08/11/2026
"WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE TRUTH?"
-Jarrod M. Jacobs
Truth is something that demands a response. Whenever we face the truth of God's word (Jn. 17:17), we must do something with it. I imagine no better example could be given of the various responses man has to the truth than in the events recorded in Acts 17 when Paul preached at Mars Hill. Let us study the book of Acts 17 and ask ourselves what we will do when we hear the truth. When you hear the truth...
Do You Consider It Babbling?
When Paul entered Athens and saw all the idols in that town, "his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him" (Acts 17:16-17). When the Epicureans and the Stoics heard Paul, they asked, "What will this babbler say?" (Acts 17:18). A "babbler" literally was a man, "lounging about the marketplace and picking up a subsistence by whatever may chance to fall from the merchandise; a parasite; getting a living by flattery or buffoonery; an empty talker" (Thayer's, p. 584). These Athenians looked to Paul and thought he was some kind of fool, a bum, or someone simply speaking for entertainment purposes. That is why there was so much interest in him at first. "For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:19-21).
The world at large considers the truth of God nothing more than foolishness. Paul wrote, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 1:18-21). It is a tragedy to see people who think the Bible is nothing more than "myths" or "stories." Is this your attitude?
Do You Mock When The Truth Is Preached?
In Acts 17:22-31, we read the most profound treatise on God from the creation to the second coming. When the Athenians heard this sermon, "some mocked" (Acts 17:32). The implication from this passage is that they mocked so much that Paul stopped preaching (McGarvey, Original Commentary on Acts, p. 223-224)! These people spent all their time either hearing or telling some new thing, but when it came to listening to the truth, they could not bear it and mocked the preacher (Acts 17:21, 32).
Are you one who would mock God's word? First, let us define what it means to mock as they did. To mock God's word is "to jest, jeer at" (Vine's, p. 528). Mr. Thayer adds the word "deride" to his definition (p. 669). After we hear someone preach, do we say, "That is just his opinion," or "He gets paid to say that if he didn't say that, we would fire him"? When we say things like this about the Bible and those who proclaim the truth, we are mocking the truth as they did in Paul's day, and that is sinful.
Do You Want To Hear It Again?
Some who heard Paul speak about the resurrection said, "We will hear thee again of this matter" (Acts 17:32). This was not something negative, but something hopeful. Some wanted to hear more about God and the resurrection.
I am afraid that people forget that the command to hear God's words is just as binding as the command to preach! God commands us to "hear" Jesus (Matt. 17:5). When Peter preached on Pentecost, he told the people to "hear these words" (Acts 2:22). While Jesus was upon this earth, He said, "My sheep hear my voice" (Jn. 10:27). Literally, Jesus was saying that His sheep "keep on" hearing His voice, or continue to listen to His voice. It is not a one-time thing! Therefore, it is good to see those wanting to hear God's word more and more.
These men wanted to hear Paul again so they could weigh God's word against man's word. God wants all of us to do that (I Thess. 5:21; Rom. 12:2). However, friend, do not put off obedience to this word until it is too late (II Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7-8, 15)!
Do You Cleave And Believe?
A small group of people were so impressed by the truth that they decided right then to obey God. Acts 17:34 says, "Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them." How great it is to see people who will immediately decide that they want to obey the truth!
We should take time to study and examine God's word, but we must not wait too long! We have no lease on life, so we must take advantage of our time now (II Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7-8, 15). Christ calls people today to come and "learn" of Him, but the call will not last indefinitely (Matt. 11:28-30).
Many want to hear about God but do not want to hear what God says! The only way to know the truth is to listen to His words (Jn. 17:17)! What kind of person are you when you are presented with the truth? Do you consider the preacher a man who is saying nothing? Do you mock the truth? Do you seriously consider and study what has been said? Do you believe what you have heard and obey it? Let us seriously think about this because our answers to these questions will determine where we spend eternity!
