Today we visited the Acropolis of Athens, which includes the famous landmark, the Parthenon. The first thing we have learned on this trip is that many cities have acropolises — this one in Athens is probably the most famous, but “acropolis” means “high city.”
I did visit the Acropolis in Athens five years ago, but what I didn’t remember were all the hordes of people who visit this site. Like we’ve seen at other tourist destinations, the Acropolis was crawling with people today.
After we came down the hill from visiting the Parthenon, we then were told that St. Paul preached on this high rock, in a sermon called the Areopagus sermon and recounted in Acts 17:16–34. The Areopagus sermon is the most dramatic and most fully-reported speech of the missionary career of Saint Paul. Luckily there were modern (and safe) steps for us to climb—however once we got up there, there were plenty of slippery rocks to possibly cause a fall.
Our guide then read us the account from Acts before we climbed up the rocks.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him.18 And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.19 And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee?20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye 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 AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.24 The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;25 neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;26 and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;27 that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:31 inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.33 Thus Paul went out from among them.34 But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
I was very happy to see so many street musicians along the pedestrian pathway.
Tonight is our farewell dinner. Six of us will be returning home (including us) while the remaining 24 in our group will tour some of the Greek islands and Turkey.
This was a moving testimony. jb