Paul: Jewish Preacher to the Pagans
Paul’s famous Mars Hill message demonstrated his Jewish teaching style and laid the groundwork for the church’s universal nature today.
On the highest hill in London, Ludgate Hill, stands a famous and recognizable sight: St Paul’s Cathedral. This massive building, completed in 1710, stands where a previous church was built in 604 and dedicated to Saint Paul as a sign of Christianity’s establishment in England.
The name choice was deliberate, as people often associate the apostle Paul with missionary work and carrying the gospel to non-Jewish communities. Paul was a key figure in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, making his name a fitting choice for a church in Londinium, the Roman city that became London.
Although Paul never abandoned the principle of “to the Jew first” (Rom. 2:10; cf. 1:16), and preaching first in the synagogues became his custom throughout the book of Acts, he was unafraid to follow his call to reach the Gentiles.
He may never have preached on Ludgate Hill, but he preached the gospel hundreds of years earlier to heathens and idol worshipers in a confrontation on Mars Hill that became his most important gospel presentation during his second missionary journey (Acts 17:6–34)—though, at the time, only “some men joined him and believed” (v. 34).
Paul’s speech on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece, showcased his unwavering commitment to reaching those outside the Jewish faith and sharing the gospel with people vastly different from himself. While addressing a Greek audience, Paul skillfully incorporated elements of the Jewish teaching style, such as starting with shared understanding, using logical argumentation, and calling for repentance.
He also quoted Greek poets to connect with his listeners’ cultural framework. This defining aspect of his ministry to the Gentiles laid the groundwork for the universal nature of the church today, affirming that salvation through Jesus Christ is available to all, regardless of cultural, ethnic, or religious background.
Gateway to Paganism
By the 1st century AD, the Greek empire had lost its political power. However, its legacy and its cultural and religious impact on the Roman Empire continued to shape the world.
In the 1st century, the Roman Empire’s official language was Latin, essential for administration, law, and governance. Yet, Greek was critical as a cultural and intellectual language, especially in the eastern provinces (Eastern Mediterranean, Asia Minor, and Egypt), which accounted for a significant portion of the Roman Empire’s population in the 1st and 2nd centuries. Therefore, despite Rome’s political supremacy, the Greek culture and language still dominated.
Additionally, Greek religion profoundly impacted the Roman Empire, shaping its pantheon, rituals, and philosophical outlook. The Roman gods were nothing more than copies of the Greek deities with different names.
The Greek god Zeus became Jupiter, Hera became Juno, and Athena became Minerva. The Areopagus, where Paul addressed the crowd, was also known as Mars Hill, named after the Roman god Mars, who was the patron of war and a copy of the Greek god Ares.
As a result, Mars Hill was an ideal location for Paul to preach to the Gentile nations because it served as the epicenter of evolving thought and beliefs within the empire. Paul probably did not understand the significance of this event or the impact it would have on the future of Christianity. He was perhaps discouraged by the immediate lack of results. However, his bravery and obedience to his God-given calling enabled him to become the champion of evangelism to the Gentiles.
Paul’s Jewish Way
Even though Paul was a well-informed Roman citizen (22:25–28), he never abandoned his Jewish heritage or upbringing (v. 3). Modern Bible commentators often reinterpret Paul’s teachings, focusing too much on the Hellenistic worldview that dominated the 1st century and forgetting that Paul was a Jew first, then a Roman.
Consequently, Paul’s message in Acts 17:22–31 contains elements of classical Jewish teaching style:
Engaging the Audience Through Common Ground
Paul began his address by acknowledging the Athenians’ religiosity: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious” (v. 22). This opening mirrors the Jewish teaching style of starting with shared values or observations to establish rapport with the audience.
We see a similar interaction between Moses and Pharaoh (Ex. 7—11). Moses often began his confrontations with Pharaoh by acknowledging shared beliefs in divine power, as he declared what “the Lord God of the Hebrews” commanded (10:3). This method appealed to Pharaoh’s understanding of divine authority.
Using Logical Argumentation and Structure
Jewish teaching often carefully crafted arguments and employed a logical progression to lead the audience to a conclusion. Paul used this method by:
1. Establishing God as Creator (Acts 17:24–25).
2. Explaining God’s relationship with humanity (vv. 26–28).
3. Calling for repentance and emphasizing the judgment to come through Jesus (vv. 30–31).
This systematic approach mirrored rabbinic teaching styles, where a case was built step by step to reveal a spiritual truth. We see an example of this method in the Jewish Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): “Where there is no bread, there is no Torah; where there is no Torah, there is no bread.”1
Quoting and Interpreting
While Jewish teachers often quoted the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul adapted this method in quoting Greek poets and philosophers (Epimenides, “For in Him we live and move and exist,” and Aratus, “We are his offspring”; Acts 17:28).2
Focusing on Monotheism
Jewish teaching emphasized the worship of the one true God, contrasting it with idolatry. Paul echoed this teaching by highlighting the futility of idol worship: “Since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising” (v. 29).
He reflected the Jewish tradition of calling people away from idolatry and toward worship of the Creator. We see a similar approach when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and demonstrated God’s power, turning people away from idol worship to recognize Yahweh as the one true God (1 Ki. 18:21–39).
Calling to Repentance and Judgment
Paul’s conclusion involved a call to repentance, a hallmark of Jewish prophetic teaching. He emphasized accountability and the coming judgment: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:30–31).
A clear example of this warning can be seen in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:5–6): God promised punishment for those who commit idolatry and hate Him, highlighting His justice and moral expectations.
Paul’s Legacy
Paul played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the biblical Hebrew heritage and the pagan world.
By understanding both worlds, the Jewish and Roman-Greek, Paul paved the way for future missionaries with a true heart for evangelism. Though seemingly insignificant at the time, the events on Mars Hill planted seeds that eventually flourished into the universal church, breaking cultural and religious barriers.
For me personally, the Mars Hill teaching is an encouragement to be faithful to your calling despite the lack of immediate results.
ENDNOTES
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- Pirkei Avot 3:17 (sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.3.17?lang=en).
- We have no surviving direct writings from Epimenides of Crete that explicitly contain the exact phrase For in Him we live and move and exist. However, to Epimenides is attributed writings that express similar sentiments, particularly about a supreme deity’s pervasive presence and power. Aratus wrote, “For we are indeed his offspring” (Greek: “Τοῦ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμέν”) in his poem “Phaenomena,” referring to humanity’s connection to the divine (Aratus 5).
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