The Sanctuary at Eleusis
“After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;” (Acts 18:1)
Acts tells us that the idols of Athens grieved Paul’s soul, prompting him to preach on Mars Hill, just below the Parthenon. Later, Paul’s route from Athens to Corinth would have taken him down the Sacred Way past the front gate of the most prominent pagan pilgrimage site of all of antiquity: The Sanctuary at Eleusis.
In Paul’s Day
Every year pilgrims from across the Greek-speaking world flocked to Athens to celebrate the death and rebirth of the grain goddesses Demeter and Persephone. Celebrants would dance down the Sacred Way to the gates of the site to be initiated into what they called “the mysteries.” They were promised eternal happiness in the afterlife if they kept the secrets of Eleusis. They were warned of eternal punishment if they revealed the secrets of the temple. Despite being operational for over a thousand years, few of the temple’s secrets were revealed.
As Paul walked past, no doubt he was grieved by what he saw here at the pinnacle of Greek idolatry. It was perhaps the memory of this place that prompted him to write to the Corinthians using language they would understand:
“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified……….But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Corinthians 2:2,7-9).
The mystery of God is revealed in Scripture and requires no pilgrimage, or mind-altering substances. Thankfully it is available to everyone on the planet, not just Greeks.
In Our Day
Today the Sacred Way from Athens to Eleusis is lined with car dealerships, residential neighborhoods, and outlet stores. The Temple to Pluto and the Sanctuary at Eleusis are curiosities that bring in a few tourists. The drug-fueled worship is a relic of the past. The ancient site is sparsely visited since it is on the outskirts of Athens. What was once a powerful enemy of the truth lies as an open-air museum for students and tourists to visit.
Christian, you may feel that the paganism of this age is ascendant. It seems like falsehood is gaining ground, and truth is receding. Never forget that the anti-God beliefs of today will one day join Pluto, Demeter, and Persephone in obscurity. When that happens, God’s truth will march on! When this generation’s faddish idols are relegated to a museum, the truth of Christ will prevail.
