Many people know “Mars Hill” because of the podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill,” which documents the scandals of Mark Driscoll and the church he once pastored. 

Other churches use “Mars Hill” as their name as well. Yet, how many people know the biblical context of Mars Hill?

In Acts 17:16-34, Paul preaches a sermon on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece. While many of the locations Paul visited in the Bible are unknown, Mars Hill still exists and can be found on the Acropolis.

It is easy to miss, being one of the most traveled destinations in the world. Off to the side of the Parthenon, Mars Hill is a raised rock formation. It is named after the Roman god of war, Mars or in Greek, Ares. 

Historically, this general area served as the location for the Athenian court. In the New Testament, it was still considered a meeting place to discuss religion, logic or philosophy. 

Thousands of years ago, the area would have been crowded with people coming and going. Instead of tourists, it would have been Greeks.

At the time of Paul’s sermon, Athens was a central place of thought and reason. It claimed Socrates, Plato and two ancient schools, the Academy and the Lyceum. 

Paul was not stepping on ordinary ground. Athens had been a thriving city for centuries before he arrived. Experts wandered the streets preaching the latest ideas and wisdom. 

With this competition, if Paul wanted to be heard, he would need to attract more attention. He probably tried to be heard for days until someone listened. 

In Acts 17:20, someone asked him to clarify what he was saying before he even began his sermon. They realized Paul was sharing information they had never heard. 

Athenians desired the newest ideas and theories. So, when Paul was approached, I imagine him finally seeing his opportunity. A culture that was hungry for wisdom and information would not pass on this. 

He appealed to both Greek and Jewish thought to preach a sermon he had been wanting them to hear. He used what the Athenians knew to connect to his message. 

Athenians, who were so focused on thought, actually did not have things of substance. The people who were supposed to be the “smartest” in the world were ignorant of their ignorance. 

Paul mentioned seeing an altar to an unknown God somewhere along the way. He equated this to the unattainable quest for knowledge, which is an idol in itself. 

In his analogy, he explained that God is beyond wisdom and knowledge. This God created everything in the world. Obviously, the Athenians understood their idols were just idols, but Paul knew he had to go deeper than that. 

Knowledge is not a physical idol you can hold. It dwells in the mind. Paul wanted the Athenians to refocus their minds on God instead of an unattainable quest. 

God, not the things we know, can satisfy people’s hearts and yearnings. Knowledge was never evil in itself, but it became a means for people to separate themselves from others and God. 

Likewise, we can find ourselves in the same boat as the Athenians. Across the world, we are bombarded with overwhelming messages about what we should know or do. We desire to create certain perceptions of ourselves.

Our idols—image and status—follow the path of the Athenians. These idols can never be held. They exist in our minds. 

We, too, can be ignorant of our ignorance. 

Paul offered the Athenians and us something more: an end to the message of “enough never being enough.” Only God can satisfy our hearts. No “idol,” concept, or idea can fill that gap in our lives.

After Paul’s sermon, Acts 17:32-34 clarifies that some listened while others sneered. Some realized the truth of Paul’s message. The same notion carries today. 

How will we see beyond knowledge? Beyond the perspective of our cultures? How will our hearts finally be at rest?

The truth can only set us free if we allow it.  

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