From Trials to Triumph

Paul's Impressive Oration on Mars’ Hill

This was one of the most sacred spots in Athens, regarded with a superstitious reverence. In this place matters connected with religion were often carefully considered by men who acted as judges on moral as well as civil questions. Here, away from the noise and bustle of crowded thoroughfares, the apostle could be heard without interruption. Poets, artists, philosophers—the scholars and sages of Athens—addressed him: “May we know what this new teaching is which you present? For you bring some strange things to our ears; we wish to know therefore what these things mean.” TT 125.3

The apostle was calm and self-possessed, and his words convinced his hearers that he was no idle babbler. “Men of Athens,” he said, “I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” With all their general knowledge, they were ignorant of the God who created the universe. Yet some were longing for greater light. TT 125.4

With hand outstretched toward the temple crowded with idols, Paul exposed the fallacies of the religion of the Athenians. His hearers were astonished. He showed himself familiar with their art, their literature, and their religion. Pointing to their statuary and idols, he declared that God could not be likened to these graven images. These images had no life, moving only when the hands of men moved them; and those who worshiped them were in every way superior to that which they worshiped. TT 126.1

Paul drew the minds of his hearers to the Deity whom they had styled the “Unknown God.” This Being needed nothing from human hands to add to His power and glory. TT 126.2

The people were carried away with admiration for Paul's logical presentation of the attributes of the true God. With eloquence the apostle declared: “God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.” TT 126.3

In that age when human rights were often unrecognized, Paul declared that God “made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth.” All are on an equality, and to the Creator every human being owes supreme allegiance. Then the apostle showed how, through all God's dealings with man, His purpose of grace and mercy runs like a thread of gold. He “determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us.” TT 126.4

With words borrowed from a poet of their own he pictured God as a Father, whose children they were. “‘In Him we live and move and have our being,’” he declared; “as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we are indeed His offspring.’ Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man.” TT 127.1