In Acts 17 we read the famous sermon preached by the apostle Paul to the city leaders in Athens. During this sermon, in verse 28, Paul quotes from a very popular Greek poem called Phaenomena by Aratus: “For we are indeed his offspring.” This poem was all about different constellations.
Assignment:
Write 5-page paper about why Paul quoted this Greek poet. The paper should summarize (1) the major themes and message of Paul’s sermon, (2) the major themes and parts of Aratus’ poem, (3) what line from the poem Paul quotes and its original meaning, and (4) why Paul chose to use that quote for his sermon.
Resources:
Consult numerous commentaries on the Book of Acts.
In addition, this article by Dr. R. Faber published in Clarion from 1993 will be helpful.
Paul’s speech in Acts 17:
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually 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 are indeed his offspring.’
“Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”