Thank you for this beautiful reminder to see as our Lord sees. His love, His acceptance, His forgiveness. To have the eyes of His Heart for all His children.
Yes! May we have the eyes to truly see the other—to recognize their longing and need for the true God that may hide behind all kinds of false and misguided beliefs! Great reminder, Gilda! 😍
This speaks to the heart of our search for truth! We search for meaning, search for God, and the whole time, He has been trying to tell us that He has been with us the entire time! I really enjoyed this!
Acts 17 is a special section of Scripture for me. There is a ton of meaning in this passage that emerges with a little digging. For instance, Paul quotes the Greek poets Aratus and Epimenides with approval, and then integrates their sayings into his presentation of the gospel. This is a brilliant example of 'cross-cultural intelligence.'
Apparently for Paul, Athens and Jerusalem are allowed to talk to each other—and their best ideas can come together in Christ. This isn't pagan "syncretism." It's simply a lower resolution understanding of the truth being given a set of prescription-lenses...so it can see Reality at a higher resolution.
Should evangelism still work like this? I sure think so. In our postmodern world, I think it must!
Another interesting fact is that Tarsus, where 'Saul' grew up, was an important bastion of learning and philosophy...not on the scale of Athens or Alexandria, but important none the less.
Paul was equipped from childhood (and fit) to be all things to all people in the hope that he might eventually help save some (1 Corinthians 9:19-22).
To the Jew, Saul was the eminent student of Gamaliel. He was a pharisee who knew the law inside and out—and was therefore an expert on what it could and couldn't accomplish in our lives.
To the Greek, Paul was a Roman citizen, steeped in Greek tradition and well aware that all truth is God's truth (Romans 1-2).
In total, Paul was a highly educated philosopher-evangelist with a deep passion for the value of others. After receiving his cosmic prescription-lenses at Damascus, and after seeing God in the higher resolution of the New-Covenant, Paul worked tirelessly to bring "all the children" of God into communion through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:28).
In this way, he both followed and imitated Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Thank you. I love the idea way you entered this piece! I really appreciated your observations, especially your image of “prescription lenses.” That’s a wonderful way of describing what Paul is doing. Rather than dismissing everything familiar to them, he helps them see it more clearly in the light of Christ.
I, too, love this chapter and also how Paul brings threads from others current understanding and reveals what is underneath it and is leading them to. I also love studying onamastically and wondering how the original audience may have hear meanings in names and geography at the time.
One thing that has especially captured my imagination is that Paul seems to recognize not only fragments of truth, but the deeper longing beneath them. Before he answers their questions, he notices them. Before he proclaims Christ, he sees the people standing in front of him. I think that’s one of the most beautiful lessons Acts 17 has to offer us. This layer I explore in the article I posted today.
Thank you so much for taking the time to engage so thoughtfully. Conversations like this are one of the things I love most about studying Scripture together.
May we learn to engage our culture as Paul did with the eyes of Jesus and see the longing beneath today’s literature, songs, etc and show them all longing and desire is only met in Christ.
Thank you, my friend!
Thank you for this beautiful reminder to see as our Lord sees. His love, His acceptance, His forgiveness. To have the eyes of His Heart for all His children.
You’re welcome. Thank you for sharing what you see that I may see more of Him. Open our eyes, Lord!
Yes! May we have the eyes to truly see the other—to recognize their longing and need for the true God that may hide behind all kinds of false and misguided beliefs! Great reminder, Gilda! 😍
Yes. Eyes to see that we may know how to reach their longing and reveal Who it is they truly long for!
This speaks to the heart of our search for truth! We search for meaning, search for God, and the whole time, He has been trying to tell us that He has been with us the entire time! I really enjoyed this!
Thank you so much, my friend! I love the joy that comes through in your message! How beautiful!
This is a lovely article!
Acts 17 is a special section of Scripture for me. There is a ton of meaning in this passage that emerges with a little digging. For instance, Paul quotes the Greek poets Aratus and Epimenides with approval, and then integrates their sayings into his presentation of the gospel. This is a brilliant example of 'cross-cultural intelligence.'
Apparently for Paul, Athens and Jerusalem are allowed to talk to each other—and their best ideas can come together in Christ. This isn't pagan "syncretism." It's simply a lower resolution understanding of the truth being given a set of prescription-lenses...so it can see Reality at a higher resolution.
Should evangelism still work like this? I sure think so. In our postmodern world, I think it must!
Another interesting fact is that Tarsus, where 'Saul' grew up, was an important bastion of learning and philosophy...not on the scale of Athens or Alexandria, but important none the less.
Paul was equipped from childhood (and fit) to be all things to all people in the hope that he might eventually help save some (1 Corinthians 9:19-22).
To the Jew, Saul was the eminent student of Gamaliel. He was a pharisee who knew the law inside and out—and was therefore an expert on what it could and couldn't accomplish in our lives.
To the Greek, Paul was a Roman citizen, steeped in Greek tradition and well aware that all truth is God's truth (Romans 1-2).
In total, Paul was a highly educated philosopher-evangelist with a deep passion for the value of others. After receiving his cosmic prescription-lenses at Damascus, and after seeing God in the higher resolution of the New-Covenant, Paul worked tirelessly to bring "all the children" of God into communion through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:28).
In this way, he both followed and imitated Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
When I "grow up" I want to be just like him.
Thank you. I love the idea way you entered this piece! I really appreciated your observations, especially your image of “prescription lenses.” That’s a wonderful way of describing what Paul is doing. Rather than dismissing everything familiar to them, he helps them see it more clearly in the light of Christ.
I, too, love this chapter and also how Paul brings threads from others current understanding and reveals what is underneath it and is leading them to. I also love studying onamastically and wondering how the original audience may have hear meanings in names and geography at the time.
One thing that has especially captured my imagination is that Paul seems to recognize not only fragments of truth, but the deeper longing beneath them. Before he answers their questions, he notices them. Before he proclaims Christ, he sees the people standing in front of him. I think that’s one of the most beautiful lessons Acts 17 has to offer us. This layer I explore in the article I posted today.
Thank you so much for taking the time to engage so thoughtfully. Conversations like this are one of the things I love most about studying Scripture together.
May we learn to engage our culture as Paul did with the eyes of Jesus and see the longing beneath today’s literature, songs, etc and show them all longing and desire is only met in Christ.
You're helping me be more observant. Thank you!
You’re welcome! And thank you for sharing this! May He ever open our eyes and hearts wider! More of Jesus, less of me.