What was the Areopagus?

183 5. The "Areopagus" was a tribunal established by Solon the lawgiver of Athens, both to watch over the morals of the Athenians, and to see that due honour was paid to the gods. This institution, although deprived of its importance, was retained under the Roman rule. This tribunal held its sessions on the hill of Mars or Ares, whence is derived the name "Areopagus," Ares' (or Mars') Hill, and Acts 17:19 may therefore be translated, either "They led him to Mars' Hill," or, "before the tribunal called Areopagus."

One connected with the court of Areopagus at Athens, where Dionysius heard Paul and "clave to him and believed." Acts 17:34.

The hill of Ares, or Mars. Here was held the highest and most ancient and venerable court of justice in Athens for moral and political matters. It was composed of those who had held the office of Archon unless expelled for misconduct. Paul, who had been disputing daily in the market place, was conducted by some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers to Mars' Hill, not for any judicial purpose, but doubtless that they might hear him more quietly. Here he delivered his address respecting God, so suited to the heathen philosophers who heard him, and which was not without its fruit. Acts 17:19. The Greek words are Areios-pagos, but are translated Mars' Hill in Acts 17:22. The court was situate on a rocky hill opposite the west end of the Acropolis. Sixteen stone steps still lead up to the spot.

Whether there were fruit to this ministry is not revealed, for the Spirit of God passes on to call attention to the main purpose and characteristic of the apostle's visit to Athens. The fame of the Greek schools of philosophy had spread throughout the then known world, so that Athens was regarded as the seat of learning and wisdom. What Cambridge and Oxford are to England today, Athens was then to the whole of Europe; and hence it is plainly written in this record, what Paul afterwards proclaimed, that the world by wisdom knew not God. The Epicureans and Stoics were pre-eminent among the Athenian schools; and the ambassador of Christ came into contact and conflict with certain of their philosophers. Their very names have found an abiding place in our language, and they represent, as has been strikingly said, Pleasure and Pride - the two most powerful factors of human life. Encountering Paul, some of them 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."

Possessing, as we do, the fall light of revelation we can the more easily estimate the darkness of the natural mind. The most eminent teachers of that day were so benighted that they thought the resurrection, which Paul preached in connection with Jesus of Nazareth, was also a strange god! But, like all the Athenians, filled with curiosity, for they "spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing," they took Paul, and brought him unto Areopagus, and requested that they might hear more of his new doctrine. "The place to which they took him was the summit of the hill of Areopagus, where the most awful court of judicature had sat from time immemorial, to pass sentence on the greatest criminals, and to decide the most solemn questions connected with religion. … On this spot a long series of awful causes, connected with crime and religion, had been determined, beginning with the legendary trial of Mars, which gave to the place its name of Mars' Hill.* On such a spot, surrounded by "temples, statues, and altars," stood the apostle on this memorable day to address the most illustrious sages of the world.

Mars hill - same as Areopagus

Member of the supreme court at Athens, converted under the preaching of Paul. Acts 17:34.

But they were no longer disposed to persecute. Intellectual levity survived the loss of their national independence and political power. Mocking or curiosity alone remained. Still they were sufficiently struck by the apostle's preaching to lay hold of him and bring him up to the Areopagus, not to try him for his life, as they once did with Socrates, but that they might know what this new doctrine was. Even they could not but avow how strange the sound was to their ears: 'We wish to know therefore, what these things mean.' The truth, however, enters not through the ear merely, but the conscience also, and what conscience was there in spending their time for nothing else than either to tell or to hear the last news? We shall see that the apostle brought God, as a personal and living reality, before themselves as morally related to Him. Till conscience is awakened, what groundwork can there be? Otherwise the gospel is degraded into another new thing, and Jesus and the resurrection become the latest additions to the Pantheon of heathen vanities.

'And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Men of Athens, in all things I observe that ye are very [i.e., more than others] reverent to divinities [or demons]; for passing through and closely observing the objects of your worship, I found also an altar on which was the inscription, To an unknown God. What [or Whom], therefore, ye without knowing worship, this1 I announce to you. The God that made the world and all things therein, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands, nor is He served by human2 hands as needing something more, Himself giving to all life, and breath, and all things. And He made of one [blood3] every nation of men to dwell on all3 the face of the earth, having determined appointed4 seasons, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek God5, if haply they might feel after and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and are; as also some of your own poets have said, For His offspring also are we. Being therefore God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divinity is like gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. God therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now commends men6 that they should all everywhere repent, inasmuch as7 He has appointed a day in which He is about to judge the world [inhabited earth] in righteousness, by a Man Whom He marked out, having given assurance to all in that He raised Him from [the] dead' (vers. 22-31). {1 The neuter form has more ancient support than the much more general masculine. 2 'Of men' in Text. Rec. must yield in antiquity to 'human'. 3 'Blood' is not in ℵAB, eight cursives, and most ancient Versions, some reading 'every face'. 4 'Foreappointed' rests on D and a few more. 5 'God' has ample support of the best kind. 6 Text. Rec. has 'all men' with many, but not the best witnesses, as in the text followed. 7 καθότι ℵABDE, et al., διότι 'because', has inferior weight.}

Only you must not call this preaching. Paul is here brought to Areopagus to answer for himself.

At Athens Paul is roused by the obtrusive idolatry, nowhere more obtrusive than there, to earnest discussion in the market-place with any whom he meets. In the synagogue he seems to have found nothing; the Athenian spirit may well have had its effect here also, even in a reaction against the new things after which the busy idlers of the city sought, and with which their scorn could confound the good news of salvation by a dying and risen Saviour. As for the Greeks it is the Epicureans and Stoics who assail the preacher, as they think, of new divinities; themselves either sceptic as to any true God whatever, — the world being neither His creation nor His care, — or else on the other side making man independent of Him, and mere fate the real governor both of God and man. The Epicurean sought his end in pleasure; the Stoic stiffened himself in self-righteousness and pride. To the latter indifference was a positive duty; in both were the sure signs of that break-down of the purer philosophy which they followed which showed itself in the open scepticism in turn following them: all showing the consciousness of the failure of philosophy in every form, and the need of that revelation against which it nevertheless so eagerly contended.

After all, in the heart of man lay needs unsatisfied, which could not accept a stone for bread; and the restless questioning of the Athenian spirit bore witness to this also. Babbler as they might think Paul was, they still would hear him; and with courteous phrase they invite him to the Areopagus, where the supreme court of Athens commonly held its sittings. But there was now neither thought of judgment nor a true judicial spirit in the crowd that assembled there. The old world had largely with the Roman come to ask after the truth itself with little thought of finding it. Still, for the moment they listened; and he to whom truth was no question but a joyous and deep conviction, took advantage of the occasion offered to press upon them his one remedy for the common need of man — Jesus and the resurrection.

Some scornfully derided what they heard, others listened and wished to hear more. "Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics 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." Thus we learn what Paul in his daily conversation had been pressing on the attention of the people, and the different classes of philosophers. It was "Jesus, and the resurrection." These words had made the greatest impression, and remained the most distinctly in their minds. What a new thing, and what a blessed reality for souls! The Person of Christ; not a theory: the fact of the resurrection, not a gloomy uncertainty as to the future. The minister of Christ lays bare to the learned Athenians their fearful condition in the sight of the true God. Nevertheless, they sought to have a fuller and more deliberate exposition of these mysterious subjects, and they brought Paul unto Areopagus.

This place, we are told, was the most convenient and appropriate for a public address. The most solemn court of justice had sat from time immemorial on the hill of Areopagus. The judges sat in the open air, upon seats hewn out in the rock. On this spot many solemn questions had been discussed, and many solemn cases decided: beginning with the legendary trial of Mars, which gave to the place the name of "Mars' hill."

A. Wetstein has shown by sufficient examples that νεσθαι ἐνis a technical phrase for being judged at such or such a tribunal: Aristides de Soc. i. p. 128; Platon. ii. pp. 214, 261. Polyb. v. 29. Plut. Themist p. 123. Cat. p. 349. Lysias c. Philost. and Diod. Sic. xix. 51.