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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
its possessor above the evils of his nature, and to connect him with
God. On the very stones of the altar in Athens this great want was
expressed by the inscription, “To the Unknown God.” Yes; though
boasting of their wisdom, wealth, and skill in art and science, the
learned Athenians could but acknowledge that the great Ruler of the
universe was unknown to them.
The great men of the city seemed hungering for subjects of discus-
sion, in which they would have opportunity to display their wisdom
and oratory. While waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet him, Paul
was not idle. “He dised in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the
devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.”
The great men of Athens were not long in finding out this singular
teacher, who presented to the people doctrines so new and strange.
Some who prided themselves upon the extent of their intellectual
culture entered into conversation with him. This soon drew a crowd of
listeners about them. Some were prepared to ridicule the apostle as one
far beneath them, socially and intellectually, and said jeeringly among
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themselves, “What will this babbler say? Other some, He seemeth to
be a setter forth of strange gods; because he preached unto them Jesus
and the resurrection.”
The Stoics and the Epicureans encountered him; but they, and all
others who came in contact with him, soon saw that he had a store
of knowledge even greater than their own. His intellectual power
commanded the respect and attention of the more intellectual and
learned; while his earnest, logical reasoning, and his power of oratory,
held the promiscuous audience. Thus the apostle stood undaunted,
meeting his opposers on their own ground, matching logic with logic,
and philosophy with philosophy.
They reminded him of Socrates, a great philosopher, who was
condemned to death because he was a setter forth of strange gods.
Paul was counseled not to endanger his life in the same way. But
the apostle’s discourse riveted the attention of the people; and his
unaffected wisdom commanded their respect and admiration. He was
not silenced by the science or irony of the philosophers; and, after
exchanging many words with him, and satisfying themselves that he
was determined to accomplish his errand among them, and tell his
story at all hazards, they decided to give him a fair opportunity to
speak to the people.