Note 3 at Ac 17:18: The Epicureans were so named after the philosopher Epicurus. He was born in 341 B.C. and taught for thirty-six years in a school that he founded in Athens. He did not believe in a Creator, believing that everything just happens. However, he did believe in multiple gods that took no part in human affairs.

He taught that simple pleasures were to be pursued and pain avoided. Regardless of how pure Epicurus' motives may have been, it was not long until the Epicureans had degenerated into a materialistic, pleasure-seeking sect. This was the exact opposite of the other popular school of thought upheld by the Stoics (see note 4 at this verse).

Note 4 at Ac 17:18: The name "Stoick" came from the Greek word "STOA"; STOA means "a colonnade or interior piazza" (Strong's Concordance). This sect was so named because its founder, Zeno, taught for about thirty-nine years (301-262 B.C.) at the Painted Porch ("STOA POIKILE") in the marketplace of Athens. The Stoic philosopher Seneca was a tutor to Nero; and Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor, was a devout Stoic.

Stoics believed that truly wise people would dominate their emotions so that emotion would never influence them positively or negatively. They accomplished this by believing that whatever happened was fate and therefore their lot in life. They taught a very frugal life, rejecting all luxury in food and clothing. Their philosophy was the opposite of the Epicureans (see note 3 at this verse), although neither believed in a resurrection of the body. Together the Stoics and Epicureans represented the complete spectrum of man's wisdom at that time.

Note 5 at Ac 17:18: The use of the word "strange" here means more than just unusual or different. The Greek word used is "XENOS," and it means "foreign (literally, alien...)" (Strong's Concordance). They were accusing Paul of preaching a new religion, and this was expressly forbidden and punishable by death.

The Athenians believed in many gods, but their law forbade the introduction of any new religion or god. This was common throughout the Roman world and was the offense referred to when the Philippians persecuted Paul and Silas (Ac 16:21), and it later became the basis of expelling the Jews from Rome.

Cicero (106-43 B.C. - Roman statesman and orator) wrote, "No person shall have any separate gods, nor new ones; nor shall he privately worship any strange gods, unless they be publicly allowed."

Because of this law, the Athenians brought Paul to Areopagus (or Mars Hill, Ac 17:22) where one of the highest courts of Athens held session. It is supposed that what is recounted in Ac 17:19-32 is actually a trial of the Apostle Paul for introducing a strange god. This gives added importance to Paul's defense made before the Athenians in these verses (see note 1 at Ac 17:23).