What’s New?

July 12, 2023

That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us (Eccl 1: 9, 10).

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing (Acts 17: 21).

We have in front of us two texts. In the former the wise Preacher Solomon says there is nothing new under the sun. The latter is a record of Athenian fools who, centuries after Solomon were sure there were–all sorts of new things, if not out under the sun, at least in their heads.

The wise man speaks of this nothing new in light of the vanity, the emptiness, the aimlessness, the destruction, the hopeless of a lost, sinful world: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity (1:2). And in this, this grimness, the faithful preacher would lead a congregation to God and to fear him and keep his commandments.

The first century Athenians were ignorant of the vanity diagnosis of sin and its consequences. Theirs was a willing ignorance. They dodged the wisdom of God communicated to Israel–wisdom, with all its dire implications, revealed even to Greeks and other pagans from heaven and in their consciences. Artful, dodging Epicurean and Stoic philosophers refused to admit the “old” (Genesis 3) and perfectly just sentence and curse of God. They were in this seeking to dodge God and to avoid living for him.

They wanted, instead, something “new.” Specifically, they spent their leisure, even every opportunity, seeking to converse, “to tell or to hear” some new thing. Their pastime was in the realm of ideas, thoughts, principles—to come up with them, to hear them, tell them, persuade each other of them, entertain each other by them, to stimulate debate, and to encourage, maybe, a life, a camaraderie, a polis, a government, a society, according to the new (latest and greatest) ideas. And new not just as in somewhat different from what they had known, something that fit with other ideas they had discussed before. They were into things radically new. Something about these things, these ideas, this newness, these novelties that was stimulating. They sought a sort of cerebral high, a sort of peace, a “theory of everything” that might satisfy the very ache and emptiness and restlessness of their fallen condition.

But, of course, nothing new they could come up with satisfied. That is why they needed new after new after new ideas and theories to ponder. That is why, also, the Athenian philosophers were very religious, as the Apostle Paul noted (Acts 17: 22). They realized that their ideas, their thinking was just not enough. Better rely, at least in a pinch, and because all their thinking and debating could not prevent death or dispel the pallor of disquiet (not the proverbial elephant,

but the God in the room!) or put food on the table…on gods. So they developed and debated their ideas, but did obeisance also to the gods of ancient mythology, to Zeus, Ares, Venus, to the sun, to the moon, to the stars. And, true to their philosopher selves, they inscribed an altar in their pantheon TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Just in case they had missed any. Hoping that some NEW, though hitherto unknown god, might actually let himself be known one day to end their restless quest. Or maybe lead to other quests for altogether new new things and new gods and peace in the heart and all that man might desire…

It is not surprising, therefore, that some of the Athenians were, at first, attracted to the Apostle’s preaching. They reckoned he was a proclaimer of foreign gods” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection (v.18). They wanted to know more of this “new doctrine” of which Paul spoke. But when Paul spoke more at length of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead, only some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris (v.33).

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The “new doctrine” of which Paul spoke. That is where I come from. That is where I am headed. Jesus and his death for sin and his resurrection to life. That doctrine. The word of God doctrine. In a world craving something new. En mass. Pell mell. Restless and troubled is this sea of humanity. Rushing to, raging after the new. New ideas. New religions. New genders. New laws. New doctrines of what is wrong with us. New doctrines of how to fix what is wrong with us. New prophets declaring all can be well with us. As long as we change everything. Especially that one thing called Christianity. New mantra of the new prophets: For too long Christianity, Christianity, all is Christianity. Away with it. Away with its book, its creed, its Christ.

The new doctrine, the New Testament doctrine, let us have that, shall we? Jesus has entered our time and space, our vanity. Where there was emptiness now is fullness. Where all was lies truth has come. Something new and good has come—from beyond the sun, from the heart of God. Jesus lover of sinners. Jesus the curse-bearer. Son of God paying for our old, infinite debt. Jesus dead for our sins then risen for the justification of the ungodly. Then sending his Spirit, and this Renewer makes us new new-born sons and daughters of God.

Now our sight is new—new faith.

Each morning is new—with new mercies.

Our life is new—of new obedience, new courage, new joys.

And since the day when the Savior comes will be just as he says: Behold, I make all things new (Rev. 21:5)…

We have new hope.

So now with Spirit ink it is written and known of you, dear friend of God, and of your friends too, whomever and wherever you are:

For all who were there (Grand Rapids to Timbuktu!) spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing of One called the Ancient of Days.

Have a great new day.