The “Unknown God” Is Revealed

May 14, 2023, Easter 6


First Lesson: Acts 17:16–31 [The altar “to an unknown God.”]
16While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

9Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
2 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

The Apostle St. Paul was an evangelist. He took every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He never changed the Gospel itself, but he changed his presentation of the Gospel in ways that the listeners could understand it. For example, when he came to the City of Athens Greece, he first spoke the Gospel in the synagogue to Jews and others who believed in the Lord God of Israel. Paul could quote the Hebrew Psalms and Prophets and they could understand this word of God. Then Paul could proclaim how the scripture was fulfilled in he life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But when he spoke to the pagen Greeks of Athens, they neither knew nor accepted the Hebrew Bible. So Paul quoted the Greek poets and philosophers to help explain his message. But first, Paul had to proclaim the existance of the Almighty God of the Bible. Often when we modern evangelists want to tell the Gospel story, we are speaking to athiests or to people who do not know about God. If people do not accept the existance of God, neither can they accept the teachings of Christianity, like about sin, forgiveness, resurrection, judgement, eternal life, and Jesus Christ. And so, first people have to accept the first Article of the Apostles’ Creed. “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth."

Here is how Paul set out on this task. He started by talking about Jesus in the marketplace to anyone who would listen to him. It seems that the people of Athens loved to talk and discuss new things. Paul’s talk was something new and interesting, but they did not understand it. They called him a “babbler;” “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities,” they said, because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were curious about his messge and wanted to hear more.

  • The Stoic system aimed at living consisitently with nature, logic, and self-sufficiency.
  • The Epicurean school presented pleasure as being the chief aim in life.

    They brought him to the Areopagus. There are two famous places in Athens. The Areopagus and the Acropolis.

  • The Areopagus (“Mars-hill,” named after Ares, the Greek god of war) is where the council met, and
  • The Acropolis (“highest-city”) is where the Parthenon temple is located.

    It was at the Areopagus that Paul was able to explain the teachings of Christianity. His beginning statement gets the attention of the philosophers. (v.22-23) “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”

    What is this “new” God like? First, he is Creater of the universe. He does not need a temple like the Parthenon. He is not an idol of gold or silver or stone. Everything is His, so he does not need sacrifices or anytning else. He is in control, so he does not need to be served by human hands (v.25). He gives life and breath to every living thing. He controls the nations, and blesses them in order that (v.27) “that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him.”

    The Lord God might have been an “unknown god,” but we can find him. (v.27b) “Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.” Even the Greek poets agree. (v.28)
    “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
    as even some of your own poets have said,
    ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

    If God’s offspring are not made of gold or silver or stone, then neither is God, so he cannot be an idol.

    But now that he is revealed, God demands belief and faith and a new way of living. Paul says, (v.30-31) “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

    Some people ridiculed the idea of the resurrection of the dead. And surely the Epicurians did not want to change their sinful life-style of pleasure. They did not want to repent. They rejected the idea of a day of judgement. Some poeople wanted to hear more. And some believed the Gospel. There was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others. (v.32-34).

    As Christians today, what can we learn from this episode of Paul in Athens? What is the Holy Spirit saying to us?

    Perhaps, like the philosophers, it should lead us to find out what God is really like. The stories in the Bible, the Psalms, Prophets and the New Testament, give us a picture of the almighty power of God, the almighty knowledge of God who knows our sin, the almighty love of God, the almighty forgiveness of God, the almighty grace and mercy of God. We learn about God by seeing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Perhaps, like Paul, we should be upset about the idolotry around us. Modern idolotry does not have statues made of gold or stone. An idol is anything that controls your life. Your god is what you think is the most important thing in your life. There are modern Stoics who either reject the concept of god, or accept them all. There are the modern Epicurians who seek only pleasure in life. That is bad when sinful pleasures corrupt your heart and mind and lead you away from the One True God.

    The spirit of Paul “was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” He spoke out against it in the synagogue and with devote persons. He spoke out against it in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Perhaps like Paul, our spirit should be provoked by the evil and injustice around us, and we too should speak out against it. Protest in church, to our friends, on facebook and in the public arena.

    And surely, like Paul, we should know the Will of God. The Will of God is that the world might be saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That the God which is “unknown” to many in the world might be proclaimed, revealed, preached, and taught.

    Like the people of Athens, today also it is not easy for many people to understand and accept the message of judgment and repentace and forgiveness. Perhaps, like Paul, we need to learn to speak to people where they are and how they are. For example, we talk to children in ways they can understand the love of God. We use pictures and crafts and songs. Perhaps we need to use our imagination and our life experiences. There are various church events and our private conversations with people. Perhaps we need to pray that the the Holy Spirit would give us guidance and ideas.

    Whether we are in Athena or at home, we should be like Paul and just keep the unchanging message about Jesus Christ our Savior.

    Amen.

    Michael Nearhood, Pastor
    Okinawa Lutheran Church


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    マイケル・ニアフッド、牧師
    沖縄ルーテル教会


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