intellectualism for many centuries. Many famous philosophers including Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Polemon, and Metrodorus all lived in Athens. The intellectual climate promoted debate and discussion, challenging traditional thinking, and the dissemination of new ideologies and worldviews. Two of the most famous groups of philosophers in Paul’s day were the Stoics and Epicureans. The Stoics believed that there is a higher reasoning or “Logos” in the universe that creates order, and that mankind could somehow serve or relate to it. They believed that mankind had to simply accept what fate assigned them in life; it did no good to fight circumstances or complain. The Epicureans believed essentially in chance, that “atoms” collectively constructed matter at random; they added the emphasis that happiness stems from a peaceful, content state of mind and absence of fear of gods. The overall openness towards new ideas gave people like Paul an excellent platform to share what they believed.

Paul’s speech before the council
Paul saw much of the city, and he tailored his message to suit his Athenian audience. Seeing the number of idols and temples, he used their religious fervor positively, as a bridge to share the Gospel. The Aeropagus was the venue at which advocates of unfamiliar religions and cults would lay out their beliefs and practices and seek acceptance by the Council, since the religions and deities of the city were regulated. Therefore it was a natural and necessary step for Paul in order to advance the gospel in Athens. He began with a reference to an altar of an “unknown god” that he saw while in the city and went on to argue that the One True God did not dwell in any temple created by man, nor does He need their service. He quoted familiar philosophers in his speech: Epimenides of Crete and Aratus of Cicilia, in verse 28, and his statement about the dwelling of God echoes Euripides[|[4]].

Significance of his testimony in light of the culture
Paul’s testimony of Christ before the Areopagus was a courageous and challenging stand, especially in light of the cultural heritage of Athens itself. Athens was a city obsessed by idols and temples, zealously trying to appease many. Though the Athenians were interested in hearing new ideas, they did not accept most of what they heard because it contrasted sharply with the Greek schools of thought. Paul directly contradicted their worldviews by claiming the existence of one supreme God; he did seek to add to their collection of gods, but to supersede it[|[5]]. He challenged their conception of deity and asserted that a truly divine being cannot be in essence a physical idol or even represented by one, nor could it be confined to a dwelling built with human hands. Tenets of his speech undermined the very foundations of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophies[|[6]]. Paul ended his speech with a solemn reminder of judgment and a future resurrection, calling his listeners to repentance. Though many mocked him, Paul’s speech made an impact on his listeners and a few became followers of Christ (There is no record in Scripture of a church being founded there). His speech before the Areopagus was a well planned and culturally relevant discourse on the nature of deity that challenged his listeners, and he boldly contradicted the popular conceptions that permeated the surrounding pagan culture. He showed that the Church must engage philosophically and intellectually with the culture in order to advance the Gospel and combat deception. = Bibliography = Dunham, Robert E. "Acts 17:16-34." //"Interpretation" Journal of Bible and Theology// (Union Presbyterian Seminary), April 2006: 202-204. GRIJALVO, ELENA MUÑIZ. "ELITES AND RELIGIOUS CHANGE IN ROMAN ATHENS." //Numen: International Review//, 2005: 255-282. Harrison, R.K., ed. //Major Cities of the Biblical World.// Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985. Porter, Stanley E. //Paul in Acts.// Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2001. Schnabel, Eckhard J. "CONTEXTUALISING PAUL IN ATHENS." //Religion & Theology//, 2005. Tenney, Merrill C., ed. //The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary.// Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963.

[|[1]] Schnabel, Eckhard J. "CONTEXTUALISING PAUL IN ATHENS." //Religion & Theology//, 2005; p. 175. [|[2]] Ibid; p. 173. [|[3]] Harrison, R.K., ed. //Major Cities of the Biblical World.// Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985; p. 24-29. [|[4]] Harrison, R.K., ed. //Major Cities of the Biblical World.// Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985; p. 30. [|[5]] Schnabel, Eckhard J. "CONTEXTUALISING PAUL IN ATHENS." //Religion & Theology//, 2005; p. 178. [|[6]] Tenney, Merrill C., ed. //The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary.// Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963; p. 69.

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