CHAPTER 17
When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Acts 17:1
Paul and his companions made a rather lengthy journey of 100 miles (160 km.) from Philippi to Thessalonica. Even on the famous Via Egnatia highway this journey by foot would have taken them about three days. Roman roads were built to last. Although they were no more than 20 feet (6 m.) wide, still they were better and safer than European roads until the 1850s.1 En route the travelers bypassed the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia and arrived at Thessalonica. As we have mentioned, Paul seemed to have a knack of picking out key cities in his journeys. No doubt the Holy Spirit was directing him to these key cities (cf. 16:6-10).
The city of Thessalonica was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon. Thessalonica (Thessaloniki today) has a population nearing 400,000, is the second largest city in Greece, and capital of Greek Macedonia as it was in the First Century. The city was not only on the Via Egnatia but at the head of the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea. It was thus a major center of business, rivaled only by Corinth. The Romans made Thessalonica a free city with its own elected assembly.
“As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said” (17:2-3). We have noted Paul’s pattern of taking the gospel first of all to the Jewish people and then to the Gentiles (Rom. 1:16; Acts 9:20; 13:5, 14). We are told here that his ministry to the Jews lasted only three weeks but we are not told how long Paul remained in the city. He no doubt continued to minister in the house of Jason and he was in the city long enough to receive two separate offerings from the church at Philippi (Phil. 4:15-16).2 We know that he stayed long enough to establish his own tent-making business and support himself by it (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:7-9).
The essence of Paul’s preaching to the Jewish people was Jesus as the Messiah. Paul proved from scripture that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. Somehow these important facts had been missed by the ancient rabbis as they are still being missed by Israel today. The Servant Songs of Isaiah 42:1 through 53:12 vividly describe the Messiah’s suffering for Israel as well as his horrible death. Other passages such as Psalms 16, 22 and Zechariah 12 are also very descriptive of his suffering, death and resurrection. We might wonder today how Jewish people could miss the 333 Old Testament prophecies that were clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth.3
“Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women” (17:4). In the synagogues Paul was usually allowed to speak, and a number of Jewish people normally chose to cast their lot with him. However, it seems that the bulk of Paul’s converts came from the traditionally large group of Gentile God-fearers and proselytes. It appears that vast numbers of Gentiles were fed up with idolatry and its excesses. Many of these turned to the synagogues because of their higher moral standards. No doubt, this affected the women even more than the men. Also, it was much easier for women to join the synagogue than men, who would have to undergo circumcision. We have mentioned before that in Macedonia women enjoyed a great deal more freedom of choice than women elsewhere in the empire.4 It is interesting that several prominent women joined with Paul as was the case in other cities.
It is possible that Jason, Paul’s later host, was one of the Jewish converts. It is also likely that Aristarchus and Secundus, later identified as Thessalonians (20:4) were converted at this time.5 These became fellow-travelers with Paul and in the case of Aristarchus, a fellow-prisoner (27:2; Col. 4:10).
A THESSALONIAN MOB SCENE
But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Acts 17:5
It is a very sad testimony that the Jewish people not only resisted the ministry of Jesus to his death but they hounded the Lord’s apostles in many places where they preached across the empire. They also often resorted to underhanded means, as in recruiting no-good rabble-rousers and loafers from the marketplace to do their bidding.6 The success of the gospel initially made the Jews jealous in a bad way. Fortunately, we are assured in scripture that the gospel will eventually make Jews jealous or envious in a good way (Rom. 10:19; 11:11).
The mob looked for Paul and Silas but could not find them in Jason’s house. This Jason was probably a Hellenistic Jew and may have been kin to Paul (Rom. 16:21 NJB, ESV). He was obviously extending hospitality to Paul and the group and his house was also likely the meeting place of the new Christians.7
Pett says: “Thessalonica was in fact infamous for being a city in which uproars easily occurred. Cicero tells how when he was sent to see the rulers of Thessalonica on official business the rulers were so unpopular with the masses that he had to sneak into the city at night in order to see them, and then, after some time, he had later to sneak out again and take refuge ‘in the out of the way town of Berea’ until the uproars had died down.” 8
“But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus’” (17:6-7). Bruce comments: “Jason and his friends were charged with harboring Jewish agitators, political messianists such as had stirred up unrest in other cities of the Roman Empire. Rome and Alexandria had recently experienced such trouble…” 9
The city officials represented here are called politarchs in the Greek text. Stott comments about this saying: “…Luke’s accuracy in calling the city magistrates ‘politarchs’ has been confirmed from a number of contemporary Macedonian inscriptions…a body of five politarchs ruled the city during the first century AD.” 10 It is highly possible that these magistrates already had a dim view of the Jews since Emperor Claudius had banished all the Jews from Rome in AD 49.
It is interesting how the mob paid a back-handed compliment to the evangelists. They were accused of turning the world “upside-down” (ESV, NJB, NKJ). Guzik notes, “But when you yourself are upside-down, the other direction appears to be upside-down!” 11
The charge that was quickly brought against the evangelists and others was that they were defying Caesar in proclaiming Jesus as king. A similar charge of sedition also had been lodged against Jesus himself at his trial in Jerusalem. As the Roman rulers had begun to consider themselves as divine, such a charge carried more and more weight. This might help us explain why Paul in his preaching to Gentiles had often used “Lord Jesus” rather than “King Jesus.” 12 Also, in Acts as well as in Paul’s epistles, the subject of the “kingdom of God” is not often mentioned.13
“When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil” (17:8). Satan loves a fuss, and as Trapp says, “The devil loves to fish in troubled waters.” 14 The magistrates were under extreme pressure to do something to calm the mob. At all costs the Pax Romana (Roman peace) had to be upheld. “In general, Roman officials did not care what the people believed. Yet when the public order was disrupted by riots, they came down with an iron hand.” 15 Jeffers adds: “The Romans at first considered Christianity a sect of Judaism, and so ignored it. But by the 60s AD, Rome began to recognize the difference.” 16
“Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go” (17:9). This was an ingenious plan that would cause Paul and the others much grief. Coffman remarks of this situation: “They were probably compelled to put up large sums of money, perhaps their homes and businesses, as a guarantee of no further disturbances, which, of necessity, would have meant that Paul could not remain in the city…” 17 No doubt it was this situation that the apostle referred to in writing to the Thessalonians later: “For we wanted to come to you— certainly I, Paul, did, again and again— but Satan blocked our way” (1 Thess. 2:18).
Paul and his team would have to leave the city quietly and quickly because of this ruling. Indeed, if Jason was really a relative of Paul it would have made the situation doubly grievous.18 Should Paul return to the city during the life of this ruling, Jason and the church could suffer great financial damage.
AT BEREA
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Acts 17:10
Because of the turmoil and danger, the believers whisked Paul and Silas away from Thessalonica at night and they made their way to Berea (modern Verria). This was a distance of some 44 miles (71 km.), requiring a departure from the Via Egnatia toward the southwest. They were heeding the Master’s advice in Matthew 10:34, that when they were persecuted in one city they were to flee to another. Despite their troubles, it is interesting that they went directly to the Jewish synagogue in the city.
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (17:11). We are told here that the Bereans were more noble in character than the Thessalonians. The word noble is the Greek eugenesteroi, and it means to be more noble by birth, or that these were descended from ancestors who were more illustrious than those in Thessalonica.19 These people did not just come to hear Paul on the Sabbath but they discussed his doctrine every day and diligently compared his teaching with scripture. How different history would have been had the Jews in Jerusalem done such a thing. Today many Christian churches and denominations call themselves “Bereans.” Unfortunately, this does not always insure that they possess the noble character of the original Bereans. A great characteristic of true religion is that it can bear examination.20 To raise any question about some religions today, especially Islam, can often bring forth the death sentence.
“As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men” (17:12). Once again here we realize that much of Paul’s success was with the Gentile God-fearers who had attached themselves to the synagogues. One man who became a believer was Sopater, son of Pyrrhus. We hear of him again in 20:4 and in Romans 16:21. Once more, prominent Greek women were attracted to Christianity.
“But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up” (17:13). It seems that the Jews must have sent delegations to nearby cities searching for Paul and Silas and trying to negate their influence. Jewish people from the synagogues were immediately dispatched in order to make trouble for the apostles. We remember how such things happened at Pisidian Antioch (13:45-50; Iconium (14:2, 5) and Lystra (14:19).
“The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea” (17:14). The Berean brothers apparently felt Paul’s life was in immediate danger. Before the persecution could become full-blown it was decided that Paul should leave the area and get some distance between himself and his persecutors. For his protection, several believers accompanied Paul to the coast while Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
“Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible” (17:15). A number of commentators feel that escorting Paul to the coast was a ruse to throw the persecutors off-track.21 We cannot know for sure about this but we can be sure that Paul’s protectors traveled with him all the way to Athens. The journey by land was 314 miles (506 km.). Paul did not desire to minister alone so he requested that Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible.
It is very difficult to trace where Silas and Timothy journeyed after Berea. Apparently, they did join Paul in Athens (1 Thess. 3:1-2) only to be immediately dispatched to other ministry posts. Timothy was sent back to Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3:2) and Silas to elsewhere in Macedonia (18:5; 1 Thess. 3:6).22
PAUL IN ATHENS
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. Acts 17:16
Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities and is known today as the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of western civilization. The city was famous in very early times for its philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. It was also famous for its buildings such as the Parthenon. Athens was well situated with access to the Saronic Gulf, through its seaport of Piraeus. Although the city by Paul’s day had declined a great deal it was still considered as a city of learning and arts. By this time Athens was no longer large but had a population only of some 10,000.23
It seems that Paul was not at all taken in by the glories of Athens, but he was rather shocked, amazed and distressed to see that this important city was filled with idols. A contemporary writer in Nero’s court by the name of Petronius, once remarked satirically that it was easier to find a god in Athens than to find a man.24
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there” (17:17). Paul no doubt reasoned in the synagogue first of all as was his custom. However, he did not confine himself to the synagogue but ministered in the marketplace as well. Paul was willing to become all things to all people that he may win some to the gospel (1 Cor. 9:22).
PAUL AND THE PHILOSOPHERS
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate 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
Paul attracted the attention of two groups of philosophers, the Epicureans and the Stoics. The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus, who founded the group in 307 BC. The Epicureans tried to avoid all extremes and keep things in balance. It seems they were focused on pleasure as their goal as well as the avoidance of pain. They felt the world was due to chance, that there was no survival after death and no judgment. They acknowledged god, but only in a pantheistic manner as some kind of world soul.25
The Stoics were founded as early as the 3rd century BC by Zeno. The Stoics were determinists but were intent on improving a person’s moral and ethical wellbeing. They believed that each person had a divine spark within and at death that would return to God. They believed that all that happened was the will of God and must be accepted without resentment. They too were pantheists, believing that all was god. They felt that the world often disintegrated in a conflagration and afterward started anew.26 They did reject idolatry since they felt that there was one “world God.” They felt that they did not need the help of God. It is of interest that the first two leaders of this school committed suicide. The motto of the Epicureans was “enjoy life” while the motto of the Stoics was “endure life.” 27
Some of the Stoics and Epicureans chided Paul asking, “What is this babbler trying to say?” The word “babbler” translates spermologos, which has been explained as “word picker.” This is a picture of little scavenging birds picking up scraps or seeds of knowledge here and there. Perhaps even plagiarism is implied here.28 The philosophers accused Paul of introducing foreign gods, but it was the philosophers and Athens itself that were already filled with foreign deities. We might note that Paul was not trying to remove the idols of Athens. “Paul was not concerned with removing the idolatrous art from the city, but with removing the worship of idols from men’s hearts…” 29 Through all their wisdom they did not know God (1 Cor. 1:21).
“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?’” (17:19). Areopagus was an ancient term describing the Hill of Ares (god of war and thunder). In Roman times it was not a place but the city’s chief judicial body, exercising control of religion and education.30 Instead of meeting on the Hill of Ares it met in the agora or the marketplace.
“‘You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like 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.)” (17:20-21). Clarke describes the city of Athens saying, “It became a place of public resort for philosophers and students from different parts of the then civilized world.” 31 The Athenian historian Thucydides (460 – c. 400 BC) chided the city saying, “You excel in suffering yourselves to be deceived with novelty of speech.” 32 Of course, Paul knew the truth about this so-called “wisdom.” He says in 1 Corinthians 3:19-20: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness;’ and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’”
PAUL’S SPEECH
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.” Acts 17:22
The apostle had previously preached to pagans at Lystra (14:8-20). At Athens he was about to preach to highly cultured pagans. It is interesting how Paul quickly finds a common ground by bringing up the subject of idolatry, which was obviously dear to their hearts. Godbey says of the city, that Athens was, “…the world’s grand emporium of science, literature, philosophy, and idolatry.” 33
We should be aware that Luke is not giving us the whole speech, but rather a short synopsis or extract from the speech.34 It would help us in looking at his sermon outline to realize that he is dealing with various subjects. He deals with the greatness of God as Creator (v. 24); the goodness of God as Provider (v. 25); the government of God as Ruler (vv. 26-29) and the grace of God as Savior (vv. 30-34).35 He concludes by dealing with the justice of God, as Judge of the universe (v. 31).
“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. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship— and this is what I am going to proclaim to you” (17:23). Paul found an inscription to “an unknown God” in Athens. In later centuries several other explorers have commented on finding other such inscriptions. The Athenians were taking no chances on missing some important God.
It seems that there is a word play in the Greek between the words “unknown” (agnōetō) and “ignorance” (agnoountes). Today we get our word “agnostic” from this last Greek word.36 How interesting it is that the Greek philosophers acknowledge here that they are ignorant of the true God, so Paul is simply giving evidence of their ignorance.37
In a very strange occurrence, some six hundred years before Paul, the city had experienced a terrible plague. It so happened that a man named Epimenides had found a solution. In the early morning he turned loose a flock of hungry sheep in the town. When certain of the sheep began to lie down, rather than eat, the people sacrificed those sheep to the Unknown God. Stone masons were on hand to build an altar to this God. As this was done the terrible plague was stayed.38 So, in centuries past it was this Unknown God who had delivered Athens. Now, it is Paul who makes a full revelation of this God.
“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 human hands” (17:24). Indeed, it was difficult even for Israel to understand this spiritual principle. King Solomon had spoken of it when he dedicated the temple (2 Chron. 6:18). Also, Stephen (Acts 7:48) had charged Israel with this truth. Even the Stoic philosopher Zeno stressed that God could not live in man-made temples, and Plutarch had upbraided the people over the same matter.39 Paul was probably amazed that such a collection of wise men would think of the Eternal God as one who could fit into a mere building. He was no doubt further amazed that they could compare the Creator God with images of stone, gold and silver.40
“And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (17:25). Really, what can we give to God since he is the owner of all things (Psa. 24:1-2; 50:9-10)? How can we minister to God, since even our very breath is a gift from him? Since God is the giver of all things, how could he be dependent on the gifts of created human beings (1 Chron. 29:14)?
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands” (17:26). Here we learn some great and important biblical truths. God made all nations throughout the whole earth. He has set the times of their history and has established the boundaries of their lands. National boundaries are a sacred thing and should not be abused or compromised. God made individual nations and not a conglomeration of nations. We now see how efforts at this, such as the European Union are unravelling. There is a certain protection in having individual nations. Political diseases spread much more slowly.
All nations and peoples of the earth are derived from one person. Clarke says, “The Athenians had a foolish notion that they were self-produced, and were the aboriginals of mankind…” 41 Whether the text here reads one race or one blood, Coffman says, “…and the proof of this is evidenced by many things, one of these being the ability of a man of any race to provide a blood transfusion for a man of any other race.” 42
“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” (17:27). The idea of seeking God was so much a part of the vocabulary of the Old Testament. The Bible says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isa. 55:6). “…If you seek him, he will be found by you…” (1 Chr. 28:9; cf. Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:13). God is a God nearby and now one far away, as some philosophers have thought (Jer. 23:23).
The idea of heathen reaching out for God or groping for him is seen in the Greek word, psēlaphēseian. It pictures blind groping of darkened heathen minds.43 Seeking God was a possibility, but much more difficult than seeking God after Christ came to earth to clearly reveal him. Through Christ, God is now fully known to those who seek (Jn. 1:18).
“‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring’” (17:28). Paul was no ignoramus regarding the culture of his day. He had grown up in Tarsus, which had an outstanding philosophical academy that rivaled Athens and Alexandria. No doubt he took time to listen to some of these discussions. Also, his instructor in Israel was the noted rabbi Gamaliel. He tried to prepare his students to return to their Greek-speaking constituents well-prepared to lead. To accomplish this he taught them some philosophy.44
Thus it should not surprise us that Paul quotes from certain of the philosophers. The first quote in this verse is from the Cretan poet Epimenides (c. 600 BC). The second quote, “We are his offspring,” comes from the Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315-240 BC). Although Paul quotes from pagan philosophers and poets, his address continues to be thoroughly biblical.45 Origen says of this: “He came to Athens, he found philosophers, and he did not use the words of the prophets or from the law…In this place, he was as one outside the law to those outside the law, in order to gain the lawless.” 46
PAUL’S CLOSING
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 human design and skill” (17:29).
Paul devastates their idolatry by pointing out that humans have more intelligence than dumb idols. The idols cannot represent humans, much less an all-knowing Creator God. Barnes notes: “The argument of the apostle is this: ‘Since we are formed by God; since we are like him, living and intelligent beings; since we are more excellent in our nature than the most precious and ingenious works of art, it is absurd to suppose that the original source of our existence can be like gold, and silver, and stone.’” 47 Utley sighs, “The tragedy of fallen humanity is that they seek spiritual truth and fellowship from manmade things that cannot hear, answer, or help!” 48
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (17:30). He has said previously, “In the past, he let all nations go their own way” (14:16). He says a similar thing regarding Israel in Romans 3:25. Pett says, “…But that this does not mean that men of the past will not be judged comes out in Romans 2, for there he tells us that all will be judged according to how they responded to their conscience (Rom. 2:12-16).” 49
God now commands all people to repent (cf. Matt. 3:1; 4:17; Mk. 6:12). The Greek is the common metanoeō as we see in Acts 2:38 and in many other places. This was the message of John the Baptist, of Jesus and his apostles. It speaks of a radical change in one’s attitude and life.50 It speaks of a drastic turn-around in a person’s life, a turning from sin and a turning to God. It is the power of God that helps bring about such a turn-around in the one who trusts in him. Clearly, repentance is the prelude to faith and salvation.
No doubt the Greek philosophers picked up on the statement that they were living in a time of ignorance. Bock says, “…This expression argues that Greek ideas on theology were not formed according to knowledge…” 51 The Greeks felt that they were the wise people of the whole world and that all others were barbarians. They were no doubt shocked at this statement.
“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 everyone by raising him from the dead.” (17:31). There are many scriptures that deal with judgment (cf. Psa. 9:8; 50:6; 96:13; Isa. 11:4; 51:5; Luke 17:24-30; 21:34-36; 1 Thess. 1:9-10). Clearly, it is Jesus who will judge the nations (Jn. 5:25-26; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1).
The resurrection of Jesus was the cornerstone of apostolic preaching. The resurrection authenticated the life and death of Jesus. It was proof positive concerning the gospel and was a sure and certain sign that Jesus would return and judge the world.
THE RESURRECTION AND REJECTION
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.” Acts 17:32
The Greek people were quite fond of the idea of immortality of the soul. That idea has crept over into Christianity. However, the Bible says that God alone is immortal (1 Tim. 6:16). All the immortality we will ever possess will be granted to us by the Lord himself. The Greeks felt that they would continue to live in the purely spiritual form and that did not include the body or the flesh. “To a Greek, the body was only a prison, and the sooner a person left his body, the happier he would be…They believed in immortality, but not in resurrection.” 52 Some of that idea has also filtered into Christianity as we have said. We often tend to think of a purely spiritual and static heaven in the hereafter.
Some of the learned gentlemen actually sneered at Paul. We see this word only here in the New Testament. However, its root is used in the Septuagint and has the meaning of “derision” or “mockery.” 53
At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people 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” (17:33-34). Barclay says, “It would seem on the whole that Paul had less success in Athens than anywhere else. It was typical of the Athenians that all they wanted was to talk. They did not want action; they did not even particularly want conclusions. They wanted simply mental acrobatics and the stimulus of a mental hike…” 54 This passage does not speak of baptisms. We do not hear about a First Century church in Athens, and Paul writes no letter to the Athenians. Interestingly, although Athens was in the province of Achaia, Paul later describes the firstfruits of Achaia as being a family from Corinth (1 Cor. 16:15).55 Barnes says, “Seeing there was little hope of saving them. It was not his custom to labor long in a barren field, or to preach where there was no prospect of success.” 56
The scripture does say, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:26-27). When Paul wrote this he was no doubt thinking about his experience in Athens. However, Athens was not entirely fruitless. There were Dionysius the Areopagite, a member of the esteemed council and a woman named Damaris. Since women were socially restricted in Athens it is possible that Damaris was not a respectable woman, since she appeared by herself in the market square.57 There were a few others who were unknowns, but their names are now written down in glory.