Paul
left Athens at present for them to consider it at alter time. There was not
much fruit on his preaching at this time, but wherever he went certain men
followed him and wanted to debate with him and learn about this new doctrine.
Two people were worth mentioning and one of them was an eminent man, Dionysius
the Aeropagite, one of the high court council who sat at Aeropagus, or the
Mar’s Hill. Paul was summoned to appear before him, because he was the judge,
senator, and he became his convert. Dionysius was bred at Athens, studied
astrology and took note of the appearance of the miraculous eclipse at the
passion of Christ. When he disputed with Paul, he was corrected from his error
and idolatry, instructed by Paul and became the first Bishop of Athens. The
other convert was Damaris, who was a person of some quality. So with these two
converts mainly people of some quality, and some other believers, Paul cannot
say he has laboured in vain.
Paul
exhorts the believers of Athens to give much to reading and meditating based on
1 Tim: 4: 13-15; “Till I come , give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all”.
The unknown God is made known
”No
man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of
the Father, he hath declared him”. Jn: 1:18.
What is the mystery of
this unknown God?
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which
are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be
to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love: Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, To the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved.
In whom
we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all
wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his
will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That
in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in
him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first
trusted in Christ.In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is
the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory;”Eph: 1:1-14
What was the revelation of the
mystery which was kept secret since the world began?
Now to
him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching
of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by
the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting
God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To
God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Rom 16: 25-27.
Book References:
1. Millard J. Erickson. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker
Book House: 1983-85.
2. R.T. Kendall. Understanding Theology, Developing a Healthy
Church in the 21st Century. 1996.
3. Jay E. Adams. A Theology of Christian Counseling, More than
Redemption. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979.
4. Louis
Berkhof. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
5. Robert P Lightner. Handbook of Evangelical Theology,
Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Book House, 1986.
6.
Charles Ryrie. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1986, 1999.
7. A. H. Strong. Systematic Theology. New Jersey: Fleming
H. Revell Co, 1907.
8. Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology, An Introduction to
Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
9. Steven W. Waterhouse. Not By Bread Alone, An Outlined Guide To
Bible Doctrine. Amarillo: Westcliffe Press, 2007.
10. John Theodore Muller, Th.D. Christian Dogmatics, A handbook of
Doctrinal Theology for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen. St. Louis, Mo:
Concordia Publishing House, 1934.
11. Prayers To Move Your Mountains. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2000.
12. John White. Parables, the Greatest Stories ever Told.
Illinois: Inter varsity Press, 1988, 1999.
13. ESV Study Bible. English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles,
Wheaton, Illinois: Publishing ministry of Good News publishers, 2008.
14. The Matthew Henry Study Bible. King James Version. Iowa
falls: World Bible Publishers, Inc. 1990.
Website References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unknown_God
The
Unknown God or Agnostos
Theos is a theory by Eduard Norden first published in 1913 that proposes, based
on the Christian Apostle Paul's
Areopagus speech in Acts ...
biblehub.com/acts/17-23.htm
For as I passed by, and beheld
your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him
declare I to you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 17:16-34&...
Acts
17:16-34 New
International Version (NIV) In Athens. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, ... to an unknown god.
Witness to the Unknown God: Paul in Athens. Getting Started “The
world’s major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, are making inroads as
are a variety of ...
... “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD ... Greece and Rome dedicated to unknown ... altars to an unknown god” Paul also quoted to the Greeks two of their famous ...
ACTS
15-18 Paul's Second ...
37.3 PAUL ADDRESSES THE
PHILOSOPHERS OF ATHENS ABOUT THEIR "UNKNOWN GOD" - After Paul
was driven from …
The
unknown God. We live in
a time of ... Son and Holy Spirit who was largely unknown to them. So from "an unknown god" Paul
would lead them to "the unknown
God ...
Why was there an altar to an unknown god in Athens? What's New;
Search Our Site; FAQ Archives; ... Paul
explains that this “unknown god”
was the biblical God, ...
How did the Apostle Paul get the opportunity to ... Paul uses an altar he sees dedicated
to "an unknown god" as
a springboard for teaching those in ...
PAUL AND THE UNKNOWN GOD Christianity Oasis Ministry has provided you with
this Paul and the Unknown god study on Paul and the ...
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