The Back Story

2 part c The Back Story

In particular, Paul was saying that they didn’t need the old gods any more. At this point he was presenting to the world an essentially Jewish message. The Jewish people cherished their ancient scriptures, in which, across many centuries, prophets, scribes, and wise thinkers of Israel had insisted that the gods of the nations were simply human artefacts, man-made fabrications, idols constructed of wood, stone, or precious metal. They possessed neither life nor power. By contrast, the God of Israel (so they claimed) was alive and active. Nor was he simply the God of Israel, a local or private deity. He was the creator, the God of the whole world…