A Second Visit to Mars Hill

Areopagus

We first visited Mars Hill in our first blog post.  In the Christian New Testament Book of Acts, chapter 17, the Apostle Paul encountered Greek Epicurean and Stoic philosophers and their religious activities.  Paul noted that, among the altars erected to their Greek gods, there was one altar to the unknown god.  Paul introduced them to this unknown god, that is the only true God of the universe.

This blog promotes the principle that there is significant common ground between Christianity and Islam, and that the ignorant bias that separates good, God-fearing people should be eliminated.

In our second visit to Mars Hill, I want to examine more closely how the Apostle Paul interacted with these Greek philosophers, who were polytheistic idolaters.  I believe Paul will give us some insight about what the relationship should be between Christians and Muslims.

I invite you to read about this encounter in Acts 17:18-31 (ESV)

 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God winked at, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Please note the following:

Paul did not criticize them for their polytheistic idolatry.  In fact, he complimented them for being religions in verse 22, where he said, “I perceive that in every way you are very religious.”

The key point here is that Paul did not alienate them, even though they were polytheists and guilty of idolatry. I believe it is important for Muslims and Christians who take their faith in God seriously to enjoy good, peaceful relations with one another. That can never happen if we alienate each other. Instead we need to find common ground that will allow us to enjoy peaceful fellowship together as people of God.

Paul quoted the idolaters’ scriptures. “‘In him we live and move and have our being; For we are indeed his offspring.’ as even some of your own poets have said.” Verse 28.  

Muslims already show respect for the Holy Bible. To my Christian friends:  If the Apostle Paul respected these heathen, polytheistic idolaters’ scriptures, then Christians should follow Paul’s example and also show respect for the Holy Quran.

Paul sought to eliminate ignorance. Paul said to these idolaters, “The times of ignorance God winked at, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”  Verse 30.  

There is much common ground that exists between Muslims and Christians–we just need to look for it, instead of promoting bias.  The main goal of this blog is to recognize that God still winks at the stubborn, insidious ignorance that causes divisions among the various peoples of God–good, God-fearing people who take their faith in God seriously. 

Paul’s two-fold goal.  Paul says, “He [God] has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Verse 31.  

Paul emphasized that, one, these Greek philosophers needed to recognize the only true God who will one day judge all men in righteousness; and two, that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead gives us assurance of eternal life.

Notice that Paul said nothing about accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, and he referred to Jesus Christ as a man, with no allusion to his deity.  This is a manifestation that Paul sought common ground with these polytheists without alienating them. Jesus himself stated, “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 ESV) As I have observed previously in this blog, I see this verse as a Christian version of the Muslim shahada, that is:  That there is only one God, and Muhhamed is His messenger.

So while Christians see the deity of Christ as a very important doctrine, these verses show that both Jesus and Paul did not see it as essential to emphasize this Christian doctrine.  I see the first part of both the Christian and Muslim shahadas as the absolute essentials that unite us as people of God.

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