The Work In Athens Series

Only one course was open—repentance, a complete turnabout from their false worship and a turning to God. The concept of repentance must have sounded strange to the Athenians. Even stranger was Paul’s warning of God’s coming day of judgment (17:31). Greek theology, such as it was, had no concept of coming judgment. The apostle exploded that idea like a bombshell in the ears of his listeners. The offer of salvation in Christ carried with it the threat of judgment if that offer was refused. Men are accountable to their Creator for their action; the Day of Judgment has already been set. Paul’s train of thought was clear enough. God is the one true God and should be acknowledged as such by his creatures. All people must ultimately stand before God and give an account of their relationship to Him. God appointed “the man” who would carry out this judgment. (The “man” was Christ, “the Son of Man,” in His role as Judge; Daniel 7:13[10].) God clearly demonstrated this truth by the miracle of raising Him from the dead. Just as Peter had pointed to the resurrection as proof to the Jews that Jesus is Messiah, so to the Gentiles Paul pointed to the resurrection as proof that He is the coming judge of all humanity. The judgment referred to here will take place when Christ returns to earth to put down His enemies and begin His Millennial Reign.

Paul touched the heart and soul of the Christian message—the resurrection of Christ. This was the triumphant truth he blazed across the world. This was the essence of the Christian message to the human heart. Jesus lives! He has conquered death. The grave has no more terrors. The Christian message does not concern itself solely with the immortality of the soul. Even pagans can grope their way to that. The Christian message is that death has been so completely conquered that the body itself can survive its onslaught. Christ’s resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection.

There is a resurrection unto life for the believer, but there is also a second resurrection, a dreadful resurrection, a resurrection to damnation for the unbeliever, and Christ’s resurrection guarantees that as well. All judgment has been committed by God to His Son, who being both God and man is equipped to act as mediator now and magistrate then. It is that aspect of Christ’s resurrection that Paul solemnly brought before the frivolous Athenians. There was to be no more excuses for their philosophical dabblings and their religious allusions.

Paul had reached the climax of his testimony and made his appeal. He may have had more to say, but he had said enough to convict at least one Areopagite (17:34). In any event, with the mention of resurrection the jeering started, and Paul’s speech ended (17:32).

It should be noted that Paul never compromised the basic Christian principles of God as Creator and Judge and the resurrection of Christ. In the end these were the most difficult concepts for the Athenians to grasp, but there could be no accommodation on these. Bridge building is essential to Christian witness, particularly when addressing different cultures, as missionaries must often do. Paul’s Areopagus address provides both a precedent and a pattern for this essential task.