Paul and the Philosophers. Bible Research Group

Paul and the Philosophers -- Literal Translation of the Holy Bible - Copyright 1976-2000 -- Introduction The Greek Religious Culture It must be remembered that the Greek culture was pagan, worshiping many false gods 1. It was even after Christ that this was witnessed by Paul, when he entered Athens (Acts 17:16), "But awaiting them in Athens, Paul's spirit was pained within him, seeing the city full of images." It may have somehow resulted from the invention of the Greek alphabet, and a writing system 2. But the Greeks went through a type of enlightenment period, probably because writing provided a more efficient means to communicate observations and ideas. They began to question nature, especially the nature and beginning of things around them 3. In their way of thinking, the gods were hidden and didn't reveal themselves, except through special people, like oracles, Greek high priests, and in nature 4. The Philosophers The philosophers appeared near 600 BC. 5. The first of them were later known in history as the Pre-Socratic s 6. The first few gave each of their views of the nature of gods and the world, and a resulting philosophy based upon their observations 7. It must be pointed out, in Greek philosophy, that the teacher/disciple relationship was one that was a search for truth 8. There was no actual revelation from their gods, since they obviously did not exist. The philosophers felt the need to reason themselves up to their god's perceived level. Their attitude was in trying to master the world by thought 9. Given the fact they didn't accept the one true God as Creator and sustainer of all that is, their attitude was totally non-biblical. It was centuries later, but Paul writes (Romans 1:18-25), "For God's wrath is revealed from Heaven on all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, holding the truth in unrighteousness, because the thing known of God is clearly known within them, for God revealed it to them. "For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things made, both His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse. Because knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful. But they became vain in their reasonings, and their undiscerning heart was darkened. "Professing to be wise, they became foolish and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. "Because of this, God gave them up to impurity in the lusts of their hearts, their bodies to be dishonored among themselves, who changed the truth of God

into the lie, and worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." The Sophists Later, there was a further development among the philosophers. The Greek word for "wisdom" is sophia 10. Although the original meaning refers to a level of skill 11, the Greeks believed that it was a quality that came from the gods 12. The Bible strongly differs, only saying that wisdom comes from the only one true God. Writing to Christians, James writes (James 1:5), "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who gives to all freely and with no reproach, and it will be given to Him." But there was another group, among the philosophers, who took things a step too far. They took the word sophia and called themselves "sophists"13. Their idea was that wisdom could be taught, and acquired through clever speech 14. And they worked out a varied program of instruction 15. It was almost as if to say "wisdom is our profession". Protagoras of Abdera (about 480-411 BC) 16 was the acknowledged founder of the Sophist movement 17. He came from a wealthy family, and was known be the first to charge a fee to his students 18. He held a high sense of self-esteem. And crowds followed him everywhere 19. He most certainly had a humanistic outlook on things, not believing in any gods at all. His most well-known statements are "Man is the measure of all things: of things that are, that they are; of things that are not, that they are not"20, and "As for the gods, I have no way of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist; nor if they exist, of what form they are. For the obstacles to that sort of knowledge are many, including the obscurity of the matter and the brevity of human life"21. The Sophists were publicly rejected, and finally went down under the devastating criticism of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle 22. What was objected to by many was the Sophist's often premature breaking off of criticism, in favor of their own self-grounded wisdom 23. The Sophists had started something new with the clever speech, and the later philosophers had continued with it, right up through Paul's time. This was the situation at Corinth (I Corinthians 2:1-16), "And when I came to you, brothers, I did not come with excellency of word or wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Him having been crucified. "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my word and my preaching was not in enticing words of human wisdom, but in proof of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. "But we speak wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, those being brought to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, having been hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age has known. For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; according as it has been written, "Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard," nor has it risen up into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those that love Him.

"But God revealed them to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of a man within him? So also no one has known the things of God except the Spirit of God. "But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. Which things we also speak, not in words taught in human wisdom, but in Words taught of the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. "But a natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the spiritual one discerns all things, but he is discerned by no one. For "who has known the mind of the Lord?" "Who will teach Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." Paul at Athens Paul certainly used cleverness of speech himself, in his sermon at Athens, but it was through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is to be noted that he did not use Scripture, but he was Scriptural. Scripture was probably either unknown, or felt discredited, by the Greeks at Athens. Either way, he used things that were common to them, to draw them nearer to the things of God (Acts 17:22-23), "And standing in the middle of the Areopagus, Paul said, Men, Athenians, I see how you in everything are god-fearing; for passing through and looking up at the objects of your worship, I also found an altar on which had been written, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Not knowing, then, whom you worship, I make Him known to you." The Athenians, during a pestilence, sent for Epimenides the Cretan, who advised them to sacrifice sheep at various spots, and to commemorate the altars to unnamed gods 24. The statue that Paul had referred to was therefore one of many. But he used the occasion to use it to point to the one and true God (Acts 17:24-25), "The God who made the world and all things in it, this One being Lord of Heaven and of earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, nor is served by hands of men, as having need of anything. For He is giving life and breath and all things to all." Paul uses doctrines, from two philosophical schools in combination, to express things about God. People from both schools were present. From the Epicurean doctrine, Paul uses the belief that God needs nothing from man, and cannot be served by them. From the Stoic belief, Paul teaches that God is the source of all life. It is apparent that Paul is seeking as much common ground as possible with his audience 25 (Acts 17:26-27), "And He made every nation of men of one blood, to live on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though

indeed He not being far from each one of us." The Athenians prided themselves on their claim that they belonged to the earliest wave of Greek immigration, so early that it couldn't be traced. All else were considered barbarians 26. Fundamental to Paul's theology is the Biblical teaching that all men are descended from Adam. They have sinned. And they all need the Savior (I Corinthians 15:20-50). Paul spoke (Acts 17:28), "For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring." Paul now sets forth in expressing man's relationship to the Supreme Being. In doing so, he uses quotations from two Greek poets. The first quotation For in Him we live and move and exist is based upon a poem, written by Epimenides the Cretan, denouncing his fellow islanders for claiming that the tomb of Zeus could be seen from Crete 27. The second quotation For we are also His offspring comes from the poem Natural Phenomena by Aratus, a poet deeply devoted to Stoicism 28. Paul speaks (Acts 17:29-31), "Then being offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and the imagination of man. Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now strictly commands all men everywhere to repent, because He set a day in which "He is going to judge the habitable world in righteousness," by a Man whom He appointed; having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead." The immortality of the soul was an idea familiar to the Greeks. But the resurrection from the dead was something that did not exist within their philosophies 29 (Acts 17:32-34), "And hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some indeed ridiculed, but said, We will hear you again concerning this. And so Paul went out from their midst. But some men believed, joining themselves to him, among whom also were both Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them." Conclusion The Greek philosophers were pagan intellectuals who, for the most part, believed in many gods. They believed that these gods were hidden, but partially revealed through nature, ritual, and oracles. Their philosophy was an attempt to reason themselves up to their perceived god's level. There was no actual revelation, because their god's didn't actually exist. The Sophist's view was to ascribe wisdom to themselves, by teaching it as a cleverness of speech. This was very unpopular with the other Greeks, and the Stoics didn't remain in existence very long. But their idea of debate, and cleverness of speech, did. And it flourished right up to Paul's time. Paul preached only the one true God, and that everything comes from Him. There were no additions or compromises here. He made himself very clear. In Athens, before going to Corinth, he used common points of expression to help the Athenians

understand his message. But he spoke very clearly. After he had been in Corinth, he had received messages that the church there was adopting the Greek pagan beliefs and rituals. This also included the attitudes and practices of the Greek philosophical schools, which had no place among the true believers. And he spoke very clearly in his letter to Corinth. The Bible does not honor philosophy. The word philosophia only appears once in the Bible, and it is in one of Paul's letters. And it is a warning against false teachers (Colossians 2:8), "Watch that there not be one robbing you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ." The Old Testament clearly points out that the only true revelation was from the only one true God Himself. His ultimate revelation was in the person of His son, Jesus Christ. As Jesus would teach, the true nature of discipleship was within a personal relationship with Him, as Savior. It is totally based upon a relationship with His person. Everything else, in the Christian life, is simply a result of that relationship, because it is done on a Spiritual level, through prayer. It is keeping a focus of faith into Jesus Christ. And this is where philosophy misses, and where the church at Corinth went wrong. Bible Research Group

Footnotes 1. New Bible Dictionary [NBD], p.104, see "Athens". 2. Ibid., pp.1265, 1270-1271. 3. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament [Kittel] IX:173. 4. Ibid., III:565-567. 5. "The Presocratics" [Wheelwright], p.44. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid., pp.44-234. 8. Kittel IV:458. 9. Kittel III:574. 10. sophia - (Greek: Strong's number 4678). 11. Kittel VII:468. 12. Ibid. 13. Wheelright, p.246. 14. Kittel, Ibid., p.471. 15. Ibid., p.470. 16. Wheelright, p.236. 17. Ibid. 18. Kittel IV:420. 19. Ibid. 20. Wheelright, p.239. 21. Ibid., p.240. 22. Kittel VII:470. 23. Ibid. 24. "The Acts of the Apostles" [Bruce-Apostle], pp.335-336. 25. Ibid., p.336. 26. Ibid., pp.336-337. 27. Bruce, "Paul: The Apostle of the Heart Set Free" [Bruce-Acts], p.242. 28. Ibid. 29. Bruce-Acts, p.340.

Bibliography Bruce, F.F., M.A., The Acts of the Apostles, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1951. Paul: The Apostle of the Heart Set Free, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1988. Douglas, J.D. (ed.), New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed., Tyndale House, Wheaton, Illinois, 1982. Green, Jay P. (ed.), The Interlinear Bible, Peabody, Massachusetts, 1985. Kittel, Gerard, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1964. Strong, James, S.T.D., LL.D., Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1980. Thayer, Joseph Henry, D.D., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978. Wheelwright, Philip (ed.), The Presocratics, Bobbs-Merrill Educational Publishing, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1977.