Acts 17:18
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.
Paul was in Athens, a city given to art and idol worship in the very heart of paganism, while waiting for Silas and Timothy, disputing in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons and daily in the marketplace with all whom he met, where Athenians and strangers spent their time in telling or hearing some new thing. As he discussed his teaching in public, men proud of their intellectual culture entered into conversation with him and drew a crowd of listeners. The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him there, and he met that loneliness and adversity with unshaken confidence and courage.
He preached to them Jesus and the resurrection, which sounded new and unfamiliar to them. Some jeered him as socially and intellectually beneath them and asked what this babbler would say, while others said he seemed to be a setter forth of strange gods. They called it a new doctrine and strange things to their ears.
His hearers reminded him that Socrates had been condemned to death as a setter forth of strange gods and counseled him not to endanger his life the same way. Yet his earnest discourse riveted attention, and his unaffected wisdom commanded admiration and respect. Seeing he would tell his story at all hazards, they decided to give him a fair hearing and took him to the Areopagus, or Mars Hill, to explain what it meant. That encounter opened the way for him to stand on Mars Hill before every class of people, from men of renown to heathen idolaters, and set before them the evidences of Christianity.
There he proved to have a fund of knowledge even greater than their own, meeting them on their own ground with logic for logic and philosophy for philosophy, unsilenced by their science and irony. His knowledge, reasoning, speech and power of oratory commanded the attention and respect of the more intelligent and learned while holding the common audience. His reasoning answered their logic, science and philosophy and left the wisest hearers astonished and unable to refute him, silencing the arguments of proud philosophy. His defense of the faith was accompanied by signs and miracles giving clear evidence of its divine character, proving he was no novice, for his religion came from God and not human invention, bearing divinity's stamp and a light from heaven no earthly power could quench.
His labor there gained a victory for Christianity and was not wholly in vain, for several became converts and joined themselves to him. Only three among the large audience were converted, and few accepted the gospel. The inspired record of his words, attitude and surroundings was to be handed down through all coming generations bearing witness to that confidence, courage in loneliness and adversity, and victory.
The setting shows that skillful argument alone did not lead many to Christ, and meeting eloquence with eloquence, logic with logic and oratory with oratory, displaying ability and smartness, proved fruitless and disappointing with little fruit. Afterward he avoided elaborate arguments and worldly learning and eloquence, determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified because a short lifetime leaves time for nothing else. At Corinth he preached in plain, simple terms without worldly wisdom, dwelling on Christ and His mission and pointing people simply to Christ as the Saviour of sinners and salvation through Him.