I was reading in Matthew this morning but, as I tried to concentrate on the scripture, my mind was drawn again to Acts and the Apostle Paul. Specifically, my thoughts wandered to Paul becoming all things to all people in order that he might save some, as I wrote about a couple of days ago.
Try as I might to contemplate the words from Christ's sermon on the mount, which are certainly worthy of meditating on, I found myself picturing Paul wandering through the city of Athens (Acts 17). Might have been the Holy Spirit leading me there or, equally as possible, my ADHD kicking in. Either way, the thought of Paul wandering the streets of Athens, looking at the multitude of idols and the variety of alters to various gods that filled the city was stuck in my mind. So I went with it.
In the centuries prior to Paul's visit to Athens, it was considered to be a city of education and wisdom. It was a city known as a center of philosophy, architecture and art. The people inhabiting Athens were the intellectuals of the time and, to some degree, it was still true when Paul passed through. For Paul, what was meant to be a short lay over as he waited for his traveling companions becomes the place of the longest recorded sermon that we have of Paul preaching to Gentiles.
And, as would be expected. Paul does it brilliantly. As he casually strolled through the streets of the city, waiting for his friends to arrive....well scripture describes it best: "His spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. Acts 17:16. I particularly like the way the Message says it: "The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols".
Paul's spirit was provoked within him and he became angry. As he stood among these self proclaimed scholars and arrogant philosophers, Paul was probably considered a foolish man proclaiming a foolish and worthless religion. In reality, Paul was the intellectual giant among them. Paul knew what they were thinking and how little regard they had for him. Without a doubt, he could have debated any of them to ashes on any topic. He could have shredded their religions and beliefs with relative ease. He could have ground their philosophies to nothingness without giving it much thought. At the very least, he could have impressed them with his knowledge and massaged his ego.
Paul, that he might save some, did none of the above. Paul brilliantly begins his discourse with them with a complement, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious." Acts 17:22 Brilliant! In his anger....in the provocation in his spirit, he could of condemned them as pagans, or he could have ridiculed them as idol worshipers. He could have proved their various gods as useless and worthless as the stones they were made from. Paul had it within him, and could have done it as easily as swatting a troublesome fly.
But he begins with a complement. He meets them where they are by mentioning one of their own alters....the alter they had erected to an unknown god. Paul then says, "Let me tell you about this unknown God." He uses that as a foundation to explain to them about the true God, and salvation there is in Christ. Absolutely beautiful.
The success is described in verse 34: " But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them."
It brings me back to: "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some."
Perhaps the Spirit will bring me back to the sermon on the mount tomorrow, but for today it is enough.
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