The quest for the good life : Paul’s speech to the Areopagus as confrontation between Gospel and hellenism

Matjaž, Maksimilijan (author)

This article examines Paul’s speech at the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-34) as a theologically grounded confrontation between the Gospel and Hellenistic conceptions of the good life. By analysing the concept of eudaimonia in Epicurean and Stoic philosophy, the study contends that Paul neither rejects nor assimilates the ancient pursuit of human flourishing. Instead, he reorients it by placing the question of a fulfilled life within an eschatological framework shaped by God’s salvific action. Through the call to repentance, the proclamation of judgment, and the announcement of resurrection, human fulfilment is redefined in terms of soteria rather than ethical or rational self-sufficiency. Considered within Luke’s narrative framework and in dialogue with authentic Pauline letters, the Areopagus speech reveals an early Christian reconfiguration of human flourishing grounded in the Gospel.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Gospel, hellenism, public speech, stoicism, epicureanism, happy life (eudaimonia), salvation (soteria), wisdom of the cross
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 15.07.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 61-76
• Numbering: Letn. 86, [št.] 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185494
• UDC: 27-246-248
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2026/01/Matjaz
• COBISS.SI-ID: 285185027
• Publication date in RUL: 06.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: V iskanju dobrega življenja : Pavlov govor na Areopa-gu kot soočenje med evangelijem in helenizmom

Abstract

Članek razlaga Pavlov govor na Areopagu (Apd 17,16-34) kot teološko utemeljeno soočenje med evangelijem in helenističnimi pojmovanji dobrega življenja. Ob osredotočenju na pojem eudaimonije, kakor se oblikuje v epikurejskem in stoiškem mišljenju, prispevek pokaže, da Pavel antičnega iskanja človeške izpolnitve ne zavrača niti ga ne prevzema, temveč ga odločilno preusmeri z umestitvijo vprašanja izpolnjenega življenja v eshatološki horizont Božjega odrešilnega delovanja. Klic k spreobrnjenju, napoved sodbe in oznanilo vstajenja tako na novo opredelijo merila človeške izpolnitve v luči soterije, in ne etične ali racionalne samozadostnosti. Govor na Areopagu, bran znotraj Lukove pripovedne zasnove in v dialogu z avtentičnimi pavlinskimi pismi, razkriva zgodnjekrščansko preoblikovanje razumevanja dobrega življenja v luči evangelija.

• Keywords: evangelij, helenizem, javni govor, stoicizem, epikurejstvo, srečno življenje (eudaimonia), odrešenje (soteria), modrost križa

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P6-0262-2022
• Name: Vrednote v judovsko-krščanskih virih in tradiciji ter možnosti dialoga