Some Believed

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

So the chapter ends, some believe and some don’t. Many are critical, will even mock Paul’s approach saying that it shows how not to do things because of how unsuccessful it was. Generally here they are criticizing apologetics, which is what Paul is engaged in here, a defense of Christianity. No, it didn’t convince everyone, but at least it hasn’t ended in a riot. The thing is, some do believe because of this. Others are willing to hear him again. The idea that Paul, as I have heard in the past, was somehow “schooled” here is a little more than the text warrants. Instead we learn from Paul here how to take what will become a common experience for an evangelist, how to walk away and let it go when people don’t believe. And yet rejoice in those who do.