使徒行傳 17:23-34 雅略巴古講道
- 馬克牧師
- Jun 7, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Jun 25, 2024
22 保羅站在亞略‧巴古當中，說：「眾位雅典人哪，我看你們凡事很敬畏鬼神。 23我遊行的時候，觀看你們所敬拜的，遇見一座壇，上面寫着『未識之神』。你們所不認識而敬拜的，我現在告訴你們。 24創造宇宙和其中萬物的神，既是天地的主，就不住人手所造的殿， 25也不用人手服事，好像缺少甚麼；自己倒將生命、氣息、萬物，賜給萬人。 26他從一本造出萬族的人，住在全地上，並且預先定準他們的年限和所住的疆界， 27要叫他們尋求神，或者可以揣摩而得，其實他離我們各人不遠； 28我們生活、動作、存留，都在乎他。就如你們作詩的，有人說：『我們也是他所生的。』 29我們既是神所生的，就不當以為神的神性像人用手藝、心思所雕刻的金、銀、石。 30世人蒙昧無知的時候，神並不監察，如今卻吩咐各處的人都要悔改。 31因為他已經定了日子，要藉着他所設立的人按公義審判天下，並且叫他從死裏復活，給萬人作可信的憑據。」
32眾人聽見從死裏復活的話，就有譏誚他的；又有人說：「我們再聽你講這個吧！」 33於是保羅從他們當中出去了。 34但有幾個人貼近他，信了主，其中有亞略‧巴古的官丟尼修，並一個婦人，名叫大馬哩，還有別人一同信從。
各位平安，我們接續昨天的故事，保羅來到了雅典。雖然雅典已經不再是希臘巔峰時期那個作為世界中心的都市，但它的學問的地位在當時的世界上仍然非常高。任何想要做學問、了解哲學、探究真理的人都無可避免地來到雅典，因為這裡擁有相當多的知識，是當時世界的文化匯集地。
所有的神像數量也是非常多的。這裡是一個多神崇拜的地方，有許多各種各樣的哲學流派在此聚集。人們在這個地方的廣場上做的最重要的事情，就是不斷地討論各種哲學、真理和歷史等問題。
在文藝復興的時候，你可以看到拉斐爾的巨作：雅典學院。這一幅畫把跨時代的哲人和偉大的藝術家們同聚一堂，在雅典的廣場前面暢談人生，真理，上帝。但是，這種討論有一個問題，就是大家只是討論，並沒有打算付諸行動。所以，這種討論其實比較流於一種高尚的清談，或者是一種有內涵的閒聊。他們用一些看起來高尚、聽不懂的言語來討論哲學和生命問題。雖然討論非常多，但其實用處並不大。
這種現象在中國的魏晉南北朝時期也有同樣的情況。那時候的人喜歡這種事情，叫做“清談”，特別注重的是務虛的事情，而不是務實的事情。所以，當時很多人把實際的事情當成不入流的，反而喜歡高談闊論，談很多理想和概念，但並沒有付諸行動。因此，魏晉時期的政權為什麼很快就滅亡，跟那個時候的人所關心的都是怎麼聊，而不是怎麼做有很大的關係。大家都偏好清談，把實際行為看為俗物，越清高，越不著邊際就越高明。這是當時政壇和當代的一種風氣。
這時候聚集的希臘人也是類似，他們喜好辯論所帶來的樂趣，心智上的刺激，以及言語之間針鋒相對的趣味。但是對於行動和結論，並不是特別看重。這一點在保羅講完道以後，人們的反應就可以看得出來。
這裡還看到幾個哲學學派，稍微來提一下他們的特性：
伊壁鳩魯學派 (Epicurean) 強調的是理性的思考，相信有神的存在，但是神和人互不相關，神不理人，人也不用管神，神不審判人，所以也不需要對神有恐懼。但神的存在是完美的，是好的，所以人應該學。這一派思想不相信有來生或輪迴，相信死亡就是完全終結，也是靈魂終結。所以他們追求現世生命的簡樸，快樂，內心平靜，但不是放縱肉體，而是理性和自律以追求長久的平靜與幸福。
斯多亞派 (Stoic) 認為神存在萬物之中，世界本身有理性，神是世界的靈魂。對於生死，他們認為人死後的靈魂會回歸宇宙，而不是繼續單獨存在。他們認為道德是生活的最高目標，追求德性是達到幸福的唯一道路。所以他們要求要克制自己的情感，提倡平靜的內心。坦然接受命運安排，不抱怨，不抵抗，單純地理性面對就好。
而保羅宣講的地方叫做雅略巴古（Areopagus）是希臘雅典的一個著名地點，它在古代是一個重要的集會和審判場所。這個名稱源於希臘語，意為“戰神阿瑞斯的山丘”（Areios Pagos），因為這個地點最初是供奉戰神阿瑞斯的地方。
雅略巴古位於雅典衛城西北的山丘上，是古希臘的一個重要司法和宗教中心。保羅這次講道也被稱為“雅略巴古講道”。在這次講道中，保羅用雅典人熟悉的文化背景來介紹耶穌基督，顯示出他對不同文化的敏感性和宣教的智慧。
而保羅在這裡的講道也清楚地把基督教介紹給了希臘人。讓他們所聽見的、所了解的，有一些人就這樣信了主。這裡提到兩個重要的名字，其中第一個叫做丟尼修，他應該是雅略巴古的官，那地方的名士之一，他聽完以後就轉而接受了福音。另外一位是大馬哩，希臘的女子地位有限，如果是端莊的婦女，應該不會到這個廣場上來。又有可能是從事低階工作的女人，轉而聽信福音。
我們看到保羅有一個特質，無論是在廟堂之上眾人面前，或者是在私下在監獄之中，他都無時無刻地在分享福音。他盡他所能地在每個地方向每一個人分享這個得救的道理。他不挑聽眾，也不挑場合，只要有機會，有人願意聽，他就願意分享。這是真正對福音有熱情的人，這是真正努力在分享福音的人。而上帝就用他這樣的方式，他所到之處，都有人聽到福音，並且歸向基督。
接下來，保羅要來到當時希臘世界一個非常混亂的地方——哥林多城。而後來我們在哥林多前書和後書裡面，也稍微看到了保羅在這裡面對的許多挑戰，他在這邊住了一年零六個月，將上帝的道教給他們。在哥林多，又發生了什麼事情呢？我們在繼續使徒行傳第十八章的故事。感謝各位的聆聽。
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33At that, Paul left the Council. 34Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
Peace be with you all. Continuing from yesterday's story, Paul arrived in Athens.
Although Athens was no longer the world center it had been during the peak of Greek civilization, its academic standing remained very high in the world at that time. Anyone seeking to pursue scholarship, understand philosophy, or explore truth would inevitably come to Athens, as it was a hub of knowledge and a cultural gathering place of the world.
The number of idols was also extremely high. It was a place of polytheistic worship, with many different philosophical schools gathered here. The most important activity in the public squares was the constant discussion of various philosophical, truth, and historical questions.
During the Renaissance, you can see Raphael’s masterpiece: The School of Athens. This painting brings together philosophers and great artists from different eras, discussing life, truth, and God in front of the Athenian square. However, this kind of discussion had a problem: everyone was just talking and had no intention of putting it into action. Therefore, these discussions often devolved into lofty but ultimately meaningless chatter, or intellectually rich idle talk. They discussed philosophical and life issues using high-sounding and incomprehensible language. Despite the extensive discussions, they were of little practical use.
This phenomenon also occurred during China’s Wei and Jin dynasties. People at that time enjoyed such things, calling it “pure talk,” focusing on abstract matters rather than practical ones. Many people considered practical matters to be beneath them, preferring instead to discuss lofty ideals and concepts without taking action. As a result, the regimes of the Wei and Jin periods quickly fell, largely because people were more interested in talking than in doing. People favored idle talk, viewing practical actions as mundane. The higher and more irrelevant the talk, the more esteemed it was. This was a prevailing trend in the political circles of that time.
Similarly, the Greeks who gathered in Athens enjoyed the fun of debates, the intellectual stimulation, and the verbal sparring. But they did not particularly value action and conclusions. This is evident from the reactions of the people after Paul’s sermon.
Several philosophical schools are worth mentioning briefly:
The Epicureans emphasized rational thinking. They believed in the existence of gods but thought that gods and humans were unrelated; gods did not care about humans, and humans did not need to care about gods. The gods did not judge humans, so there was no need to fear them. The existence of gods was perfect and good, so humans should learn from them. This school of thought did not believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, thinking death was the complete end, including the soul. Therefore, they pursued a simple, happy, and peaceful life, not indulging in physical pleasures, but seeking long-term tranquility and happiness through reason and self-discipline.
The Stoics believed that god existed in everything and that the world itself had reason. God was the soul of the world. Regarding life and death, they thought the soul would return to the universe after death rather than continue to exist individually. They believed that morality was the highest goal of life and that pursuing virtue was the only way to achieve happiness. Thus, they advocated for controlling one’s emotions, promoting inner peace, and accepting fate calmly without complaining or resisting, facing everything rationally.
Paul’s preaching place, called the Areopagus, was a famous location in ancient Athens. It was an important gathering and judicial site, named after the Greek god of war, Ares, because it was originally a place dedicated to him.
Located on a hill northwest of the Acropolis in Athens, the Areopagus was an important judicial and religious center in ancient Greece. Paul’s sermon here is known as the “Areopagus Sermon.” In this sermon, Paul used the familiar cultural background of the Athenians to introduce Jesus Christ, demonstrating his sensitivity to different cultures and his missionary wisdom.
Paul clearly introduced Christianity to the Greeks in this sermon. As a result, some people believed in the Lord. Two important names mentioned are Dionysius, an official of the Areopagus, and Damaris, a Greek woman whose presence in the square suggests she might have been of lower social standing or involved in lower-level work, who turned to faith.
We see that Paul had a distinctive quality: whether in public before crowds or privately in prison, he continually shared the gospel. He did his best to share the message of salvation with everyone, everywhere. He didn’t select his audience or the occasion; if there was an opportunity and someone willing to listen, he was ready to share. This is the mark of someone truly passionate about the gospel, someone truly committed to sharing it. God used his approach so that wherever he went, people heard the gospel and turned to Christ.
Next, Paul arrived in Corinth, a very chaotic place in the Greek world at the time. Later, we see in the First and Second Corinthians the many challenges Paul faced there. He stayed in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching them God’s word. What happened in Corinth? Let’s continue with the story in Acts 18. Thank you all for listening.
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