Athens

In the Bible

Athens appears mainly in Acts 17:15-34. After meeting opposition in Thessalonica and Berea, Paul was escorted to Athens by the brethren. He sent word for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible and waited for them there (Acts 17:15). When Paul saw that the city was "wholly given to idolatry," "his spirit was stirred in him" (Acts 17:16). He therefore disputed with the Jews in the synagogue and daily in the marketplace with those he met. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers called him a "babbler," while others said he "seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods." They brought Paul to the Areopagus to hear his teaching.

On the Areopagus, Paul began by referring to an altar inscribed "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD" (Acts 17:23). He then set forth the following points in order:

• God, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
• He has made all nations of one blood.
• He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
• On an appointed day He will judge the world by the man whom He raised from the dead.

When Paul spoke of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said they would hear him again. A few believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris (Acts 17:34). Paul afterward left Athens and went to Corinth (Acts 18:1). 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 also mentions that Paul stayed in Athens and sent Timothy to Thessalonica.

Background

Athens was the center of ancient Greek culture, renowned for its traditions of philosophy, drama, and democracy. The city's name is generally associated with its patron goddess, Athena. In Paul's day Athens belonged to the Roman province of Achaia, and the political and commercial center had shifted to Corinth. Even so, Athens was still regarded as a city of learning. Luke records that "all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing" (Acts 17:21).

Areopagus means "hill of Ares" in Greek. The term refers to a rocky hill northwest of the Acropolis and also to the council that met there.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

The Athens sermon is included in Acts as an example of the gospel being proclaimed not in a Jewish synagogue but to Gentile intellectuals who did not know the Scriptures. Instead of quoting the Old Testament, Paul began with God the Creator. He also borrowed the words of Greek poets, saying, "For we are also his offspring" (Acts 17:28). This quotation is generally identified as coming from a poem by Aratus.

The flow of the sermon is often read alongside Romans 1:18-25, since both passages address God as revealed through creation and the problem of idolatry.

Interpretation and Debated Issues

• The meaning of "Areopagus": Interpreters differ over whether Paul spoke on the hill as a location or appeared before the Areopagus council for a formal hearing.
• The success of the sermon: Some interpreters point to Paul's statement in Corinth, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2), and conclude that Paul reconsidered the philosophical approach he had taken in Athens. Other interpreters reject this view, noting that Luke presents the sermon as a model address and that some people did believe.
• The question of a point of contact: Paul's use of pagan religiosity and the words of a poet as a starting point for the gospel is frequently cited in discussions of general revelation, common grace, and natural theology. Depending on the theological tradition, some see this as a positive point of contact, while others read the passage with greater emphasis on its critique of idolatry.
• Later tradition: According to one account, Dionysius became the first bishop of Athens. This account is preserved in the writings of the early church historian Eusebius but does not appear in the biblical text. The mystical theological writings that circulated under his name in the fifth and sixth centuries are generally regarded as later works.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, the Athens sermon is frequently cited in discussions of evangelism to unbelievers and of Christian apologetics (the rational explanation and defense of the faith). It serves especially as a model for proclaiming the gospel within the spheres of culture and learning. The phrases "the unknown God" and "in all things ye are too superstitious" (Acts 17:22) are widely used in preaching.