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MESSAGE SERIES: “CHURCH ON THE MOVE”
Acts 17:16–34

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Church on the Move, and we are in the middle of Paul’s second missionary journey as recorded in Acts 16–18. Paul and Silas began this journey by revisiting the churches they had established on the first missionary journey, and then we saw how God redirected them from Asia to Europe. So far in Europe we have seen Paul minister in the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Now we get to see Paul preaching in Athens. (Read Acts 17:16–17 and pray.)

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We last left Paul in Berea, where all was going well until some of the Jews from Thessalonica arrived and stirred up the crowds against him. The brothers immediately sent him away, while Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea for a while. They accompanied Paul all the way down to Athens, which was 300 miles south of Berea, near the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. [Put up map]

Athens at this time was the cultural capital of the world. This was the city of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, as well as the home of the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Agora. Named after Athena (the Greek goddess of wisdom), the city was religiously diverse and filled with numerous temples and shrines dedicated to various gods and goddesses. It was an intellectually rich environment filled with philosophical debate and the exchange of ideas. It was politically innovative, experimenting with early forms of democracy. It was cosmopolitan in nature, attracting people from all over the known world.

Paul was far from home and thrown into this new environment all by himself as he waited for the rest of his team to catch up with him. But he got straight to work preaching the gospel, and Paul’s preaching in Athens teaches us valuable lessons about sharing the gospel in unfamiliar settings.
[Take down map]

Proverbs 11:30 tells us, “He who wins souls is wise.” Preaching the gospel to different groups requires different approaches, and it takes wisdom to find the right approach at the right time. Paul adopted different strategies for sharing the gospel when talking with different groups (cf. 1 Cor. 9:19–23), and his approach with the people of Athens is a masterful example of how to gain a hearing for the gospel in an unfamiliar and perhaps even hostile setting.

I. A marketplace of ideas (16–21)

Unlike Jerusalem where the majority of the population was Jewish and thought along Jewish lines, Athens was thoroughly pagan and basically open to every religious expression in the known world. It was truly a marketplace of ideas where the gospel would be just one more idea raised among others. So this raised a new challenge for Paul. How do you present the gospel in a place dominated by pagan thought?

   A. Distressed by idols (16–17)

The first thing Paul noticed when he arrived in Athens were all the idols. This was distressing to him as a Jew, and even more so as a believer in Jesus. Look at verses 16–17:

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. (Acts 17:16–17)

Luke tells us the city was full of idols. The word in the original language carries the idea of the city being “submerged” or even “smothered” with idols. The city of Athens had idols to all the Greek gods and more. They had numerous temples, shrines, altars, and statues all honoring the various gods. There was a saying in those days: “It is easier to find a god in Athens than a man.”

It only takes one idol to make a believer sad, but Paul was surrounded by them. Luke tells us he was greatly distressed. The word means “provoked.” It’s the same word used in the Old Testament when we’re told how Israel provoked God to anger with their idol worship (Isa. 65:2–3).

It would have been easy for Paul to get discouraged in such an atmosphere, but he began evangelizing anyway. He focused on three main groups in three different areas: the Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue, the pagans in the marketplace, and the philosophers at the Areopagus. This would be similar today to sharing the gospel at church, in public places, and at the university. Notice even in the pagan city of Athens, Paul followed his usual practice of sharing the gospel first with the Jews and then with the Gentiles.

   B. Stoics and Epicureans (18)

We’re used to seeing Paul share the gospel with the Jews in the synagogue, but this is our first glimpse of him sharing with pagans in the marketplace. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage with him, but it all seemed like so much nonsense to them. Look at verse 18 next:

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. (Acts 17:18)

The Epicureans and the Stoics were two of the main philosophical groups of the day, and they loved to debate.

The Epicureans believed life was governed by chance and matter, and therefore they made pleasure their highest goal. They are often associated with the phrase, “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may die” (though I actually prefer the version: “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may diet”). In reality, the Epicureans were not quite so bad as all that, for in avoiding pain or distress, they also sought to avoid overindulgence, which might lead to pain or distress.

The Stoics believed all life was ruled by fate, and therefore they made duty and character their highest goals. They were marked by extreme self-sufficiency, emotional control, and independence. If you’re a Star Trek fan, they were essentially the Vulcans of their day.

Paul was doing his best to share the gospel with these two groups, but they didn’t seem to get it. They called him a babbler and one advocating foreign gods. It appears they said this specifically because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

   C. The Areopagus (19–21)

After some back and forth, they brought him to the Areopagus where he could present this new teaching more fully. It was all strange to them, but they liked hearing new things and wanted to stay up to date with the latest ideas and teachings. Look at verses 19–21 next:

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) (Acts 17:19–21)

The Areopagus was named after Ares, the Greek god of war. [Put up following slide; keep up until the next slide: “Preaching to Pagans”]

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Areopagus

• Areo = Ares (Greek god of war)
• Pagos = “rock” or “hill”

Areopagus = “Hill of Ares”

Roman equivalent: “Mars Hill”
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You can see his name in the first part of the word, “Areo,” while the second part of the word comes from the Greek pagos, which means “rock” or “hill.” So basically, Areopagus means “Hill of Ares.”

When the Romans took over, they swapped out the names of the Greek gods with the names of their own gods. Zeus became Jupiter, Artemis became Diana, and Ares became Mars. That’s why the Areopagus is sometimes also called Mars Hill. It was simply the Roman equivalent of the original Greek name.

The Areopagus was the council in charge of religion, morals, and ethics for the city. The word Areopagus refers to both the council of leaders and the physical place where they met, similar to the U.S. Senate today. The word Senate refers both to the people who compose the Senate and the actual chamber where they meet.

At least the members of the Council were interested in hearing what Paul had to say, but as we will soon see, interest is not enough. Verse 21 sums it up well: “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” They were interested in hearing all the latest ideas, but they were not interested in change or commitment. Today we would probably say, “They spent all their time doing nothing but scrolling.”

II. Preaching to pagans (22–31)

At the Areopagus we get a detailed example of how Paul approached preaching to pagans. Paul’s approach with the pagan Gentiles in Athens was markedly different from his approach with the Jews in the synagogue. Instead of starting with the Old Testament Scriptures, he began where the people were, even drawing attention to one of their own altars.

   A. Altar to an unknown god (22–23)

One of the things he noticed while walking around was an altar to an unknown god, so he decided to start there. Look at verses 22–23:

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. (Acts 17:22–23)

What a wonderful opening to the gospel. Paul begins with a sincere compliment, which is not a bad way to begin with strangers who may be hostile to your message. Remember, the book of Proverbs says, “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). And so Paul begins with a sincere compliment, observing that they were very religious.

Next, he describes how he walked around and looked carefully at their various objects of worship. He even found an altar with the inscription: “To an unknown god.” He then uses this as a starting point to share the gospel: “What you worship as unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” He found a point of contact, and then he uses that to start talking with them about God.

   B. Truths about God and man (24–28)
      – Deut 30:20; Job 12:10; Daniel 5:23

He first shares with them some basic truths about God and man. Look at verses 24–28:

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:24–28)

So first he begins with some basic truths about God. He tells them there is one God who created everything and who is sovereign over everything. That’s a tough sell in Athens where the people worshiped many gods. He tells them this God does not live in temples built by human hands and is not served by human hands. That’s also a tough sell in a city filled with temples and shrines and altars.

Paul tells them this God doesn’t need us, but we certainly need him, because he gives life and breath and everything else. This was such a big contrast for a city that had idols to every god imaginable, even one to an unknown god in case they left someone out.

He then proceeds to tell them some basic truths about man. God made every nation from one man. He even determines the times set for us and the places where we live. Why does God do all this? So that we would seek him and reach out for him and find him, even though he is not far away. Paul is showing our common humanity, that we are one human race together.

Paul then quotes some of their own poets in support of this teaching. Isn’t that interesting? Instead of going straight to the Scriptures, he uses some of their own writings as a point of contact. First, he quotes the Greek poet Epimenides:

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Epimenides: “In him we live and move and have our being.”

Aratus: “We are his offspring.”
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“In him we live and move and have our being.” We find this same truth expressed in the Old Testament (Deut. 30:20; Job 12:10; Dan. 5:23), but Paul wisely presents it to them through one of their own poets instead. He also quotes their poet Aratus: “We are his offspring.”

   C. Repentance, judgment and resurrection (29–31)

So, Paul has presented these basic truths about God and man supported by their own poets. Next, he draws the relevant conclusions from these basic facts as he shares with them about repentance, judgment, and the resurrection. Look at verses 29–31:

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:29–31)

This is really a brilliant move on Paul’s part. He has used their own poets to make the point that the true God is not like an idol made of gold or silver or stone, and we could not possibly fashion our own gods. If we are God’s offspring, then he doesn’t come from us; rather, we come from him. He is not our design; rather, we are his design. It’s a clever way of teaching them the biblical truth that we are made in God’s image.

This allows him to move directly into the themes of repentance and judgment. God may have overlooked such ignorance in the past, but now judgment is coming. This doesn’t mean God overlooked sin. It simply means that in the past the day of judgment was still far away. Now that Christ has come, the day of judgment is drawing near.

Therefore, God commands repentance. Why? Because he has set a day for judgment by the man he has appointed. And he has given proof of this by raising him from the dead.

III. Weak response (32–34)

And that’s … where Paul lost them. Paul was clearly getting ready to share more about Christ, but as soon as he raises the subject of the resurrection, he starts getting pushback again.

   A. Skeptical of the resurrection (32–33)

They seemed to be following his argument when he shared with them from their own poets, but they are extremely skeptical when it comes to the resurrection. Look at verses 32–33 next:

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. (Acts 17:32–33)

Tough crowd! Paul was getting ready to make the connection to Jesus, but the moment he mentions the resurrection, he gets cut off. When it came to the resurrection, this was a non-receptive audience. The Epicureans did not believe in any existence after death. The Stoics believed in immortality of the soul, but not the resurrection of the body.

Some sneered; that is, they burst out laughing. Others wanted to hear more, but not right now. Paul would later write that the gospel is a scandal to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor. 1:22–24). This was foolishness to the Greeks in Athens. God may be near to all of us, but by their response these men confirmed they were far from God.

At that, Paul left the Council. This was also a wise response. When someone rejects Christ and the gospel, you don’t need to stay there and argue with them. You can simply share the gospel, move on, and trust God to do his work in his time.

   B. A few new believers (34)

It was not a total loss, for a few new believers responded to Paul’s witness. We read in verse 34:

A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. (Acts 17:34)

Only a few believed as compared to other places where we are told many believed. Two are mentioned by name: Dionysius, who was actually a member of the Council, and a woman named Damaris.

So what was the result of Paul’s message in Athens? Some sneered. Others were more open but put it off until a later time. A few became believers, but overall, this was a very weak response to the sharing of the gospel.

CONCLUSION: Let me share with you now three applications from this passage for our lives today.

1) Seek the honor of God’s name. We should mourn the condition of the lost. The false idols of this world should cause us distress and prompt us to action. We want God’s name to be honored. We should never grow comfortable with a world that rejects the living God.

2) Be flexible in your approach. Don’t enter a conversation with preconceived notions as to how you will proceed. Listen to people. Care about them. Start where they are, not where you are. Find a point of contact to share the gospel, just like Paul did with the people of Athens.

3) Don’t get discouraged when people don’t respond right away. As we’ve just seen, even the apostle Paul didn’t always get a great response. Our job is to plant the seed of the gospel. Then trust God to do his work in his time.

Preaching to different groups requires different approaches. Paul adopted different strategies for sharing the gospel when talking with different groups. Once again, “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). We should be wise in approaching others and sensitive to how we can best reach them with the gospel.

There is only one gospel, but there are different ways of sharing. We should seek to share naturally according to our own personalities, but we should also be willing to adapt in order to reach others more effectively.

As a result of this message, I pray you will be encouraged to share the gospel with others naturally and with a focus on the other person’s needs. I pray you will seek to honor God in your conversations, be flexible in your approach, and not get discouraged when people do not respond right away. Always remember, we plant the seed, but God makes it grow.

© Ray Fowler

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