14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (For 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 17:14-21 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The prudential care which the believing brethren took of the holy apostle, was observed before, verse 10. His life being in danger at Thessalonica, they sent him to Berea; being pursued to Berea, they sent him to Athens, and detain Silas, and Timotheus; not that St. Paul was more fearful than the other two; but more useful, and consequently more hated by the unbelieving Jews, and his life more sought after. To preserve him, his friends use an innocent policy: they make it as if they sent him away to sea, but really he goes on foot to Athens: Immediately the brethern sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea.
Hence learn, That human policy and prudence may lawfully be made use of, in subserviency to divine providence. It was good policy and great providence in the apostle and his friends to look one way and go another; to look towards the sea, and to go to Athens by land.
There is a wise and holy subtilty in foreseeing the evil and hiding ourselves: a serpent’s eye is a singular ornament in a dove’s head.
Piety without policy, is too simple to be safe; and policy without piety, is too subtle to be good. The sagacity of the serpent, and the innocency of the dove, both may and ought to go together.
Observe, 2. The place which the apostle comes to: Athens, a sovereign city, a famous university; the eye of Greece, as Greece was reputed the eye of the world. Yet, notwithstanding all their scholarship, they were ignorant of God in Christ; all their learning could not teach them to attain any saving knowledge, but both city and university are wholly given to idolatry.
Learn hence, That human learning alone can never teach any place or people the divine truths of Christ and his gospel. ‘Tis a good handmaid, but a bad mistress; ’tis good in itself, but when corrupted by a busy devil and a base heart, it degenerates into the worst instrument in the world; for Corruptio optimi est pessima; “The sweetest wine makes the sourest vinegar.”
Observe, 3. The temper of the men of Athens described to us: they were great and greedy newsmongers, they spent their time in telling and hearing news of any sort. All which was the effect of an itching curiosity; a disease which has descended from age to age, from place to place, from person to person, occasioning a sinful expense of time, which can never be recalled; the neglect of our necessary affairs, which can never be redeemed; spreading false stories of others, and provoking displeasure against ourselves.
O how wise and happy were it, if we enquired after news, not as Athenians, but as Christians; that we might know better how to manage our prayers and praises for the church and nation.
Observe, 4. How the wickedness and idolatry of this place did vehemently affect this great apostle: His spirit was stirred, when he saw the city full of idols, and wholly given to idolatry. Their idolatry put him into a paroxysm, as the word signifies; his mind was in a concussion by contrary passions: he was affected first with sorrow and grief, that a city should be so learned, and yet so blind; next with indignation and anger, at the superabounding idolatry of that knowing people; and lastly, with fervent zeal, and an ardent desire to undeceive them, and better inform them.
In order to which, he takes all opportunities, both in the city, in the synagogue, and in the marketplace, to preach to the people, to dispute with the philosophers, particularly the Epicureans, who denied the providence of God, and the immortality of the soul; who placed all their happiness in pleasure, and held nothing to be desirable but what delighted their senses: a doctrine which made them rather swine than men. And also with the Stoics, who placed all happiness in want of passion, denied all freedom of will, and ascribed all events to an absolute and irrevocable fate. And having disputed with them, he preaches Christ crucified, risen, and glorified to them: but he seems a babbler to them, and a setter forth of strange gods.
Whence learn, That Christ and his doctrine, the gospel, was the grand stumbling block both to Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned. St. Paul took most pains to convert Athens, yet here his success was least; though it was a learned university, where, no doubt, were many men of excellent natural accomplishments.
From whence we may infer, that if moral dispositions and improvement of natural abilities had fitted men for grace, we might have expected the greatest number of converts at Athens, where many were mocking but very few believing. Surely the apostle’s plantations there were different, not so much from the nature of the soil, as from the different influences of the Spirit.
Observe, 5. How wonderfully the overruling providence of God concerned itself for the apostle’s preservation here at Athens: they hauled him away to their high court of judicature, which sat upon Mars’-hill, (so called because the temple of Mars stood upon it,) where the most learned men assembled, and hear and determine what new god was to be worshipped.
Here note, 1. How the providence of God brought St. Paul to a public place to preach in, Mars’-hill, where there was a confluence of all the people and a congregation of the most learned Gentile philosophers. This gave the apostle a mighty opportunity for the service of preaching.
And, 2 note, How tenderly the apostle was treated in this cruel court: although this court had condemned Diagoras, Protagoras, and Socrates himself, for undervaluing their gods, and bringing in new deities; yet the apostle’s life is not only spared by these judges, but they speak candidly and kindly to the apostle, and court him to gratify their curiosity, by informing them of this novelty, which they were so inquisitive after, and desired to hear more of his divine discourse.
Thus the Lord eminently shows, how the hearts of men are in his hand, and that without his permission all the bitter enemies of his church shall not move a tongue, nor lift up a finger, against any of his ministers and members.