What does Acts 17:34 mean?
Paul has given an educated, erudite argument on the nature of God and the judgment of sin at the Areopagus in Athens. He related the Creator God to an altar dedicated to "an unknown god," showed how worshiping an idol made by human hands to represent the Creator is foolishness and called the Athenians to repent of their idolatry. God will judge them and has already identified His judge by raising Him from the dead. The majority of his audience determines he's a fool, some even mock Paul. Neither Epicureans nor Stoics believed in the resurrection of the dead, so they didn't believe in a final judgment. Paul leaves (Acts 17:22–33).A few, however, want to know more. And some join Paul, believing his message. Dionysius is a judge at the Areopagus Court. Nothing more is known about him from the Bible, but Eusebius reports that he becomes the first Bishop of Athens. Damaris is a mystery.
Some suggest that the low conversion rate in Athens causes Paul to change his evangelism tactics. His next stop is Corinth and in his first letter to the Corinthian church, he writes, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Critics say that instead of using elaborate, academic arguments, Paul simplifies his message and lets the Holy Spirit work (1 Corinthians 2:4–5). Paul says, "Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Corinthians 1:20).
But Paul is not comparing his methods in Athens to his methods in Corinth. He is explaining his methods in Corinth in light of the Corinthians' attempts to complicate the gospel. Instead of following Jesus, the people broke into sects, following Paul, Apollos, or Peter (1 Corinthians 1:12).
There's no indication that Paul regrets how he presented Christ to the Athenians, despite the low number of people who believe him. It's entirely possible that even fewer people would have responded to other approaches. He spoke to them in a way he thought they would best be able to accept the message about Jesus' offer of salvation. This is his strategy everywhere he ministers (1 Corinthians 9:19–23).
Acts 17:22–34 contains the second of two sermons which Luke records from Paul. The more typical sermon explains to synagogues how Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 13:16–41). Here, however, Paul is speaking to a group of Athenian philosophers. Paul uses lines from classical poets to introduce the Creator God who cannot be represented by an idol. He calls his audience to repent of their idolatry lest they face judgment by the representative God has resurrected. But they don't believe in the resurrection of the dead or final judgment. The majority dismiss Paul as a fool and go on their way.
Acts 17 describes how Paul's ministry travels down the coast of Greece. In Thessalonica, some Jews and God-fearing Gentiles believe while other Jews start a riot (Acts 17:1–9). The Bereans study the veracity of Paul's statements—until the Thessalonian Jews arrive and threaten to start another riot (Acts 17:10–15). Paul flees to Athens where the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers accept Paul's argument when he uses Greek poets to introduce God as the creator of the world, but lose interest when he mentions the resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:16–34).
