¹Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone ² and we sent Timothy …

Paul appears to have been quite active in ministry after leaving Macedonia (comparing his comments here with Acts 17:14–18:5). His first stop was Athens, from where he summoned Timothy and Silvanus (whom the author of Acts calls Silas). At least Timothy joined Paul in Athens and then, according to our verse today, was sent back to Thessalonica. Later, both he and Silvanus joined up with Paul again in Corinth (Acts 18:5).

Paul’s only reference to Athens in any of his writings is found here, and the only mention about his time there had to do with his longing for the Thessalonians. Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, chronicles for us Paul’s experience there in some detail (Acts 17:14–34). Luke writes, “Now while Paul was waiting for [Silas and Timothy] in Athens . . .” One almost gets the impression that Paul was biding his time there. But with the apostle, no time is wasted. It did not take him long to find himself engaged with the Jews in the synagogue, then with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the marketplace (a first-century equivalent to a shopping mall). This spilled over into the more formal setting of Mars Hill (or Areopagus), where “all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new” (Acts 18:21).

The message to the Athenians was clear: Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 18:18). Jew, Greek, educated, uneducated, men, women—it didn’t matter; the message never changed. It was all about Jesus. The Athenians had never heard of this before and were quite interested. However, when Paul began to speak about repentance and judgment and resurrection of people from the dead (not just Jesus’ resurrection), the crowd began to divide. Some “sneered” at him while others wanted to hear more.

The conversation finally came to an end, but as Luke records, “[S]ome men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them” (Acts 17:34). Paul then left for Corinth. There were “some” who believed, but apparently not many.

This story is sandwiched in the life of Paul between his church planting in Thessalonica and Corinth. What a contrast! Paul writing from Corinth did not think the fruit of his time in Athens noteworthy enough to mention in that letter. He wrote to the Corinthians later, “not many wise” came to faith (1 Cor. 1:26).

Lord, help me be more like the Thessalonians rather than the Athenians who just enjoyed talking about big ideas, without believing the gospel message.