Church History: Date: A.D. 49-52
He shows them that they needed instruction. They had lost the knowledge of the true God that made them, in the worship of false gods that they had made. I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. The crime he charges upon them is giving that glory to others which is due to God only, that they feared and worshipped demons, spirits that they supposed inhabited the images to which they directed their worship. "It is time for you to be told that there is but one God who are multiplying deities above any of your neighbors, and mingle your idolatries with all your affairs. You are in all things too superstitious, you easily admit everything that comes under a show of religion, but it is that which corrupts it more and more; I bring you that which will reform it." Their neighbors praised them for this as a pious people, but Paul condemns them for it. Yet it is observable how he modifies the charge, does not aggravate it, to provoke them. He uses a word which among them was taken in a good sense: You are in every way more than ordinarily religious, so some read it; you are very devout in your way. They charged Paul with setting forth new demons: "Nay," says he, "you have demons enough already; I will not add to the number of them."
He shows them that they themselves had set the example for the declaring of this one true God, by setting up an altar to the unknown God. This intimated an acknowledgment that there was a God who was yet to them an unknown God; and it is sad to think that at Athens, a place which was supposed to have the monopoly of wisdom, the true God was an unknown God, the only God that was unknown.
He confirms his doctrine of one living and true God, by his works of creation and providence: "The God whom I declare unto you to be the sole object of your devotion, and call you to the worship of, is the God that made the world and governs it; and, by the visible proofs of these, you may be led to this invisible Being. He is the God that made the world, and all things therein; the Father almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth. He is therefore Lord of heaven and earth, that is, he is the rightful owner, proprietor, and possessor, of all the beings, powers, and riches of the upper and lower world, material and immaterial, visible and invisible. This follows from his making heaven and earth. If he created all, without doubt he has the disposing of all: and, where he gives being, he has an indisputable right to give law.
He is, in a particular manner, the Creator of men, of all men. He made of one blood all nations of men. He made the first man, he makes every man, is the former of every man's body and the Father of every man's spirit. He has made the nations of men, not only all men in the nations, but as nations in their political capacity; he is their founder, and disposed them into communities for their mutual preservation and benefit. He made them all of one blood, of one and the same nature; he fashions their heart alike. Descended from one and the same common ancestor, in Adam they are all akin, so they are in Noah, that hereby they might be engaged in mutual affection and assistance, as fellow-creatures and brethren.
He is the great benefactor of the whole creation. He gives to all life, and breath, and all things. He not only breathed into the first man the breath of life, but still breathes it into every man. He gave us these souls he formed the spirit of man within him. He not only gave us our life and breath, when he brought us into being, but he is continually giving them to us; his providence is a continued creation. We are his offspring. (Deuteronomy 32:6,18)
He proceeds to call them all to repent of their idolatries, and to turn from them.. This is the practical part of Paul's sermon before the university; having declared God to them. He properly presses upon them repentance towards God, and would also have taught them faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, if they had had the patience to hear him. Having shown them the absurdity of their worshipping other gods, he persuades them to go on no longer in that foolish way of worship, but to return from it to the living and true God.
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