Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 17]
\diachleuaz•\). Probably inchoative here, began to mock. In
contempt at Paul's statement they declined to listen further to
"this babbler" (verse 18) who had now lost what he had gained
with this group of hearers (probably the light and flippant
Epicureans). {But others} (\hoi de\). A more polite group like
those who had invited him to speak (verse 19). They were
unconvinced, but had better manners and so were in favour of an
adjournment. This was done, though it is not clear whether it was
a serious postponement or a courteous refusal to hear Paul
further (probably this). It was a virtual dismissal of the
matter. " It is a sad story--the noblest of ancient cities and
the noblest man of history--and he never cared to look on it
again" (Furneaux).
17:33 {Thus Paul went out from among them} (\hout•s ho Paulos
ex•lthen ek mesou aut•n\). No further questions, no effort to
arrest him, no further ridicule. He walked out never to return to
Athens. Had he failed?
17:34 {Clave unto him and believed} (\koll•thentes aut•i
episteusan\). First aorist passive of this strong word \kolla•\,
to glue to, common in Acts (5:13; 8:29; 9:26; 10:28) No sermon
is a failure which leads a group of men (\andres\) to believe
(ingressive aorist of \pisteu•\) in Jesus Christ. Many so-called
great or grand sermons reap no such harvest. {Dionysius the
Areopagite} (\Dionusios ho Areopagit•s\). One of the judges of
the Court of the Areopagus. That of itself was no small victory.
He was one of this college of twelve judges who had helped to
make Athens famous. Eusebius says that he became afterwards
bishop of the Church at Athens and died a martyr. {A woman named
Damaris} (\gun• onomati Damaris\). A woman by name Damaris. Not
the wife of Dionysius as some have thought, but an aristocratic
woman, not necessarily an educated courtezan as Furneaux holds.
And there were "others" (\heteroi\) with them, a group strong
enough to keep the fire burning in Athens. It is common to say
that Paul in 1Co 2:1-5 alludes to his failure with philosophy
in Athens when he failed to preach Christ crucified and he
determined never to make that mistake again. On the other hand
Paul determined to stick to the Cross of Christ in spite of the
fact that the intellectual pride and superficial culture of
Athens had prevented the largest success. As he faced Corinth
with its veneer of culture and imitation of philosophy and sudden
wealth he would go on with the same gospel of the Cross, the only
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