The Gospel for Intellectuals

Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean." 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Imagine attempting to explain to those who have no idea of Jesus - who Jesus is.

We have the untold advantage of living in the United States, where seemingly everyone at least knows who Jesus is. After all we are a Christian nation founded upon Christian principles and ideas. This makes the presentation of the gospel unquestionably easier. Or does it?

Often it is easier to deal with a clean slate rather than the burden of prejudices and misconceptions. The church has been so misrepresented over the years by hucksters, legalists, inquisitors, et al., that we often find ourselves up against perceptions created by the church itself in addition to any outside forces we may be dealing with as well.

Paul is dealing with a bit of everything in Athens. The knowledge of man, in the form of the brilliant minds of philosophers and poets, artists, pantheists, pagans, secularists – you name it. Athens, as is the case in many highly educated cities, was a place where exposure to new ways of thinking was, in a phrase, to die for. (And, it seems, they did.)

Could Paul convert the Athenians? Precious few, it appears. It was predictable. But they were interested to hear new things people had to say, and so Paul spoke up, even with little expectation of success in the presentation. Here we find the lesson in trusting God with the results – because, in truth - WE cannot and never do convert anyone. God does. ALL we can do is be faithful to present the gospel. God is responsible for the results, even among those who know nothing of His Word.

This is the POWER of the gospel. Paul does make an intelligent presentation of who God is, but he is brief and to the point, allowing God His presence in the presentation. There is no need to argue or cajole when you come in the power of the Spirit of God. A clear, concise presentation will carry the day with those who will be carried. The rest are in God’s hands. Paul was faithful to both the message and the messenger. In truth, the gospel for the intellectual is the same as the gospel to the child.

- Pastor Bill