By: Obed Pineda
If you are a history enthusiast, there is a high probability that the title above brought Leonardo da Vinci into the spotlight of your mind. Historians agree that it was da Vinci’s multiplicity of contributions to art, science, and engineering (to name a few of his subjects of interest) during the age of “rebirth” that earned him this moniker. Although there are a plenitude of other men who aided in ushering in the Renaissance, there is little doubt that da Vinci outshone his fellow peers leaving his indelible imprint in the annals of history. It is valuable to note that the Renaissance was preceded by the Middle Ages; an era that has been branded as the “Dark Ages.” Those who use this epithet argue that very little advances in science and art were made during this era, in great part because of wars, illiteracy, and pandemics (the Black Death being the most associated with this time period). Hence, Europe’s rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art beginning in the fourteenth century is how this age came to be labeled as the “Age of Rebirth” (or Renaissance). The majority of historians agree that it was the Old World’s renewed interest in classical Greek and Roman scholarship that really marks the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, since the grim term “Dark Ages” is more of an exaggerated misnomer. Still, it is curious to learn that what gave society “rebirth” was the acquirement of knowledge. It is no wonder why Leonardo da Vinci is viewed as the Renaissance Man since he delved into a plethora of different fields, exhibiting his intense craving for knowledge and understanding. Even though this Age of Rebirth is lauded by the history books for civilization’s desire for education, it was not the first group of society who “spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). The Athenian community mentioned by the inspired Luke was undeniably enamored by intelligence, but regrettably it was nothing more than platonic love. Their love affair with human philosophy was unfruitful and rebirth became impossible for them, thus proving that it was always shallow and vain (cf. 1st Corinthians 13:1-2). The Epicureans and Stoics who approached the apostle Paul in Athens had an opportunity to be reborn, but lamentably squandered it away due to their puffed up mentality (cf. Acts 17:32-33, 1st Corinthians 8:1). The sordid reality of this reveals that a true Renaissance man is not a product of earthly knowledge but, as it was explained to a ruler of the Jews, “unless one is born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). The Lord Jesus Christ revealed to Nicodemus that rebirth is only achievable when heavenly wisdom is secured by a person. Observe that wisdom (and not knowledge alone) must be in the hands of an individual in order to be born again. Furthermore, it is heavenly (i.e. spiritual) wisdom that brightens the pathway leading to authentic rebirth (cf. 1st Corinthians 2:6-16). Remember that wisdom is the application of both knowledge and understanding in one’s life, and therefore it is synonymous with being obedient (cf. Proverbs 2:1-8). This critical bit of information aides us in understanding the correct meaning of being “born of water and Spirit.” The apostle Paul acknowledged about the Thessalonians that “God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our Gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2nd Thessalonians 2:13-14). Prior to this apostolic confirmation about their rebirth, Paul states that those who will be “condemned [are those] who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2nd Thessalonians 2:12, addition OP). Upon examining the comparison made between the saved and the lost in this pericope, it becomes evident that what one does with spiritual knowledge determines if a person is reborn or not. Although Luke mentions first that many in Athens rejected Paul’s doctrine, he also states that “some men joined him and believed” echoing what the apostle wrote to the Thessalonian Church (Acts 17:34a). Thus, this reveals that the Lord Christ is establishing that there are two requirements needed for true rebirth: proper understanding of the Scriptures and obedience to the Scriptures. This confirms that knowledge alone is insufficient for true renaissance to take place. Those in Athens and Thessalonica rejected the doctrine of Christ’s Gospel that was taught to them by holy men of God and are counted “among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2nd Thessalonians 2:10). On the contrary, those who accepted and obeyed the Gospel “received the word of God which you heard from us [the apostles], you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus” (1st Thessalonians 2:13-14a, addition OP). The Thessalonians did not simply take Paul’s teachings at face value; they examined his words to prove if they were true (cf. 1st Thessalonians 5:21). Once verified, they proceeded to apply the doctrine of Christ in their personal lives by obeying the inspired Word of God. They were taught the Scriptures, they searched the Scriptures to verify the authenticity of the apostle’s doctrine, and after corroborating it, they heeded to the Scripture’s commandment of being baptized to wash away their sins, thus resulting in a true rebirth (cf. Acts 22:16, Romans 6:1-4). Therefore, the true Renaissance Men are those who “have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1st Peter 1:22-23). It is true that from ignorance any man can rise, but only the applied knowledge of Christ can lead man away from the darkness of death to the light of everlasting life (cf. Ephesians 5:14, Colossians 1:12-14). Once more, the deciding factor between who is reborn and who remains in death is what we choose to do with the information provided from the Bible (cf. John 3:13-21).