We think we know what Paul was preaching, but what did he hearers hear?
The Stoics believed that God and the universe was one, co-extensive. Paul would say that in God we live and move and have our being. One is pantheism and the other is pan-in-theism.
The Epicureans would not grovel before a majestic God that people have to wait on God’s every whim. Paul would say that God cares for his creation and gives us life and breath.
The inscription Paul refers to reads, “To unknown gods”, but Paul changes it to a singular noun. The Athenians heard his refer to Jesus and the Resurrection as the God Jesus and his consort Resurrection. The work for resurrection in Greek is feminine, so it was logical for this new god Jesus should have a divine wife, or consort. Since Paul speaks about Jesus and the resurrection, the Athenians could logically put them together as god and goddess.
This thought of new gods intrigues the Athenians, and they are willing to hear more about this and discuss these ideas further. The references to the culture dispose the hearers to listen to Paul. The references to the Stoics and Epicureans make their mark.
Was this sermon of Paul’s a failure as some have said? For one thing, some people came to believe. For another, people did not try to kill or imprison Paul. Paul does leave, without Silas and Timothy whom he had expected to arrive shortly, but he will meet up with them in Corinth. He does leave, but with little commentary by Luke. Just as the Athenians have questions about this new teaching, so we have questions about the effectiveness of Paul’s preaching here.
I can take two things away from all this. First, Paul adapted, as he always did, his teaching to his audience. He meets the Athenians on their level and recognizes their accomplishments. Second, I have to be aware that what I say and what others hear may be different things. The message I communicate is the message you hear, not necessarily the message I want to communicate.