Acts 17 · The Lantern

After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. Here the Jews had a synagogue;

and, following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three Sabbaths addressed them, drawing his arguments from the scriptures.

He laid before them and explained that the Christ must undergo suffering and rise from the dead; and “It is this man,” he declared, “who is the Christ — this Jesus about whom I am telling you.”

"That the Christ," he says, "must needs have suffered." If there was a necessity for His suffering, there was assuredly a necessity for His rising again: for the former was far more wonderful than the latter. For if He gave Him up to death Who had done no wrong, much rather did He raise Him up again.

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.

Some of the people were convinced, and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, as did also a large body of Greeks who were accustomed to join in the Jewish services, and a great number of leading women.

But the Jewish leaders, becoming jealous, engaged some worthless fellows from the streets, and, getting a mob together, kept the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason’s house, with the intention of bringing Paul and Silas before the Popular Assembly;

and, not finding them there, they proceeded to drag Jason and some of the Lord's followers before the city magistrates, shouting out: “These men, who have turned the world upside down, have now come here,

and have been harbored by Jason! They say that some one else is king — a man called 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.

On hearing this, the people and the city magistrates were much concerned;

and, before letting them go, they took bail from Jason and the others.

That very night the followers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and on reaching that place, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

These Jews of Beroea were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message with great readiness, and daily examined the scriptures to see if what was said was true.

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.

As a consequence, many of them became believers in Christ, besides a considerable number of Greek women of position, and of men also.

But, when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that God’s message had been delivered by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, exciting and disturbing the minds of the people.

The followers immediately arranged for Paul to go away to the coast, but both Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Beroea.

Why did he not stay? For if at Lystra, where he was stoned, he nevertheless stayed a long time, much more here. Why? The Lord did not wish them to be always doing signs; for this is itself a sign, not less than the working of signs - that being persecuted, they overcame without signs.

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.

The friends who escorted Paul took him as far as Athens, and, after receiving a message for Silas and Timothy to join him as quickly as possible, they started on their return.

While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his heart was stirred at seeing the whole city full of idols.

Observe how he meets with greater trials among the Jews than among the Gentiles. Thus in Athens he undergoes nothing of this kind; the thing goes as far as ridicule, and there an end: and yet he did make some converts: whereas among the Jews he underwent many perils; so much greater was their hostility against him.

"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.

So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who joined in their worship, as well as daily in the public Square with those who happened to be there.

Among others, some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers joined issue with him. Some asked “What is this prater wanting to make out?”, while others said “He seems to be a preacher of foreign Deities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about 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.

So they laid hold of him and took him to the Court of Areopagus. “May we hear,” they asked, “what new teaching this is which you are giving?

"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 notice, and we should like to know what they mean.”

(All Athenians and the foreigners staying in the city found no time for anything else but telling, or listening to, the last new thing.)

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?

"May we know, what is this new doctrine spoken of by thee? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would fain know therefore what these things mean.

So Paul took his stand in the middle of the Court, and said — “People of Athens, on every hand I see signs of your being very devout.

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 as I was going about, looking at your sacred shrines, I came upon an altar with this inscription — ‘To an Unknown God.’ What, therefore, you worship in ignorance, that I am now proclaiming 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, Lord as he is of heaven and Earth, does not live in temples made by hands,

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…

"God that made the world and all things therein, He being Lord of heaven and earth" - for, that they may not imagine Him to be one of many, he presently sets them right on this point; adding, "dwelleth not in temples made with hands" - do you observe how, little by little, he brings in the philosophy? how he ridicules the heathen error?

"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.

neither do human hands minister to his wants, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives, to all, life, and breath, and all things.

He made all races of the earth’s surface — fixing a time for their rise and fall, and the limits of their settlements —

"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.

That they might search for God, if by any means they might feel their way to him and find him. And yet he is not really far from any 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. To use the words of some of your own poets — ‘His offspring, too, are we.’

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.

"For in him we live and move and have our being." Just as, in a bodily example, it is impossible to be unaware of the air poured everywhere, and of its not being far from any one of us, indeed even being within us, so likewise is the creator God of all. For from him is our being, our activity, our not perishing. [CHRYSOSTOM]

"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.

Therefore, as the offspring of God, we must not think that the Deity has any resemblance to anything made of gold, or silver, or stone — a work of human art and imagination.

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!

True, God looked with indulgence on the days of people’s ignorance, but now he is announcing to everyone everywhere the need for repentance,

"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.

because he has fixed a day on which he intends to ‘judge the world with justice,’ by a man whom he has appointed — and of this he has given all people a pledge by raising this man 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 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." Observe how he again declares the Passion.

"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.

On hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some began jeering, but others said that they wanted to hear what he had to say about that another time.

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).

And so Paul left the Court.

There were, however, some people who joined him, and became believers in Christ. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and several others.

Acts17