Athens was the intellectual capital of the world. The seat of power and influence was to be found in the Roman Empire. Culture and ideas sprang from Athens; it was in literature, mathematics, and observational science that Athens excelled. It was the Greek, Eratosthenes (poet, athlete, geographer, astronomer, 276 – 195 BC) who had already invented a system of latitude and longitude, measured the circumference of the earth with remarkable accuracy, and even measured the tilt of the earth’s axis! So Paul was arriving at the heart of learning, but it was not the learning that impressed him, it was proliferation of idols. The very idea that thoughtful, clever, and cultured people should engage in the worship of idols distressed him – caused him heartache and sadness.
The world of Athens as it was then is not so far removed from the world today. Does that distress you?
The idols are no longer stone, wood or precious metals. The gods of science and technology, of economic materialism, or even astrology, hold sway in many lives. As I am writing today (December 2009), the world is waiting with bated breath to see if the politicians in Copenhagen can come up with an answer to Global Warming. Can the US and China save the world from disaster? Today’s ‘gods’ are more sophisticated than the Athenian ones for sure – but equally distressing!
Into that situation Paul took the message of Jesus and the resurrection. It left some people sneering (v 32), but as in other places, some believed and we see the beginning of a church in the city.
And that is still the message we proclaim today. Whether it is to ordinary working (or unemployed) people, or intellectuals in high society, we still proclaim the risen Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

For reflection: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: (Rom 1 v 16)