“Paul’s Speech at the Areopagus” from Luke’s Acts of the Apostles

Background:  This biblical work is the companion piece to Luke’s Gospel.  It recounts his community’s understanding of the spread of the early Christian movement from its central point in the preaching of Jesus to the new “center” of the world in Rome.  A central figure in this movement from its originating Jewish matrix out to the “gentile” world was the apostle Paul, a man who had never met the historical Jesus, but who became his first great emissary to the larger world.  This story about Paul portrays how the Christians of the next generation (from around the 80’s) understood Paul’s work.

See a rendition of this event in stained glass from St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario, Canada.  Read some ruminations on Paul's speech from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando.

Discussion questions:

The story begins with Paul being conducted by Christian companions to Athens.  What is the significance of the locale for the story?

Notice that the first place Paul begins to preach is the synagogue (v. 7).  Why do you think this is so?

When he goes out to the marketplace, with whom does he debate?

What is the “Areopagus” (v. 19) and its significance for the story?  What do you think of the remark that the Athenians and foreigners spent their time in telling or hearing “something new”?

What is the thrust of Paul’s “speech”? (vv. 22-31)  What is the reaction of most of those who hear him? (v. 32)  Who are the named individuals in the story who accepted what Paul said? (v. 34)  What significance do you see in this?

What does this story have to do with the theme of discovery in an intellectual journey?