Unappalled and collected, he began: -"Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inion. TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men"s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth."- W. J. FOXWORDSadministered, dispensed. animated, inspired. announce, proclaim. array, display. assimilated, identified. astonished, surprised. auditory, audience. barbarian, foreign. complacent, satisfied. conquering, triumphing. coronet, crown. enshrined, consecrated. fraternity, brotherhood.
grapple, struggle. homage, tribute of praise. merriment, amusement.
recollections, remembrances.
recompense, repay. sedately, calmly. sensations, pangs. superstitious, idolatrous. trophy, achievement. unappalled, undismayed.
universality, comprehensiveness.
vibrating, oscillating.
NOTES
① At Athens.-Paul"s visit to Athens was made in what is known as his second missionary tour,-A. D. 51-64. Driven by persecution from Philippi and from Thessaloni"ca, he took refuge in Ber?"a, where for a time his ministry was successful; but to avoid a storm of hostility which seemed to be gathering there also, he secretly left Ber?a and went to Athens. (Acts, xvii.)② Olympus, a famous mountain on the borders of Macedonia and Thessaly, which,probably from its great height, was regarded as the abode of the gods. It is here used as the symbol of the whole system of Greek mythology.
③ P?ans of Bac"chus and Apol"lo.-A p?an is a song of praise, originally in honour ofApollo, the god of culture and art, from whose epithet Paian the word p?an is taken. It was afterwards applied to hymns in praise of other gods, and to the revels of the worshippers of Bacchus, the god of Wine.
④ Hill of Mars, a translation of the Greek name Areop"agus, the seat of the Areopagites,the supreme court of Athens. This court, for the trial and punishment of murderers and persons charged with impieties and immoralities, held its sessions in the open air; and during the darkness of night, because justice should be blind to everything but facts. A little to the south-east rose the steep height of the Acrop"olis, or citadel, on whose level summit were crowded more and richer idolatrous structures than on any other equal space in the world. There stood the temples of Pal"las and Nep"tune, the great bronze statue of the former, and, above all, the Parthenon, the glory of Grecian architecture.
⑤ The Samson.-Samson was the great military Judge and deliverer of Israel; who,having been taken and blinded by the Philistines, destroyed himself and the temple and lords of the Philistines, by pulling down the pillars that supported the house. The heathen priest at Athens is supposed to have regarded Paul as a moral Samson, who threatened to destroy his temples and altars by sheer force of overwhelming argument.
⑥ The Stoic.-The Stoics, followers of Zeno, were so called from stoa , the Greek wordfor a porch, because their founder had taught his disciples in a portico of Athens. Pride was their great characteristic. They enforced a sort of stern virtue, and an indifference both to pleasure and to pain, which led to some noble deeds. In spirit they much resembled the Jewish Pharisees.
⑦ The Epicurean.-The Epicureans,-followers of Epicu"rus.(b) who died B. C. 271,-werethe children of pleasure. They were practical atheists, and unmeasured scoffers. The rule of life laid down by their founder was the pursuit of pleasure properly regulated and controlled. But his followers forgot the regulation and control which he enjoined, and pursued pleasure for its own sake.
⑧ The Sophist.-The Sophists were an inferior class of teachers in Athens, who dealtin verbal niceties and quibbles. Ar"istotle(b) used the word in the sense of a false teacher of philosophy. The Sophists were instrumental in procuring the death of Soc"rates.(b) 399 B. C.
⑨ The dexterity of Paul"s introduction.-Paul was peculiarly skilful and happy inadapting his addresses to the circumstances of his audience. In this address, for example, he struck a key-note which would at once arrest the proud and idolatrous Athenians, by telling them how "superstitious" (that is, zealous for the gods) they appeared to be, judging by the number of magnificent temples by which he was surrounded. When preaching in the synagogue at Antioch, on the other hand, he rapidly sketched God"s dealings with Israel, and preached Christ to them as the Son of David (Acts, xiii. 16-23). When addressing Agrippa, a highly educated Syrian prince, he appeals to him, saying, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest."(Acts, xxvi. 27.)⑩ On the road to Damascus,-on the occasion of Paul"s conversion. (See Acts, ix. 3-9.)Ye men of Athens. (See Acts, xvii. 22-26.)QUESTIONSWhat feelings would encourage Paul to preach boldly at Athens?Where did he address the Athenians? What "imposing associations" would the place suggest to his mind? What would he see from that spot? What classes of people would be represented in his audience? By what would the Sophist be won at first?What was that introduction?