TO THE UNKNOWN GOD

Even at the height of the Roman Empire, the Greek city of Athens continued to be a significant center of learning, philosophy, and knowledge.

“All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21).

Indeed, Paul noted that the people of Athens were so religious that they even had an altar to the God they did not yet know (see Acts 17:23).

As Paul appealed to these impulses, he tried to present the dynamic nature of the relationship between the God who had created the world and marked out history and nations but who seemed distant from human beings. This was the broken relationship between God and humanity, adapted to the metaphysical language of the Athenian scholars and philosophers. Paul urged them to believe that their “Unknown God” was not so distant from them and that He could be found in the unlikely story of a teacher from Nazareth whom God had raised to life after He had been unjustly and cruelly executed. Seeking Him would be more productive than developing their “big ideas.” But it was a tough crowd to move beyond their intellectual curiosity and cultural religiosity. “There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (‘Man’s search for God!’) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?”* Only a few in Athens believed. Some of them sneered at the idea of resurrection; others thought it a good topic for further discussion another day. This was another group of “Adams” who were afraid and hid in the bushes when they heard the sound of His footsteps.

* C. S. Lewis, Miracles (London: Fount, 1974), 98.