the acts of the apostles-第40节

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with　him。　Soon　a　crowd　of　listeners　gathered　about　them。　Some　were　prepared
to　ridicule　the　apostle　as　one　who　was　far　beneath　them　both　socially　and
intellectually；　and　these　said　jeeringly　among　themselves；　〃What　will　this
babbler　say？〃　Others；　〃because　he　preached　unto　them　Jesus；　and　the
resurrection；〃　said；　〃He　seemeth　to　be　a　setter　forth　of　strange　gods。〃

Among　those　who　encountered　Paul　in　the　market　place　were　〃certain
philosophers　of　the　Epicureans；　and　of　the　Stoics；〃　but　they；　and　all　others
who　came　in　contact　with　him；　soon　saw　that　he　had　a　store　of　knowledge　even
greater　than　their　own。　His　intellectual　power　commanded　the　respect　of　the
learned；　while　his　earnest；　logical　reasoning　and　the　power　of　his　oratory
held　the　attention　of　all　in　the　audience。　His　hearers　recognized　the　fact
that　he　was　no　novice；　but　was　able　to　meet　all　classes　with　convincing
arguments　in　support　of　the　doctrines　he　taught。　Thus　the　apostle　stood
undaunted；　meeting　his　opposers　on　their　own

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ground；　matching　logic　with　logic；　philosophy　with　philosophy；　eloquence
with　eloquence。

His　heathen　opponents　called　his　attention　to　the　fate　of　Socrates；　who；
because　he　was　a　setter　forth　of　strange　gods；　had　been　condemned　to　death；
and　they　counseled　Paul　not　to　endanger　his　life　in　the　same　way。　But　the
apostle's　discourses　riveted　the　attention　of　the　people；　and　his　unaffected
wisdom　commanded　their　respect　and　admiration。　He　was　not　silenced　by　the
science　or　the　irony　of　the　philosophers；　and　satisfying　themselves　that　he
was　determined　to　accomplish　his　errand　among　them；　and；　at　all　hazards；　to
tell　his　story；　they　decided　to　give　him　a　fair　hearing。

They　accordingly　conducted　him　to　Mars'　Hill。　This　was　one　of　the　most
sacred　spots　in　all　Athens；　and　its　recollections　and　associations　were　such
as　to　cause　it　to　be　regarded　with　a　superstitious　reverence　that　in　the
minds　of　some　amounted　to　dread。　It　was　in　this　place　that　matters　connected
with　religion　were　often　carefully　considered　by　men　who　acted　as　final
judges　on　all　the　more　important　moral　as　well　as　civil　questions。

Here；　away　from　the　noise　and　bustle　of　crowded　thoroughfares；　and　the
tumult　of　promiscuous　discussion；　the　apostle　could　be　heard　without
interruption。　Around　him　gathered　poets；　artists；　and　philosophersthe
scholars　and　sages　of　Athens；　who　thus　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　thereof　what　these　things　mean。〃

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In　that　hour　of　solemn　responsibility；　the　apostle　was　calm　and
self…possessed。　His　heart　was　burdened　with　an　important　message；　and　the
words　that　fell　from　his　lips　convinced　his　hearers　that　he　was　no　idle
babbler。　〃Ye　men　of　Athens；〃　he　said；　〃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。〃　With　all　their　intelligence　and
general　knowledge；　they　were　ignorant　of　the　God　who　created　the　universe。
Yet　there　were　some　who　were　longing　for　greater　light。　They　were　reaching
out　toward　the　Infinite。

With　hand　outstretched　toward　the　temple　crowded　with　idols；　Paul　poured　out
the　burden　of　his　soul；　and　exposed　the　fallacies　of　the　religion　of　the
Athenians。　The　wisest　of　his　hearers　were　astonished　as　they　listened　to　his
reasoning。　He　showed　himself　familiar　with　their　works　of　art；　their
literature；　and　their　religion。　Pointing　to　their　statuary　and　idols；　he
declared　that　God　could　not　be　likened　to　forms　of　man's　devising。　These
graven　images　could　not；　in　the　faintest　sense；　represent　the　glory　of
Jehovah。　He　reminded　them　that　these　images　had　no　life；　but　were　controlled
by　human　power；　moving　only　when　the　hands　of　men　moved　them；　and　therefore
those　who　worshiped　them　were　in　every　way　superior　to　that　which　they
worshiped。

Paul　drew　the　minds　of　his　idolatrous　hearers　beyond　the　limits　of　their
false　religion　to　a　true　view　of　the　Deity；　whom　they　had　styled　the
〃Unknown　God。〃　This　Being；　whom　he　now　declared　unto　them；　was　independent
of

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man；　needing　nothing　from　human　hands　to　add　to　His　power　and　glory。

The　people　were　carried　away　with　admiration　for　Paul's　earnest　and　logical
presentation　of　the　attributes　of　the　true　Godof　His　creative　power　and
the　existence　of　His　overruling　providence。　With　earnest　and　fervid
eloquence　the　apostle　declared；　〃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。〃　The
heavens　were　not　large　enough　to　contain　God；　how　much　less　were　the　temples
made　by　human　hands！

In　that　age　of　caste；　when　the　rights　of　men　were　often　unrecognized；　Paul
set　forth　the　great　truth　of　human　brotherhood；　declaring　that　God　〃hath
made　of　one　blood　all　nations　of　men　for　to　dwell　on　all　the　face　of　the
earth。〃　In　the　sight　of　God　all　are　on　an　equality；　and　to　the　Creator　every
human　being　owes　supreme　allegiance。　Then　the　apostle　showed　how；　through
all　God's　dealings　with　man；　His　purpose　of　grace　and　mercy　runs　like　a
thread　of　gold。　He　〃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。〃

Pointing　to　the　noble　specimens　of　manhood　about　him；　with　words　borrowed
from　a　poet　of　their　own　he　pictured　the　infinite　God　as　a　Father；　whose
children　they　were。　〃In　Him　we　live；　and　move；　and　have　our　being；〃　he

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declared；　〃as　certain　also　of　your　own　poets　have　said；　For　we　are　also　His
offspring。　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。

〃And　the　times　of　this　ignorance　God　winked　at；　but　now　commandeth　all　men
everywhere　to　repent。〃　In　the　ages　of　darkness　that　had　preceded　the　advent
of　Christ；　the　divine　Ruler　had　passed　lightly　over　the　idolatry　of　the
heathen；　but　now；　through　His　Son；　He　had　sent　men　the　light　of　truth；　and
He　expected　from　all　repentance　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。〃　As　Paul
spoke　of　the　resurrection　from　the　dead；　〃some　mocked：　and　others　said；　We
will　hear　thee　again　of　this　matter。〃

Thus　closed　the　labors　of　the　apostle　at　Athens；　the　center　of　heathen
learning；　for　the　Athenians；　clinging　persistently　to　their　idolatry；　turned
from　the　light　of　the　true　religion。　When　a　people　are　wholly　satisfied　with
their　own　attainments；　little　more　need　be　expected　of　them。　Though　boasting
of　learning　and　refinement；　the　Athenians　were　constantly　becoming　more
corrupt　and　more　content　with　the　vague　mysteries　of　idolatry。

Among　those　who　listened　to　the　words　of　Paul　were　some　to　whose　minds　the
truths　presented　brought　conviction；

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but　they　would　not　humble　themselves　to　acknowledge　God　and　to　accept　the
plan　of　salvation。　No　eloquence　of　words；　no　force　of　argument；　can　convert
the　sinner。　The　power　of　God　alone　can　apply　the　truth　to　the　heart。　He　who
persistently　turns　from　this　power　cannot　be　reached。　The　Greeks　sought
after　wisdom；　yet　the　message　of　the　cross　was　to　them　foolishness　because
they　valued　their　own　wisdom　more　highly　than　the　wisdom　that　comes　from
above。

In　their　pride　of　intellect　and　human　wisdom　may　be　found　the　reason　why　the
gospel　message　met　with　comparatively　little　success　among　the　Athenians。
The　worldly…wise　men　who　come　to　Christ　as　poor　lost　sinners；　will　become
wise　unto　salvation；　but　those　who　come　as　distinguished　men；　extolling
their　own　wisdom；　will　fail　of　receiving　the　light　and　knowledge　that　He
alone　can　give。

Thus　Paul　met　the　paganism　of　his　day。　His　labors　in　Athens　were　not　wholly
in　vain。　Dionysius；　one　of　the　most　prominent　citizens；　and　some　others；
accepted　the　gospel　message　and　united　themselves　fully　with　the　believers。

Inspiration　has　given　us　this　glance　into　the　life　of　the　Athenians；　who；
with　all　their　knowledge；　refinement；　and　art；　were　yet　sunken　in　vice；　that
it　might　be　seen　how　God；　through　His　servant；　rebuked　idolatry　and　the　sins
of　a　proud；　self…sufficient　people。　The　words　of　the　apostle；　and　the
description　of　his　attitude　and　surroundings；　as　traced　by　the　pen　of
inspiration；　were　to　be　handed　down　to　all　coming　generations；　bearing
witness　of　his　unshaken　confidence；　his　courage　in　loneliness　and　adversity；
and　the