Acts 17 · The Lantern

The Uproar in Thessalonica

And having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And according to what was customary with Paul, he went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

opening and setting forth that it was necessary for the Christ to have suffered and to have risen out from the dead, and that “this Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.”

"Opening," it says, "from the Scriptures, he reasoned with them for three sabbaths, putting before them that the Christ must suffer." Do thou mark how before all other things he preaches the Passion: so little were they ashamed of it, knowing it to be the cause of salvation.

Explaining and demonstrating that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this Jesus is the Christ. Among the Scriptures, the Father indicated both that Christ must suffer and rise, and that this very suffering and resurrection pertains to no one other than Jesus of Nazareth.

"Paul… spoke with them from the Scriptures, opening and demonstrating to them that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead." First of all he preaches about the suffering, since he recognized this as salvific.

And some of them were persuaded and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, along with a great multitude of the worshipping Greeks, and not a few of the leading women.

But the Jews, having become jealous and having taken to themselves certain wicked men of the market-loungers and having collected a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; and having assailed the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

But not having found them, they were dragging Jason and certain brothers before the city authorities, crying out that, “These who have upset the world have come here also,

whom Jason has received. And these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, proclaiming another to be king — Jesus.”

In the same manner, their fathers accused Jesus by saying that he called himself king. The former, however, even though they had a kind of charge that was, on the surface, likely to deceive because the one charged was living, how could these latter hide their lying when they were saying that they, the apostles, were proclaiming Jesus a king, who, according to these accusers, wa…

"These all," say they, "do contrary to the decrees of Caesar": for since they spoke nothing contrary to what had been decreed, nor made any commotion in the city, they bring them under a different charge: "saying that there is another king, one Jesus." And what are ye afraid of, seeing He is dead?

"They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king, Jesus." In exactly the same way, their fathers also accused Jesus, saying that He called Himself king. But they had at least a somewhat plausible pretext, since the accused was still alive.

And they stirred up the crowd and the city authorities hearing these things;

and having taken the security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

And the brothers immediately sent away both Paul and Silas by night to Berea, who, having arrived, were going into the synagogue of the Jews.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all readiness, every day examining the Scriptures whether these things would be so.

And Trypho said, "Prove this; for, as you see, the day advances, and we are not prepared for such perilous replies; since never yet have we heard any man investigating, or searching into, or proving these matters; nor would we have tolerated your conversation, had you not referred everything to the Scriptures: for you are very zealous in adducing proofs from them; and you are o…

"These, however, were more noble." He says "more noble" instead of "more fair-minded." Not that they examined them as unbelievers, or were testing the Scriptures (for they were already believers), but as if unaware with the tradition of the ancient prophets, and therefore made stronger in faith, when they examined the Scriptures and found the works of the Lord in the flesh to b…

When he says "daily examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so," he means that they searched the Scriptures not as unbelievers (for they had already believed), but as those who did not know the prophetic traditions.

Many therefore of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Grecian women and men.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, stirring up and agitating the crowds.

And immediately then the brothers sent Paul away to go as far as to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there.

"And immediately," it says, "the brethren sent away Paul." Here now they send Paul alone: for it was for him they feared, lest he should suffer some harm, the head and front of all being in fact none other than he. "They sent him away," it says, "as it were to the sea:" that it might not be easy for them to seize him.

By a certain arrangement the Apostle fled here, not seized by fear, but both wishing to increase his preaching and to extinguish the madness by which they were afflicted.

"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away… to Athens." The apostles avoided dangers not out of fear, but by divine inspiration, because in this instance, for example, they had already ceased preaching and were no longer provoking their enemies. From the fact that Paul withdrew, a twofold benefit resulted: the anger of the enemies subsided, and the preaching spread further.

And those escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens; and having received a command to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they were departing.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him, seeing the city to be utterly idolatrous.

"And while Paul waited," etc. It is providentially ordered that against his will he stays there, while waiting for those others. "His spirit," it says, "within him was roused." It does not mean there anger or exasperation: just as elsewhere it says, "There was sharp contention between them." Then what does "was roused" mean?

"was stirred within him." Here he does not say anger, nor indignation; for anger and indignation are far from grace. What then is this, "was stirred within him"? Instead of "he was aroused," he does not bear it, but is softened, as elsewhere he says, "There was a frustration among them," and what follows. [CHRYSOSTOM]

"Was troubled in spirit" here does not mean anger, because the gift of grace is far from anger and indignation. So then, what does "was troubled" mean? He was agitated, could not endure it, was distressed.

He was reasoning therefore in the synagogue with the Jews and with those worshipping, and in the marketplace every day with those meeting him.

And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were encountering him. And some were saying, “What would this babbler intend to say?” Others, however: “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods” — because he was evangelising Jesus and the resurrection.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ;" branding not all philosophy, but the Epicurean, which Paul mentions in the Acts of the Apostles, which abolishes providence and deifies pleasure, and whatever other philosophy honours the elements, but places not over them the e…

The Epicureans held that the universe is spontaneous and composed of atoms; the Stoics, that it is a body undergoing fire.

"Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him." The Epicureans said that everything exists without Divine Providence. Directing his speech primarily against them, Paul says that God gives "to all life and breath" (v. 25), "having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (v. 26), and thus proves God's Providence.

And having taken hold of him, they brought him to the Hill of Ares, saying, “Are we able to know what this new teaching spoken by you is?

"And having taken him, they brought him to the Areopagus" - not to punish, but in order to learn - "to the Areopagus" where the trials for murder were held. Thus observe, in hope of learning they ask him, saying, "May we know what is this new doctrine spoken of by thee?

They brought him, he says, to the Areopagus, not so much to learn, but so that he might be punished, where the courts deal with homicide. The place was called the Areopagus because Ares, as they say, there administered justice concerning adultery. Pagos means a high place; for that tribunal was on some hill. Therefore the local or village rulers are by some called Pagarchs.

"Taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus." Not in order to learn from him, but in order to punish him, they led him to the place where murderers are tried. The place was called the Areopagus, or the Hill of Ares (Mars), because here Ares (or Mars) was punished for adultery.

For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. We resolve therefore to know what these things intend to be.”

Now all the Athenians and the visiting strangers were spending their time in nothing else than to tell something or to hear something new.

The apostle, so far back as his own time, foresaw, indeed, that philosophy would do violent injury to the truth. This admonition about false philosophy he was induced to offer after he had been at Athens, had become acquainted with that loquacious city, and had there had a taste of its huckstering wiseacres and talkers.

"Be at leisure and know that I am God." To the extent that we take our leisure in matters apart from God, we cannot attain knowledge of God. For who, concerned over the things of the world and immersed in fleshly distractions, can pay attention to discourses concerning God and measure up to the rigid discipline of contemplations so long and great?

It was a city of talkers, that city of theirs. "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."

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Hill of Ares, was saying: “Men, Athenians, in all things I behold you as very religious.

Paul, in the Acts of the Apostles, is recorded to have said to the Areopagites, "I perceive that ye are more than ordinarily religious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with the inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.

"But Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said," etc. Paul, set in the midst of the Areopagus, poured out the honey of heavenly philosophy, starting his speech beautifully with the fact that among their various idols he had found an inscription that read "to the unknown god".

It seems that the apostle is as if praising the Athenians, saying that "they are as if especially devout," instead of calling them pious.

For passing through and beholding your objects of worship, I found even an altar on which had been inscribed: To an unknown God. What therefore you worship without knowing, this I myself proclaim to you.

This discourse respecting God is most difficult to handle. For since the first principle of everything is difficult to find out, the absolutely first and oldest principle, which is the cause of all other things being and having been, is difficult to exhibit.

"On which was inscribed, To an Unknown God." The Athenians, namely, as on many occasions they had received gods from foreign parts also - for instance, the temple of Minerva, Pan, and others from different countries - being afraid that there might be some other god not yet known to them, but worshipped elsewhere, for more assurance, forsooth, erected an altar to that god also:…

It seems that the apostle is as if praising the Athenians, saying that "they are as if especially devout," instead of calling them pious. And he called them so on account of the altar set up by them for the following reason. Once a war broke out between the Athenians and an enemy; having suffered defeat, they withdrew.

The God who made the world and all things that are in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in hand-made temples,

This is the mystery which he says was made known to him by revelation, that He who suffered under Pontius Pilate, the same is Lord of all, and King, and God, and Judge, receiving power from Him who is the God of all, because He became "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." And inasmuch as this is true, when [preaching to the Athenians on the Areopagus-where, no Jew…

For the Prophets everywhere affirm this, that to create is God's prerogative. Not as those affirm that another is Maker but not Lord, assuming that matter is uncreated. Here now he covertly affirms and establishes his own, while he overthrows their doctrine. "Dwelleth not in temples made with hands." For He does indeed dwell in temples, yet not in such, but in man's soul.

"God, who made the world and everything in it." He said one word and undermined all the positions of the philosophers. The Epicureans assert that everything came about by itself and from atoms, but he says that the world and everything in it is the work of God.

nor is He served by human hands as needing anything, Himself giving to all life and breath and all things.

And He made of one every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, determining ordered times and the boundaries of their habitation,

"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." This is peculiar to God. Look, then, whether these things may not be predicated of the Son also. "Being Lord," he saith, "of heaven and earth" - which they accounted to be God's. Both the creation he declares to be His work, and mankind also.

And he made from one every kind of human being. What he says from one is clear, because he means from one human being. But it is fuller in Greek: He made from one blood, which no one doubts means the same.

"Having appointed predetermined times." He appointed so that they "would seek God," but not forever, rather for "predetermined times." Paul shows that, even without having found the Lord, they obtained Him.

to seek God, if perhaps indeed they would touch Him and would find Him — and indeed He is not far from each one of us.

"You are near, Lord, and all your commandments are truth." God says elsewhere, "I am a God who is near and not a God who is far away, says the Lord." For the power of God is everywhere according to the word of creation and providence.

And this is what he says, "though he is not far from each one of us." For he is near to all as being everywhere in the inhabited world; and he is so near that without him one cannot live. [CHRYSOSTOM]

Few indeed are those who know that they attain those reasons: indeed, what is more, few are those who are willing to believe this, because it seems difficult to an intellect not yet elevated to contemplate eternal things that it should have God so present and so near, even though Paul says in Acts, chapter seventeen, *that He is not far from each one of us.*

For in Him ‘we live and move and are,’ as also some of your own poets have said: ‘For we are also His offspring.’

It is clear that by using poetic examples from the Phaenomena of Aratus [Paul] approves the best statements of the Greeks. Besides, he refers to the fact that in the person of the unknown god the Greeks are indirectly honoring God the Creator and need to receive him and learn about him with full knowledge through the Son.

Then he even brings in a use for them from Aratus, one of their poets, in the construction of his own discourse. "For we too are his offspring," he says. And this passage he takes about the Creator himself, although some say that this was said about Zeus, not meaning the same as that Zeus, but saying that this expression most properly fits him.

"In him we live and move and have our being." Augustine says that the Apostle does not speak there of corporeal life, but of intellectual life.

Being therefore the offspring of God, we ought not to consider the Divine Being to be like gold or silver or stone, a graven thing of craft and imagination of man.

He teaches that the human mind cannot comprehend God as he is according to nature. Their mouths, which say the deity is of human form, are closed with these words. Indeed, one can mold or sculpt or draw people and images of people, or one can paint the likeness of any earthly thing. God, however, is similar to no human work.

"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 yet for this reason we ought. By no means: for surely we are not like to such, nor are these souls of ours. "And imagination of man." How so?

"As some of your own poets have also said." One wise man, Aratus, said of Zeus: "We are his offspring." But the apostle says of the Creator: "We are His… offspring," — not asserting that the Creator and Zeus are one and the same — God forbid!

The times of ignorance therefore God, having overlooked, now commands men that all everywhere are to repent,

"Hear," again he replied: "Keep this flesh pure and stainless, that the Spirit which inhabits it may bear witness to it, and your flesh may be justified. See that the thought never arise in your mind that this flesh of yours is corruptible, and you misuse it by any act of defilement.

"Having observed the times of ignorance," and the following. He does not mean that none are punished for these things, but that none of those who wish to repent do so. For he is not speaking of those who have died, but of those to whom he is giving commands. "He does not demand an account from you," he says, concerning your former years of ignorance.

He has in mind not the dead when he speaks of the times of "ignorance," but those to whom he preached. He also does not say: "You willingly committed evil," but rather: "You did not know." Thus, he declares this to the listeners, not demanding their punishment as those deserving of punishment, but calling them to repentance.

inasmuch as He has set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He appointed, having provided a guarantee to all, having raised Him out from the dead.”

"Wherefore, girding up your loins," "serve the Lord in fear" and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory," and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves.

"Because He has 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 to all men, in that He raised Him from the dead." "Having given assurance to all men," i.e. He has given proof in the rising of Jesus from the dead. Let us repent then: for we must assuredly be judged.

"For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world." He will assuredly judge, he says, all deeds and thoughts through the "Man" whom He appointed to be Judge of the living and the dead. This is the Lord who became man.

And having heard of a resurrection of the dead, some indeed were mocking him; but others said, “We will hear you concerning this also again.”

He declared it then to be of such a character as the Pharisees had admitted it, and such as the Lord had Himself maintained it, and such too as the Sadducees refused to believe it-such refusal leading them indeed to an absolute rejection of the whole verity. Nor had the Athenians previously understood Paul to announce any other resurrection.

But further, when they hear the resurrection preached to them, they pronounce this to be impossible, for how, say they, can one who has been used up to form countless bodies in succession, rise up? And, to be brief, they attack with sophistries the Giver of their speech in their endeavour to overthrow the doctrines of His Church.

Having heard this great and lofty truth, they said not a word to Paul, but mocked the resurrection: "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:14).

Thus Paul went out from the midst of them.