A FEW IN ATHENS BELIEVED

Acts 17:32-34 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

While in Athens, Paul preached the gospel of eternal salvation through Christ Jesus to all assembled on Mars' Hill, just as he had done in Jewish synagogues and market places (See Acts 17:16, 17, & 22). Although the number of people that were persuaded to accept Jesus, as their Savior, seemed to be fewer in number that in other cities, there were some favorable results. In many cities where Paul preached the gospel of Christ the success was great enough that churches of Christ were planted. However, this was not true in Athens. As far as we know the church, the body of Christ, was never established in Athens. It appeared that the superstitions of the Greek philosophers, that is, the idolatrous worship of many man-made gods, was so ingrained in their lives that godly reason could not dissuade their paganistic religions.

Although the audience seemed to be attentive to Paul's teaching, but they vocally opposed him when he began to speak of the future state of mankind that exists after the resurrection of the soul. This tenant, the resurrection of the dead, they refused to accept as truth. The Epicureans, being strictly materialists, and believing only in the glorification and gratification of the present physical state of mankind, mocked Paul as he preached the Christian doctrine of resurrection of the soul of all men and women. To Christians the resurrection of the soul is comfort and consolation, but to the Epicureans it was a ridiculous notion - it was foolish conjecture that was not to be taken seriously. Their belief was much like that of the Sadducees. This sect of the Jewish nation held strictly to the Law of Moses. They did not believe in the immortality of the soul, nor in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8), since neither is mentioned in the Mosaic Law as it was originally given and handed down to them in written form. Therefore, if Sadducees were present this day on Mars' Hill, they too, more that likely, would mock Paul and the doctrine of Christ that he preached.

However, others said, we will hears thee again on this matter. Resurrection seemed to be a matter that some were not willing to immediately embrace, but neither did they oppose and reject it. More than likely the Stoics were among those that wanted to hear Paul speak more on the resurrection of the soul. This philosophical sect did not strictly uphold the future state of mankind beyond physical life, but neither did they deny its existence. Jews, of the sect of the Pharisees, if present, probably wanted to hear more about the resurrection of the soul. Their doctrine held to the interpretation of the Law of Moses as applied by the Jewish scribes. Acts 23:6-9 assures us that this Jewish sect believed in the resurrection of the soul of mankind. And were they present on this occasion, they, like the Stoics, no doubt desired to hear more of Paul's message of salvation that was firmly based on the spiritual truth of the resurrection of Christ Jesus from death and of the future resurrection of the souls of all men and women of the world.

It is sad to realize that, as it was in Athens, so it is in many areas of the world today. The world refuses to hear and accept God's invitation to enjoy the hope of eternal life, because their hearts and minds have been hardened by the teaching of religious philosophers and skeptics that seek personal profit and acclaim from people of the world around them. Paul recognized this human attitude in the people of Athens; therefore he departed from among them. Although the reception to the gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus was not sufficient to form a congregation of God's people, his teaching was not entirely fruitless. A few, having open and receptive hearts, accepted and obeyed the gospel of Christ.

Luke wrote that certain men clave unto him (Paul), and believed (his teaching): among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. Of the few that believed, two were specifically named. The title given Dionysius was the Aeropagite, which means the he was a member of the Court of Aeropagus, a position of significant influence among the philosophers of Athens. The other person specifically mentioned was a woman named Damaris. Although she was probably well known to all Athenians, nothing else is known of this obedient woman. The fact that only a few heard, believed, and obeyed God's call to salvation through the preaching of Paul in Athens, his labor was not in vain. This should be the encouraging message we learn from Paul's efforts in Athens - salvation of the soul of one person is worth all our effort to proclaim the gospel message of Christ Jesus to the world.