Discussion Q+A

1) Why was Paul’s Spirit stirred up within him when he was in Athens? 17:16

He saw that the city was filled with a bunch of idols. These idols were images of gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman background. Paul knew the one true God, and knew that he was not known by the people there.

2) Why did the philosophers want to listen to Paul? 17:18

They heard he was talking about strange and foreign gods, and they heard about someone called Jesus and a resurrection. They were curious, and mostly because they were always wanting to learn something new. They loved learning more than they did learning about what was really true.

3) When Paul saw the inscription ‘to an unknown God’, What did that tell him about the Athenians? 17:23

It told Paul that they were religious people, wanting to know that the gods were real and to worship them. So, that’s why Paul tells them that God has made himself known.

4) What were the 4 main things that Paul told the Athenians about who God is and what he’s done? 17:24-31

The first was that God is Creator of all things and doesn’t live in temples made by man. The second is that God is the sustainer of all things and doesn’t need anything to sustain him. The third is that he is sovereign over mankind and his glory can’t be contained in images made by man, man is his image. The fourth is that he’s judge, and there will be a day he will judge the world through a man, the man Christ Jesus. He confirmed it by raising him from the dead.

5) How did the Athenians respond to Paul’s message? Did Paul stay in Athens or did he go somewhere else? see 17:32 & 18:1

Some of them wanted to listen more to Paul and some mocked him when they heard about the physical resurrection from the dead. Some immediately believed and joined Paul. Instead of Paul coming back to share more, he went down to Corinth.

6) What does this story have to teach you and me?

This passage in Acts shows us several things. First, it shows us that Christianity is the most reasonable faith to believe in. God has really revealed himself. He has made himself known. Second, we are to respond to this revelation of God by believing that Jesus was raised from the dead and that he’s coming back to save his people and judge the world.  Third, today is the day of salvation. Paul did not stay in Athens, but he kept going on sharing the Gospel message. Some people like hearing preaching and some like hearing about Jesus, but for their own reasons instead of responding in faith and giving their life to him as the true King and future Judge. This story should help give us great confidence in our faith and that we would praise God for the grace he gave us to respond to the Gospel and believe in Christ.