No doubt, Paul was a master Preacher. One of the best ever, apart from our Lord Himself! Paul KNEW the Old Testament Scripture … much of it by heart.
And he nearly always began his sermons with some TEXT from the Word of God. That’s why he so strongly urged young Timothy to … “preach the WORD; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2, a practice Paul modeled week after week. God’s Word was always central!
But suddenly, in Athens, Paul drastically changed his approach. He did NOT go to some Old Testament Passage and preach from it … rather he reasoned with them via their own philosophical systems. (Do bear in mind, he still preached unto them Jesus!) It’s just that his approach, his foundation is different in this intellectual city!
Luke, the author of Acts, records: “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, 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.” Acts 17:22-23, not some verse in Deuteronomy, but a nearby statue to an “unknown god!”
Then, from that launching pad (rather than from an Old Testament Text) Paul continued, introducing the Real God, our God … “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.” Acts 17:24
Paul’s “method” here has been the subject of endless inspection and often downright criticism! (Paul in Athens even quoted a heathen poet, who was talking about the filthy god Zeus! “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of YOUR OWN POETS have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:28, highly unusual!)
In like manner, many contemporary Sermons nowadays use current events, lines from popular movies, even lyrics of the “Beatles” or some other singing group … rather than centering on some specific Paragraph or Verse of Scripture!
Maybe I am being too critical. Should I just rejoice that (to some degree, at times anyway) Jesus is being preached?
But for me, as a Preacher, “Bring the Book!” (Quoting Nehemiah 8:1) Focus everything on the Word of God!
But back to Paul, good news, soon as he left Athens (with minimal success) Paul reverted to his old hermeneutic! He journeyed to the city of Corinth, where Luke says: “And he continued there a year and six months, TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD among them.” Acts 18:11
Back on track!
But sill, I personally can not/ will not criticize Paul. His Athenian homiletic is not to my taste, but God did honor it!
How so?
Acts 17:33-34 … at the end of his Athens stay: “So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and BELIEVED: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”
Yes, a few souls were saved!
One man, Dionysius.
One lady, Damaris.
And some “others!”
His philosophical approach (or apologetic) actually bore fruit to the glory of God! Lost souls were born-again!
And all I can say is “Hallelujah!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
This always happens when God’s powerful, incisive Word is preached … “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.” Acts 28:24
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