Acts 17:16-34
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. (v. 21) This sentence seems to me very unlike the rest of Luke’s writing. Most often he is direct, specific, exact. Here he is speaking very generally – …all the Athenians… and …would spend their time in nothing except…. Clearly it was not “all” the Athenians. There were artisans and merchants and governing officials, so his blanket statement is over-stated. Likewise, “…nothing except…” leaves out a lot of the rest of life! Again, over-stated. However, by exaggerating Luke makes his point stronger, that Paul was speaking to an audience of philosophers, themselves the “babblers” doing the babbling that they had ascribed to Paul (Acts 17:18).
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. (vv. 32-33) It’s a good lesson from Paul – if we are sharing our faith and the conversation “goes south”, better to just walk away or change the topic than to continue with someone who just wants to mock you or challenge you. It might not be the right day and you might not be the right person!
See also: March 30 / Acts 17:10-21; March 31 / Acts 17:22-34