Acts 17:16-21 describes a time that is like the times we are in now. The thinkers of the day trying to come up with a new way, or a new teaching, a fresh understanding. The construct of this passage sets a framework for the popular philosophies of the day to be the standard or judge for truth. The driving force of this passage is found in verse 16 where Paul’s spirit is stirred by what he sees in the city. The city was given to idolatry, and this gave rise to a burning passion in the spirit of Paul. Paul being weary of tolerating such behavior, had to find a way to vent the truth into a world covered in philosophical lies.
Paul took his message to the synagogue and to the marketplace. Among Jews, Gentiles, and those who were trapped by the mundane physical world, Paul declared the true message of Jesus Christ. This is the call of our day. Like Paul, we should be so weary of hearing the world speak empty philosophies, and distorted realities as if it is the wisdom of the world that is going to set people free. Paul warned us in his letter to the Colossians to beware of vain philosophies that would deceive us. Very few among us are rising in defiance against the works of Satan. We seem to continuously tolerate a feel-good faith instead of embracing the reality of a passionate release of the message of the gospel in its fullness. I think we now need to choose whether we will embrace the power of the message of Christ, or stay with a mixture of worldly philosophy in our teaching.
Paul’s message was a target for the philosophers of that time. The Epicureans and the Stoicks encountered Paul. The Epicurean philosophy was formed some 350 years before Christ. The centerpiece of their understanding was that the earth was not of some divine design. God if He existed was not interested in the affairs of this physical world. The Epicurean philosophy was also centered around the happiness of man through whatever pleasure he could find. The sensual nature of this philosophy is seen in our world today. The book of Jude declares that there are those who are sensual and not spiritual. This indicates that many will take the sensual nature of man and make it their spiritual encounter. The Stoicks taught a philosophy based on the moral virtue of man. Their philosophy of good was considered all that mankind needed. Both philosophical viewpoints encountered Paul’s message and declared Paul to be nothing more than a babbler. This proves that when the truth of God meets man’s philosophy there will be an attack. Ignorance will become intelligence in the eyes of the world. True understanding and wisdom from God will become mocked and laughed at by philosophies that are unproven and based on nothing more than the sensual nature of man. Paul was challenging the philosophies of his day with the message of truth concerning the person of Jesus Christ. Why can we not hear the same call today?
The cause of the encounter between Paul and these philosophers was based on the desire to hear some new thing or teach some new thing. I think we need to get back to the same message we were called to deliver by the Lord Himself. Jesus told us to take the gospel to the world and preach the gospel to everyone. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Let’s allow the events of our day to burn a hot passion within us to release the message of truth in places of worship as well as the marketplace where people are and tell them that Jesus is the only way to heaven, the only source of help, the only place for hope. It is in Christ Jesus we find salvation.
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