Acts 17:20
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Acts 17:20
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Chapter Context
Acts 17 is a historical narrative chapter in the New Testament that explores themes of righteousness, prayer, obedience. Written during the late first century CE (c. 80-85 CE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Chronicles Christianity's spread across the Roman Empire despite official and unofficial opposition.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-34: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Acts and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Acts 17:20
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Analysis
Thou bringest certain strange things to our ears (ξενίζοντά τινα εἰσφέρεις εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς ἡμῶν)—The verb xenizonta means "foreign," "alien," or "surprising." The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers found Paul's proclamation of Jesus and the resurrection (anastasis, v.18) utterly novel—not merely unfamiliar, but intellectually jarring to Greek philosophical categories. Athens prided itself on intellectual sophistication, yet Paul's gospel defied their wisdom (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23).
We would know therefore what these things mean (βουλόμεθα οὖν γνῶναι τίνα θέλει ταῦτα εἶναι)—The word boulometha expresses deliberate desire or intention. This wasn't casual curiosity but formal philosophical inquiry. The Areopagus court (v.19) evaluated new teachings for civic and religious propriety. Paul stood where Socrates was tried—a providential platform for gospel proclamation to the intellectual capital of the ancient world.
Historical Context
Athens in AD 50-51 remained culturally prestigious though politically diminished under Roman rule. The Areopagus (Mars Hill) functioned both as a location and a judicial council examining religious innovations. Luke notes Athenians "spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing" (v.21)—a characteristic observed by contemporary writers like Demosthenes and Thucydides.
Reflection
- How does the gospel remain "strange" and countercultural to modern intellectual trends and philosophical assumptions?
- What can we learn from Paul's willingness to engage hostile intellectual environments rather than retreat to safer audiences?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Hosea 8:12, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2:14, 1 Peter 4:4