Romans – The Play Part 1

Paul quickly responded. “Then if someone were to ask you, ‘How am I to be in right standing with God, Diogenes?’ what would be your answer?” Diogenes’ response was lightning fast. “Live a good life. You’ll be right with God. Live a bad life and you will face the wrath of God. Doesn’t everyone know that?”

“Not everyone,” came an arrogant-sounding voice. Paul turned in surprise. The voice was that of Raspusen. With eyes flashing, right arm extended, forefinger pointing straight at Diogenes, Raspusen continued: “You will be judged by God according to your knowledge and your obedience to the law of God.” Everyone across the vast throng began whispering. There came a low rumble of protestation from the Gentiles. A heavy-sounding thud brought the throng to silence as the judge slammed his gavel hard against his desk. “Raspusen, you will restrain yourself. I will have order in my courtroom.”

Paul walked almost nonchalantly over to the Gentile side. “Diogenes, what is your response to Raspusen’s charge? Will you be judged according to your knowledge and obedience of Jewish law?” Diogenes turned to face the judge. “Your Honor,” said Diogenes, “we plead innocent to this charge made by Raspusen. We are innocent of the law, and we base that plea on the basis of ignorance. We, Gentiles, are wholly ignorant of their law.” Diogenes turned again and looked straight at Raspusen.

“We’ve never heard of your law. You never came to us, Gentiles, and told us anything about your law. Most of you Jews have never even left your own country. And when you do, you form the wrong clave so that you will stay clear of us unclean Gentiles—too unclean to even be touched. Just how, Raspusen, would you think we would ever hear anything about you and your precious law?” Again, a low rumbling of assent swept across the Gentiles. Paul raised his hand as a signal for silence.

“Your Honor, if I understand what Diogenes has just said, the position of the heathen is that they believe they should live a good life, do good deeds, wholly apart from the Jewish law. The heathen do not believe they should be indicted, tried, or convicted on the basis of the law because they’re ignorant of the law. Now, Diogenes, have I stated your view correctly?”

Diogenes nodded a satisfied yes and added, “You have spoken correctly, Paul.” At that, Paul quickly stepped up to Diogenes, their noses almost touching. “Diogenes, sir. Where exactly are you from?”

“Greece?” answered Diogenes, a little confused. “Ah, Greece!” retorted Paul. “Where in Greece?” Diogenes flushed. “Oh, well, I am from Athens.”

“You’re from Athens?” thundered Paul. “Judge! Athens, Diogenes? The philosophical, intellectual center of the whole world? You would dare walk into this courtroom, Diogenes—a Greek and an Athenian—and have the gall to tell this court you have a defense based on ignorance? The greatest boast you Greeks have, one you make wherever you go, is that you have unlimited, all-encompassing knowledge of absolutely everything. Ignorance? Ignorance?! You, a Greek, a man of Athens, a philosopher, an intellect, a scholar, are going to come here into this court and tell us that you do not know the law? And that you plead ignorance?” Paul stepped back to the center of the room, slowly turning in a full circle so that his words would be heard by every ear in the arena.

“God’s wrath has been, and is being, revealed. He reveals His wrath to wicked men who suppress the truth.” Paul turned and glared at Diogenes. “And Diogenes, the truth is this: you have suppressed the truth by your wickedness. You cannot say you do not know the truth about God. God has made His truth very plain to all Gentiles, of all ages, everywhere. Ever since the creation of the world, the living God has made plain—for you to see His divine nature and His eternal power and His invisible qualities.”

And now Paul roared: “You have understood, Diogenes! You do know! Sir, you’re without excuse!” With that, the Jews began to laugh. Some roared. Some jumped to their feet. Others began kicking the floor in derision. They knew that Paul had hit a telling point. They knew they had a friend in Paul—but they did not realize, for they had forgotten, that they did not have a friend in the judge. Unconsciously, the judge rose to his feet, and in a most unbecoming way, he began to cry:

“Order!”

Paul continued. “Diogenes, you Gentile heathens have known the true God all along; you simply have refused to acknowledge Him as God. Yet you never gave thanks to Him whom you knew. Your so-called intellectualism, your ability to reason and to present all things logically, has evolved into a futility of nothing but high-sounding, meaningless words. Your hearts became foolish. All your vaunted intellect became filled with darkness. So also, your hearts, Diogenes. You Greeks claim to be wise. Well, is this wisdom? Is this wisdom, Diogenes—to give up the glory of the immortal God and exchange that glory for idols? To exchange the glory of God for stone figures chiseled out of rock, statues which look like men, and birds, and reptiles, and bugs? Do you call that wisdom, Diogenes?”