S16 · E02

Engaging the Heart: Paul Before the Areopagus

When the disciples arrived with Jesus in Jerusalem, they marveled at the unbelievable beauty of the Lord’s temple. According to the Bible, the original temple built by Solomon was also absolutely stunning. And yet, in both cases it wasn't enough. Solomon said, "Can the heavens contain you, Lord? How much less this temple I've built." Stephen, who would be martyred just after Jesus’ resurrection, testified, "The Lord doesn't live in temples made with hands.” The Athenian people of Paul’s day considered the Parthenon, the temple of the goddess Athena, to be the ultimate in beauty, order, rationality, and perfection. How will Paul communicate to this highly-educated Greek culture that God does not live in temples made with hands? Travel with Paul to Athens to hear his declaration of God’s truth in the shadow of their temples.