Who is Babbling?

Acts 17:18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
 
PAUL was preaching the gospel. To preach means he declared the specifics of mankind’s existence and purpose based on God’s redemptive plan and fulfillment in Jesus the Christ. He told the truth about sin and everyone’s need for a Savior. Paul used Scripture to affirm his words. God’s Word came to Athens through God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles.
   In response, the trained philosophers who commonly debated questions of human existence and purpose labeled God’s messenger a babbler. The philosophers who sought an orderly understanding of human nature were unable to believe that Jesus, a man from Nazareth in Galilee of Judea, could he be named “Son of God.” How could it be the Son of God was horribly crucified as a Roman insurgent? Surely he did not rise from the dead and ascend to heaven! Even more, how could this ascended man send the Holy Spirit of God to the world? Where is this Spirit who changes minds to know this Jesus? Did this babbler really say these things happened because God, the Father, loves us? Did this Father cause all this to happen, so we can be saved? What does it mean to be saved?
   A babbler is one who gossips and talks with trickery. Paul’s preaching in the marketplace seemed full of trickery to these educated, methodical men. Even though Paul would have given historic evidence of the gospel, the truth seemed to be the rantings of a strange philosophy no one could or would understand. Who in the world had ever spoken such things?
   Still today many missionaries and evangelists encounter the same response to the gospel. Some of you may encounter this very often as you enter into tribes, villages or regions where no one knows God’s gospel. Your gospel talk may sound as if you are trying to trick them. The human mind is very reluctant to reject ancient traditions and philosophies that hold us tightly to restrictive, even demeaning rules. Human nature believes God’s gracious love is much too good to be true! Family members, neighbors and the culture in general believe the gospel is babble.
   Still, the Spirit was working in Athens. The philosophers did not chase Paul away, beat him or jail him as others had done. They wanted to hear more.
   Yes, from the very beginning Satan has hidden the truth. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The barriers to truth stand tall, but God’s grace is higher, wider, longer and deeper. Be ready to speak, so what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Romans 1:19)