world's wisdom, the city of philosophy, culture, and art, and yet a city of superstition,

idolatry, and moral darkness. Paul was ready to preach to the wise or to the unwise, at

Athens or at Rome, and we look forward in our next article to considering together the

triumph of Christ, as the Wisdom of God, in the city which represented the world's finest

philosophy.

Before the Apostle is permitted to speak for the truth in Rome, the metropolis of the

world, he comes first into contact with the wisdom of ancient Greece. To the Romans he

writes: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth", while

to the Corinthians he writes: "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God." The

Apostle's steps were guided, not only with respect to the salvation of sinners in the

various towns he visited, but also in such a way that he himself would learn from each

successive stage some fresh aspect of the fullness of Christ.

The record of the Apostle's visit to Athens as given in Acts 17: 16-34 can be

comfortably read in five minutes, but to appreciate, even intellectually, the full meaning

of the Apostle's words, makes demands that can only be satisfied by a liberal education.

As to the spiritual teaching of the passage, each will receive according to his capacity.

We must endeavour in this short article to acquaint the reader with the city of Athens,

as Paul knew it, and to explain his reference to the two classes of philosophers, the Stoics

and the Epicureans. We must also say something about Mars' Hill, about the character of

the Athenians, their temples, their art, and the idolatry with which the city was full. And

then finally, with the atmosphere understood and appreciated, we shall be able to

perceive the aptness of the Apostle's speech, and the way in which he became "all things

to all men, that by all means he might save some".

Apollonius of Tyana (B.C.4 - A.D.97), a Pythagorean philosopher, traveled over a

good deal of the route taken by Paul. He was driven out of Antioch by the insults of the

people, and sailed away, as did the Apostle, from Seleucia and Paphos. His entrance into

the city of Athens is described as follows:

He also comments upon the religious devotion of the Athenians, and upon their altars

to unknown gods: