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Sunday, April 1, 2012

Lesson # 36 of the book of Acts


ACTS OF THE  APOSTOLES
LESSON 36
SECOND MISSONARY JOURNEY 15:36-18:22
Athens. 17:16-34

Athens. City close to, F.F. Bruce, the famous Biblical scholar says in his commentary that despite losing its political prominence continued to represent the top of the culture of the ancient world. Athens was in a real leadership in the field of art and thought even boasted of being the birthplace of democracy. The Romans, out of respect for its glorious past was granted a status of free city within the empire and allowed to maintain their own institutions. Corinth had replaced Athens as the city economically and politically most important in Greece, but Athens still represented a mint for any intellectual of the time.
IN ATHENS (17:16-21)
1.   What was the reaction of Paul before the idolatry of the city?

THE SPIRIT was deeply moved by the idolatry he saw.
ATHENS THE FAMOUS TEMPLES WERE A WORK OF ART unsurpassed BEAUTY BUT AFTER PAUL discovered the darkness of idolatry.

2.   In verse 17 is described the double Evangelistic strategy  of Paul. Describe it.

Shared the GOSPEL INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND
OUT IN THE PLAZA.

3.   His missionary work between the gentiles awoke reactions. Read the verses 18 to 21 and note the information more outstanding of each one.
v.18
The Epicurean philosophers and Stoics argued with Paul, TO HEAR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS ​​AND THE RESURRECTION.

EPICÚRUS. v.18  The origin of this philosophical is a disciple of Socrates called Aristippus. This was the motto: "The greatest good is the desire, the greatest evil is pain." Consistent with all tried to develop a lifestyle of avoiding all kinds of pain. It was, however, Epicurus (341-270 BC) who named this school of philosophy. He founded a school in Athens and she developed the ethics of pleasure that his predecessor had enunciated. For the epicurean delights not all were kind of sensual, considered as such values ​​as friendship and art. In the religious aspect did not believe in the existence of life beyond death. Nor denied the existence of the gods, although they felt that, if any, were entirely indifferent to the needs of humans.

STOIC. v.18  They believed that all human beings were part of the same universal reason or logos. For them, every human being is like a little world in miniature, reflecting in turn the universe. These ideas led them to demand a high degree of belief in ethics and a sense of brotherhood among all human beings. Polhill, in his work several times cited indicates that from the religious point of view were pantheists, believing that a divine principle was present in all nature, including humans. This principle or divine spark, the logos that we have already referred, brought coherence to the whole universe. For the Epicureans humans develop and reach their full potential when they live by reason.



     v. 19-20
BEING asked Paul to the Areopagus OF THEM SPOKE strange things and wanted to know WHO WANTED TO SAY ALL THAT.

AREOPAGUS. v.19   Is the name of a hill in Athens beneath the famous Acropolis. The name comes from the deity to whom he was devoted, Ares, the Greek god of war. Also the name Areopagus was used to designate the supreme council of the city at least at certain times met in the same place..
         v.21
ALL RESIDENTS IN ATHENIAN WERE ALWAYS INTERESTED TO HEAR NEW THINGS comment.

SERMON IN THE AREOPAGUS (17:22-31)
4.   Ley us analyze the structure of the sermon. The verses 22 to 24 are utilized by the apostle to introduce the topic to his listeners. How does he do it? What resources does he use?  

PAUL’S SPEECH  WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE FORM OF CALLING THE ATTENTION OF THE GREEK PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT.
17:23 I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. When you worship, then, without knowing, Him I proclaim.
Paul kept his identity, even IN THE MIST OF THE  SINICAL  INTILECTUALISMO.
THE RESULT WAS THAT SOME OF THOSE WHO HEARD PAUL CAME TO SALVATION.

TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. v.23   The Athenians, based more on superstition than religion had altars dedicated to the god or gods unknown. Through these should avoid the wrath and punishment of possible and unknown deities.
5.   In the verses 25 to 27 the apostle explains who is this God and what he expects for the human kind. Annotate those things.

GOD THE GIVER OF LIFE, WHICH HAS DEFAULT ORDER OF TIME.
WHO IS WAITING FOR US SEEK  HIM AND IS NOT FAR FORM MAN KIND.

6.   In verse 28 representation of a transition before entering in the final phase of his preaching. What is the content of this transition?

Bringing them into MEMORY THAT SOME OF POETS stated that the lineage of God.

YOUR OWN POETS.  v.28  Scholars agree in saying that Paul quotes Epimenides of Knossos, poet of the sixth century BC and Aratus of Cilicia, a poet of the third century BC.

7.   In verse 29 illustrates a new attack of Paul the idolatry, annotate what it says in regards.

DIVINITY THAT IS NOT LIKE TO GOLD, SILVER OR STONE CARVED BY IMAGINATION OF MEN.


8.   Paul finishes his preaching with a warning of the judgment form God. Read the verses 30 and 31 and take notes on what was said by Paul.

GOD HAS PASSED BY HIGH TIMES OF IGNORANCE, CALLING ALL MEN TO REPENT, FOR ONE DAY THE WORLD WILL BE JUDGED. JESUS ​​FOR WHICH A GIVEN WITNESS TO ALL by raising Him from the Dead.

THE RESULTS OF THE PREACHING (17:32-34)
9.   The corresponding verses and annotate the results of the sermon of the apostle.

SOME OF THE GREEKS mocked, while others wanted to HEAR AGAIN PAUL, RESPOND IN SOME FAITH BELIEVED ONE OF WHICH WAS A MAN NAMED DIONISIO, MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL CIRCLE AND A WOMAN AEROPAGUS CALLED DAMARIS.

WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT THE RESURECCION. v.32  The idea of the resurrection of the body was totally alien to Greek thought. Educated in the tradition of the philosopher Plato, the Greeks believed in dualism body and soul. They considered the latter immortal, but could not understand a bodily resurrection as the body was inherently wrong for them


APLICATION
10.        What can you apply to your personal life of what was learned in this passage?


11.        What signs of idolatry do you see around you? Make the observation in a very broad sense, Martin Luther affirmed that God is the one that takes the first place in our heart. What gods does your society worship? Does it produce in you with such idolatry?

12.        Look at the content of the sermon by Paul Is there biblical references like in those directed to the Jews? Why doe= you think Paul doesn’t use the bible text? ¿Why do you think that it makes references to the Greek culture?


13.        What are the needs in the area you live in? How can the gospel satisfy them?


14.        How would you present the gospel to the people with little or no religious background?

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