“Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”
Acts 17:32-34 ESV
Through the Bible: Acts 17
I’ve always had mixed feelings about Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill.
On one hand, it’s often held up as the gold standard for engaging skeptics—an example of speaking the gospel in terms that connect with secular, educated, spiritually curious people. Paul was addressing a crowd that spent its time “in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21). And according to verse 32, he impressed them enough to earn a second hearing.
On the other hand, the results feel modest compared to what happened in other cities. In Thessalonica, “a great many” believed (v. 4). In Berea, the response was even more enthusiastic (v. 11–12). But in Athens: “some men joined him and believed” (v. 34). Praise God for every soul—but the contrast is hard to miss.
Notably, Paul never planted a church there. There’s no letter to the Athenians. After this moment, Athens slips quietly out of the New Testament story.
What Luke Highlights (and Doesn’t)
None of this means Paul failed. Scripture never calls it a failure. But it does invite us to reflect.
Because while Paul models many good things in Acts 17—cultural awareness, philosophical bridge-building, quoting Greek poets—there is something striking about the sermon as Luke records it: it doesn’t emphasize Christ crucified and risen.
Luke tells us earlier that Paul had been preaching “Jesus and the resurrection” in the marketplace (v. 18), so we know the gospel was in the air. But the address at the Areopagus focuses on God as Creator, Judge, and the One who raised Jesus from the dead. All true. All essential. Yet it differs from the fuller pattern Luke usually highlights in Acts: who Jesus is, why He came, how He died, and what He calls us to do.
To be clear: Luke is giving us a summary, as he often does. It’s entirely possible Paul said more. But what Luke chooses to spotlight—and omit—still teaches us something.
Hard Truths About a Hard Place
There’s also this: Athens was notoriously difficult soil long before Paul stepped foot there.
This was the city that executed Socrates for “introducing new gods.” If that’s what they did to their own philosopher, imagine how they’d treat an itinerant Jewish rabbi preaching a crucified Messiah.
By Paul’s day, Athens was still respected, but it was no longer the vibrant powerhouse it had once been. Its population had shrunk. Its influence was more philosophical than practical. The Stoics and Epicureans were still active, but the city was not spiritually hungry—it was spiritually bloated.
And yet, in this challenging environment, there are some converts. Notably, Luke names them:
34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Acts 17:34
Luke only bothers to name people when their later influence in the early church makes them memorable to his audience. So while Athens never becomes a headline city in Acts, the fact that Luke names two converts suggests their faith took root and bore fruit somewhere in the wider movement.
In other words: the soil was hard, but not barren. The harvest was small, but not insignificant.
Paul’s Own Reflection on Athens
Acts tells us that Paul went from Athens to Corinth (see Acts 18:1). Years later, when Paul reflects on his first days in Corinth, he wrote,
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:1–5 (ESV)
Paul’s circumspection suggests he learned something in Athens about the limits of human brilliance, strategy, and cultural fluency. There is a kind of ministry that can win applause from the Areopagus and still leave hearts unchanged.
It’s a stretch to suggest Paul’s ministry in Athens was a “failure.” But it seems clear that Mars Hill marked a turning point in Paul’s strategy. If there is a record in Scripture of Paul relying on his own rhetorical brilliance rather than a “demonstration of the Spirit,” Mars Hill is it. Bear in mind that the apostles were Spirit-filled, but not flawless. Peter wavered under pressure in Antioch (Galatians 2:11–14). Barnabas was “led astray” (Galatians 2:13). Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement (Acts 15:36–40). God includes these moments to remind us that the power lies not in the brilliance of the messenger but in the perfection of the message.
What We Can Learn
So what do we make of Mars Hill?
We learn from Paul’s approach—his engagement with culture, his deep respect for his listeners, his willingness to notice the “altar to the unknown god” and begin right where they were. But we also learn from what Luke emphasizes and from what Paul later reflects on—that contextualization, by itself, is not power. Cultural savvy cannot convert the human heart.
Only Christ can do that.
Beloved, when you talk with unbelievers, be kind. Be thoughtful. Be well-read. Know the poets of Athens and the songwriters of today. Build bridges. But remember: the bridge is not the gospel. The power is not in cleverness, connection, or relevance. The power is in Christ crucified and risen.
Quote Taylor Swift if you want to—but don’t expect revival from it.
Expect revival from Jesus.
Further Reading
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