AT ATHENS AND CORINTH

"Sometimes a noble failure serves the world as faithfully as a distinguished success."

"Life has no blessing like a prudent friend."

Loneliness.

Perhaps few if any of the young folks who read these lessons have ever been alone, even for a short time, in a strange city; but it may be that some of your fathers or brothers have, if so, you may learn by asking just how lonesome one can feel when one is in a large crowd, in a strange city, and out of sympathy with the people around him. To be

"Amid the crowd, the hum, the shock of men,
To hear, to see, to feel and to possess,
And roam along the world's tired denizen,
With none to bless us, none whom we can bless;
This is to be alone; this, this is solitude."

Such must have been Paul's condition after he said goodby to his brethren, and walked through the streets of Athens alone.

This loneliness impressed him so deeply that he afterwards wrote to the Thessalonians that he "was left in Athens alone."^[1] He had sent a command back to Berea for "Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed;" but until they came, he was the only Christian in the great pagan city.

Statues and Deities.

As Paul walked through the streets of Athens, he saw many statues and memorials built in honor of men and mystical gods. Some of these were the statues of the great men of Athens, "such as Solon the lawgiver, Conon the admiral, Demosthenes the orator." Among her defied heroes were Hercules, Mercury, Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, Minerva, and many others, and in one place, in the center of all these was an altar to the "Twelve Gods." "There were more statues in Athens than in all the rest of Greece. It has been said as almost a truth that it was easier to find a god in Athens than a man."^[2] There were altars erected also to Fame, to Modesty, to Energy, to Persuasion, and to Pity, and Paul saw one inscription,

"To the Unknown God."

The Market Place.

In the city was a common meeting place called the Agora. Here the Athenians gathered to talk about and discuss the questions of the day. Idlers and professed philosophers mingled together eager to hear anything new. While Paul was waiting for his companions, he visited this gathering place daily, and conversed with those whom he met. From him the crowd heard, for the first time, about Jesus and the resurrection.

He also attended the service in the synagogue, and disputed with the Jews.

Interest Awakened.

So Paul, though lonely and discouraged, and perhaps gloomy because of the ignorance and wickedness he saw around him, "began to stir the city" because of the message he announced. The Athenians and strangers, too, began to get curious; for some of them, Luke tells us "spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing."

Then certain philosophers began to hear about him, and took notice of him. Some said,

"What will this base fellow say?"

And others,

"He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods; because he preacheth unto them Jesus and the resurrection."

Mars' Hill.

On the top of the hill of Areopagus was a platform which was reached by a flight of stone steps leading immediately from the Agora. On this had sat the leading judges who had, for time immemorial, decided important questions of religion, or passed sentence on the greatest criminals. Because Mars was supposed to have had his trial there, it was called "Mars' Hill:" On the brow of this hill was built the temple of Mars.

To this important and memorable spot, the philosophers led the Apostle, saying,

"May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would know, therefore, what these things mean."

A Memorable Address.

Paul accepted the invitation, and delivered one of the most memorable addresses in the world. You will notice, however, that he does not even mention the name of Christ, but tries to influence his hearers A by leading them from what they were interested in to that in which he wanted them to be interested.^[3]

Interrupted.

As soon as Paul mentioned the resurrection of the dead, he was interrupted. Some broke out into laughter and made light of his remark. Others were more courteous, and said, as they withdrew from him, "We will hear thee again on this matter."

Converted Dionysius.

Paul must have felt almost crushed with the thought that his sermon had been an utter failure; but he had done his duty and the seeds of truth had been sown. They bore fruit in the conversion of Dionysius, a member of the court of the Areopagus, and of a woman whose name was Damaris, and "others with them."

After remaining a short time, "he left Athens as he had lived in it, a despised and lonely man." Yet that short visit, and that interrupted speech, characterized, as both were, by a sincere desire to call the erring and wicked to repentance, have made Paul more famous than any of the philosophers, so wise in their own conceit, who mocked and spurned him.

AT THE CLOSE OF THE SECOND MISSION

Alone in Corinth.

It is probable that Timothy joined Paul in Athens; but if so, he returned immediately to the churches in Macedonia. Thus it was that Paul sailed from Athens alone, and having landed at the seaport of Cenchrea, walked eighteen miles to Corinth. Here he found many Greeks and Jews. There were crowds also of strangers who came to see the great games and races for which Corinth was noted. Corinth, at that time, was a great commercial center, and merchantmen and other traders from far and near made up its population. If Athens was a learned city, Corinth was a wealthy and wicked one. So Paul's loneliness here must have been just as keen as it was in Athens. Indeed, he says himself that he went there "in weakness and in fear and in much trembling."^[4]

ST. PAUL AT ATHENS. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked and others said, we will hear thee again on this matter.

ST. PAUL AT ATHENS.
"And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked and others said, we will hear thee again on this matter."

Aquila and Priscilla.

Just about that time a Roman emperor named Claudius issued a decree that all Jews should be banished from Rome. Among those who had to leave were a man named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. Whether they were Christians before they came to Corinth is not known. At any rate, they were among the first friends Paul met in that city. It may be that they became acquainted because Aquila and Paul had the same trade. At any rate, Paul lived with them, and (if they were not Christians before) converted them to the Gospel, to which they remained staunch and true. These friends were a help to Paul in furnishing him employment, but in a greater way by proving to be true friends indeed.

In the Synagogue.

Every Sabbath day, these three friends and fellow-laborers would lay aside their unfinished tents, and go to the synagogue to worship the Lord. Paul, as usual, would speak to his countrymen and to the converted Greeks, and proclaim to them the glorious message of the risen Redeemer. He would reason with them from the scripture, and persuade them to become Christians.

Timothy and Silas Join Paul.

For some time, he seems to have been less energetic than usual. He was more discouraged than enthusiastic. But, just at that period, he was joined by his two dear friends, Timothy and Silas. Their coming gave him new heart, or as Luke says, "he was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." Judging from the strength Paul received from the companionship of these friends, he realized that,

"A true friend is the gift of God, and He only who made hearts can unite them."

Jews Reject Truth.

But the more boldly and earnestly Paul preached, the more bitterly those unconverted Jews opposed him. Finally, when they blasphemed the name of God, and refused to accept the truth, Paul "shook his raiment," and said, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles."

Crispus Converted.

But many were converted, and among these was—Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue—"he and all his house." His conversion, with the crowds of Corinthians who were baptized also, only made the Jews more bitter than ever; and they began to threaten Paul.

Comfort.

About this time Paul wrote his second letter to the Thessalonians. In it he asks, especially, for their prayers that he might be delivered from the wicked men around him. "Pray for us, brethren," he pleads, "that the word of the Lord may be preached freely; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all have not faith."^[5]

And Paul prayed, too, and he received a direct answer from the Lord, who said: "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

"For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."

In the House of Justus.

When Paul left the synagogue, he held meetings in a house that "joined hard to the synagogue;" that is, it was perhaps next to it. Here Paul and his two companions continued preaching. This so exasperated the Jews that they concluded to try to get Paul either expelled or punished.

Before Gallio.

Now it so happened that just at that time a new governor was appointed over Achaia. His name was Gallio, and he was known as a very "kind and gentle man." Thinking he would be easily influenced, the Jews had Paul arrested, and dragged him before the "judgment seat," saying falsely, "This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law."

Paul arose, or beckoned some way that he desired to answer the charge; but Gallio stopped him, and addressing the Jews, said:

"If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you; but if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters."

And he drove them from his presence.

Persecutors Punished.

So Paul was not harmed, just as the Lord promised. But the Jews were; for the Greeks took their leader and whipped him even before the "judgment seat."

Paul remained in Corinth one year and a half, and established there a strong church.

Then, as the time for the Passover at Jerusalem was drawing near, he bade goodby to the Saints; and taking Aquila and Priscilla, Silas and Timothy, his faithful friends and companions, he set sail for Ephesus, thence to Caesarea, and Jerusalem.

Footnotes:

1. I Thess. 3:1.2. Weed.3. Read and explain sermon Acts 17:22-31.4. I Cor. 2:3.5. II Thes. 3:1-2.