Paul's Rhetoric at Mars Hill
It is evident from Verses 16 and 17 of the passage that the speaker here is the Apostle Paul. He had been caught in this rhetoric with some Jews and devout persons whose background the Bible is silent and provides no elaboration [Verse 17]. According to Verse 18, there were also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.
While the Jews follow Judaism as their religion and uphold belief in a coming Messiah, their religion traditionally emphasizes ethical conduct and the treatment of others as one would for one’s self. Jewish law is based on the Torah, which essentially is the Five Books of Moses.
On the contrary, the Epicureans were rivalled by the Stoics. The Stoics upheld a philosophy that life was about living in harmony with Nature. They encouraged self-control and saw courage as a means of immobilizing harmful emotions. Again, while the Jewish religion has thrived over the years, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophies faded out around the Third Century.
It was within these differing religious and philosophical backgrounds that the Apostle Paul had to address his audiences. Theirs was both a religious and heathen culture which one could identify more as a Gentile environment that knew nothing about the new faith the Apostle was trying to portray. Hence, his attempt to present what he believed in was met with hostility. To them it was a new teaching that they considered strange ideas as stated in Verse 18.
It is obvious that, although a heathen society, it was equally religious as would be found in every human society. They knew about gods. In Verse 18, it is reported that, some of the people confronting the Apostle said that he seemed to be advocating foreign gods. Paul was definitely aware of their false religious beliefs. He capitalized on this when he addressed them.
For when he was brought before the Areopagus he told the people of Athens that he could see that they were very religious. He mentioned in Verses 23, 24 that as he walked around and
While the Jews follow Judaism as their religion and uphold belief in a coming Messiah, their religion traditionally emphasizes ethical conduct and the treatment of others as one would for one’s self. Jewish law is based on the Torah, which essentially is the Five Books of Moses.
On the contrary, the Epicureans were rivalled by the Stoics. The Stoics upheld a philosophy that life was about living in harmony with Nature. They encouraged self-control and saw courage as a means of immobilizing harmful emotions. Again, while the Jewish religion has thrived over the years, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophies faded out around the Third Century.
It was within these differing religious and philosophical backgrounds that the Apostle Paul had to address his audiences. Theirs was both a religious and heathen culture which one could identify more as a Gentile environment that knew nothing about the new faith the Apostle was trying to portray. Hence, his attempt to present what he believed in was met with hostility. To them it was a new teaching that they considered strange ideas as stated in Verse 18.
It is obvious that, although a heathen society, it was equally religious as would be found in every human society. They knew about gods. In Verse 18, it is reported that, some of the people confronting the Apostle said that he seemed to be advocating foreign gods. Paul was definitely aware of their false religious beliefs. He capitalized on this when he addressed them.
For when he was brought before the Areopagus he told the people of Athens that he could see that they were very religious. He mentioned in Verses 23, 24 that as he walked around and