Damaris The Lady Who Opposed The Mocking Of The Gospel

Word of the Day: Mocking

To treat with contempt or ridicule; to frustrate to hopes of.

Damaris was from Athens, Greece and her name means "a heifer", Athens happens to be the biggest city in its country. Athens was named after Athena the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Athens is located 50 miles east of Corinth and it is surrounded by mountains. This city was also very famous for its intellectual people.

Paul ministered them during their second missionary trip but had just a few converts and a church was never started there. Paul must have felt lonely in this city, this city did not welcome him the same way other cities did like Corinth, Thessalonica, Berea, and others. Athens was a beautiful city and everywhere you looked there were either sculptures ad works of art representing their gods. During those days Athens was no longer part of the Roman Empire they had been free to pursue their own goals.

This city is no different from the cities we live in today's society, our gods could be the liquor store, the marijuana dispenser, the Plan Parenthood Clinic, our jobs, our sports, or any other form of entertainment that would take away time from our God.

Paul had come to minister these people and was very impressed with their knowledge but also impressed about how fool a person can be in their human wisdom. They had given themselves to idolatry so much that their hearts were never open to the Gospel.

Acts 17:16

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

Paul wasted no time and preach to them every single day that he was there, he met with the Jews, the devout people, and the philosophers of its town. The Jews who were there were also idolaters as they thought Paul was making an announcement to add another idol to their list. Those Jews had adopted the Athena way of living and worshiping. The second group was the devout people (religious) from Agora which was the center for the Athenians, this was the location for the museums, temples, statues, and public buildings… The third group were the philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks who were taught that gods exist but that they are not interested in human affairs. This meant, that they were denied the truth of life after death either in heaven or hell. This is the reason why they were wicked morally as they were thought that we would never become accountable for their actions.

Acts 17:17-18

Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

Paul stood and preached one of the best sermons to these people. The audience was there so therefore he called them "too superstitious" but what he actually called them was "religious". Paul was a smart man and he was not going to start the sermon by being rude, to call them religious was just a way to get their attention since they considered themselves devotees to their gods. The Athenians thought of themselves so smart that they even created a god called the "unknown" or "agnostos" and Paul was there to declare that true God to them. They had countless idols and Paul reminds them that the true God made the world and that He does not dwelleth in temples made by hand, which meant that our God was not in the temple of Mars or the Parthenon of Minerva that was a wonder of the world. This was a message for repentance, Paul was implying that a day for the judgment was to come but the Greek theology thaught that there was no future after death therefore they did not believe in the coming of a judgment day. Paul also added to his message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ meaning that our God lives and He is not a death stone just like their idols. When they heard of the resurrection of the death they mocked him. Among those people were Dionysius the Areopagite a member of the Athenian high council and Damaris who refused to mock the Gospel. There were also others who accepted Jesus as their Saviour but not enough to start a church.

Acts 17:22-34

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33 So Paul departed from among them.

34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Conclusion: We are living in uncertain times at this moment where people have so much fear. We as Christians have the tendency to call ourselves people of faith but the trial has come and some of us are still wondering what the next step is going to be. Let's be obedient to the Lord regardless of the times, now is the time to prove to others that our God is an awesome God.

*Please let me know if this post has been a blessing to you through a comment, for it would be a blessing for me to know.

have added some verses down below for those who are not sure if heaven is your future home. Please share with me if you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior through this post. I will be happy to rejoice with you!

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:9–13