Athens was the intellectual capital of the world. Two prominent schools of philosophy existed during Paul’s time. Epicurean Philosophers believed the greatest good is to seek modest sustainable pleasure, which he defines as tranquility, absence of pain and freedom from fear. In fact, it is a form of hedonism. Zeno of Citium is the founder of stoicism. This philosophy states that ‘virtue’ is only good and other external things like health, wealth and pleasure. Hence, they developed self-control and fortitude as means to overcome destructive emotions.
Paul was preaching in the Marketplace. Somehow, the philosophers came to know about Paul and brought him to Mars Hill, the famous stage for philosophers to share their ideas. The intellectuals felt Paul deserved to be heard as a philosopher. They had three expectations.
1) Babbler: Philosophers reluctantly gave an opportunity to Paul, but mocked him. Babbler is a bird, what could a bird say to philosophers. In today’s parlance: “What will be his twitter message? In his message, Paul as an observer brought the seeking instinct of philosophers of the unknown God. Babble will declare the truth.
2) Foreign gods? People had only ideas of local gods of a geography or gods of a clan or gods of certain aspects of nature like: air, fire, river, tree…etc. Paul was not preaching about a foreign God but Sovereign God who is creator of Heaven and the Earth and involved in governing the earth providing boundaries for people of each nation.
3) New thing: The Gospel is a new thing as Son of God took human form to suffer, died, buried, and rise again. These philosophers could only speculate about man becoming God and could not grasp God becoming man, hence wanted to learn more. (Acts 17: 18-31)
Such God commands repentance and demands submission. “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” (Acts 17: 34) Paul reasoned with philosophers to receive revelation of God.
Do I reason with intellectuals to humbly receive revelation?