Athens
2nd millennia before Jesus
King/Priest lived on top of the Acropolis (high place = closest to the heavens)
Eventually, nobility took over & established the system of aristocratia (best of all the others, etymology)
When population had a surplus, sent out to other cities, but still problem persisted. Not enough land to support all the people and end up enslaved to the system.
Solon - one of the seven wise men of Ancient Greece— modern, humble, realist to the truth that current system would not survive; redeems many Athenians, steered toward democracy by not swinging too far to each pole but staying moderate
Eventually, invested in the fleet, merchants, traders, and create a middle class; challenged the aristocrats who had money but no experience out of the country; commoners then resourced themselves (birth pains of democracy) with weapons and training
Finally, one aristocrat, said “our body” should not be fighting itself and first time a group of people is called as such & democracy was born.
Well, meritocracy — skilled & ambitious mattered more finally than pedigree, ancestry, or who you know in aristocracy.
As a result, it becomes a magnet of all the great minds of the Mediterranean— the city of innovation, inspirations, and leadership. Most significant outputs of science, math, architecture, literature, philosophy. Of all the ancient cities, Athens would have felt most like home in a modern culture. Classical culture + Christianity
When the city gathered (police / politics), those who did not partake were considered foolish (privates, idiot, Gr— used in beginning of Acts, when Paul writes to Corinthians - what if an idiotus comes in?)
Lots of checks and balances were used; fear of abolishment of democracy. Different person every day was elected leader by casting lots (not president, but a servant). Surrounded by counsel of leaders. From each of the 10 tribes of Athens, they elected a Prime Minister, by raising hands in a forum (public accountability).
Once a year, they reflected and asked the people if anyone was getting too much popularity. Exiled from the city for 10 years, no political rights, always monitored.
See this in 1-2 Corinthians - sin among you that not even pagans do and calls to expel him from the church; man repents and called to embrace him with love
Middle Ages, Athens started declining. By 1834, city of 10k becomes capital. Imposed monarchy. Eventually, it grew and attracted businesses,, economics. Grew to 200k in 100 years.
~1930’s - Grew to 1 million when Greek Turks immigrated within a matter of a few months.
During WWII only a few planes defending the sky. One pilot being Roald Dahl (James & the Giant Peach, Charlie & Chocolate Factory)
1941- winter, 1000 people died per day in Athens due to hunger
By 1949, Greece completely in ruins. Mass exodus from countryside to city and from Greece to other countries. More than 95% of city’s architecture was destroyed to make space for growth of city.
1975- referendum to abolish monarchy; from king to president- gov & parliament following constitution & accountability for prime minister;
Olympics - 1896 & 2004; Greece looked unready but finished with two hours to spare
NT written in Greek because it was common and the language leaves no room for misunderstanding. Brought from Alexander the Great (see notes on Philip II, his father) then in 300 years, made a way for the NT to be written in a common language.
Ezra to Nehemiah is when Athens really reached its peak. 500 years later, it’s a city with a great past, but a shadow of its former self, like an open air museum, beautiful monuments, all the high and mighty came to study there, through their donations, the city survives.
Acts 17:16-34
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
Athens was an overwhelmingly artistic & religious city (*see below)
v16- “deeply troubled” = Greek, provoked
Synagogue was always Paul’s first stop then to the Agora (public square) where it was densely populated with all sorts of people
He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.” Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
v18- “babbler” = Greek, Seed Picker (someone in an agora without dignity picking up all the leftovers, also sometimes said of the sparrow, a bird who can’t sing and you can’t eat; this was insulting Paul & his teachings as only for the poor, destitute, and enslaved because they were the only ones with low enough intellect to buy in to his “con.” We’ll see this transposed at the end of the chapters when Dionysius, a member of this very name calling council comes to know Christ.)
Philosophers - loved to hate each other, much like the Pharisees & Sadducees
Epicureans believed:
No life after death
Life was about decreasing suffering and increasing pleasure
“Life is absurd. Make it livable.”
Big problem defining morality
Stoics believed:
Life after death; mortality of the soul
Most important believe & behavior to them was virtue
The happiest day of their life was the day you died which is when you set your soul free from the cage of the body
Paul knew all of this, having sat under Gamaliel and him introducing secular texts to young Saul. So on the fly, without any preparation, Paul delivers one of the best sermons, and one of the best pieces of rhetoric of the ancient world extemporaneously and impromptu…
He had limited time
Did not include any Scripture (due to his audience) but it does reflect both the OT and philosophy
Utilized academic language & examples
So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
Respectful in tone and word
He observed— not dismiss, discard, or ignore
V24- very bold statement!
V28- Quoting secular text from 700 years prior which exactly matched this specific situation (an insane talent) & also a quote from the founder of the Stoics 300 years prior
In all, speech was probably 2 minutes and included creation to resurrection
NOT ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE SEED BUT THE FERTILITY OF THE GROUND!
When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”
Paul is cut off and the church of Athens begins
Ministry is not measured by the numbers - Dionysius, Damaris, & others believed.
Most unknown but Dionysius was a member of the council & to become a member, you must have been
An earlier elected magistrate
Connections in high places
Impeccable background
Recognizable public figure
So, in the end, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the lowly “seed picker / babbler” Paul shares a 2 minute sermon which leads to belief in a small group of Athenians on fertile ground.
Ecclesia demos - the called out ones in a gathering of a body of citizens
Come prepared to speak, introduce self, tackle problem, and solve it within the water clock with 6 minutes, most famous debaters and orators, precise, concise and to the point, if you weren’t finished, you were a babbler (shame! Shame!)
Logos - speech, unique ability to speak which animals don’t / over time, also includes fractions, and reason; perfect argument of Athenians (logic, monologue, -ology); entity that can create that contains truth and intelligence, humorous & wittiness; John 1 - in the beginning there was LOGOS
Lexus - word (dys- non functional / dysentery, dyslexia, Odysseus)