by During his second missionary journey, Paul arrived in Athens while fleeing from Berea, where some people from Thessalonica had arrived and were baying for his blood. Athens was the Capital of Attica, one of the Greek states and it was under Roman rule at the time. Luke records in Acts 17 that while in Athens, Paul was disturbed by the number of idols present. One such idol was named: “To the Unknown God” (Acts 17:23).
Athenians seemingly spent all their time discussing new ideas (Acts 17:21), but four great schools of philosophy thrived there: Platonic, Peripatetic, Epicurean and Stoic philosophy.
Paul had a debate with some of the Epicureans and Stoic philosophers (Acts 17:18). He is recorded directly quoting Epimenides and Aratus (Act 17:28), stoic philosophers. The stoics taught that to triumph over calamities and terrors of mortal life is what makes a man great. Success can come to any man but greatness only to the one who overcame hardships. Seneca in his work ‘On Providence’ said, “True worth is eager for danger and thinks rather of its goal than of what it may have to suffer, since even what it will have to suffer is a part of its glory. Warriors glory in their wounds and rejoice to display the blood spilled… Those who return from the battle unhurt may have fought as well, but the man who returns with a wound wins the greater regard.” This was part of the understanding of what it meant to be a man in Athens.
Solon, one of the founders of Athens, divided life into a set of ten stages of seven years, each giving a window to how men were raised to embrace manhood in ancient Athens.
0-7: A boy at first is the man; unripe; then he casts his teeth; milk-teeth befitting the child he sheds his 7th year.
7-14: Then to his seven years God adding another seven, signs of approaching manhood show in the bud.
14-21: Still, in the third of the sevens his limbs are growing; his chin touched with a fleecy down; the bloom of the cheek gone.
21-28: Now in the 4th of the 7’s ripen to greatest completeness the powers of the man and his worth becomes plain to see.
28-35: In the fifth he bethinks him that this is the season for courting, bethinks him that sons will preserve and continue his line.
35-42: Now in the 6th his mind, ever open to virtue, broadens, and never inspires him to profitless deeds.
42-56: [Two stages combined] Seven times 7, and 8; the tongue and the mind for fourteen years together are now at their best.
56-63: Still in the ninth is he able, but never so nimble in speech and in wit as he was in the days of his prime.
63-70: Who to the tenth has attained, and has lived to complete it, has come to the time to depart on the ebb tide of death.
Interestingly like David, Solon stopped at 70 years (Psalm 90:10). With the increase in knowledge in modern medicine, life expectancy has increased (Daniel 12:4).
Digital media impact
The Areopagus, where Paul met with the Stoics and Epicureans (Acts 17:19), was where the most learned of society in the city of Athens met. Today, much learning happens online, sometimes not from the most learned though. Anyone with a story can have a conversation about whatever topic and get to influence the worldview of millions of people.
Digital media consumers are often trained into various tribes depending on the kind of content they are repeatedly consuming. Consider the content for men. There are men advocating for good mental health for their fellow men. A worthy cause. These men are often well dressed but their videos feel cringe perhaps because they are crying about their problems. Modern day stoics like Kenyan writer Jacob Aliet in his work ‘Unplugged’ tell such men, “your feelings are irrelevant”. He represents a polar end of this digital content for men; here are the men who don’t understand why one should mess up their life, sit before a camera and cry victim for the world to feel sorry for them. On this end are other content creators like former Kenyan radio host Andrew Kibe, who gives digital whips to men who seek validation from women. “Kinuthias”, he calls them.
While 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 in the KJV warns that effeminate men will not inherit the kingdom of God, there is online content of men embodying female traits. These are men who pride themselves in wearing women’s clothing, wigs, makeup and acting like women. One female commentator complained about men who sit with tightly crosses legs: “What happened to manspreading?” She lamented. Like Kibe, she did not get why men are “constantly posting selfies, gym flexes and lifestyle updates to chase likes”.
Paul told the intellectuals at the high council that God, in earlier times, had overlooked people’s ignorance on various matters (Acts 17:30). Ignorance about who or what makes a man is one such matter. There are crumbs in various cultures of what this is, perhaps that men would feel their way towards God. Today, however, God has commanded all men to look to his Son. He has appointed Jesus Christ as the visible image of the invisible God. Through union with Christ men are regenerated to fight against evil with a free and good conscience. This one of the battles men wage. They can then edify other men (Romans 15:14), have access to God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19-22), and experience true liberty (Galatians 5:1).
When God comes to judge the world, all men will be held against Jesus as the standard. Understanding this helps us men to manage, enjoy and care for his creation as faithful stewards (Genesis 1:26-28). We can also choose with wisdom who is teaching us to be a man in the digital space. Our work at home, professions, trades, arts or whatever vocation is done wholeheartedly as unto the LORD rather than to people (Colossians 3:23). We are not doing it for likes. We strive to receive the heavenly reward of spending eternity with God, not just the “well done good and faithful servant” from him, though this would be sufficient.
Men who follow Christ seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously knowing God will give them everything they need at whatever stage in life they are in (Matthew 6:33).
