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Provocation
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he…
He what? What did he do? He was provoked by their idols so he went on an idol-destroying rampage rebuking all the pagans…He bought some land far away because he was disgusted with their idol-worship…He kept his mouth shut and prayed, minding his own business…
Nope. Here’s the rest of the verse:
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there…18…he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Paul was provoked over the idol worship and proclaimed Christ. Later in verse 30 Paul told the Athenians that God commands everyone to repent. We don’t know exactly how he was provoked. Did he have righteous indignation because of the wicked? Was he grieved for these people created in God’s image who were completely lost in worship of false Gods? Perhaps both.
What we do know is his response: In light of the sins of the people around him, he reasoned with people and proclaimed repentance and faith in Jesus Christ—his death and his resurrection.
Let’s be like Paul when we encounter false worship today. Let’s reason with people and proclaim Christ.
-Braden