返回Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Acts 17:1–9. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. And Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that "this Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks, and not a few of the leading women. But the unbelieving Jews, becoming jealous, and taking some wicked men from the marketplace, gathered a mob and set the city in an uproar, and attacking the house of Jason, sought to bring them out to the people. But not finding them, they dragged Jason and some brethren before the city rulers, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has received them; and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king—Jesus." And they troubled the crowd and the city rulers who heard these things. But having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
They pass by the small cities "Amphipolis and Apollonia" and hurry to the large ones, since from the latter the word of God was to spread to the neighboring cities.
"They came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue." Although Paul had said, "But since you… make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46), he did not abandon the Jews either, because he felt great sorrow for them.
"Paul… spoke with them from the Scriptures, opening and demonstrating to them that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead." First of all he preaches about the suffering, since he recognized this as salvific.
"Of the Greeks that worshipped God a great multitude." By Greeks he means Jews who spoke Greek, or else he means proselytes numbered among the Jews, from among the Greeks. He calls them worshippers of God because they observed the Law.
"They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king, Jesus." In exactly the same way, their fathers also accused Jesus, saying that He called Himself king. But they had at least a somewhat plausible pretext, since the accused was still alive. But what did these people hope to gain by their lie, when they said of the apostles that they proclaimed Jesus as king — Jesus who, in their opinion, had died, and whom earthly kings had nothing more to fear, since they saw that He no longer appeared at all?
Acts 17:10–15. The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica: they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the Scriptures to see whether these things were so. And many of them believed, and of the honorable Greek women and of the men not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea as well, they came there too, stirring up and troubling the people. Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away, as if he were going toward the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there. And those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and having received a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.
When he says "daily examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so," he means that they searched the Scriptures not as unbelievers (for they had already believed), but as those who did not know the prophetic traditions. Searching the Scriptures and finding that the events concerning the Lord's incarnation agreed with the words of the ancient prophets, they were through this even more strengthened in the faith.
"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away… to Athens." The apostles avoided dangers not out of fear, but by divine inspiration, because in this instance, for example, they had already ceased preaching and were no longer provoking their enemies. From the fact that Paul withdrew, a twofold benefit resulted: the anger of the enemies subsided, and the preaching spread further. As for why they sent Paul alone, it was because they feared only for him, lest something happen to him, since he was the leader. Thus, grace did not always assist them, but also left them to themselves — now as if rousing them, now plunging them into cares.
Acts 17:16–21. While waiting for them in Athens, Paul was provoked in spirit at the sight of the city full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, and daily in the marketplace with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. And some said: "What does this babbler want to say?", while others: "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities," because he was preaching to them Jesus and the resurrection. And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus and said: May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean. Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living among them spent their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.
Was troubled in spirit here does not mean anger, because the gift of grace is far from anger and indignation. So then, what does "was troubled" mean? He was agitated, could not endure it, was distressed.
"Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him." The Epicureans said that everything exists without Divine Providence. Directing his speech primarily against them, Paul says that God gives "to all life and breath" (v. 25), "having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (v. 26), and thus proves God's Providence. The philosophers did not laugh at him when he said this, because they did not even understand anything of what was being said. And how could people who saw God in the body and blessedness in carnal pleasures understand the apostle?
"Taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus." Not in order to learn from him, but in order to punish him, they led him to the place where murderers are tried. The place was called the Areopagus, or the Hill of Ares (Mars), because here Ares (or Mars) was punished for adultery. It was called a "pagus" [hill] because it was an elevated place, since this court was situated on a hill. It should be noted that these philosophers, although they spent all their time in conversations and listening to others, nevertheless considered what Paul communicated to be a novelty that they had not yet heard. If he had been preaching that a man was crucified, his word would not have been a novelty, but since he was saying that God was crucified and rose again, he was indeed saying something new.
Acts 17:22–29. And Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Men of Athens! I perceive that in all things you are as it were especially devout. For as I passed through and observed your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which was inscribed: "To the Unknown God." This One, Whom you worship without knowing, I proclaim to you. God, Who made the world and all things in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by the hands of men, as though He had need of anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things. From one blood He produced the whole race of mankind to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having appointed predetermined times and the boundaries of their habitation, so that they should seek God, whether perhaps they might feel after Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, as some of your own poets have also said: "We are His offspring." Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold, or silver, or stone shaped by the art and imagination of man.
It seems that the apostle is as if praising the Athenians, saying that "they are as if especially devout," instead of calling them pious. And he called them so on account of the altar set up by them for the following reason. Once a war broke out between the Athenians and an enemy; having suffered defeat, they withdrew. And since it was their custom to celebrate games in honor of demons, one of the demons appeared to them and said that he had not yet seen any honor from them to himself, and therefore he was angered at them and was the cause of their defeat. To this demon they built a temple, and as if out of fear that the same thing might happen to them again sometime if they overlooked some God unknown to them, they set up an altar with the inscription "to the unknown God," saying by this that if there is yet some other God Whom they do not know, then let this altar be dedicated to Him; perhaps He will be merciful to us, even though we do not worship Him, since we do not know Him. The full inscription on the altar was as follows: "To the Gods of Asia and Europe and Libya; to the unknown and foreign God."
"Passing through and examining your sacred objects, I found also an altar." He found in the city not a Divine book, but an altar; and, making use of the inscription on the altar, he overthrew it. And what else was he to do? The Greeks were all unbelievers. If he had conversed with them on the basis of the Gospel teaching, they would have laughed at him; if on the basis of the prophets, they would have had no trust in him. He conquered the enemy's weapon with the enemy's own weapon — and this is precisely what he means when he says: to "those without the law I became as one without the law" (1 Cor. 9:21). He saw the altar and turned the inscription on it to his own advantage, and what is even more important is that he changed the opinion of the Athenians. On the altar, it says, "was written: 'To the unknown God.'" Who then was this unknown God, if not Christ? Did the Athenians really write this in the name of Christ? If they had written this in the name of Christ, then Paul's success in converting them would have been nothing remarkable. No, they wrote it with a different purpose, but Paul was able to give the inscription an entirely new meaning. But it should be said for the sake of which God they wrote "to the unknown God." They had many gods, both their own and foreign. About some of them they received information from their mothers, and about others from neighboring peoples. And so, since at first not all the gods were accepted by them at once, but were introduced little by little — some by their fathers, others by their grandfathers, and still others already in their own time — they gathered together and said: "Just as we did not know these gods before, but later came to know them, so perhaps there is yet another God whom we do not know, and since we do not know Him, although He is God, we are making a mistake by neglecting Him and not honoring Him." Therefore they set up an altar and made an inscription on it "to the unknown God," saying by this inscription that if there is yet another God whom they do not know, they would honor Him too. Notice the excess of demon-fearing. Therefore Paul says: "In every way I see that you are, as it were, especially devout," because you honor not only those demons known to you, but also those whom you have not come to know, and having captivated their minds, he directed their mental gaze toward Christ.
"This One, Whom you worship without knowing, I proclaim to you." The Athenians intended to accuse Paul, saying: "You are introducing a new teaching, you are introducing a God Whom we do not know." Therefore, wishing to free himself from suspicion and to show that he was preaching not a new God, but the One Whom they had already honored with worship before him, he says: "You have anticipated me, your worship of Him has preceded my preaching, because I am proclaiming to you the God Whom you venerate without knowing."
"God, who made the world and everything in it." He said one word and undermined all the positions of the philosophers. The Epicureans assert that everything came about by itself and from atoms, but he says that the world and everything in it is the work of God.
"He does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by human hands." So that they would not think that one of their many gods was being preached, Paul adds to what was said: "He does not dwell in temples made with hands," but in the human soul. So then what? Did He not dwell in the temple in Jerusalem? No, He did not dwell there, but He acted there. How then did the Jews worship Him through the service of hands? Not through the service of hands, but with the mind, because He did not require anything material, having no need of it: "Do I eat the flesh of bulls and drink the blood of goats?" (Ps. 49:13)
"He does not require… He Himself giving to all life and breath and all things." Two proofs of Divinity, namely: that God needs nothing and grants all things to all. But here Paul also shows that God is not a father, but the Creator of the soul.
"Having appointed predetermined times." He appointed so that they "would seek God," but not forever, rather for "predetermined times." Paul shows that, even without having found the Lord, they obtained Him. And since, in seeking Him, they did not find Him, he also shows that the Lord is as evident as some object examined in a conspicuous place, because it is impossible for heaven to be here but not be in another place; it is also impossible for it to exist at this time but not at another. Thus, at every time and in every place one can find the Lord. God so arranged things that we encounter no obstacle in this either from the side of place or from the side of time. The fact that heaven is everywhere and is established (predetermined) for all times had an especially strong effect on the listeners. The Lord is so close to us, says the apostle, that without Him it is impossible to live.
"In Him we live and move and have our being." He proves the nearness of the Lord by means of a sensory example: it is impossible, he says, not to know that air is diffused everywhere and is not only near each one of us, but also within us ourselves. The fact that we have received life from God, that we act and do not perish — all of this he calls the providence and care of God for us.
"As some of your own poets have said." One wise man, Aratus, said of Zeus: "We are his offspring." But the apostle says of the Creator: "We are His… offspring," — not asserting that the Creator and Zeus are one and the same — God forbid! — but applying this expression properly to the Creator, just as he called the altar an altar of Him (the Creator), and not of the one whom the Athenians worshipped. He called us the offspring of God, that is, the closest relatives, since from our race God was pleased to be born on earth. He did not say: you "ought not to think that the Deity is like gold or silver, or stone," but used a more humble expression: "we… ought not." Notice how he introduced into his speech a supersensory subject, because with the conception of a body we also associate the conception of distance.
Acts 17:30–34. Therefore, overlooking the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world through a Man whom He has predetermined, having given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead. When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said: we will hear you about this another time. So Paul departed from their midst. But some men, joining themselves to him, believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
He has in mind not the dead when he speaks of the times of "ignorance," but those to whom he preached. He also does not say: "You willingly committed evil," but rather: "You did not know." Thus, he declares this to the listeners, not demanding their punishment as those deserving of punishment, but calling them to repentance.
"For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world." He will assuredly judge, he says, all deeds and thoughts through the "Man" whom He appointed to be Judge of the living and the dead. This is the Lord who became man. Having heard this great and lofty truth, they said not a word to Paul, but mocked the resurrection: "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:14).
"So Paul departed from among them." How? Having persuaded some, but being mocked by others.
"But certain men joined him and believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite." The court was located on Mars Hill, outside the city. The Areopagites adjudicated all grievances and all crimes. Therefore Paul, as a preacher of foreign gods, was brought before the assembly of the Areopagus; but one of the members of the Areopagus at that time, the divine Dionysius, by the right of a judge cast his vote for the truth and, having bid farewell to the senseless solemn assembly of the Areopagites, was deemed worthy of enlightenment by the light of truth. Although Greece was at that time under the dominion of the Romans, they granted autonomy to Athens and Lacedaemon. Therefore the offices of judges in Athens were held by the Areopagites. The teaching of salvation is communicated to Dionysius through Paul, and he is guided, as a disciple by a teacher, by the great Hierotheus.
Acts 17:1–9. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. And Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that "this Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks, and not a few of the leading women. But the unbelieving Jews, becoming jealous, and taking some wicked men from the marketplace, gathered a mob and set the city in an uproar, and attacking the house of Jason, sought to bring them out to the people. But not finding them, they dragged Jason and some brethren before the city rulers, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has received them; and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king—Jesus." And they troubled the crowd and the city rulers who heard these things. But having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
They pass by the small cities "Amphipolis and Apollonia" and hurry to the large ones, since from the latter the word of God was to spread to the neighboring cities.
"They came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue." Although Paul had said, "But since you… make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46), he did not abandon the Jews either, because he felt great sorrow for them.
"Paul… spoke with them from the Scriptures, opening and demonstrating to them that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead." First of all he preaches about the suffering, since he recognized this as salvific.
"Of the Greeks that worshipped God a great multitude." By Greeks he means Jews who spoke Greek, or else he means proselytes numbered among the Jews, from among the Greeks. He calls them worshippers of God because they observed the Law.
"They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king, Jesus." In exactly the same way, their fathers also accused Jesus, saying that He called Himself king. But they had at least a somewhat plausible pretext, since the accused was still alive. But what did these people hope to gain by their lie, when they said of the apostles that they proclaimed Jesus as king — Jesus who, in their opinion, had died, and whom earthly kings had nothing more to fear, since they saw that He no longer appeared at all?
Acts 17:10–15. The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica: they received the word with all eagerness, daily examining the Scriptures to see whether these things were so. And many of them believed, and of the honorable Greek women and of the men not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea as well, they came there too, stirring up and troubling the people. Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away, as if he were going toward the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there. And those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and having received a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.
When he says "daily examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so," he means that they searched the Scriptures not as unbelievers (for they had already believed), but as those who did not know the prophetic traditions. Searching the Scriptures and finding that the events concerning the Lord's incarnation agreed with the words of the ancient prophets, they were through this even more strengthened in the faith.
"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul away… to Athens." The apostles avoided dangers not out of fear, but by divine inspiration, because in this instance, for example, they had already ceased preaching and were no longer provoking their enemies. From the fact that Paul withdrew, a twofold benefit resulted: the anger of the enemies subsided, and the preaching spread further. As for why they sent Paul alone, it was because they feared only for him, lest something happen to him, since he was the leader. Thus, grace did not always assist them, but also left them to themselves — now as if rousing them, now plunging them into cares.
Acts 17:16–21. While waiting for them in Athens, Paul was provoked in spirit at the sight of the city full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, and daily in the marketplace with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. And some said: "What does this babbler want to say?", while others: "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities," because he was preaching to them Jesus and the resurrection. And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus and said: May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean. Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living among them spent their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.
Was troubled in spirit here does not mean anger, because the gift of grace is far from anger and indignation. So then, what does "was troubled" mean? He was agitated, could not endure it, was distressed.
"Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him." The Epicureans said that everything exists without Divine Providence. Directing his speech primarily against them, Paul says that God gives "to all life and breath" (v. 25), "having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (v. 26), and thus proves God's Providence. The philosophers did not laugh at him when he said this, because they did not even understand anything of what was being said. And how could people who saw God in the body and blessedness in carnal pleasures understand the apostle?
"Taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus." Not in order to learn from him, but in order to punish him, they led him to the place where murderers are tried. The place was called the Areopagus, or the Hill of Ares (Mars), because here Ares (or Mars) was punished for adultery. It was called a "pagus" [hill] because it was an elevated place, since this court was situated on a hill. It should be noted that these philosophers, although they spent all their time in conversations and listening to others, nevertheless considered what Paul communicated to be a novelty that they had not yet heard. If he had been preaching that a man was crucified, his word would not have been a novelty, but since he was saying that God was crucified and rose again, he was indeed saying something new.
Acts 17:22–29. And Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Men of Athens! I perceive that in all things you are as it were especially devout. For as I passed through and observed your objects of worship, I found also an altar on which was inscribed: "To the Unknown God." This One, Whom you worship without knowing, I proclaim to you. God, Who made the world and all things in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by the hands of men, as though He had need of anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things. From one blood He produced the whole race of mankind to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having appointed predetermined times and the boundaries of their habitation, so that they should seek God, whether perhaps they might feel after Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, as some of your own poets have also said: "We are His offspring." Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold, or silver, or stone shaped by the art and imagination of man.
It seems that the apostle is as if praising the Athenians, saying that "they are as if especially devout," instead of calling them pious. And he called them so on account of the altar set up by them for the following reason. Once a war broke out between the Athenians and an enemy; having suffered defeat, they withdrew. And since it was their custom to celebrate games in honor of demons, one of the demons appeared to them and said that he had not yet seen any honor from them to himself, and therefore he was angered at them and was the cause of their defeat. To this demon they built a temple, and as if out of fear that the same thing might happen to them again sometime if they overlooked some God unknown to them, they set up an altar with the inscription "to the unknown God," saying by this that if there is yet some other God Whom they do not know, then let this altar be dedicated to Him; perhaps He will be merciful to us, even though we do not worship Him, since we do not know Him. The full inscription on the altar was as follows: "To the Gods of Asia and Europe and Libya; to the unknown and foreign God."
"Passing through and examining your sacred objects, I found also an altar." He found in the city not a Divine book, but an altar; and, making use of the inscription on the altar, he overthrew it. And what else was he to do? The Greeks were all unbelievers. If he had conversed with them on the basis of the Gospel teaching, they would have laughed at him; if on the basis of the prophets, they would have had no trust in him. He conquered the enemy's weapon with the enemy's own weapon — and this is precisely what he means when he says: to "those without the law I became as one without the law" (1 Cor. 9:21). He saw the altar and turned the inscription on it to his own advantage, and what is even more important is that he changed the opinion of the Athenians. On the altar, it says, "was written: 'To the unknown God.'" Who then was this unknown God, if not Christ? Did the Athenians really write this in the name of Christ? If they had written this in the name of Christ, then Paul's success in converting them would have been nothing remarkable. No, they wrote it with a different purpose, but Paul was able to give the inscription an entirely new meaning. But it should be said for the sake of which God they wrote "to the unknown God." They had many gods, both their own and foreign. About some of them they received information from their mothers, and about others from neighboring peoples. And so, since at first not all the gods were accepted by them at once, but were introduced little by little — some by their fathers, others by their grandfathers, and still others already in their own time — they gathered together and said: "Just as we did not know these gods before, but later came to know them, so perhaps there is yet another God whom we do not know, and since we do not know Him, although He is God, we are making a mistake by neglecting Him and not honoring Him." Therefore they set up an altar and made an inscription on it "to the unknown God," saying by this inscription that if there is yet another God whom they do not know, they would honor Him too. Notice the excess of demon-fearing. Therefore Paul says: "In every way I see that you are, as it were, especially devout," because you honor not only those demons known to you, but also those whom you have not come to know, and having captivated their minds, he directed their mental gaze toward Christ.
"This One, Whom you worship without knowing, I proclaim to you." The Athenians intended to accuse Paul, saying: "You are introducing a new teaching, you are introducing a God Whom we do not know." Therefore, wishing to free himself from suspicion and to show that he was preaching not a new God, but the One Whom they had already honored with worship before him, he says: "You have anticipated me, your worship of Him has preceded my preaching, because I am proclaiming to you the God Whom you venerate without knowing."
"God, who made the world and everything in it." He said one word and undermined all the positions of the philosophers. The Epicureans assert that everything came about by itself and from atoms, but he says that the world and everything in it is the work of God.
"He does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by human hands." So that they would not think that one of their many gods was being preached, Paul adds to what was said: "He does not dwell in temples made with hands," but in the human soul. So then what? Did He not dwell in the temple in Jerusalem? No, He did not dwell there, but He acted there. How then did the Jews worship Him through the service of hands? Not through the service of hands, but with the mind, because He did not require anything material, having no need of it: "Do I eat the flesh of bulls and drink the blood of goats?" (Ps. 49:13)
"He does not require… He Himself giving to all life and breath and all things." Two proofs of Divinity, namely: that God needs nothing and grants all things to all. But here Paul also shows that God is not a father, but the Creator of the soul.
"Having appointed predetermined times." He appointed so that they "would seek God," but not forever, rather for "predetermined times." Paul shows that, even without having found the Lord, they obtained Him. And since, in seeking Him, they did not find Him, he also shows that the Lord is as evident as some object examined in a conspicuous place, because it is impossible for heaven to be here but not be in another place; it is also impossible for it to exist at this time but not at another. Thus, at every time and in every place one can find the Lord. God so arranged things that we encounter no obstacle in this either from the side of place or from the side of time. The fact that heaven is everywhere and is established (predetermined) for all times had an especially strong effect on the listeners. The Lord is so close to us, says the apostle, that without Him it is impossible to live.
"In Him we live and move and have our being." He proves the nearness of the Lord by means of a sensory example: it is impossible, he says, not to know that air is diffused everywhere and is not only near each one of us, but also within us ourselves. The fact that we have received life from God, that we act and do not perish — all of this he calls the providence and care of God for us.
"As some of your own poets have said." One wise man, Aratus, said of Zeus: "We are his offspring." But the apostle says of the Creator: "We are His… offspring," — not asserting that the Creator and Zeus are one and the same — God forbid! — but applying this expression properly to the Creator, just as he called the altar an altar of Him (the Creator), and not of the one whom the Athenians worshipped. He called us the offspring of God, that is, the closest relatives, since from our race God was pleased to be born on earth. He did not say: you "ought not to think that the Deity is like gold or silver, or stone," but used a more humble expression: "we… ought not." Notice how he introduced into his speech a supersensory subject, because with the conception of a body we also associate the conception of distance.
Acts 17:30–34. Therefore, overlooking the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world through a Man whom He has predetermined, having given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead. When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said: we will hear you about this another time. So Paul departed from their midst. But some men, joining themselves to him, believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
He has in mind not the dead when he speaks of the times of "ignorance," but those to whom he preached. He also does not say: "You willingly committed evil," but rather: "You did not know." Thus, he declares this to the listeners, not demanding their punishment as those deserving of punishment, but calling them to repentance.
"For He has appointed a day on which He will righteously judge the world." He will assuredly judge, he says, all deeds and thoughts through the "Man" whom He appointed to be Judge of the living and the dead. This is the Lord who became man. Having heard this great and lofty truth, they said not a word to Paul, but mocked the resurrection: "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:14).
"So Paul departed from among them." How? Having persuaded some, but being mocked by others.
"But certain men joined him and believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite." The court was located on Mars Hill, outside the city. The Areopagites adjudicated all grievances and all crimes. Therefore Paul, as a preacher of foreign gods, was brought before the assembly of the Areopagus; but one of the members of the Areopagus at that time, the divine Dionysius, by the right of a judge cast his vote for the truth and, having bid farewell to the senseless solemn assembly of the Areopagites, was deemed worthy of enlightenment by the light of truth. Although Greece was at that time under the dominion of the Romans, they granted autonomy to Athens and Lacedaemon. Therefore the offices of judges in Athens were held by the Areopagites. The teaching of salvation is communicated to Dionysius through Paul, and he is guided, as a disciple by a teacher, by the great Hierotheus.