Trouble Making Mandate

Through history there have been good and bad trouble makers in regards to social norms.  As I post this there are riots in my hometown in Portland, Oregon.  There are more minor riots in my last town in Phoenix, Arizona.  And, lucky me, I live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota where it is ground zero of the George Floyd riots.  I wrote this long before Floyd’s death.

I am educated in social work which includes an emphasis on critical theory which is about oppression and marginalization.  There is the power of inter-generational trauma, memory and lobbying for justice. Often there is critical thinking in it to make the world a better place with activism.  But to the extent that critical theory fails to have critical thinking about the nature of humanity and morals that are founded above natural law is the extent of that “the ends justify the means” for “social justice”.  Injustice has to be shaken up, but surgically and not with a sledge hammer.  Shaking things up is not bad.

There is a story I heard of a past Secretary of Education for the US getting bad press for shaking up the elite educational complex. The elite wanted a stagnating status quo putting anything first but the children. While he was committed to taking risks he was concerned some of his comments getting lots of replay could expose the president to unfair flack and thus his position was in danger.

Then came a cabinet meeting.  The president held up a newspaper with the negative headline about him.  Just as he was thinking that he was about to be at least embarrassed the president said, “Alright everybody but Bill.  What have you done to shake things up lately?”  He meant this as a compliment.  In a sense the secretary had a mandate to be a troublemaker.

Such can be the spiritual perspective in the context of persecution in the history of Christianity.  The purer the Christianity, the more it gets exposed in the correct way as faith and reason working together.  And such a response is not always a yes to an altar call or something similar.  Some respond by “squinting” against the gospel of peace because they love darkness instead.  In the response of denying the gospel there may even be a lack of robust reasoning from the groups that attack it though they cannot put their finger on it.  They would be united in seeing the gospel as a threat to what makes them comfortable.

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedo′nia and Acha′ia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedo′nia two of his helpers, Timothy and Eras′tus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way. For a man named Deme′trius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Ar′temis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.  And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Ar′temis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, “Great is Ar′temis of the Ephesians!” So the city was filled with the confusion; and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Ga′ius and Aristar′chus, Macedo′nians who were Paul’s companions in travel (Acts 19:21-29).

Paul resolved in the Spirit– – Pivotal decisions of the kingdom of God are best made in work with the person of the Holy Spirit.  This is true of all evangelization.

to pass through Macedo′nia and Acha′ia and go to Jerusalem– – Paul owes the story of the gospel to the Jews first (Romans 1:16) giving honor to them being integral to the gospel.

saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”– – But he owes a debt of love in his ministry to the whole world as well.  Throughout Luke’s narratives the Roman Empire is everywhere with references to Caesar and Rome is the focal point of influence.  A central theme of Acts has Peter like a quarterback, Paul was the running back and Rome is the end zone.

About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way– – Often “the Way” in Acts is a reference to the deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea from Pharaoh and from that analogy from sin.  Here Luke could be implying that they saw implied a liberation they did not want in that they enjoyed their idolatry with all of its associated pleasures.  The person of Jesus comforts the afflicted but also afflicts the comfortable.

For a man named Deme′trius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Ar′temis– – He was a crucial man for their crucial reference point of Ephesus that bled into their body politic.  He was the opposition that appealed to the bread and spectacle life that Rome itself believed in.  And the idol of Artemis was a multi-breasted one that in a false motherliness connected to a fulness of comfort.

Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth– – It is inevitable that the gospel is a catalyst for socio-economic change. That is what he is afraid of.

Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people– – People in addition to money are power.  It is hard to have strength in numbers if you do not have them to call on.

saying that gods made with hands are not gods– – What is threatened here is that all of their work is invalidated.  Work that was an investment to their common life.  Repentance from sin is hard because if if is all or most of what one knows there is inversely too little of the other side to know about.

the great goddess Ar′temis may count for nothing, …she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all …the world worship– – Imagine one is lost in the forest unexpectedly.  The North Star can be looked on as long as the sky is clear.  All the other stars will wander around and cannot be reliable but the North Star never moves.  That can be whatever or whoever we worship from our perspective.  Before thinking about epistemology we should consider the emotional appeal of it and that human nature is bound in some way to a “religious sense” (Fr. Luiggi Giussni).  Paul preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a different and threatening their “North Star” of comfort and pleasure.

When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, “Great is Ar′temis of the Ephesians!– – This is the double down effect.  When one feels backed into a corner with what is a drastic change there is no room for flight but only fight.  Here it shows the ripple effects of the gospel is reverberating in a more pronounced way.  The mob likes their darkness.

So the city was filled with the confusion– – As a Christian, a catechist and as a therapist I would propose confusion can be a good thing.  Where I am from in Oregon it takes two powerful waters to clash and make powerful foam. The same goes for confusion.  At least two thoughts are in conflict and they are strong because of the emotional situation and cognitive dissonance.  The raw emotion and premises that were previously settled “facts” may not be now.  Thus the person or people could be open to something new to fill the void.  From the Christian point of view the proposition of the gospel is that the void is meant to be filled in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Ga′ius and Aristar′chus, Macedo′nians who were Paul’s companions– – These Macedonians had gone from being preached to, to converting to what is now a promotion.

Jesus said of this, ““Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12).

To be roughed up must not have been easy but there was no confusion to it.  They knew who they served.  And if they were taught the faith correctly then in some level they knew they were blessed. Yes, evil or Satan or both could up the ante.  But so can God.  And God is love.

THE RIGHT FIGHT

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

A lot comes to mind about being on the offense when in a conflict.  In some common understanding it is zero-sum, violent and humiliating.  At times the context is fear of any conflict because one thinks about how ugly it can be and to be unsuccessful in defending ones self.

It could shock many people but Jesus addressed spiritual conflict instead.  In teaching the Lord’s prayer he ended it with “deliver us from the evil one”.  It is a petition for a heavenly Father to do the protecting.  Christians see God the Father as “our Father” by finding identity in Christ.  Between the “our Father” and “deliver us” we find reverence, surrender, dependence, receiving and giving forgiveness and desiring to avoid temptation if possible.  In such a well rounded place of relationship to God his protection from Satan is there.  And make no mistake: Satan’s intent is our damnation.

Jesus commissioned a spiritual offense for earthly influence.  In Ceaserea Philipi, a Roman military outpost in Palestine, Jesus told Peter a plan of high influence.

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of deathshall not prevail against it (Matthew 16: 17-18).

All the other times Peter is referred to on whose son he is it is “son of John”.  But Jesus is not making a mistake as he spoke in prophetic and cultural implications.  Here are two Jews speaking each other in a clear understanding of Jonah the prophet.  His mission was to preach repentance to the greatest enemies of the Jews at his time.  He went right into the belly of that empire and effected change.  Peter personally, and the Church Jesus founded, would be later put on a collision course in Rome which was the heart of the Roman Empire. Therefore, it was fitting to call him son of Jonah for his calling and in a way of all Christians.

In addition the Roman application is not the epitome of the “gates of Hades”.  Christians are to be a light in opposition to demonic darkness in some way.  Paul wrote later in his ministry to the Ephesians, “we struggle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities and rulers of darkness in high places” (Ephesians 6:10).

But earlier in Paul’s ministry he spent two years founding the church in Ephesus.  Good grew along with evil.  Those who fell in between included posers to those fighting on the side of Jesus and his general Church.  Clarity between light and darkness was bound to happen.

And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all; and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily (Acts 19:11-20).

And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul– – God used Paul.  Luke is aware of that and there is every implication that Paul is dependent on God as an instrument of him.

so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them– – Here is a minister working in a full authority that effected the social, physical and spiritual environment.  He also walked in a high level of the holiness of God.  In salvation history God would work through his anointing in a Christian that desired holiness above all else by using relics that touched them.  Case in point here.

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits– – Their attempt was based on the presumption that the name of Jesus could be just another catchphrase.  The word for “pronounce” here is onomazō which means to bear the name of a person or thing.  The name of Jesus for ones salvation or any kind of saving of another is not just a word but meant for confession of an authority that supersedes all others.  The confession of Peter was that he is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).  The difference with Peter is that he had faith.

I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches- – If you do not truly confess Jesus as Lord then one does not get the benefit of connection to the Church he founded. More presumption here.

Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?– – Demonic forces do not like it but they recognize true spiritual authority.  As an apostle Paul’s sacramental role was that of a bishop to this area.  Apologist Jesse Romero has assisted exorcist priests in exorcisms.  When they are doing minor work against oppression that is one thing, but for major full possession the priest is called.  The priest may call the bishop for his release in authority.  When the priest hangs up the phone in the other room after the release the demon manifests in fear and often soon leaves.

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them– – They were not in God’s family (defense) and they could not operate in an offense that works as an additional effect in Christ’s authority.

And this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all– – Paul was described a few generations later by young converts that grew older as a short, bald, bowlegged man.  And he was not overpowered while these seven young men were.  The contrast was astonishing.

and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled– – The more the difference between light and darkness is delineated, the clearer the path of conversion to Jesus as Lord and Savion.

Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices– – This also goes to ongoing conversion.  There is an essential ongoing sanctification in accepting the engrafted word of God that can save the soul of the Christian in an ongoing way (James 1:21). This means a continual putting away of the deeds of darkness.  Here were Christians who came to realize maybe after two years of Christian catechesis they were dancing near or over the line into darkness.  The realization led to repentance.

those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all– – Not for the first time in the Bible nor the last in salvation history do we see the need to put away evil possessions that in turn can possess one’s soul.  Radical solutions call for radical acts of repentance.

So the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily– – What is thriving here is a Christianity that thrives in integration with the Holy Spirit working in matter and form with beautiful, visible repentance.  In a most basic nature this is where the life of Christ breaks out in the Church.  Let every Christian be a Peter or a Jonah.

IS THE IRON HOT?

“Strike while the iron is hot”.  It is a saying that encourages one to discern the opportunities in the moments of life and take initiative without delay. Ironically the metaphorical iron can be hot for a long time in someone’s faith understanding that is not ignited yet with the full light of God.  Could such a light “hurt the eyes”?  Only if ones heart is hard.  A soft heart is different.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all.

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God; but when some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the hall of Tyran′nus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks (Acts 19:1-10).

Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus– – – This would become a major Christian epicenter in the next centuries.  He was sowing one seed at a time.

There he found some disciples– –  The Greek word is simple in meaning “learner”.  They were set into a framework in humility.  From a neutral perspective that is not bad and can be liberating for the human condition depending on if they chose a good one.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?– –  Paul is looking for a hallmark of Christian initiation that accompanies Christian baptism.  He asks because John the Baptist launched a movement among Jews in the diaspora throughout the Roman Empire that was more famous in other lands than Jesus in the time of his ministry.  But year after year word spread of the resurrection and the movements became parallel.

John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus– – In John’s baptism there was a symbolic remembrance. But the baptism of Jesus accomplishes something as the gospel is believed and obeyed by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21).

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them– – Confirmation, another sacrament, is here.  As we saw in the ministry of Phillip the evangelist the apostles had to go to Samaria for them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).  In baptism there is a connection to all of the Trinity (Matthew 28:18-20), but it is in Confirmation that one has an objective and applicable binding in the Holy Spirit to the Body of Christ.  The laying on of hands by someone in apostolic succession accomplishes this.  Philip as a deacon could not.

and they spoke with tongues and prophesied- – What may happen is the manifestation of tongues.  An objection to this happening now is that tongues were just for evangelization.  However there was not a multi-national context in the house of Cornelius in Acts 10 nor here.  Christians speaking in tongues is a subjective experience and not required ; but biblically possible.

The other objection is that an interpreter has to be present.  However, there is no church gathering referred to about “praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20).

There were about twelve of them in all– – At first glance it could appear that the author is noting this detail to mirror Jesus and the 12 apostles but this theory may be less than consistent with salvation history as a whole.  Paul and Luke had no illusions that Paul was another Messiah.  Second, as we are about to see, this passage is full of meaning of the continuity of salvation history to be recapitulated and fulfilled in the person of Christ and then such developments are extended through the Church in a continued, covenantal context.  Last, a better interpretation of the number 12 here is that unlike the next Jewish believers they considered themselves to be on a journey of seeking the promised land like the 12 tribes of Israel.

some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation– – This is significant and also related to baptism.  One of the chief anecdotes of the Old Testament used in the Bible for the continuity of the Old Testament to the New Testament is the crossing of the Red Sea.  Jesus is the “Way” (John 14:6, hodos ) and the Red Sea was part of the Exodus which in Greek is exhodos. Paul wrote how Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and when this crowd speaks against “the Way” it is not against an ideology but the person of Jesus while being blind to their own tradition.  Paul later wrote how the exodus through the Red Sea points to Christ as savior.

I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same supernatural food and all drank the same supernaturaldrink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God– –  Paul pleaded about the kingdom of God that was the truest worship and was present.  John the Baptist and then Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God that was near.  The Church Jesus founded can say the kingdom of God is here.

when some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them- – – Disobedience and disbelief were frequent in the Old Testament among God’s natural Israel.  By this group doing the same they also said no to God the Father and “no way” to “the Way”.

he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him– – In Luke’s narrative he still refers to them as disciples.  As said before, they should not be seen as disciples of Paul because that would make Paul in his apostleship as an end in himself which Jesus warned against (Matthew 23:9-10).  They were disciples because in a past context with what knowledge they had they were disciples of John the Baptist.  There was a time for them to take in his teachings which were solid and included that he was not the Messiah and was preparing them for the real one.  Luke calls them disciples still because now they are fulfilled just like a Jew who accepts Yeshua ha Masshiach (Jesus Christ) as the Messiah.  They said yes to the “Way” the person.

This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks– – Evangelism and discipleship with being neither Jew nor Greek as the all-encompassing identity because they were in joint covenantal walk with Christ.  This is how the Church Jesus intended does not only survive but thrives in such unity.  And so it should today.

ENGAGING THE “NOT YET” PEOPLE

When it comes to in-group bias there can be a temptation to filter in those we encounter by how well they fit into our norms and especially on our group’s major issues.  Sorting out who is “one of us” would be assumed to be someone at the top of our group’s hierarchy but that does not have to be true.

Case in point in church history was when a lay couple addressed someone who was so close to being in their group.  They address him respectfully from a fullness of the gospel and a fullness in practice of the dignity of the human person as we will see.  It is worth considering that even though there is not a fully described conversion it is not bad if the timing of the moment is an introduction to the kingdom of God.

Now a Jew named Apol′los, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Acha′ia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus (Acts 18: 24-28).

Now a Jew named Apol′los, a native of Alexandria; He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures– – Alexandria at this time had not been given leadership comparable to a major diocese with the highest Jewish population at that time outside of Palestine.  He could be considered “not one of us” in one sense as we will see but there was a richness in his knowledge yet with room to grow.

he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John– – He was well versed in the Old Testament and due to the baptism of John something about preparing ones self for the kingdom of God in humility and repentance.  Those are not wrong.  I would compare to some of the earlier parts of the 12 Step process in honesty about shortcomings, believing in a Higher Power and giving ones self over to that Person. Such elements are not contrary to the gospel but can be a seed preparing ones self for the gospel.

when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately– – This is an important example of how God raises up the common priesthood of all believers.  No hands were laid upon either of them.  They were not ministers in the formal sense.  Yet it is fitting that these tentmakers, maybe with calloused hands, take initiative in bringing teaching to Apollos. They were open as well but in being used as part of the priesthood of all believers.

Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church, “a kingdom, priests for his God and Father.” The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly, the faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1546).

And when he wished to cross to Acha′ia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him– – One could say something is missing here.  There is no statement of conversion.  He is just better equipped to share the message. But a key element is here if we look freshly at the early days of the Church.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship of the brethren, breaking of the bread and prayer” (Acts 2:42).  There is a grace in his transition in fellowship.  We know the rest came later.  In the moments of contemplating actions, the perfect can be the enemy of the good in the relational connection of “fellowship”.

We should consider that good Christianity is relational Christianity.  Sometimes conversions with full expression take time.  An example is John Newton the author of Amazing Grace who took over a year to leave the slave trading industry.  We do know from Paul’s later writing that not only did Apollos become a full convert but was referred to as a fellow apostle.

When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed– – – This reminds me of someone like Jordan Petersen.  He does not go all the way to say he is a Christian but speaks accurately about the universal signposts that connect to a Christ figures, coming from psychology, and makes observations of the human condition that illuminate another backdrop of the gospel.  Christians like him and learn from him because truth is truth and there is nothing to fear of what he has right.  Also it should be noted that grace is in the center of both those who have converted and are converting in their mortal experience.  St. Thomas Aquinas wrote how, “grace perfects nature”.  A Christian life infused with the grace of the gospel can integrate any truth that cooperates with it.

for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus– – Here he is a powerful ally and speaking concretely to the continuity of salvation history which culminates in Jesus as the fulfillment.  Apollos is on his way. And that can be good too.

The relational aspect of evangelism in Christianity can have a flow to it that does not have to be textbook neat but open to the dynamics of the Holy Spirit.  The pivotal people in this successful spread of the gospel happened due to two laypeople who could do their part and meet Apollos where he was at.  There are some biblical historians who suggest that the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews was Priscilla herself.  More importantly they engaged him into the same kingdom of light they had been welcomed into.  This is the calling of the baptized, common priesthood: one beautiful invitation at a time starting with each of us to each of “them”.  They gave what they had received.

A TIME TO LEAVE, A TIME TO STAY

It is a fine point of discernment for some ministries in that there is a time to stay and a time to leave.  One time to leave is, of course in the Lord’s leading, but also when the hearer has made their will clear.

For a time to stay, it is also in God’s leading but one sign is where the hearers want to obey the word and abide in it.  For Paul’s ministry and others now, staying can be a precious blessing.

But first we see that time itself is not to be squandered.  Paul comes to the point where he can say he had tried with one community on their grounds too many times to keep coming back. So below he goes elsewhere for those who will receive and abide in the gospel of the kingdom.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedo′nia, Paul was occupied with preaching, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them (Acts 18:5-11).

when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments…. “Your blood be upon your heads! I am innocent– – This is not mean but it is candid after repetitive tries.  He would not refuse to share the gospel if a Jew approached him but from then on he could say Jewish synagogue ground there had its chance. Thus his conscience was clear on this point.

And he left there and went to…Titius Justus, a worshiper of God… next door to the synagogue– – -There are times instead for one on one with the hope that it can produce a harvest.  We saw it in John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well.  We see something beautiful here in that a Gentile was already pursuing God to the best he could understand and even beyond his ethnicity since “worshipper of God” was slang for a Gentile who worshiped God without the Jewish conversion ceremony.  “Next door” is a fact yet a metaphor for his temperament for the kingdom of God.

Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household– – – Yes, it could be said the kingdom of God is one person at a time but there are times for harvest.  Once again we see household salvation with a relational evangelism.

and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized– – -This is a joint conversion and unifying.  The titles of Jew and Gentile vanish in a shared Christian baptism.  In a later letter to the Corinthians (1^st)  he corrects them for forgetting their calling to remain one.

I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chlo′e’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apol′los,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).

the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent- – – In our times of struggle, we need to recenter ourselves in the person of Christ.  But first, Jesus urges us to be open to his life and courage.  Do we let him?  He gives us our mission, whatever it looks like, and the grace to do it.

for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you– – The momentum of being on the offense should not be overlooked.  Through the Bible the term, “the Lord is with you” is used often used for pivotal figures that would establish God’s authority on the earth.  It is as if the person was put into a context of being an unstoppable force.

Yet that person does not carry the mission alone.  Even Jesus did his works after being anointed in the person of the Holy Spirit. We see the emphasis of the presence of God being effective with Moses, Joshua, Jael, David, Judith and others in the Old Testament and then again with Mary in that she needed to join Elizabeth.

for I have many people in this city– – Looking at the Biblical pattern, if you think God has called you to a solo mission regarding others in the kingdom of God, tread carefully at the least.

And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them– – This should not be viewed as a sociological occurrence.  In this passage we see Jesus proclaimed, a united conversion in baptism, the clear presence of the Lord with installation of an apostle, a calling of God on the laity and continued passing of Sacred Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15).  This is a pattern for the natural progress of what Jesus intended in the word Church (ekklesia) meaning “called out community”.

What can be missed is an assumption of keeping an unpleasant circumstance from happening. The Lord being with us is first for our souls and for the souls of the whole world. If circumstances improve in our engagement with the world, great.  But God is our only constant.  Are we listening? Are we obeying?  Such is the mission of the Church as the Bride of Christ.

The Dissertation

Defending ones position with a hostile crowd can be hard when it is an indifferent approach or even hostile that is doing the questioning.  It takes confidence and humility too in responding well.  For example, some have to defend a dissertation to get. doctorate. It would be hard to get a committee that is burnt out or having. a bad day.

In the context of an ancient Harvard of philosophers, a Jewish man by birth in the 1st Century named Saul of Tarsus, (now Paul per his Roman citizenship name), has the proposal of the Christian faith to defend.  He is a guest and thus humbly gives his “dissertation”.

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is 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 too are his offspring.’

Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”  At that point Paul left them. But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them (Acts 17:22-32).

I see how extremely religious you are in every way– – -It is a praiseworthy thing for someone to be spiritual in general but even more to seek a concrete sense of connection in it.  Paul “leads by beauty” (Disarmed by Beauty, Fr. Julian Carron) in engaging the culture on a positive note.

looked carefully at the objects of your worship– – There is a good reason for this.  To know what their foundational loves and basis for truth is, look at a cultures core values and loves.  Going after superficial things like what they eat or dress in is superficial.  Instead he goes to the core.

I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’– – He does not come unprepared.  He had recently viewed their idols and as we are about to see came upon a pivotal one.  200 years previously Athens had an outbreak among their sheep. Since this is a high commodity, they prayed to every god they knew. When nothing worked, they prayed to any possible unknown God out there and the plague stopped.  They made a monument for that moment in thanksgiving so they would not forget.

What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you– – On empty idols there will be times, even brief, where human beings say, “Is that it?” Those are the “unknown god” moments where the gospel proposes a meaning unique to life in Christ.

The God who made the world and everything in it– – Right here he is addressing something fundamental.  Greek paganism is very materialistic in a roundabout way.   All of their gods were connected to something like a creation story but always in a sense of re-making what already existed in prior materials.  What Paul speaks of is a creation that is ex nihilo, meaning “out of nothing”.  Therefore, Christianity’s God of Israel is the essence of existence itself and outside of any cycles like the Epicurean school of thought in their day.  This is the great contrast.

does not live in shrines made by human hands– – Many times in the Bible God is referred to as the “living God” (e.g. Matthew 16:16).  That means we do not conjure him up with some industrial construct in our own power.  God is life and communicates in a vibrant, life giving language in word and deeds.

nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything– – God was fine before us and not dependent on us in the sense of ego.

since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things– – God is love. Up to right before this statement they might think this “unknown god” helps in just sheep problems and is detached from humanity like the deist view.  Paul implies God is love and gives as is his nature.

From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth– – Here he is referring to Adam.  Adam serves as a first starting point of humanity but also for its universality.  Paul goes straight at a common denominator of humanity so that he is not speaking as one ethnicity.

he allotted the times of their existence– – Nations come and go.  Paul points in a sense at how there is a vaporous quality to national pride.

the boundaries of the places where they would live so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him– – Meaningless places to settle are not so meaningless.  From each culture, as he will elaborate on, would be what theologians call “seeds of the word” in that a worldwide archetype exists preparing cultures for the gospel.

though indeed he is not far from each one of us– – He describes God’s transcendence with nearness.

For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’– – – Here Paul again utilizes those seeds in their culture. “Probably a citation from the Greek poet Epimenides, who wrote in the sixth century BC. The line summarizes Paul’s teaching that God created and sustains the world” (Ignatius Study Bible).

While he used an Adam reference to point to the universality of humanity and a common need for Jesus, he now points to humanity as inherently wired with God’s presence unlike a stone idol.  The gospel is holistic.

‘For we too are his offspring.’….– – He cites here from the Phenomena written by Aratus of the third century BC.  Paul uses a line that was really about Zeus who was a god that could bring down lightning due to a bad mood.  But God as Paul preaches is the involved, transcendent Father.

Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold….an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals- – To be in touch with that divine intention in our design is to flee from the hubris of us assuming a material reality alone.  Here he is launching off those hearers who have humility about creation and its limits.

now he commands all people everywhere to repent– – This is the demand of the gospel.  The truth sets us free but costs us idolatry and procrastination.  The whole world is Athens.

because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed– – At this point Paul tempers the commandment to repent with the familial aspect of Christianity.  Though the wording seems like Jesus is a political appointee the context is how God the Father inaugurated God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit when he was baptized by John.  The gospel is to be preached with the balance of holiness and love in the landscape.

and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead– – Paul brings the gospel story and its hope to the floor.  The whole story rises or falls on whether Jesus stayed dead. If he is alive then it is everything in hope and directive to humanity to conform to his kingdom.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1-5).

When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed– – A common undercurrent for many among the Gentiles was that the flesh is bad or meaningless.  Even today there is a premise that miracles do not happen.  One example is scientism where everything must be proven to scientific certainty.

but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”- – But also even today there are some who allow for the unexpected.  For this to happen it is a matter of humility, intellectual honesty or a bit of both.

some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite– – Some could look at this and say Paul’s encounter here was partial failure.  However, church history shows us that is not the case.  In the correctly understood view of the person in Christianity everyone matters.  It just so happens that Dionysius is noted in church history to later become a bishop in Athens.  We never know.

It is fitting in a way for the Christian reader to remember that when we make the case for Christ it is not about us and marginally about the success of that day.  We may never know what the Lord will do.  But one moment at a time Christians are in this world to be a light in the darkness and be salt in the sense of being witnesses to his covenantal love.  Methods are good but they are secondary after our first being a vessel for his purposes.

Marketplace of Ideas

We often speak of the “marketplace of ideas” and especially how it needs to flourish in a society of free speech as an integral value.  But there are clusters of appealing philosophies that will go into polar extremes.  In the US we use the terms right-wing and left-wing.  On the way of interpreting reality or morality there are tendencies of how exact we go be it exact categories that are unmovable or very malleable interpretations of reality.  For good conversations to happen it takes a lot of effort but too often it is a lot of babble.  We pick our teams.

And there is what we love.  It could be ideologies like above, religion, nationalism or even how we can define ourselves individually.  Often it comes to a point of personal pleasure.  One could say meaning and happiess.  Can there be a proposal that everything a society can adore can be empty of value?

Such was the scene in Athens when the Apostle Paul came on their scene.  Not unlike now, the nature of sin abounds with much heat but little light.  Many gods but too litte belonging.

Paul ….was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.  Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.”  Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new (Acts 17:16-21).

Paul ….was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols– – I would like to first address the issue of distress over idols in asking: Where is ours?  We do not have Baal or Asthoreth to contend with but we have materialism, shallow ideologies, religious membership as only and end to itself and many other things.  For those who are tied to the holy gospel, there should be a natural distaste for vain things that lead the soul to hell.  So if we are not occasionally disturbed by those idols in the world that promise pleasure in them, are we living a holy life?  Are we having the foundation of being one to share the gospel?

So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons– – – In this setting we would call it religious.  The word “religious” is often seen in modern post-industrialization society as dry, static and closed to a vibrant life.  But for Paul to be there is fitting because as we see in the etymology of “religious” it has the “lig” like ligaments.  He is connecting.  A place like a synagogue is an attempt to connect to God in the context of salvation history as they knew it.  Paul does not opposed their yearning but points to Jesus as the answer to their hope.

also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there– – It is fitting for Paul to work each day with two distinct audiences like this.  One is intentional and the other are random.  One is in a distinct place for a distinct people with their own norms and the other a place full of the unexpected.  Any Christian evangelistic endeavor, should be ready for both.

some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him- –  – Among things that can be vain while falsely seen as an end in itself is philosophy.  In a general sense everyone has a philosophy about life even if it is not from some established school of thought.  However, there are refined ones that set major tones for the norms of interpreting life and reality itself that tend to seep into the fiber of a culture.  Below are some descriptions of what he encountered that could have echoes into today.

Epicurus rejected the possibility of a resurrection, yet contended we should not fear death: “Death is nothing to us; for that which is dissolved, is without sensation, and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us”(Russell, Bertrand. A History of Western Philosophy, pp. 239–40)

Here is the Epicurean Epitaph: Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo (“I was not; I was; I am not; I do not care”), inscribed on the graves of his followers and are now ancient in ancient ruins of the Roman Empire. This is often used today at humanist funerals and is pessimistic about eternity. Pleasure was fine in fleshly pursuits but only in moderation almost out of a fear of extremes. According to them, in our end, we are ended as individuals which is fatalistic in contrast to the spiritual sense one has in hope for the soul in an afternlife.

The Stoics had their own view of the universe as being in a cycle but not with a higher meaning though they maintained self-control and virtue to some small end.

The current Universe is a phase in the present cycle, preceded by an infinite number of Universes, doomed to be destroyed (“ekpyrosis”, conflagration) and re-created again and to be followed by another infinite number of Universes. Stoicism considers all existence as cyclic, the cosmos as eternally self-creating and self-destroying (Marcelo D. Boeri, The Stoics on Bodies and Incorporeals, The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Jun., 2001), pp. 723-752).

In this view, we do end but as part of a beginning of an ongoing cycle. However, the dignity of the person is not really high in the long run.

Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” – – – The Christian view is neither of these main arcs of philosophy though a few points overlap with Christian cosmological thought.  Paul comes to present the gospel of the kingdom of God in Christ both crucified and risen.  It is only natural that they reject his message as babble because the main arc of the gospel story, when rightly explained, is never full comparable to what man can make up.  Christianity is outside of the box every time because Jesus, the Word become flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), is the ultimate person outside of the box of humanity who yet took on our fleshly life.  Jesus addressed this saying weeks before the Passion saying, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25).  In his resurrection he conquered death by death and brought meaning beyond the cycles of what we perceive in the universe with our senses.

The message of Christ shows not only how he brings together the universe but especially brings together the components of the person in the resurrection that comes from him.  This was understood in the early Church.

“By the unity of the divine nature, which remains present in each of the two components of man, these are reunited. For as death is produced by the separation of the human components, so Resurrection is achieved by the union of the two” (St. Gregory of Nyssa, In Christi res. orat).  

“He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” – – Unlike the Jewish synagogue, the Gentiles did not appreciate prior salvation history.  For them, the very God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was outside of their box as they could remember (but Paul would remind them of something soon).  This God has been described by the Latin fathers later as the insem esse in the sense of being the essence of existence itself and not a member of a genus to be categorized.  When we encounter those who are ignorant of even the fundamentals of biblical history, there is a point of discernment on how much is covered.  This is both due to meaning and the multi-layers tapestry that even a lifelong believer yearns to appreciate.

(This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)– – Jesus and the resurrection is rightly called the climax of salvation history.  But also the fruit of the resurrection is ones personal salvation when they become a Christian and is in heaven.  Paul wrote later about Jesus, “who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification”(Romans 4:25).

So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus– – – They took him to the Mars Hill area. It was like a synagogue of philosophy and where arguments had constructive purposes.  Paul appears to have consented to their direction as an apostle who strived to be a servant of men in the sense of being a faithful custodian of the gospel. He also did not see philosophy as a threat.

In some strands of Christianity there is an assumption fueled in part by fideism in that if it is not explicitly in a faith paradigm, like philosophy, it is sin and vain.  But a more robust Christian view is that for Jesus, the Logos (Word), to be effectively proclaimed everywhere this should be in the rigor of logoi (little words).  In how faith and reason work together it has been described well below.

Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves (Fides Et Ratio, 1998.  St. Pope John Paul II, 1998).

May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?–  –  – This in itself is like a micro-conversion.  One might say they are on an important first step to conversion in that they accept the possibility of the Christian proposal, resurrection, and seek to investigate.  For this to happen, the Christian should be bold, open to honoring the audience where they are at and be faithful to the gospel.  Paul was secure on that but as we are about to see he will be fluid in the application of the gospel, their need for Jesus Christ and redeem the smaller points of their world view into the Greatest Story Ever Told.

[T]he Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new– – – Where it regards the complacency of the Roman Empire status quo, Christianity was at times to be viewed as a great contagion.  For much of the story it seems like Paul is only centering on the Athenian elite.  But the agenda of the Holy Spirit is for the whole gospel to the whole person to go to the whole world.  Foreigners would hear the gospel and in now another flavor of the same dish it would spread.  And yet, Paul had not even made it to Rome yet where this would explode exponentially.  Paul, like the calling of the Church founded by Jesus Christ at a Roman, seaside outpost would be open to everyone for “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16).

This is how Paul lived out what he later wrote to the Corinthians and applies to the Christian today in some context or another.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law—though not being myself under the law—that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law—not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ—that I might win those outside the law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:20-23).

So with this in mind, there may be times where Christians are brought to the “Areopagus” in our sphere of influence.  This could feel overwhelming at times.  We could err on being nice to the point of bowing the knee to a pluralistic view of reality.  Or we could be into fideism and cop out.  Or we could be like Christ and testify to the truth, speak to how Jesus meets the deepest needs of humanity and glorify our Father in heaven.  I pray that by the Holy Spirit I would do the third.  Game on.

Concealed in The Old

For someone to “be all up in their head” is not necessarily a bad thing.  It depends on what is going on in ones head.  When we come to information that could change our lives it is healthy for us to think things through.  Critical thinking is never inherently the enemy of critical decisions.

What we can see here is a group of Jewish and Greek people that had education and merged the intellect with humility.  They used both when examining the message of Jesus Christ.

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.  These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing (Acts 17:10-12).

These Jews were more receptive- –  The Greek word here is eugenēs meaning noble.  Here it is a high social station.  They had privilege but transcended it.

for they welcomed the message very eagerly– – The word for eagerly here is prothymia  meaning a readiness of mind.  It takes a conscious knowing in ones heart that they lack what is presented to be in that disposition.  An implied context in may verses in the Bible is a spiritual hunger because what is known or taught is know really to not be enough.  In the case of some people in their spiritual journey may be questions that are hard to put in words.

examined the scriptures every day- –  They used whatever was in their prior understanding.   But in humility and with their minds they examined things and this took time.  For them it was the Old Testament scriptures but for some it can be other things like how nature testifies to the existence of God.

A misapplication here is to take this passage and say this proves the fundamental and final means to declaring the truth of the kingdom of God.  There are several reasons why that does not follow.

First is the logical conclusion that someone could come to another conclusion than Jesus being the Messiah based on their own interpretation.  Would going by the scriptures alone be alright then?  A few chapters below there were Jewish Christians that certainly quoted many passages from the Torah that could indicate that Gentiles had to be circumcised before salvation in Christ.

Second would be the apostolic order of things.  Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me” not “write this in memory of me”.  First there was The Church with apostolic teaching (Acts 2:42) and then over decades books were written with some cross-cross-references of each other being scripture but not to an intricately interwoven level.

Third, 1 Timothy 3:15 refers to The Church being “the pillar and foundation of truth”.  By this time Peter had been referring to Paul’s letters as scripture (2 Peter 3:16) yet Paul esteemed the Church higher than his own writings so even New Testament scriptures are not enough.

Fourth, a short time later, Paul addresses Greek philosophers who are ignorant of the Old Testament and have room only for the “Unknown God”.  Jewish scripture would be no help to them but philosophy and natural law is. So there is another example of something other than the Bible being used to explain the truth of Christ.

Last, there is the point that many would make from 2 Timothy 3:16, “all scripture is God-breathed.” and then list the benefits.  However, “all” does not mean, “only” and thus such interpretation is eisegesis at the great expense of finding the original intent.

Returning to the prior point, a true message would not contradict prior, established truth.  If it does, then the prior truth could be tested and found wanting or the new message is “truth” in name only.  Paul taught a gospel that stood on the foundation of the Old Testament.  The Holy Spirit took care of the rest.

Many of them therefore believed…not a few Greek women and men of high standing– – The success time and time again in evangelization through the Church was not just the numbers but the universality and community together.  The longer the time, in this case a full three weeks, the deeper the roots.  The deeper the roots the more of everything one would hope to see in fruits.  It could be said that here is a case where something is caught and not just taught.

The tendency is to see by the Holy Spirit two things.  The first is how, “the New is concealed in the Old and the Old is revealed in the New” (St. Augustine).  The second is how our lives are being interwoven with salvation history in Christ and the Church and through many faculties of the person. His story goes on.

The Most Decent Proposal

There is something to be said about encouraging skepticism but also modeling meekness.   Selling a product for an impulse buy thrives on the ignorance of the other.  For a shallow sales pitch for an impulsive yes one does not want the receiver to be too aware.

However, if the message is not shallow but for a fundamental lifestyle change it is different.  For a long-term impact then depth of passion and knowledge can be good and even with healthy skepticism.  From there some skepticism can go a long way.  The proposal of Christianity should have a depth of interaction between the preacher and the would-be convert. If not, the convert does not become a fully informed disciple of Jesus Christ.

 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.” The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go (Acts 17: 1-9).

argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving– – An application for modern Christians is not to take this passage too literally or we would think the Old Testament alone is then and now sufficient.  More universally applicable is that the seed of the word is everywhere in the world though the Jews had the advantage of both the old covenants and the then established Sacred Scripture.  He was better able to prove the Old revealed in the New.

necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead– – On its face we see the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed but there is even more here.  The suffering Messiah was a concept many Jews would see as an oxymoron.  Yet throughout Christian history paradox has been vital.

Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you– – Jesus is proclaimed as a present reality.

joined Paul and Silas– – From an emphasis that is overly individualized this would seem horrible. The idea would be choosing to join Paul and Silas instead of Jesus.  But the better way to see it is in a both/and lens in that conversion to Jesus is typically to include joining the Church.

as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women- – Side by side we see the universality of the gospel again but with one other point of interest: what started with Lydia being a head of a household and being a woman of cultural influence is expanding to more women.  Here is a sign that since Paul and company were “persuaded” that Lydia had spiritual dignity then it could be replicated to “leading women”. Paul wrote that in Christ there are “neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28) in the sense of ontological dignity to the person.

But the Jews became jealous…they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar- – At first glance one would think this is territorial like a turf war but there is sincere zeal here.  The Greek word for jealousy here, according to Strong’s Concordance is, “in a good sense, to be zealous in the pursuit of the truth”.   In a sense there is a nobility to their opposition to the gospel in their passion.  But merged with the mob mentality, a frenzy emerges. The frenzy creates instead of an encounter of mind to mind one of mind against willpower.  The latter is a way shows how whatever noble the zeal, reason is obfuscated by emotion.  This too makes sense: Jews, devout Greeks and leading women in unison turning from their traditions would seem like an existential threat to the power of the mob and in-group bias.

Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting– – There is some irony here.  These believers are no longer “of the world” in their faith but they live in it.  And along with that Jason is guilty by association.  It appears in a brief reference that Jason was related to Paul (Romans 16:21).

“These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also- – High compliment indeed.  This occurred in the 40’s with Christ ascending to heaven as early as 29 AD.  The earliest estimate that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians was 51 AD and has not even arrived in Corinth yet.

acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor- – – As I write this there is an unfortunate amount of persecution of Christians. Some deliberate persecution is in China where the decrees include putting their ruler’s picture on the altar and the Bibles are tampered with a Marxist slant.  Many Christians are choosing to go back underground if they had not “come up” already.  Such is the common occurrence because the call of the gospel does create a distinct cultural phenomena when Christians are rightly formed on faith and morals.

saying that there is another king named Jesus– – It is fitting that this comes up.  Pilate commissioned a sign on the cross of Jesus in Hebrew, Greek and Latin saying “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (John 19:19).  Ultimately it is in the person of Jesus with a preaching of the gospel that Rome is overtaken and where his liturgical kingdom is founded in an apostolic context.  The slogan of the Roman Empire was Caesar is Lord.  Christians say Jesus is Lord.

The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this– – It is fitting they too would be disturbed: Caesar was their god.  Going against cultural norms and their most fundamental lens of reality is going to naturally cause some cognitive dissonance.

What is not explained by these unnamed Christians is that they are not rebelling according to some social angst.  When Thomas More was about to be executed for not supporting the divorce and remarriage of Henry VIII he stated, “I die the king’s faithful servant, and God’s first.”  The New Testament has several passages where believers are urged to pray for their civic leaders.  So on paying taxes or how to move in traffic Christians should be loyal.  But on faith and morals for a Christian they fundamentally should live in holiness and pray for their leaders.

Though this is a recipe for conflict, it is also one for clarity.  This nameless group of Christians lived as lights to that fact. This is not a matter of a “culture war” but a Christian culture stand.  We let God do the fighting for us.