Getting to Know the Unknown God 認識那未識之神 使徒行傳 Acts 17:16-34

I. Paul’s second missionary journey (with Silus and Timothy) 保罗的第二次宣教旅程 (与西拉及提摩太) (徒 Acts 15:40-18:23a)

Paul's Second Missionary Journey, with Silas returning to Asia Minor and on into Europe c AD49-52 (Acts 15:40-18:23a) (3050 Miles?)

II. Paul’s journey to Athens 保罗到雅典的旅程 (徒 Acts 17:16-34) Idolatry in Athens (雅典的偶像) Provoked (着急/生氣) Took action (採取行動) Reasoning/conversing (辯論/傳講) Jews (猶太人) God-fearing Gentiles (虔敬的外邦人) Epicurean philosophers (以彼古羅哲学家) Stoic philosophers (斯多亞哲学家) Preaching Jesus and resurrection (傳講耶穌与衪的復活) Taken him to Areopagus (被帶到亞略巴古庭)

“How to know the unknown God?” “如何能認識那未識之神?” III. The Paul’s questioning and message at the Areopagus 保罗在亞略巴古的審問与回應信息 (徒 Acts 17:19-34; 來 Heb 11:6) “How to know the unknown God?” “如何能認識那未識之神?”

A. Recognizing that God Is 承認有神 (17:22-23; 來 Heb 11:6) 徒 Acts 17:22–23 (NIV) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 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，上面寫著未識之神‧你們所不認識而敬拜的，我現在告訴你們‧

來 Hebrews 11:6 (NASB) 人非有信就不能得神的喜悅‧因為到神面前來的人，必須信有神，且信他賞賜那尋求他的人‧ And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 人非有信就不能得神的喜悅‧因為到神面前來的人，必須信有神，且信他賞賜那尋求他的人‧

B. Recognizing Who God Is 知道(認識)神是誰 (徒 Acts 17:24-29) 24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 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，好像缺少什麼，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，﹝本有古卷作血脈﹞，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‧

B. Recognizing Who God Is 知道(認識)神是誰 (徒 Acts 17:24-29) CREATOR (創造者) (17:24a) RULER (掌管者) (17:24b) GIVER (賜予者) (17:25) CONTROLLER (控制者) (17:26) REVEALER (啟示者) (17:27-29)

1. CREATOR 創造者 (17:24a) The God who made the world and all things in it, (NASB) 創造宇宙和其中萬物的神,

2. RULER 掌管者 (17:24b) 既是天地的主，就不住人手所造的殿‧ 24b since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; (NASB) 既是天地的主，就不住人手所造的殿‧

3. GIVER 賜予者 (17:25) 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. (NIV) 也不用人手服事，好像缺少什麼，自己倒將生命氣息，萬物，賜給萬人‧

4. CONTROLLER 控制者 (17:26) 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‧ 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (NIV) 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‧

5. REVEALER 啟示者 (17:27-29) 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each 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 man’s design and skill. 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‧

C. Recognizing What God Has Said 知道神說什麼 (17:30-31) 30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” 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，要藉著他所設立的人，按公義審判天下‧並且叫他從死裡復活，給萬人作可信的憑據‧

D. Proper Response 合適的回应 (17:32-34) 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 A few men 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. (NIV) 32眾人聽見從死裡復活的話，就有譏誚他的，又有人說，我們再聽你講這個罷‧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‧

IV. Paul’s approach to evangelism to unbelievers in Athens 保罗对雅典不信者傳福音的方法

V. Comments on God’s revelations 淺談”神的啟示” General Revelation (一般啟示): Creation (創造) Conscience (良知) 诗 Psa 19:1-6；罗 Rom 1:18-32；2:14-15; 徒 Acts 14:15-17；17:22-31 Special Revelation (特別啟示): Jesus Christ (耶穌基督) Scriptures (聖經) 诗 Psa 19:7-13；希 Heb 1:1-3；西 Col 2:9；约 John 1:18；5:39提后 2 Tim 3:15-17；彼后 2 Pet 1:20-21)

VI. Personal response 個人回应