Paul Talks to the People of Athens About the One True God
Let’s break down what happens in Acts 17. Paul visits Athens, a city in ancient Greece. This city is famous for its great thinkers, culture, and many, many statues and idols.
Paul Notices Something Odd in Athens
While Paul was waiting for his friends in Athens, he couldn’t help but notice something. Everywhere he looked, the city was filled with idols—statues and altars to all sorts of different gods. This bothered him a lot because he believed there is only one true God. Paul went to talk with people in the synagogue. It is the Jewish place of worship. He also chatted with people in the marketplace every day about his beliefs.
Paul Gets into a Debate
Soon, some of the local philosophers—people who loved to debate new ideas—started arguing with Paul. Some thought he was just talking nonsense, while others thought he was introducing strange new gods. The reason? Paul was telling everyone about Jesus. He explained how Jesus came back to life. This was a totally new idea for the Greeks.
Paul Speaks at the Areopagus
The philosophers were curious. They took Paul to a special place called the Areopagus. It was like the city’s “idea headquarters.” There, people discussed the latest thoughts and philosophies. They asked Paul to explain his new ideas in more detail.
Paul’s Speech: The Unknown God
Paul started his speech by saying, “People of Athens, I see you’re very religious. In fact, as I was walking around, I saw an altar that said ‘To an unknown god.’” Paul explained that they were worshipping a god they didn’t even know. He wanted to introduce them to the God who made everything.
Paul told them that the real God doesn’t live in temples or need anything from people. Instead, this God gives life to everyone and everything. He said that all nations and people come from one source. God is close to each one of us. He even quoted some of their poets to make his point, saying, “We are his offspring.”
We are all God’s children, Paul continued. We shouldn’t think that God is anything like gold or stone statues made by humans. Now, God wants everyone to turn away from their old ways. He wants them to follow him. There will come a day when God will judge everyone fairly by the man he has chosen—Jesus. Paul said God gave proof of this by raising Jesus from the dead.
Mixed Reactions
Some people laughed at the idea of someone rising from the dead. Others were interested and wanted to hear more later. A few people believed Paul and started following his teaching, including a man named Dionysius and a woman named Damaris.
Why This Story Still Matters
In simple terms, this story shows Paul attempting to explain his faith in a relatable manner. He uses the ideas and culture of the people around him. It’s about the search for truth. It’s also about the courage to speak up about what you believe. The story emphasizes that God is close to everyone. Your location or knowledge doesn’t matter.
Minister A Francine Green
June 2025
afrancinegreen.com 