It had been Paul’s custom to adopt an oratorical style in his preaching. He was a man fitted to speak before kings, before the great and learned men of Athens, and his intellectual acquirements were often of value to him in preparing the way for the gospel. He tried to do this in Athens, meeting eloquence with eloquence, philosophy with philosophy, and logic with logic; but he failed to meet with the success he had hoped for. His aftersight led him to understand that there was something needed above human wisdom. God taught him that something above the world’s wisdom must come to him. He must receive his power from a higher source. In order to convict and convert sinners, the Spirit of God must come into his work and sanctify every spiritual development. He must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God (The Review and Herald, July 18, 1899).{6BC 1084.7}

Det har været Paulus sædvane at have en veltalende stil i sin forkyndelse. Han var en mand der kunne tale over for konger, for Athens store og lærte mænd, og hans forstandsmæssige gaver var ofte til værdi for ham, når han skal berede evangeliets vej. Dette prøvede han i Athen, da veltalenhed mødtes med veltalenhed, filosofi med filosofi, og logik med logik; men han fik ikke den fremgang han havde håbet på. Hans bagklogskab fik ham til at forstå at der var noget der manglede, udover menneskelig visdom. Gud lærte ham at noget udover verdens visdom måtte komme til ham. Han måtte have denne kraft fra en højere kilde. For at overbevise og omvende syndere, måtte Guds Ånd komme ind i hans arbejde, og hellige enhver åndelig opståen. Han måtte spise Guds Søns kød og drikke Hans blod.(RH 18. juli, 1899).