Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 47:1 (NA 1996)
Article: On Introducing Gods To Athens: An Alternative Reading Of Acts 17:18-20
Author: Bruce W. Winter

TynBul 47:1 (1996) p. 71

On Introducing Gods To Athens: An
Alternative Reading Of Acts 17:18-20

Bruce W. Winter

Summary

Acts 17:18 records that some Athenians perceived Paul to be a ‘herald of strange gods’ because of his evangelistic activity in the Agora. This essay examines the conventions surrounding a ‘herald’s’ official introduction of new deities into the Athenian Pantheon, throwing further light on Paul’s Areopagus address and suggesting an alternative translation of Acts 17:19-20.

I. Introduction

In a recent book, Introducing New Gods: The Politics of Athenian Religion, Professor R. Garland discusses the conventions for introducing new gods to Athens and provides examples from the beginnings of Athenian religion to 399 BC.1 Garland notes:

A convenient forum in which to advertise the benefits of a new god and hence to drum up popular support would have been a public meeting place such as the Agora, the civic, administrative and commercial heart of the city and a popular venue for all those who wished to exchange ideas.2

He then cites Acts 17:17 as evidence, and comments that ‘Paul argued… in the Agora every day… Subsequently the apostle was invited to present his case more formally on the hill known as the Areopagus—or alternatively before the administrative body of that name.’3

TynBul 47:1 (1996) p. 72

Because of the period Garland covers in his book, he does not specifically explore whether or not the Athenians saw Paul to be promoting new gods who might be incorporated into their Pantheon. The purpose of this essay is to examine the setting of Acts 17:17-20 and to suggest an alternative reading of the passage. This will be done by (1) rehearsing briefly the conventions for introducing new gods into ancient Athens, and considering the success or failure of a cause in doing so, (2) reporting first-century AD examples of important gods or goddesses being introduced into that city, thereby extending the discussion beyond the period covered by Garland, (3) examining in some detail the text of Acts to show that some Athenians perceived Paul to be seeking the acceptance of new gods by the city and the possible assimilation into the Pantheon, which accounts for the preliminary explanation given to him in Acts 17:19-20, (4) providing fresh insigh...