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The DEEP

Winning Folks Over

Speak their language.

Acts 17:22-28 (ESV)

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, 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 the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 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, 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, 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.’”

Notice how Paul fits his message to his audience. For Jews, he quotes scripture. For this crowd, he quotes Greek literature.

Paul is using a bit of apologetic judo on the “seed-picker” slur. The ancient Greek sayings he quotes (from Epimenides and Aratus) surprise his detractors – shocking them into paying attention. But notice that he doesn’t insult them. This gets the crowd on his side. It’s a cheap psychological trick but a fair one in this case.

And Paul’s logic is solid too. He’s done his research and has found some references in their culture that point to a monotheistic creator God. This is crucial. Explaining Christ to polytheists is a pretty tough sell; they don’t even have the right concept of God.

So he notes that he saw an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god,’ and explains who this god is.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Paul then says that all peoples should seek God and uses two ancient Greek quotes to back this up. Paul has connected the dots – from their culture to basic theology. He has their attention, but this is just the warm-up. Repentance and believing in a resurrected messiah is another thing entirely.

Paul connects with these philosopher types. He’s speaking their language.


One of the problems with many gospel presentations is that they don’t connect because they speak the language of believers instead of the language of unbelievers. We talk about our beliefs, but we don’t ask about theirs. And if they do happen to tell us about their beliefs, the first thing we do is challenge them.

The result is that we can bore, or even offend, friends.


The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.

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