WHO IS GOD?
WHO IS GOD?
ACTS 17:22-34
Although Paul used language they would understand, he really told them about the God of the Bible—without quoting it once!
Paul’s apologetic or defense of the faith before the Athenians is a classic statement of “natural theology.” An earlier and shorter specimen was given at 14:15-17. It aims at laying a foundation on which the special revelation of the gospel may be built; but no foundation is ever complete in itself and requires a superstructure to explain its raison d’etre. Paul, taking his text from an altar reared to an “unknown god” (17:23) proceeds to state the answer to the basic question of all theology, “Who is God?”
Two final attributes (17:30-31) are logically connected with this list. As God is One and almighty, with no visible image, all idolatry stands under his judgment since he is a righteous Lord who summons men to repentance. As Lord of history and of the Universe, it is his design to bring the world to its consummation at the final day of reckoning. The proof of this final judgment has been given in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Paul’s hearers would follow him in the preliminary stages of his case, but mention of repentance (which implies sin), judgment (which involves moral responsibility), and the resurrection and return of Jesus (which ran counter to all Greek ideas of immortality and union with God) was too much for most of them. Some derided (17:32); some deferred (17:32); only a few decided for the Pauline gospel (17:34). Had Paul failed in this situation?
Notes 17:23: there is independent evidence of altars at Athens “to unknown gods” set up in time of civic distress, and as a feature of man’s incurable religiosity (17:22). Paul accepts this as a fact of experience (17:27), confirmed by man’s being created by God in his image (17:28). 17:28: a quotation from Aratus, and an allusion to a line in Cleanthes—both Stoic poets. Aratus hailed from Paul’s place of origin. 17:30: cf Romans 3:25f.
Meditation Universal kinship with Adam (17:26) and the world’s future judgment by the last Adam (17:31)—these are the terminal points of the sermon, and of Christian doctrine today.