Thornton I Paul's Apologetic I 1 Paul's Apologetic at Athens and Ours LARRY R THORNTON, ThD Professor, Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary In a day of change and of mechanization, men are prone to change their methods in the Lord's work to reach more people with the Gospel in a shorter period of time. Their motives may be perfectly pure, but many times a change in methodology means a change in the message. This may result in heretical teaching which may stop or dwarf spiritual life. Certainly in the area of methodology there is room for variation as to time, place, levels of communication and modes of distribution, but when methodology has exchanged the revelational content with reasoning and emasculated doctrine, it has overstepped its limits. A man's apologetic (a system of discourse in favor of a thing) with respect to Christianity will determine his approach in the communication of the Gospel. How close his apologetical system is to the Biblical or revelational approach will determine the measure of soccess as desired by God. There are four basic apologetical approaches practiced by Christendom today.1 Each endeavors to point to various Scripture passages to justify its approach. One such passage is Acts 17:16- 34, Paul's defense at Athens. F F Bruce describes the significance of this passage. There are two passages in Acts where the gospel is shown in direct confrontation with paganism, and these two passages anticipate the main lines of second-century Christian apologetic against the pagans. There are the passages which record Barnabas and Paul's protest against idolatry at Lystra (Acts 14: 8-18), and Paul's address before the court of the Areopagus at Athens (Acts 17:16-34). The gospel confronted unsophisticated pagans in the former place and sophisticated pagans in the latter.2 Many prefer to point to Acts 17:16-34 to justify their apologetic even though the approach is basically the same in both passages. 2 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal I Fall 1986 The method to be followed here in determining which of the four apologetical systems parallels the Biblical as used by Paul at Athens includes: first, the presentation of contemporary apologetic systems viewing Paul's address at Athens; second, an analysis of Paul's address at Athens; third, the advocation and adaptation of the Biblical apologetic; fourth, a concluding summarization. Contemporary Approaches The four contemporary apologetic systems viewing Paul's address at Athens may be characterized as the rationalistic approach, the semi-rationalistic approach, the semi presuppositional approach, and the presuppositional approach. Rationalistic Approach The rationalistic approach sees the task of apologetics to be the formulation and defense of Christian belief in a rational fashion. The leading proponent of this approach, Stuart C Hackett, sets forth his method in his book, The Resurrection of Theism. The underlying assertion of my whole argument; therefore, is that Christian faith should be defended in terms of criteria which center in rational objectivity as the norm of truth and evaluation. This consideration means, in turn, that if Christian faith is obligatory for men, then it is so because it embodies objective truth for all rational minds.3 Evaluation of the Rationalistic Approach. Such an approach assumes that men are able, if they will think rationally, to see the superiority of Biblical theism over other systems. It fails to take into account the doctrine of total depravity. It fails to use revelation as inspired until the individual is convinced from reason of Biblical theism. Such an approach limits witnessing to the experts, for a person not only must be trained in logic but in all other disciplines of study. 4 Rationalistic View of Paul's Address at Athens. As one may expect, little or no material on Paul's defense at Athens is found in the writings of the proponents of this view. In light of their approach, they would view Paul as the expert in religion, philosophy and other disciplines who soundly defeats his opponents. Paul starts with the Athenians' recognition of an unknown god who possibly might be supreme and reasons them on their own ground up to repentance because of a resurrection experience with the "noumenal realm." Surprisingly, Richard Rackham writes: Thornton I Paul's Apologetic I 3 He seizes some local circumstance for a text, and lays himself open to the influence of his surroundings. He makes himself all things to all men, speaking to Greeks as a Greek and as a philosopher to philosophers. Where he can, he employs the doctrines now of the Stoics, now of the Epicureans. Similarly in regard to method, on the negative side, when criticizing popular idolatry, he uses arguments that had been common place in philosophic Greek thought since the days of Zenophanes in the sixth century BC.s Paul's whole address is a rational attempt to convince the Athenians of Biblical theism according to this view. Semi-Rationalistic Approach The advocates of a semi-rationalistic apologetic propose to remove from the critics any excuse for not accepting Christianity. A person cannot expect men to accept Christ until they are first "satisfied with the rational superiority of Biblical Christianity."6 It is the task of the apologist "to prepare the ground so that the seed of the gospel can find good soil."7 Leading proponents of this view are E J Carnell, John Gerstner, Wilbur Smith and Bernard Ramm. These men will admit that argument cannot make a man a Christian but is necessary to get him to the place of sowing the Word. An example of this is found in Therefore, Stand by Wilbur Smith. It is perfectly true, of course, that argument alone is quite insufficient to make a man a Christian. You may argue with him from now until the end of the world; you may bring forth the most magnificent arguments; but all will be in vain unless there be one other thing-the mysterious, creative power of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. But because argument is insuf ficient, it does not follow that it is unnecessary. Sometimes it is used directly by the Holy Spirit to bring a man to Christ. But more frequently it is used indirectly.8 It is said that if the argument is really persuasive and one does not feel joy in submitting his life to the religion for which it argues, then he is a hearer of the Word but not a doer.9 Testing all the facts is as necessary to this realm as to the scientific before one accepts Christ. Evaluation of the Semi-Rationalistic Approach. This apologetic is defective because it fails to account for the doctrine of total depravity and for the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration as logically prior to faith and repentance.10 The entire approach de-emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit and overemphasizes the rational ability of depraved man. Proponents of this view seem to be going back and forth between reason and 4 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal I Fall 1986 Scripture or to be tacking Bible references at the end of their extensive rational arguments. To use this approach a person would not only have to be a master in all fields of study but also proficient in quoting Scripture references. Semi-Rationalistic View of Paul's Address at Athens. Paul's address at Athens is frequently quoted by proponents of a this apologetic. At glance Paul seems to be reasoning apart from Scriptural truth and then concluding with an invitation supported by revelational truth. Carnell, in discussing "The Problem of Common Ground" in the field of apologetics, makes statements characterizing this approach to Acts 17. Indeed, it is difficult to draw a line between Christians and non-Christians, for the former admit that when the latter worship God, they are really worshipping the true God, but they do not know it. But, strangely, after this admission we are still faced with the problem of common ground. The reason for this is that God, the final arbiter in all matters, has elected to accept worship in and only through His crucified Son Jesus Christ. So Paul, finding the Athenians energetically worshipping the true God, did not simply commend them and leave them as they were; rather, he preached to them the resurrected Christ, in relation to whom acceptable worship before the Father is possible .11 Carnell is wrong. "The god-concept in the minds of the Athenian audience in no way, shape or form resembled the God concept" that Paul possessed and endeavored to present to them.12 Advocates of this apologetic misinterpret Paul's use of the truth in the writings of the poets as starting on common ground in his reasoning with them. A close examination of the passage will reveal the truth concerning Paul's approach. Semi-Presuppositional Approach The apologetic known as semi-presuppositionalism has been predominate among many evangelicals. It assumes the Christian world view for sake of argument. After assuming certain presuppositions, it demonstrates the view's self-consistency. Gordon Clark writes: No demonstration of God is possible; our belief is a voluntary choice; but if one must choose without a strict proof, none the less it is possible to have sane reasons of some sort to justify the choice. Ultimately these reasons reduce to the principle of consistency. A postulate must be chosen such that it makes possible a harmony or a system in all our thoughts, words, and actions.13 In this apologetic reason confirms what faith knows to be true. Thornton I Paul's Apologetic I 5 Evaluation of the Semi-Presuppositional Approach. The assumption of the Christian world view is commendable in this view, but the use of reason to show the self-consistency of the Christian world view is not. Even regenerate man has not had the entire effects of the fall removed from his thought processes. To the extent that it presents its world view in revelational concepts will be its suc,cess. The application of the principle of self contradiction to the Christian world view has no value for the unregenerate man and little or no value for the regenerate man. It may give some assurance to the regenerate, but he should be living by faith as he was saved by faith in the Word of God. The regenerate man will only be spiritually benefited by the revelational content of the Christian world view of this apologetic. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (Jn 17:17). Semi-Presuppositionalistic View of Paul's Address at Athens. Paul's address at Athens would be viewed by exponents of this apologetic system as the setting forth of the Christian world view in a logical fashion. They would differ from the presuppositionalists only in their emphasis on the self-consistency of the world view. Paul's use of the Athenian poets would be viewed the same way as by the presuppositionalists. Presuppositional Approach The presuppositional apologetic presupposes revelational truth and does not subject it to rational verification. Cornelius Van Til, professor emeritus of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary, is one of the leading proponents of this apologetic. Illustrating why rational verification has no place in a Biblical apologetic, Van Til writes: Sin will reveal itself in the field of knowledge in the fact that man makes himself the ultimate court of appeal in the matter of all interpretation. He will refuse to recognize God's authority. We have already illustrated the sinful person's attitude by the narrative of Adam and Eve. Man has declared his autonomy as over against God.14 Men fail to see that "if we must determine the foundations of the authority, we no longer accept authority on authority.15 The presuppositionalist challenges "the two basic errors of the natural man: (1) the idea of brute fact in metaphysics and (2) the autonomy of the human mind in epistemology."16 He does this by the presentation of revelational truth, for the unregenerate knows he is a creature of God even though he may not want to admit it. This apologetic gives the Holy Spirit His proper place in the regeneration of man and in the relating of truth-natural and revela tional. 6 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal I Fall 1986 Paul's address at Athens was a masterful, Spirit-controlled sermon. Some of the leading exponents of presuppositional apologetic feel that a negative rationalism is needed. They believe that the opponent's system must be proved to be irrational before he will seriously listen to a revelational presentation. Evaluation of the Presuppositional Approach. The Scriptural concept of preaching accompanied by the Holy Spirit seems to accord with this apologetic. It is that which is added to this approach-negative rationalism-which is objectionable. To think that a man's system of thought must be blasted as illogical is once again de-emphasizing the power of the Holy Spirit in the converting of men. Here again the inability of unregenerate man to reason consistently and to recognize truth is not acknowledged. The presuppositional approach appears to be the Biblical apologetic apart from any negative rationalism. Presuppositionalistic View of Paul's Address at Athens. Exponents of this apologetic view Paul's address at Athens as a masterful, Spirit-controlled sermon which was used of God for the achievement of results which may occur any time the Gospel is preached. Since he was preaching to the Gentiles, he had to commence with God's creatorship and man's creaturehood. "This was not, as some have supposed, a piece of philosophical apologetic of a kind that Paul afterwards renounced, but the first and basic lesson in theistic faith."17 Van Til makes it very clear that Paul is not accepting common ground of another system. Whatever his reason may have been for singling out the altar to the unknown God rather than the altars to supposedly known gods as evidence that they were religious, it surely was not that he attached himself to the system of thought that any of them professed to hold.is Paul's entire address was revelational truth adapted to communicate the truth to pagan Greeks and others. Analysis of Paul's Address at Athens Having set forth a brief presentation of the four contemporary apologetic systems and an evaluation of them and their view of Paul's address at Athens, the next step is to analyze Paul's address at Athens in the light of the events leading to and following the address. The purpose is to set forth clearly the contents of the address to see how it compares with the four Thornton I Paul's Apologetic I 7 apologetic systems and to see if any have the right to claim Paul's address at Athens as typical of their apologetic approach. Circumstances Leading to Paul's Address Historical background is of vital importance to a proper hermeneutic. In this section the events leading to Paul's address will be considereµ for what light they might throw on the address. Paul's Righteous Zeal. On Paul's second missionary journey, after receiving the vision of the man of Macedonia, persecution had dogged his steps from Philippi to Thessalonica to Berea. Upon leaving Berea in the care of Silas and Timothy, Paul traveled south to Athens for a rest until Silas and Timothy could join him. A practical comment is made by G Campbell Morgan. The first declaration of this passage is that he was waiting in Athens. That is in itself an arresting and suggestive word, for it reminds us that we shall see how a Christian man awaits in a godless city.19 Like any visitor in a strange city especially like Athens Paul set out to see the sights. Immediately Paul's spirit was stirred in him. Stirred has the idea of sharpened or set on edge since it comes from a word denoting sometimes violent excitement. The wider application of the word grants that "we may readily suppose Paul to have felt, not only indignation in the proper sense, but grief, shame, wonder, and compassion likewise."20 Donald Guthrie declares, "His strongly monotheistic faith reacted against the multitudinous idols."21 The entire city was given over to idolatry. "Petronius says that it was easier to find a god than a man in Athens; Pausanias, that there were more images in Athens than all the rest of Greece combined; and Xenophon that the city was an altar, a votive offering to the gods."22 The sight of such a city aroused his interests, stirred his emotions, inspired his service and drove him to attempt to discharge that great debt to the Greeks and to the Barbarians.23 E M Blaiklock concludes, "The remedy for loneliness and oppression of spirit is work."24 Paul found in Athens a capacity for God spoiled by sin. Paul's Public Proclamation. Constrained by his love for God, truth and souls, Paul preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath and in the market daily. The verb can be translated "reason,""a rgue,"" speak." Some writers like to point to this word to indicate a rational approach. "But his reasoning never once compromised the Christian starting point-he reasoned from the perspective of special revelation."2s Some light is thrown on Paul's daily discourse by Alexander. 8 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal I Fall 1986 It has been disputed whether by the Agora (or Forum), here translated market, ... is intended the Ceramicus (the ancient Forum) or the Agora Eretria (the new one); but it seems rather to be used generically, just as we might say the street, without intending any one exclusively. Daily is a still stronger phrase than that in v 11, and means on (or throughout) every day which seems to imply a sojourn or detention of considerable though uncertain length.26 It was in the course of speaking of "Jesus and the resurrection" in the street that the way was made for the Athenian address of Paul. Paul and the Philosophers. The philosophers of Athens had turned their attention away from strictly metaphysical discussions to the practical. "The primary interest of the Stoics and Epicureans was practical and ethical, and their aim the attainment of the 'end' of man-the blessed life."27 The Stoics claimed Zeno (340-265 BC) as their founder and derived their name from the painted stoa (porch) where he had taught. They stressed living according to nature. Rational conduct was the highest expression of this. Though stern and ascetic in their morality, and though they opposed the worship of images, they were pantheists. They acknowledged the supremacy of moral good, and even affected to deny the differences between pain and pleasure. This philosophy climaxed either in pride or suicide. The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus (341-270 BC). He taught that the highest good was serene enjoyment. The creation of the world was explained by chance. Acknowledging gods as material in essence, they portrayed them as indifferent to human interests and conduct; thus, far removed from all earthly things. Their philosophy climaxed in selfishness and sensuality. Attitude of the Philosophers. Some of the philosophers accused Paul of being a "seed picker." This is Athenian slang referring to a person who picks up scraps of learning and attempts to retell them. Gerhard Krodel writes, "Hundreds of itinerant religious charlatans offered their gods in the cities of the empire and no Greek was waiting for a Jew to offer a Jewish Messiah in Athens."2s "He was regarded as a fool who was expounding a hodge-podge of other men's ideas."29 Still others accused Paul of setting forth strange gods. There have been three interpretations as to what gods the Athenians referred to in their ignorance. The last clause has been variously understood as meaning that they, really or in pretence, took Jesus and Anastasis (Resurrection) for a god and goddess; or that gods is a generic plural, meaning Jesus only; or that it has its proper meaning, and refers to Jesus and the God who raised him from the dead.Jo Thornton I Paul's Apologetic I 9 The first interpretation assumes Paul expressed himself obscurely or was misunderstood or was mocked with irony. The second interpretation is not characteristic of the language of the New Testament. The last interpretation seems the proper one in light of the ignorance of Jesus' deity by the Athenians. Whether the interpretation is the first or last, the Athenians reveal their ignorance of r~velational truth. Purpose of Paul's Address. The nature of the philosophers' request and the meaning of Areopagus help to determine the purpose of Paul's address at Athens. The three views of the purpose are set forth as follows: The question then is, whether the proceeding was 1st, a solemn indictment of Paul for an infraction of the state religion; or, 2nd, an inquisition by the state whether Jesus and Resurrection were to be admitted amongst the recognised divinities; or 3rd, a formal development by Paul of the theory of Jesus and the Resurrection for the fuller information of the Epicureans and Stoics.31 The first view finds in the accusations that Paul was a seed picker and setter forth of strange gods grounds for a trial. This may have been true in Socrates' day, but not Paul's. "The absence of intimation of arrest and of distinctly judicial examination disallows the possibility of a formal trial."32 The second view holds that the council of the Areopagus had general prerogatives, one of which was to decide what was acceptable on moral and religious questions. The council was to decide whether Paul was to be permitted to continue preaching there. Against this view is the absence of a verdict or acquittal. That Paul's address is simply a reply to their desire to know his opinions is refutation of this view. The word epilabomenoi does not indicate arrest or judicial proceedings, for in Acts 9:27 where the word also appears Paul is brought to the apostles by Barnabas after his conversion.33 The third view that Paul is giving a fuller presentation of his teaching to the philosophers seems more fitting to the nature of the people of Athens. Luke seems to indicate this when he describes them as spending "their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:21). The nature of the crowd seems to indicate an informal gathering. Place of Paul's address. Was Paul's address given on Mars' Hill to a conglomerate crowd or in the Royal Portico in the city marketplace? The answer hinges on one's interpretation of en meso tou Areiou Pagou. Some interpreters say that Areopagus is a court which took its name from the hill. 10 I Calvary Baptist Theological Journal I Fall 19 8 6 This aristocratic body, of the most venerable antiquity, received its name from the Areopagus, the 'hill of Ares,' on which it met in early times, and it retained that name even when it transferred its meeting place to the Royal Portico in the city market place. Its traditional power was curtailed with the growth of Athenian democracy in the fifth century BC, but it retained authority in matters of religion and morals, and in Roman times it enjoyed enhanced power and commanded great respect.34 According to this view Paul was brought to a gathering of the court of Areopagus which happened to meet in the Royal Portico of the city. This view claims that Mars' Hill was too small an area to contain so large a crowd. It claims that the prepositional phrases "in the midst of" and" out of their midst" are referring to the same thing-the court of the Areopagus.3s The designation of Dionysius as the Areopagite is claimed to be a conclusive proof that Paul appeared before the court rather than on Mars' Hill before a conglomerate crowd. It all seems very convincing. Mars' Hill is the place of Paul's address according to other scholars. Lake and Cadbury, Dibelius, Chase and others hold this view. Just because historical information exists does not mean that it is applicable to certain passages. If the fact of the existence of the Areopagus court is of any significance to this passage it explains the meaning of an Areopagite. That an Areopagite was present does not prove the entire court was present. Dionysius may have been among the people who desired to hear Paul. If a judge gets saved, it does not necessarily follow that the message was delivered in his court; so it does not necessarily follow that because Dionysius the Areopagite got saved the message was delivered to the Areopagus court. As for the size of Mars' Hill to accommodate the crowd who listened to Paul, the Scriptures do not indicate how large the crowd was. One cannot even deduct that the converted were small in number to those who departed. The hill could have been sufficiently large for those of the three attitudes. It seems logical to understand "in the midst of" to refer to place and to still have "out of their midst" to refer to the crowd, for if Paul stood in the midst of the hill and the people were seated around him he would not only be in the midst of the hill but in the midst of the people. It is granted that epi in Acts 17:19 may mean "before," but its usual meaning is upon or a word of like meaning. The context seems to favor a removal of Paul to a quieter place to hear a presentation of his opinions (Acts 17:19). The request for the information is from the mouth of the people in the market place who were already interested in Paul's