The Riddle of Epicurus

Acts 17 introduces an interesting group of people to our teaching series, The Jesus Story… Continued! The group is called the ‘Epicurean philosophers.’ Most Americans, though heavily influenced by his thought, have never heard the title Epicurean Philosophers. Much of how life is lived by 21st century Americans carries amazing similarities to the teachings of Epicurus.

Epicurus lived 300 years before the time of Jesus. He was a philosopher, teacher and a prolific writer, though most of his writings were destroyed. He established a learning center where his philosophy was passed down. At the end of his life he willed this school to one of his students and set-up an endowment to continue educating and training others in his philosophy.

Over the last 15 years people have wrestled with and written about what is referred to as ‘The Riddle of Epicurus.’ The Riddle of Epicurus is older than the writings of Jesus. The Riddle of Epicurus is one of the oldest statements about the issue of the ‘problem of evil.’ Googling ‘The Riddle of Epicurus’ results in over 650,000 websites. The Riddle has been written about in books, magazines, blogs, and textbooks positively, negatively and ponderously. The Riddle is used more and more as part of an argument for the rejection of the God of Christianity and the Bible. It has received significant press over the last few years by published authors and arm-chair bloggers. The Riddle can be found in various different forms by different bloggers and writers.

The Riddle of Epicurus goes like this:
Is god willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. (All Powerful)
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. (Not Loving)
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him god?

Because this riddle was unable to be solved by Epicurus, his students or teachers he concluded that if there is a god or gods, they are not involved in life on this planet.

Do these arguments sound vaguely familiar? Have you heard some form of this idea before?

More and more people process life this way: If there is something I can’t see, I don’t understand or a question I can’t answer, then it must not be real.

This is the ultimate statement of man claiming there is no god because he himself is not god who would be able to see everything, understand everything and can answer everything.

The truth of life has been stated another way. “There are two things I know: There is a God and you are not Him!”

There is a God and I’m not him!