Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Acts Chapter 17 mean?

Acts 17 continues Paul’s second missionary journey. He and Silas have traveled through Galatia in modern-day Asia Minor, visiting the churches Paul and Barnabas established in their first journey. In Lystra, they found a young man named Timothy and brought him along. After receiving guidance from the Holy Spirit to bypass the western and northern provinces, the three traveled to the western port town of Troas. There, they met Luke, the narrator and author of the book of Acts. All four took a ship across the Aegean Sea to Philippi. In that city, they planted a strong church, but Paul and Silas were also arrested, beaten, and imprisoned overnight (Acts 16).

Acts 17:1–9 indicates that Luke stayed in Philippi, but the other three traveled southwest through Amphipolis and Apollonia, then west to Thessalonica. The Thessalonians act much like the people of Antioch and Iconium. Some believe their message (Acts 13:48–52; 14:1–7), but others not only run the missionaries out of Thessalonica, they also follow them to Berea and chase them out of that town, as well (Acts 14:19).

In Acts 17:10–15, we meet the Bereans—the example of thoughtful research. Paul and Silas share in the synagogue how Jesus fulfills the prophecies about the Messiah written in the Old Testament. The immediate response of the Bereans is to study those Scriptures for themselves and see if the claims are valid. The people realize the missionaries are right, but a contingent of Jews from Thessalonica come and convince some in Berea that the team is a threat. Silas and Timothy remain, but the new believers quickly send Paul away to Athens.

Acts 17:16–21 finds Paul in uncharted territory. Athens is the first Greek city he has been to, and he is unprepared for the overwhelming number of idols that fill the city. He splits his time between the synagogue—filled with Jews as well as Gentiles who worship the Jewish God—and the marketplace, where the Athenian philosophers find him. Although they have the same law against foreign gods as other Roman territories, the Greeks love to talk about new religions, so they invite him to the Areopagus to speak.

In Acts 17:22–34, Paul proves Jewish history and apologetics are not his only specialties. He shows how the religious culture of Athens and their own poets point to the Creator-God of the Jews. He calls them to repentance to restore their relationship with God and introduces them to the mediator, Jesus. The philosophers follow along until he asserts something they cannot accept: that God raised the mediator from the dead. The concept of resurrection is too far. A few do accept Paul’s message. The others have the courtesy to just mock him—not stone, beat, or imprison him.

From Athens, Paul will go west to Corinth where he will meet Priscilla and Aquila. Silas and Timothy will join him, and they will stay eighteen months planting and establishing the Corinthian church. On their way back to Syrian Antioch, Paul, Silas, and Timothy will stop briefly in Ephesus, Caesarea, and Jerusalem. Priscilla and Aquila will stay in Ephesus where they will meet Apollos who boldly and eloquently teaches about John the Baptist’s gospel of repentance. Priscilla and Aquila will introduce him to John’s Messiah, and Apollos will go on to have a significant ministry in the spread of Christianity (Acts 18).

Chapter Context
Acts 17 continues Paul and Silas’ travels out of Macedonia and on to Greece. The two have been through modern-day Asia minor where they picked up Timothy in Lystra and Luke in Troas (Acts 16:1–10). They have established a strong church in Philippi but were forced to leave after being falsely imprisoned (Acts 16:11–40). They now skip down the coast to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. From here, they will spend a considerable amount of time in Corinth before heading back to Judea and Syrian Antioch (Acts 18:1–22).

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

In Philippi, apparently there were too few Jews for a synagogue, so Paul and Silas met God-fearing Gentile women by the river outside of town (Acts 16:13). In Thessalonica, they can return to their normal mode of operation: showing the Jews and the Gentiles who worship the Jewish God how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. As in Pisidian Antioch, Paul explains how the Messiah had to die and rise again (Acts 13:26–41). And, as in Pisidian Antioch, some believe while the remaining run them out of town (Acts 13:48–51; 17:4–7).

Synagogues developed after the destruction of the temple by Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:18–19). They provided a way for the Jews to learn what the Mosaic law expected of them without having to go to the temple or find a Levite. As the Jews spread across the Roman Empire, Gentiles joined in synagogue worship, realizing the Jews had knowledge of the true God. In Paul’s time, the synagogue leaders regularly invited traveling Jews to speak to give a fresh perspective on the Scriptures. In Thessalonica, they invite Paul for three Sabbaths (Acts 17:2).

Paul’s companions are Silas and Timothy; the third-person point of view indicates they left Luke in Philippi. Silas had come to Syrian Antioch with Paul and Barnabas after the council in Jerusalem and joined Paul’s mission to plant churches after Paul and Barnabas fell out (Acts 15). Timothy, a young half-Jewish man, lived in Lystra. When Paul met him, he felt Timothy had the potential to be a good church leader and brought him along (Acts 16:1–3).

Amphipolis is 29 miles southwest of Philippi; Apollonia is another 24 miles southwest. Thessalonica is 30 miles west of Apollonia. Thessalonica is the largest city and capital of Macedonia. It is a “free city” of the Roman Empire; unlike in the Roman outpost of Philippi, it is legal to teach a non-state affirmed god (Acts 16:21). Paul’s enemies don’t charge them with promoting a foreign god but with teaching that Jesus is king in opposition to Caesar (Acts 17:7), much like the Sanhedrin did to Jesus (John 19:12).

Context Summary
Acts 17:1–9 relates that Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled to Thessalonica, having left Luke in Philippi. As usual, they start in the synagogue, showing how the prophecies of the Jewish Scriptures say the Messiah must die and rise from the dead. And as usual some of the Jews and many of the Gentiles believe them, while other Jews reject their message. For the first time, however, Paul’s antagonists can’t find him or his team, so they attack several converts. The new church protects Paul, Silas, and Timothy and sends them southwest to Berea.

Verse 2. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Paul, Silas, and Timothy are in Thessalonica on the northwest coast of the Aegean Sea in Macedonia. When Paul comes to a new city, he typically first preaches at a synagogue (Acts 13:5; 14:1; 18:4). Because Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and Christianity is a natural progression of Judaism, the Jews and devout Gentiles in the synagogue will have the historical context to understand who Jesus is and what He came to do. Synagogues also have a tradition of inviting well-educated visitors to speak at their weekly meetings. Paul is as qualified as any Jew would wish to be (Philippians 3:4–5).

We only have a handful of Paul’s messages in the book of Acts. Although he tailors his message to his audience, it’s reasonable to expect his messages in synagogues are similar. Paul’s message before the synagogue in Thessalonica shows how the Jewish Scriptures prophesy that the Messiah must die and rise again (Acts 17:3). Likely, he repeats much of the speech he gave to the Pisidian Antiochenes (Acts 13:16–41). There, he showed how David’s assurance that God would not let His Holy One see corruption (Psalm 16:10) meant the Holy One would die but rise again. This, he implied, did not apply to David but to the Messiah—much like Peter reasoned in Acts 2:25–32.

After Thessalonica and Berea, Paul will use quotes from Greek poets to explain to Athenian philosophers how the Creator God calls for repentance (Acts 17:22–31). Before Felix, he sneaks in the gospel with his legal defense (Acts 24:10–21). In front of Agrippa and Bernice, who know Judaism, he gives a detailed witness of Jesus’ work in his life (Acts 26).

Verse 3. explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

The Jewish interpretation of the Messianic prophesies in the Old Testament are very specific. The Messiah is a warrior or a king who will rescue Israel from foreign occupation, bring peace and prosperity, and renew the nation such that other nations will give them honor. This is a literal reading of the prophecies, but it is incomplete. Messiah as worldly Savior is for the millennial kingdom. The Messiah—Jesus—first came to save the world from the eternal death brought on by sin. To do this, the Messiah had to die and rise again.

This is what Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:26–47) and likely every other city with a strong Jewish population. He can give context to several prophecies that don’t seem to agree with the Warrior-King theme. Isaiah 50:6 speaks of one whose enemies beat Him, pull out His beard, and spit on Him. Isaiah 52:13—53:12, which many Jewish people struggle to ignore, describes the Messiah as someone who is despised, pierced for our transgressions, and heals us through His wounds. This idea that the Messiah must suffer and die is difficult for those who think more of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13–14 who is given dominion over the nations.

“Christ” is from the Greek root word christos; it is Greek for “anointed one” as “Messiah” is the Hebrew form. “Explaining” is from the Greek root word dianoigo. Literally, it means to open what has been closed. Metaphorically, it means to enlighten, to open one’s mind. It is used in the story of the two disciples whom Jesus met after the resurrection; the men’s eyes were opened (Luke 24:31) after Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (Luke 24:32). “Proving” is from the Greek root word paratithemi. Literally, it means to set something nearby; metaphorically, it means to explain or to set the meaning of something before someone else. The word is also used in Acts 14:23 of the elders that Paul’s group committed to the Lord.

Verse 4. And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy are in the city of Thessalonica in Macedonia. In Philippi, their ministry was sabotaged by Gentiles. These critics blamed them for financial misfortune when Paul freed their slave girl from a fortune-telling demon (Acts 16:16–24). In Thessalonica, they enjoy thoughtful discussions with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles at the local synagogue. At least, they can do this for three weeks (Acts 17:2).

Paul has been showing the people of the synagogue how the Jewish Scriptures explain the Messiah must die and rise again. “Devout Greeks” are Gentiles who worship the Jewish God but have not gone so far as to fully convert to Judaism. Macedonian women are more independent than many in the Roman Empire, like Lydia who ran a business in Philippi and invited Paul’s team to stay with her (Acts 16:14–15). Not mentioned is that many pagans join the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

Even with this core of believers, Paul and his team rely on support from Philippi (Philippians 4:15–16). As in Corinth (1 Corinthians 9:7–14), Paul would rather work than make any requests—however reasonable—that would distract from the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8).

Verse 5. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 

Paul has been preaching in a synagogue in Thessalonica, explaining how the Jewish prophets said the Messiah would die and rise again. He then shows how Jesus of Nazareth fits the description of the prophecies. Some of the Jews and many of the God-fearing Gentiles believe his message (Acts 17:1–4).

As in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:45, 50), many of the other Jews grow jealous that Paul so quickly earns such a large following. As with the Sanhedrin’s accusations against Jesus, they have no rebuttal for Paul’s assertions. They have no defense against the idea that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah they have long awaited. But more than the Messiah, they value the standing and influence they’ve carved out in this pagan society.

The threat and use of civil unrest both seem common weapons in the Roman Empire. The Jews in Pisidian Antioch used it (Acts 13:50). A riot seemed to be a by-product of the attack on Paul and Silas in Philippi (Acts 16:19–22). Perhaps the biggest riot will occur when the silversmiths in Ephesus realize the more people worship Jesus, the less need they have of idols of Athena (Acts 19:23–41). In all these cases, it is jealousy and resentment that lead people to reject Jesus’ offer of salvation, not disbelief. They would rather maintain their position in their culture than accept the truth.

Sadly, we know nothing about Jason. He either hosts Paul, Silas, and Timothy, or he hosts the church once it moves out of the synagogue (Acts 17:7). He may be the Jason of Romans 16:21, but “Jason” is a common Greek translation of the Hebrew “Joshua,” so they may be different people. This is the first time persecution strikes a local who has come to faith in Christ while Paul and his team remain unscathed.

Verse 6 .And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 

A team composed of Paul, Silas, and Timothy are in Thessalonica in Macedonia. As in most cities, they start by going to the synagogue and showing how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. As in most cities, some of the Jews and many of the God-fearing Gentiles accept their explanation. And, as usual, some of the Jews see their words as a threat against their position and influence (Acts 17:1–5).

Paul is used to this and the persecution that follows. In Pisidian Antioch, he and Barnabas were run out of town (Acts 13:50–51). In Iconium, they were almost stoned (Acts 14:5–7). In Lystra, Paul was stoned (Acts 14:19). And in Philippi, Paul and Silas were beaten and wrongly imprisoned (Acts 16:16–24). But for the first time, Paul and his team are not around when the persecution starts; it’s possible that the church is hiding them (Acts 17:10). Instead, the Jews incite a mob and attack the new converts, including their host, Jason.

It’s unclear what the accusers mean by turning the world upside-down. This is only the second recorded time that Paul has been officially charged with a crime. The first was in Philippi when resentful men rightly charged that he and Silas were teaching the worship of a God—Jesus—that was not officially sanctioned by the Roman government (Acts 16:20–21). Philippi is a Roman outpost, and this is a serious charge in the Roman Empire. Thessalonica is a free city of Rome, and so the Jews use a more general charge: that they support a king other than Caesar (Acts 17:7). This is the same charge the Sanhedrin made against Jesus (John 19:12).

Verse 7. and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 

Jason is either the host of Paul and his team, or the host of the new church in Thessalonica, or both. Paul started his ministry in Thessalonica in the synagogue, as he usually did. Many of the Gentile God-fearers and some of the Jews accept Paul’s interpretation, which echoes Isaiah’s prophecy of the “Suffering Servant”—that the Messiah had to die and rise again. Some of the Jews, however, grow jealous of Paul’s following and seek for a way to remove him from the city (Acts 17:1–6).

In Paul’s travels, his adversaries generally fall into one of two groups: Jews from the synagogue who grow jealous of his quick-growing influence (Acts 13:45), and Gentiles who stand to lose money (Acts 16:19; 19:24–27). Neither influence nor business competition are illegal. Paul’s message, however, does break Roman law: he advocates for the worship of a foreign God—Jesus—not authorized by the government, and he promotes a King—Jesus—in opposition to Caesar. In stricter Roman cities, such as Philippi, Paul’s adversaries use the former charge (Acts 16:21). In free cities, which are less loyal to the Roman gods, they use the latter. This is the same charge the Sanhedrin used to get Pilate to crucify Jesus (John 19:12).

Caesar is occasionally considered the son of a god or a demigod; in Paul’s later letter to the church in Thessalonica, he refers to Jesus as the “Son from heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). In his second letter, Paul talks about waiting for Christ to take down the “man of lawlessness,” which could be seen as Caesar (2 Thessalonians 2:3–12). Considering others have used the concept of a “messiah” to stir up political trouble with people in Rome and Alexandria, Paul and Silas’ adversaries are crafty to use this charge. Besides touching a raw nerve in the Roman Empire, it happens to be true.

Verse 8. And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 

Jews from the local synagogue have accused travelers—Paul, Silas, and Timothy—of promoting a king other than Caesar and have incited “wicked men of the rabble” (Acts 17:5) to start a riot (Acts 17:4–7). The people and leadership of Thessalonica are alarmed by both issues.

The Roman Empire was governed by a complicated hierarchical system. Some areas were administered by the council while others fell directly under the authority of the Emperor: the “Caesar.” The position of “king” was a political appointment and not something a leader could assume. At the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, the Sanhedrin convinced Pilate to crucify Jesus officially because He claimed to be king (John 19:12). For extra incentive, they obliquely threatened a riot, knowing that if Pilate lost control of Jerusalem, he would likely lose his job (Mark 15:11–15). Not long after Jesus’ ascension, Caligula exiled Herod Antipas—the Herod of Jesus’ adulthood—in part for treason, but in part because he assumed the title of king.

With the Roman garrison not far away in Philippi, the people of Thessalonica don’t want any trouble. The charge is true that Paul is preaching that Jesus is King—it’s a vital component of His identity as Messiah (Daniel 7:13–14). They don’t know Jesus will not take His throne for thousands of years, long after the Roman Empire is gone. But they do know these riots will bring nothing but trouble.

It is easier to rid the city of Paul and Silas than the Jewish residents and the mob. No one can find Paul and Silas, so the authorities hold Jason, the evangelists’ host, responsible and let him out on bail. If the church causes any more issues, Jason will lose a lot of money (Acts 17:9). Paul and Silas head southwest to Berea, but the church at Thessalonica is well established.

Verse 9. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Paul is used to the general sequence of events he experiences in Thessalonica. He starts by teaching in a synagogue, showing the truths of the Messiah hidden in Jewish prophecy and how Jesus of Nazareth fits those prophecies (Acts 9:20; 13:16–41; 14:1; 17:1, 10; 18:4; 19:8). He watches as some of the Jews and many of the Gentile God-fearers believe Jesus’ story and accept salvation. When the Jews who refuse to believe get jealous and start to cause problems, Paul leaves the synagogue and finds another place for the new church to meet. Inevitably, those Jews will rile up the people of the city who have nothing to do with the synagogue. Paul will then either quietly escape (Acts 14:5–6) or suffer persecution, such as being stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19) or being beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:22–24).

This is the first recorded time that Paul escapes quietly (Acts 17:10) while his recent converts suffer persecution. The unbelieving Jews of the synagogue have taken “some wicked men of the rabble” (Acts 17:5) and pulled Jason, who is apparently hosting Paul and his team, out of his home. Fortunately, the mob takes Jason and some of the others of the church to the authorities (Acts 17:6–7). The new converts apparently escape serious physical attack.

The antagonistic Jews are not finished, however. Paul and Silas will make their way southwest to Berea. The people of the synagogue will react to their message in an admirable way: they will thoroughly compare Paul’s words with Jewish Scriptures to see if he’s right. But the Jews from Thessalonica, like those of Pisidian Antioch and Iconium (Acts 14:19), will follow and continue their quest to drive Paul out of Macedonia. Paul will flee to Athens and won’t meet up with Silas and Timothy again until he reaches Corinth (Acts 17:10–15).

“Security” is a bond that Jason would forfeit if Paul or the church caused any more trouble. It’s to the credit of the leadership of Thessalonica that they handled the disturbance with so little drama. Although Paul had to leave, no one seems to have been physically attacked. Still, Paul saw this situation as direct action of Satan as it set up a situation where Paul couldn’t return as quickly as he wanted (1 Thessalonians 2:18). In fact, he didn’t return until his third major missions trip (Acts 20:1).

Verse 10. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 

A consistent rhythm has developed in Paul’s evangelism. He enters a new town and finds the Jewish synagogue. After spending several weeks clarifying the prophecies about the Messiah and showing how Jesus of Nazareth fits those prophecies, many of the God-fearing Gentiles and some of the Jews believe him. Others of the Jews grow jealous of his following and first push him out of the synagogue and then the city.

So it is that Jews have threatened a riot in Thessalonica and the church members there have sent Paul and Silas to Berea (Acts 17:1–9). In the Berean synagogue, however, Paul finds something new: people who diligently study the Scriptures to determine for themselves if his message is true (Acts 17:11).

Jewish synagogues were developed during or after the Babylonian captivity when the temple was destroyed but the people knew they needed to follow the Mosaic law more carefully. Typically, the ruler of the synagogue would choose others to perform the parts of the service. One man would recite prayers, others would read from the Law and Prophets, another would interpret if the congregation wasn’t fluent in Hebrew, yet another would give a sermon. Often, the synagogue ruler would choose a traveling teacher to give the sermon; he would provide a fresh perspective the synagogue members could discuss.

The Bereans are still held as an example to the church to determine of a preacher teaches truth (1 John 4:1), but they are not mentioned again in the Bible—not even when Paul returns to Macedonia (Acts 20:1).

Context Summary
Acts 17:10–15 introduces a church which becomes an example for all of Christianity: the Bereans. The jealous Jews of Thessalonica have driven Paul and Silas out of town by threatening the church members. Not willing to face more persecution than necessary, the church send the two to Berea. When the evangelists explain how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, the Bereans respond with a form of cautious skepticism. They study those prophecies, checking Paul’s message for accuracy, and find he’s right. Unfortunately, the Jews from Thessalonica follow and cause such problems that the new Berean church sends Paul away to Athens.

Verse 11. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 

This presents one of many examples in Scripture which endorse informed, reasonable faith (1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 13:5). The group applauded here is using cautious skepticism. They hear a claim and make a sincere effort to see whether it is true. They look to Scripture, not blind faith, not hard cynicism, to look for the best response.

Paul and Silas, having escaped persecution in Thessalonica (Acts 17:10), are in the synagogue in Berea. Out of Paul’s three missionary voyages, Luke only records two of his sermons. One is to the Stoics and Epicureans in Athens (Acts 17:22–31). Considering Paul uses quotes from Greek philosophers to draw out their mutual belief in a creator, it’s reasonable to think this is a unique situation and a unique message.

Paul’s message in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch is probably more representative. He talks about how God led the Israelites out of captivity to the Promised Land. He introduces David and the Davidic Covenant wherein God promises David will have an heir on his throne forever. He explains how David’s prophecy that God’s Holy One will not see corruption can’t apply to David since his body is still in the tomb. It must apply to the heir of David who dies and rises again: Jesus (Acts 13:16–41). In short, Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the prophecies of the Jewish Messiah.

In most cities Paul visits, some Jews and many God-fearing Gentiles believe him while other Jews grow jealous and find some way to drive him out of town. The Bereans’ response to study for themselves is unique and admirable (1 John 4:1). Their study and acceptance allow Jesus’ story to reach further into the synagogue’s leadership, providing Paul and Silas more freedom to teach. Unfortunately, however, the more predictable Jews from their last stop—Thessalonica—follow them. It is not the Berean Jews who force Paul to flee, but the Thessalonians (Acts 17:12–14).

Verse 12. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 

Paul and Silas are in Berea, a city filled with exceptionally thoughtful people. Instead of responding to the message about Jesus with jealousy, they study the Scriptures to see if Paul’s message is true. Do the Jewish prophets say the Messiah would have to die and rise again? What happened at the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth? Is Jesus the Messiah? After daily study, a large number determine yes, Jesus is the Messiah and He offers salvation and forgiveness of sins (Acts 17:10–11).

In the history of the early church—as in the experience of the modern church—women were very important. Women in Macedonia enjoyed an unusual degree of freedom. The church in Philippi thrived in part because of Lydia—the first convert to Christianity in Europe (Acts 16:13–15). The “women of high standing” in Pisidian Antioch fell victim to the jealous Jews and worked to expel Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:50). But the women in Berea follow the more thoughtful Jews into following Christ.

We only have two of Paul’s sermons: one before the Stoics and Epicureans in Athens (Acts 17:22–31) and one in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:16–41). Since the message in Athens is an outlier, we can assume that the message in Antioch is typical of Paul’s speeches in the synagogues. His message doesn’t change. In each synagogue are Jews as well as Gentiles who follow the Jewish God. His audience demographics don’t change. Who will accept Paul’s message and who won’t is dependent on if a person will value Jesus’ offer of salvation over personal ease and influence. Many are willing to make this sacrifice. Those who aren’t generally fall under two categories: Jews who are jealous because Paul is taking away their position in society (Matthew 27:18; Acts 13:45; 17:5) and Gentiles who have money to lose (Acts 16:19; 19:23–27).

Verse 13. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 

Paul and his team traveled about 66 miles, or 106 kilometers, from Philippi to Thessalonica. They then journeyed about 45 miles, or 72 kilometers, from Thessalonica to Berea. All these locations are in Macedonia, and all in the Roman Empire. Philippi is a Roman outpost where the people speak Latin and follow the Roman laws more carefully. Thessalonica is a Greek free city, the largest city in Macedonia and its capital. Philippi does not seem to have enough Jews for a synagogue; Thessalonica and Berea do.

There isn’t a lot here to explain the differences each city has to Paul’s message about Jesus’ offer of salvation. In Philippi, a Gentile businesswoman named Lydia who gathers with other women at the river to pray to the Jewish God welcomes Jesus’ salvation eagerly. She hosts Paul and his team until they’re forced to leave because of persecution by other Gentiles (Acts 16:11–40). In Berea, the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue take the time and effort to study the Scriptures to see if Paul’s words are true. Their diligence validates Paul’s message and allows it to spread throughout the city (Acts 17:11–12).

The Thessalonians, in between Philippi and Berea, respond in a completely different way. Some of the Jews and Gentiles in the synagogue do believe Paul and follow when he apparently moves the church out of the synagogue to the house of Jason (Acts 17:4). But they don’t financially support Paul and his team—the church in Philippi does (Philippians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). And many of the Jews in Thessalonica reject their own Messiah because they value more their position in their own society (Acts 17:5). They not only attack the church and force Paul and Silas out of Thessalonica, but they also pursue Paul to Berea so he has to flee to Athens (Acts 17:10, 14–15).

In the early church, one of the most effective methods of persecution is stirring up crowds. It happens to Paul in Philippi (Acts 16:22), Thessalonica (Acts 17:5), Ephesus (Acts 19:28–29), and Jerusalem (Acts 21:30)—and it happened to Jesus (Mark 15:11). The Bereans are our example of people who study and seek out the truth instead of following the crowd.

Verse 14. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 

After encouraging the churches Paul had planted with Barnabas in modern-day Asia Minor, planting a church with Lydia, a Gentile woman, in Philippi, and having a more typical mixed reaction in Thessalonica, Paul, Silas, and Timothy have likely found Berea to be refreshing. The Jews of the synagogue don’t split between those who believe Jesus is the Messiah and those who fear losing their social status. The entire synagogue studies the Old Testament prophets. They peacefully respond based on their convictions (Acts 17:10–12).

Unfortunately, Berea is only 45 miles, or 72 kilometers, from Thessalonica, where Jews reacted more violently to the team’s ministry. When Paul preached in Thessalonica several from the synagogue believed him, but some Jews grew jealous of his following. When they couldn’t find Paul and his team, they attacked Jason, their host (Acts 17:1–9). Now, these same Jews have followed the team to Berea (Acts 17:13). For the team to stay is dangerous. Leaders of Roman cities were expected to keep the peace; to allow chaos would threaten their jobs. The worship of Jesus wasn’t strictly legal; as God, He was not authorized by the Roman Empire and as King He threatened the Emperor. If the church in Berea gets enough negative attention, the city government could turn against them.

We’re not told why Silas and Timothy stay behind. When Paul arrives in Athens, he sends word for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible (Acts 17:15). Before they can get to Athens, he apparently sends Timothy to Thessalonica because he is worried about the church there (1 Thessalonians 3:1–2, 6), and he sends Silas somewhere else. They don’t join Paul until he’s been in Corinth for a while (Acts 18:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:6).

Verse 15. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

Paul is used to being run out of town (Acts 13:50–51; 14:5–6, 19–20; 16:35; 17:10). What’s new for him is having a large enough team to delegate responsibilities when that happens. He already left Luke in Philippi, as evidenced by the change in pronouns from “we” to “they” (Acts 17:1). Now, escaping the Thessalonians by running to Athens, Paul leaves Timothy and Silas behind in Berea.

In Athens, Paul will bring a “new teaching” (Acts 17:19) to the Stoics and Epicureans. The philosophers will invite him to speak at the Areopagus to fulfill their desire for novel ideas (Acts 17:21).

Paul will tailor his message to his audience, using poetry to introduce the Jewish God as the Creator of all. The Athenians follow along until Paul mentions God raised His appointed One from the dead; the philosophers don’t believe anything survives after death, so resurrection sounds rather primitive (Acts 17:22–32).

Meanwhile, Paul changes his mind about Timothy and Silas joining him. He sends Timothy back to check on the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:1–2, 6) and apparently Silas either stays in Berea or goes somewhere else in Macedonia. They don’t catch up with Paul again until he has been in Corinth for some time (Acts 18:5).

The traditional understanding of this verse is that Paul took a ship down the eastern coast of Macedonia and Greece. Another reading of the text suggests the church in Berea pretended to take Paul to the harbor but once the Thessalonians were tricked, walked him to Athens.

Verse 16. Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 

For the first time in a long while, Paul is alone. He left Luke in Philippi and Silas and Timothy in Berea. He doesn’t need an entourage to teach, however. He starts in the synagogue, branches out into the marketplace, and receives a cordial invitation to share in the Areopagus. First, he tours the city.

He is used to idols, monuments, and temples. Non-Jewish cities were filled with them. Most homes had a family idol that sat on a shelf, waiting a daily offering of grain in return for guarding the household. Each city had an array of civil gods that promised to bring fortune and safety if worshiped properly. And there were the national gods, not least the emperor, that had to be placated to ward off famine, plague, and infertility.

Still, Paul finds Athens’ array of gods overwhelming. As a Roman citizen, he understands, but as a Jew, he’s horrified. It was because of idolatry that God condemned the Jews to seventy years of exile in Babylon. Since then, Jews have made a slightly better attempt to follow God and the Mosaic law. Persia destroyed Babylon, and Greece destroyed Persia, but Greece never learned that God dictates their victories and downfall. Though controlled by Rome, Athens is still respected as the cradle of classical civilization. Rome allows it to be a free and allied city within the Empire, but it’s 500 years past its prime. Rome has over a million residents, Paul’s home base of Syrian Antioch has around 400,000, and Jerusalem 80,000, but Athens has only 30,000. Even the altar “To the unknown god” (Acts 17:23) could not save the great city.

When he arrived in Athens, Paul asked his escort to tell Timothy and Silas to come to him as quickly as possible. He will change his mind, sending Timothy to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:1–6) while Silas either stays in Berea or goes on another errand. They won’t join Paul until he is settled in Corinth (Acts 18:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:6). Until then, Paul has work to do. “Provoked” is from the Greek root word paroxuna from when we get the word paroxysm. It can mean to become angry or exasperated, but it can also mean to stimulate to action. The rampant idolatry in Athens convicts and moves Paul to share the story of the one God who can save.

Context Summary
Acts 17:16–21 records Paul’s interactions with the Greek philosophers in Athens. First, he teaches in the synagogue that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. He takes a similar message to the Agora where the Stoics and Epicureans hear and invite him to the Areopagus. Paul uses their own poets to speak of their mutual Creator God. When Paul mentions the resurrection of the dead, however, they lose interest. They have no problem worshipping so many deities that it requires a monument to ”the unknown god,” but the idea any god could raise the dead is unthinkable.

Verse 17. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 

Paul is alone in Athens. Silas and Timothy are in Berea (Acts 17:14) and they left Luke in Philippi (Acts 17:1). Every non-Jewish city Paul has traveled to in his missionary journeys has had idols and temples, but Athens is overwhelming. Where most cities in the Roman Empire have a selection of civil gods to watch over the city, Athens seems to have collected them all—plus one, just in case (Acts 17:23). The more Paul sees, the more he feels driven to share about the true God—the only one who can save (Acts 17:16).

Fortunately, Athens is not completely foreign: there is a synagogue. Paul always starts in the synagogue (Acts 9:20; 13:13–41; 14:1; 17:1, 10; 18:4; 19:8), when there is one to be found (Acts 16:13), because the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles there have a baseline of understanding. Paul starts with the Psalms of David and the covenant God made that David would have an heir that will sit on the throne forever. He goes on to show how prophecy predicts that this heir—the Messiah—will die and rise again (Acts 13:16–41). Paul then shows how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills this prophecy: Jesus is the Messiah.

Undoubtedly, Paul also preaches in public during his different stops, but the “marketplace” of Athens is notable. It is the Agora and not only holds various merchant stalls, but also space for people to gather in assembly. It is used by noblemen to conduct business, elected officials to decide government affairs, philosophers to debate, and citizens to trade and watch entertainers. It’s unclear if the people of Athens consider Paul to be a philosopher or an entertainer, but he does come to the attention of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Intrigued by his teaching, and with no fear of a new God unauthorized by the Roman government, they invite him to speak at the Areopagus.

Verse 18. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 

Like the slaveowners in Philippi (Acts 16:21), the philosophers in Athens notice that Paul is promoting worship of a deity that is not authorized by the Roman Empire. In De Legibus, ii. 8, Cicero says, “…let no one have private gods—neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshipped privately…” Unlike the slaveowners, they don’t have any reason to use this against Paul: they find it interesting.

The philosophers use the plural “divinities” because they think Paul is teaching a God of healing named “Jesus” and another god named “Resurrection.” If they’d realized their error from the beginning, they wouldn’t have paid Paul any mind. Epicureans believed in materialism and annihilationism: that there is no true supernatural and when a person dies there is no soul or spirit to resurrect. Stoics believed everything is material, including the soul, which is made of fire, and at death the soul returns to logos, the foundational law of the cosmos. Neither believed in a final judgment of wrong behavior.

Epicureans are wrongly accused of teaching hedonism. They did not teach that since humans cease to exist at death they should indulge in any pleasurable behavior while living. Rather, they sought to reach a state of ultimate peace and enjoy life without worrying too much. Gods are far away and unconcerned with us, they said, so don’t worry about them—they don’t even remember humans exist, and there is no judgment after death. A fulfilled life, in the mind of Epicureans, includes just enough food, just enough comforts, peaceful friendships, and balance in all things.

Stoics were also materialists but believed in the logos—the natural law of the cosmos. They thought that if one could align their expectations with the logos, one could find fulfillment and avoid the disappointment that comes with striving against reality. Where Epicureans debated, Stoics meditated.

“Babbler” is from the Greek root word spermologos. Literally, it refers to a bird that picks up random seeds from the ground. Metaphorically, it refers to someone who wanders about the marketplace, picking up bits and pieces of different philosophies and mashing them together in an incohesive mess. Paul knows Greek philosophy, and it’s possible that the philosophers know something of Judaism. This talk of resurrection and healing and sin, however, is too new; the classical philosophers don’t see a cohesive framework yet.

Verse 19. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 

Silas and Timothy are over 140 miles away from Paul, either in Berea or Thessalonica. This puts him in a precarious position. Paul has been breaking Roman law by promoting the worship of Jesus—a deity not authorized by the Roman Empire—in the Agora of Athens. Now, Greek philosophers “take” Paul to the Areopagus to explain what he is teaching.

“Took” is from the Greek root word epilambanomai. It means to take possession of or to seize in a violent way. The Areopagus is a hilltop where philosophers debate, but it’s also where city officials hold trials for murder and crimes against public order. Legend says the first trial was against Ares for the murder of Poseidon’s son—”Areopagus” is Greek for Ares’s Hill; the Roman is Mars’s Hill (more commonly, Mars Hill). Another trial, described 500 years before in Xenophon’s Memorabilia, was against Socrates for a similar crime as Paul: introducing foreign gods.

Fortunately, the philosophers have no ulterior motive. They think Paul’s a “babbler”—someone who takes bits and pieces of different philosophies and combines them in a way that doesn’t make sense (Acts 17:18). Specifically, they seem to think he has been teaching about two strange gods named “Healer” and “Resurrection.”

Once Paul is allowed to speak, he provides an eloquent argument for the existence of Creator God. He even weaves in the words of classical poets. He moves on to explain this God is calling His creation to repent of their sins or else be judged. God identified the judge by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:20–31).

Ironically, it’s the most important part of Paul’s message that saves him from the law—not because people think it’s true but because they think it’s ridiculous. Epicureans and Stoics do not believe in the supernatural. They believe people cease to exist at death because they have no soul or spirit that could return. Consequently, there is no judgment. A handful do continue to listen and accept Jesus’ offer of salvation; the rest are convinced Paul is just a harmless babbler (Acts 17:32–34).

Verse 20. For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 

Paul is in Athens, alone. Jealous Jews from the synagogue in Thessalonica ran him out of Berea, even though the Berean Jews were willing to investigate his teaching about Jesus’ fulfillment of the prophecies of the Messiah (Acts 17:10–15). Luke stayed in Philippi (Acts 17:1). Timothy is in Berea—or possibly Thessalonica (Acts 17:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:1–2). It’s unclear where Silas is (Acts 17:14; 18:5).

Not being one to sit still, however, Paul has already shared about Jesus in the synagogue in Athens as well as the Agora. It was in the Agora that the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers found him and aggressively invited him to the Areopagus to share his beliefs. They think he’s a babbler: someone who picks up bits and pieces of philosophy from the Agora and puts them together like a bird picks up seeds. Even though they don’t expect much, they love to hear new, surprising worldviews (Acts 17:16–19, 21).

Paul’s position is precarious. One the one hand, it is against Roman law to promote the worship of a foreign god. On the other hand, because of its cultural significance, Rome granted Athens the status of a free city. But on the third hand, the law against foreign deities is older than the Roman Empire. In 399 BC, Socrates had been tried and convicted on this same hill. Xenophon, in Memorabilia, described the charges: he “does evil, for he does not acknowledge the gods whom the state acknowledges, while introducing other, novel divine beings.”

In the first century BC, the Roman statesman Cicero had outlined the Roman Empire’s assertion of the law in De Legibus, ii. 8: “…let no one have private gods—neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshipped privately…”

Fortunately, even though the philosophers have brought Paul to the court where the most serious crimes are tried—including, legend says, the trial of murder against Ares—they seem more curious than confrontational (Acts 17:21). They think Paul’s wrong, but they don’t persecute him.

Verse 21. Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

“Areopagus” is the name of a rock outcropping in Athens and the court that mets there. The court tried serious crimes such as murder and burning down olive trees. The rock is also known as “Mars Hill” because allegedly the first trial held was against Ares for the murder of Poseidon’s son. “Areopagus” means “Ares’s hill” and Mars is the Roman name for the Greek deity Ares.

The court also tried those charged with serious religious crimes. In 399 BC, Socrates was convicted of teaching his students to disrespect the Athenian gods and worship foreign gods. He was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock. About 350 years later, the Roman statesman Cicero, in De Legibus, ii. 8, wrote that worshiping unapproved gods was not permitted even in private.

Paul has no defense; he is clearly breaking the Roman law. He has already been beaten and imprisoned in Philippi for teaching the worship of Jesus (Acts 16:16–24). When he arrived in Athens, he started in the Jewish synagogue, but he also preached in the city marketplace—the Agora. It was in the Agora that the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers found him and demanded he come to the Areopagus to share his beliefs more formally (Acts 17:16–20).

Paul does not share Socrates’ fate for several possible reasons. Socrates was teaching young students about the gods of the Spartans—the Athenians’ enemy. Socrates was well known while Paul is a nobody in Greece. Athens had been the capital of the Greek Empire, but that was 200 years prior; now Athens is a free city within the Roman Empire. The Athenian philosophers are curious, but not threatened.

Perhaps most influential of all, the philosophers quickly dismiss Paul as a complete fool (Acts 17:32). Paul teaches that the Creator God raised His representative, Jesus, from the dead. Both Epicureans and Stoics are materialists, believing there is nothing but matter, and therefore no spirit. Epicureans are annihilationists, thinking people cease to exist at death. Stoics believe the soul returns to the unifying law of the cosmos. Either way, both resurrection and final judgment are impossible in their worldviews. But Paul is also very clever. There is an altar inscribed “To an unknown god.” Paul merely compares this “god” to the Creator God he worships (Acts 17:23–24).

Some of Paul’s audience do believe him (Acts 17:34). Those who don’t seem to leave him alone. This is unusual compared to Paul’s prior experiences.

Verse 22. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 

Athens is the site of a court called the Areopagus on the top of a rock outcropping. Paul has been aggressively invited to share his religious views there, by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who heard him preaching in the Agora. We only have recordings of two of Paul’s sermons. In Acts 13, he is in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, surrounded by Jews and God-fearing Gentiles who are dedicated to studying the Jewish Scriptures—our Old Testament—including the prophecies. He moves quickly through Jewish history to David and God’s covenant that the Messiah would come through David’s line. He then reminds them that John the Baptist identified the Messiah as Jesus of Nazareth. The crux of his message is that the prophets—including David—said that the Messiah would die and be raised again, as Jesus was (Acts 13:16–41).

The Athenian philosophers likely know little about Jewish prophecy and have no interest in this Messiah, so Paul uses what they do know. When he arrived, he noticed the city was filled with idols (Acts 17:16)—so many they had an altar to an unknown god, just in case they missed somebody (Acts 17:23). Paul quickly dismisses the pantheon and shows how the classical poets recognize a single Creator God. Paul branches from this point of contact to say the Creator God has a representative who will judge the dead and who Himself died and rose again (Acts 17:21–31).

“Very religious” is from the Greek root word deisidaimōn which can mean pious or superstitious. He is literally talking about all the idols, but Paul is not above being a little sarcastic. His words might be a slight since Stoics were very logical and Epicureans were likely actually atheists. It was also against form to flatter one’s audience at the Areopagus to win approval of an argument.

Some scholars say Paul’s decision to try to reach the people through their own culture instead of presenting a clear gospel message is why only a handful of people believe (Acts 17:34). They say Paul realizes his mistake and when he reaches Corinth preaches only “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2) as a result. Others say he is being missional by directly addressing the evil in the culture—idolatry—and that without his culture-spanning approach, even fewer would have responded.

Context Summary
Acts 17:22–34 contains the second of two sermons which Luke records from Paul. The more typical sermon explains to synagogues how Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 13:16–41). Here, however, Paul is speaking to a group of Athenian philosophers. Paul uses lines from classical poets to introduce the Creator God who cannot be represented by an idol. He calls his audience to repent of their idolatry lest they face judgment by the representative God has resurrected. But they don’t believe in the resurrection of the dead or final judgment. The majority dismiss Paul as a fool and go on their way.

Verse 23. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 

Paul is speaking to Stoic and Epicurean philosophers in the Areopagus. “Areopagus” means “Ares’s hill”; it is the court where myths claimed the war god Ares was tried for killing the son of Poseidon. It’s also the hill where Socrates was tried and convicted to death for promoting the worship of foreign gods. The Roman statesman Cicero insisted that even the private worship of a god not endorsed by the Roman Empire is illegal.

It is bad form to use flattery to convince one’s audience instead of logic. So, brazenly using their own debate style against them, Paul insults these critics, instead. When he arrived in Athens, he noticed the entire city was filled with idols (Acts 17:16). From the Areopagus, the people can see the temple of Hephaestus as well as the Parthenon: the temple of Athena. Paul starts by calling the philosophers “very religious,” meaning, superstitious. The Stoics consider themselves to be the epitome of cold logic, and the Epicureans don’t believe in the spirit world. They like to think adding an “unknown god” to their pantheon is judicious, not superstitious.

Paul has a purpose in using a blunt approach, however. He’s not being brusque just to make others angry; by tying in the Jewish Creator God to the “unknown god,” he asserts that he is not teaching a foreign deity. He goes on to identify his God as the Creator who is Lord of heaven and earth. As with all good debaters, he starts from a common point and leads his audience to his conclusion. The philosophers dismiss him when he says this God raised someone from the dead, but they have no reason to charge him with teaching the worship of a foreign god.

The origin of the altar to the unknown god is debated. Diogenes Laërtius wrote of a pestilence that threatened Athens. The people sacrificed to every god they could think of to no avail. When consulted, Epimenides said to let loose a flock of sheep around the Areopagus. Where they lie down, the people were to make an altar to the god they missed—the unknown god. An alternate explanation is that if a monument to a god was so worn it was no longer clear who the monument was for, it was inscribed “to an unknown god.”

Verse 24. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 

Paul is in the Areopagus in Athens, sharing the story of Jesus with Greek philosophers. He starts by pointing out an altar to “an unknown god” and compares this god to the God of the Jews. He can’t start with an assumption of God and dive headfirst into history, as he does in synagogues, because the Athenians have a very different view of what “god” means—even the Epicureans and Stoics disagree. As in Lystra, Paul starts with God the Creator (Acts 14:15–17). Paul asserts that God can be known—to a degree—by His creation (Romans 1:19–23), but idolatry and sin cloud our view.

From the Areopagus, Paul can see the temple of Hephaestus, the Theatre of Dionysus, the Parthenon—the temple of Athena—the Sanctuary of Zeus, and many other monuments and altars to the gods. “Areopagus” itself means the “hill of Ares.” Despite all these monuments and temples, Paul’s assertion is familiar to his audience of Greek philosophers. Euripides, in fragment 968, said, “What house built by craftsmen could enclose the form divine within enfolding walls?”

This agrees with Jewish Scripture. When Solomon dedicated his great temple, he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). Jesus affirmed this when He told the woman at the well that a time was coming when people would worship God in spirit and truth, not in the temple (John 4:23–24).

Verse 25. nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 

Paul is in the Areopagus in Athens, expertly weaving together the local use of an altar to an unknown god to the true Creator God of the universe who, by the admission of Greek poets, made us and thus cannot be represented by idols. He starts by noting that a deity cannot be contained in a human-built structure (Acts 17:24), as Euripides admitted. He goes on to say the Creator God needs nothing from us because He created us, which philosophers Socrates, Seneca, and Lucian agreed with. Indeed, God sets the times and places for nations so that we might seek Him (Acts 17:26–27). The fact that He gives us our breath proves He is findable: He is near us (Acts 17:28).

If God cannot be contained in a temple made with human hands, and if He gives humans life and movement—if we are His offspring—He cannot be represented by idols made of gold, silver, and stone. To attempt to do so and then to worship those idols is not only futile, but also sin. God overlooks such idolatry done in ignorance, but now that they know the truth, they need to repent or face judgment (Acts 17:26–31).

Throughout history, mankind has developed systems of false gods that need something from us. Creation myths claim the gods made humans as slaves to work the earth. Fertility gods seemingly must be reminded every year how to bring life to crops and livestock. Even household idols get a daily offering of grain. The God of the Bible is not so needy. Yes, He is mighty and worthy to be praised. But He is also the gracious Father who provides gifts for His children (Matthew 7:11). We serve Him out of love and thankfulness, not because He needs anything from us.

Verse 26. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 

Paul knows that when sharing the gospel, it’s helpful to start from a common point of view. In Athens, surrounded by temples, monuments, altars, and idols, Paul finds an altar dedicated to “the unknown god.” He uses this “god” as an illustration of the God who created the world and everything and everyone in it. This God is so great, He cannot be contained by human-made structures like temples. He is our Creator, and we can do nothing for Him. He even orchestrated our lifetimes and places—individually and as people-groups—with the purpose of inviting us to look for Him (Acts 17:22–25).

Even the Greek poets believe He created us and gives us life—how could His creation think He could be represented by an idol? To think so is ignorance that God fortunately overlooked. Now, however, is time to face the truth. It is wrong that we try to confine God in buildings and idols, and He will judge us for it. In fact, He has already identified His judge by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:29–31).

Paul’s strategy is good, but he must know it will largely fail. The message of the gospel includes aspects which run absolutely contrary to the worldviews of his audience: Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. Epicureans were materialistic, in that they didn’t believe in the supernatural such as souls. If there is no soul, there cannot be resurrection from the dead. And if there is no resurrection, there is no purpose for judgment. Stoics believed souls enter the logos and become one with the law of the cosmos. A handful in Paul’s audience believe his message, some express interest in hearing more, but it seems that the majority are more convinced more than ever that Paul is a “babbler” (Acts 17:18, 32–34).

Although the purpose of Paul’s comment is not to argue the validity of God’s creation of Adam and Eve as described in Genesis 1—2, there’s no reason to think Paul doesn’t affirm a literal reading of the creation story. Athenians believed the first Athenians had popped up out of the soil like Athena from Zeus’s head. They believed they were the first to come to Greece, so they had no collective memory of the journey, but that they remember everyone else coming. “Periods” is from the Greek root word kairos. It means a set amount of time during which a defined qualification is fulfilled. Not only does God authorize who will rule (Romans 13:1–7) and what the boundaries of a nation will be (Deuteronomy 32:8), He also determines how long a nation should last. He arranges the time and place for every nation “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:27).

Verse 27. that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers are hearing from Paul in Athens. He is connecting their altar to “the unknown god” and the words of their poets to the true Creator God who will judge mankind. He has already compared the unknown god to the Creator of the world who is too magnificent to be confined in human-built temples and too powerful to need anything from humans. In fact, this God determines where and when individual people as well as empires will exist (Acts 17:22–26).

Paul now brings this mighty God closer to His creation. God’s plan in establishing nations is to encourage people to seek Him. As he will say in his letter to the Romans:

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19–20).

Paul will go on to show that God can’t be far away because even the Greek poets have said that God gives people life. Further, the poets say that we are His offspring. But if we are, it is foolish to think God could be represented by an immobile statue designed by human imagination and made by human hands (Acts 17:28–29). To worship such an idol is ignorant foolishness; once people realize this, they must repent (Acts 17:30; Romans 1:22–23). Such affront against God will not go unjudged (Acts 17:31).

The Epicureans, in particular, find this hard to take. Like most Greeks, they believed the gods were far off, for the most part uninterested in human affairs. Faithful sacrifices may keep them occupied and even occasionally entice them to give blessings, but the gods don’t go out of their way to seek relationships with humans. Furthermore, Epicureans did not believe in the soul, judgment after death, or the resurrection of the dead. They lived for sufficient food, comfort, and friends to live a peaceful, balanced life. In fact, these philosophers were probably closet atheists who didn’t take the gods seriously, anyway. Some mock Paul as he walks away, some want to hear more, and a handful accept Jesus’ offer of forgiveness (Acts 17:32–34).

Verse 28. for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Paul is in the Areopagus. There, he explains to Stoic and Epicurean philosophers that the Creator God of the universe is near enough to us to want a relationship, but magnificent enough that His likeness cannot be confined to a handmade idol. He has explained that God not only gives life and breath to everything, but He also established the times and places for people and nations to exist for the purpose of inviting them to seek Him (Acts 17:22–27, 29).

His first quote is by either Epimenides of Crete or an unknown Athenian poet. It is from the verse:

They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one— The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!— But thou art not dead; thou livest and abidest for ever, For in thee we live and move and have our being.

It shows that the Creator must be “near” because He is our source of life and animation. The fact that He gives us life means He is greater and yet like us.

Paul’s second quote is from the opening call to Zeus in the poem Phaenomena from the Cilician Stoic Aratus:

Let us begin with Zeus. Never, O men, let us leave him unmentioned. All the ways are full of Zeus, and all the market-places of human beings. The sea is full of him; so are the harbors. In every way we have all to do with Zeus, for we are truly his offspring.

The Stoics in Paul’s audience so believe that all mankind are Zeus’s offspring, they insist slaves are equal to citizens and freedmen.

If God is the source of our movement and being, and if we are His offspring, it’s illogical to make images of Him by human hands (Acts 17:29). Paul shows that idols don’t make sense even within the Athenian belief system.

Instead, Paul calls the Athenians to repent. They have disrespected God and need to acknowledge their sin of idolatry. Just as God set times for individuals and nations, He set a time for future judgment. He affirmed this by selecting the judge and identifying Him by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).

This is a step too far for most of the philosophers. Epicureans and Stoics didn’t believe in judgment or the resurrection of the dead. They mock Paul while he walks away (Acts 17:32–33).

Verse 29. Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 

Athens is a city filled with idols (Acts 17:16). There, Paul is showing Epicurean and Stoic philosophers how idolatry is an affront to their Creator God. He quotes two ancient poets to show that through God “we live and move and have our being” and that “we are indeed his offspring” (Acts 17:28). This second quote refers to Zeus, not the God of the Bible. “God,” here in the phrase for “Divine Nature”, is from the Greek root word theios, which means just a general deity which Paul has identified as the world’s creator.

Stoics believed humans are the offspring of God; if that is so, Paul points out, how could we move while the idol stands still? The argument sounds like that of Elijah who mocked the prophets of Baal for worshiping a god who did not answer by asking if he was in the bathroom (1 Kings 18:26–27). After Elijah, Isaiah spoke of the folly of comparing the Creator of the universe to a metal object made with human hands (Isaiah 40:18–20).

If our own likeness and being cannot be contained in a statue, neither can God’s. If God’s image cannot be represented by an idol, it is sin to worship an idol. God overlooked such foolishness in the past, but now that Paul leads the philosophers to understand this, they must stop, realize what they’re doing is wrong, and discover what is proper: they must repent. God has already chosen a day in which He will judge the world and He has identified His chosen judge by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).

Paul’s ability to take an altar to an unknown God and wind it around to Jesus’ resurrection is impressive. Unfortunately, neither Epicureans nor Stoics believed in the resurrection of the dead, so they did not believe in judgment. Stoics thought the chief aim of man is to live in harmony with the logos—the law that governs the universe—to which they will return. Epicureans thought life is about finding just enough food, pleasure, and comfort to not be in want but not be in excess. For them, fulfillment comes in the moment, and when they die, they will cease to exist. Most of the philosophers mock Paul, but a few ask to know more, and a few join him and believe (Acts 17:32–34). Athens is not known as a significant church in the rest of the New Testament.

Verse 30. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 

Epicurean and Stoic philosophers have gathered at the Areopagus. This is a court where serious issues are discussed in Athens. The Greek philosophers pride themselves in discovering the truth about life. The Epicureans endeavor to find the balance between need and excess in all things. Stoics try to live according to the logos, the overarching law that governs creation; one of their four cardinal virtues is wisdom. Here, they have dragged the apostle Paul to hear him defend his preaching about Jesus.

Paul began his argument by comparing the altar “to the unknown god” with the God who created the world and the people in it. He points out that if this God is mighty enough to give humans life and movement, He can’t possibly be reduced to an idol (Acts 17:22–29). To worship an idol as if it is the Creator is a sin of ignorance. Now that they understand it is wrong, the people need to repent or face judgment (Acts 17:31).

The idea that God overlooked times of ignorance is echoed in Romans 3:25. From the time of Moses to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, relationship to God was almost exclusively defined through the Mosaic law. Many confused those laws and rituals with the means of salvation, itself. With Christ, the times of ignorance—lack of understanding about God, His expectations, and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus—have ended. Now that the Athenians know the truth, they are responsible for it. They have done the best they can by trying to live according to what they know of the world (Romans 2:14–16). It’s time for that knowledge to be redeemed and for them to see the truth. They can show that they understand this by repenting: rejecting their previous worldview and accepting God’s.

The problem is, neither group believes in the resurrection of the dead and so they don’t believe in a final judgment. Despite claiming to search for and live according to the truth of the cosmos, they deny God exists and some mock Paul as he walks away (Acts 17:32–33). Others request to hear more, while others do believe (Acts 17:32, 34).

Verse 31. because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Paul is finishing his monologue to Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus in Athens. The gist of his argument is that the Creator God is too big and majestic to be limited to temples or represented by human-carved statues. Their idol worship is wrong. Although God has overlooked their ignorance, He will judge them now that they know the truth. They need to repent of the past behavior—turn away from it and turn toward behavior and worship that shows they understand the truth (Acts 17:24–30).

This is the most overtly Christian part of Paul’s speech. Just as God determined the dates and places of nations (Acts 17:26), He determined when judgment would occur. He will judge based on what is right and wrong; not on how people think they should live their lives, but on how He intended us to live our lives. God the Father has commissioned God the Son to be the judge (John 5:22–23). He will divide those who are saved from those who aren’t (Matthew 25:31–46), He will reward the works of those who are saved (1 Corinthians 4:5), and He will determine the punishment of the unsaved (Revelation 20:11–15). Jesus has the authority to judge because He is righteous, as validated by the Father raising Him from the dead.

Unfortunately, neither the Epicureans nor the Stoics believe in the resurrection of the dead or judgment after death. Stoics were somewhat pantheistic. They tried to live according to the logos—the universal law that reflects the truth of the universe—and death, to them, meant you join that logos.

The Epicureans, on the other hand, believed people cease to exist after death. In Epicurus’s letter to Menoeceus, he explains it is no good to fear death because death means the end of all feeling. “Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is come, we are not. It is nothing, then, either to the living or to the dead, for with the living it is not and the dead exist no longer.”

When the philosophers first heard Paul, they called him a “babbler” (Acts 17:18). They thought he had picked up bits and pieces of philosophy like a bird picks up pieces of grain. For most, Paul’s argument does not disavow them of that judgment. Some, however, understand and ask him to say more (Acts 17:32). A few even believe (Acts 17:34).

Verse 32. Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 

Paul has successfully showed how the God who created the universe and gave humans their life and breath cannot be confined to or even represented by an idol made with human hands. He has tied together an altar to an unknown god, Athenian and Cretan poets, and logic to present the idea that if there is a standard, those who are called to follow that standard will be judged. If the Creator God cannot be represented by an idol made of metal or stone or wood, and someone makes and worships such a statue, God will judge them (Acts 17:22–30).

In fact, He already has a judgment plan in place. He has chosen the day when His representative will judge in righteousness, and He has identified this representative by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31). It is because Jesus is righteous and lived a righteous life on earth that He can judge the world.

Unfortunately, Paul’s audience has hit a roadblock. The Epicureans believe in annihilationism—that at death people simply cease to exist. The Stoics believe souls are made of fire and return to the natural law of the cosmos upon death. Neither believe in the resurrection of the dead, and if people aren’t resurrected, there can be no resurrected judge and no resurrected people to judge.

Paul has kept their attention so far because the philosophers probably thought he was introducing two new gods: Jesus, or “Healer,” and Anastasis, or “Resurrection.” Once they realize Paul means the literal resurrection of the dead, they lose interest.

It isn’t clear if the second group is genuinely interested, if they are being polite, or if they really do want to hear more. As is his habit when he has worn out his welcome in synagogues, Paul leaves the Areopagus and finds someplace else to teach. Ultimately, several people do believe. While the Epicureans and Stoics continue to seek peace by finding balance and submitting to the laws of the universe, Dionysius, Damaris, and others find peace in Christ (Acts 17:33–34).

Verse 33. So Paul went out from their midst. 

Throughout his ministry, Paul has frequently been forced to leave a city where he isn’t welcome (Acts 9:23–25; 13:50; 14:5–7, 19; 16:39–40; 17:10, 14), often under hard circumstances. In this case Paul is fortunate to be able to leave on his own.

He was in the Agora, the marketplace in Athens, when Epicurean and Stoic philosophers found him. They called him a “babbler”—someone who picks up parts of different philosophies like a bird picks up different seeds (Acts 17:18). He seemed to them to be talking about two foreign gods: healer and resurrection.

The philosophers aggressively invited him to tell them more at the Areopagus (Acts 17:19). The Areopagus was the court where serious crimes were tried. In fact, 400 years before, Socrates had been tried and convicted of teaching young people to worship a foreign god. The prohibition against teaching foreign gods had been an ancient law in Greece and was now the law in Rome.

Fortunately, perhaps, Paul ends his argument with the statement that the Creator God has resurrected the representative who will judge the dead. The philosophers realize Paul is talking about a literal resurrection of the dead. Since neither school believe in the resurrection of the dead or a final judgment, their determination that Paul is a babbler is confirmed, and they let him go.

A few ask Paul to tell them more, and some believe, but Athens is not mentioned as a significant church in the New Testament. Today, however, there is a bronze plaque in the Areopagus with the text of Acts 17:22–32.

Verse 34. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Paul has given an educated, erudite argument on the nature of God and the judgment of sin at the Areopagus in Athens. He related the Creator God to an altar dedicated to “an unknown god,” showed how worshiping an idol made by human hands to represent the Creator is foolishness and called the Athenians to repent of their idolatry. God will judge them and has already identified His judge by raising Him from the dead. The majority of his audience determines he’s a fool, some even mock Paul. Neither Epicureans nor Stoics believed in the resurrection of the dead, so they didn’t believe in a final judgment. Paul leaves (Acts 17:22–33).

A few, however, want to know more. And some join Paul, believing his message. Dionysius is a judge at the Areopagus Court. Nothing more is known about him from the Bible, but Eusebius reports that he becomes the first Bishop of Athens. Damaris is a mystery.

Some suggest that the low conversion rate in Athens causes Paul to change his evangelism tactics. His next stop is Corinth and in his first letter to the Corinthian church, he writes, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Critics say that instead of using elaborate, academic arguments, Paul simplifies his message and lets the Holy Spirit work (1 Corinthians 2:4–5). Paul says, “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20).

But Paul is not comparing his methods in Athens to his methods in Corinth. He is explaining his methods in Corinth in light of the Corinthians’ attempts to complicate the gospel. Instead of following Jesus, the people broke into sects, following Paul, Apollos, or Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12).

There’s no indication that Paul regrets how he presented Christ to the Athenians, despite the low number of people who believe him. It’s entirely possible that even fewer people would have responded to other approaches. He spoke to them in a way he thought they would best be able to accept the message about Jesus’ offer of salvation. This is his strategy everywhere he ministers (1 Corinthians 9:19–23).

End of Chapter 17.

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