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Dionysius (Athenian Greek an Areopagite)
Meaning
Dionysius was a Greek man from Athens. He was a member of the Areopagus Council. The Areopagus was a location within Athens, where people met for legal proceedings, for education and to debate concepts, ideas and new things. Dionysus was a ruler who ruled over one of the many legal and educational groups or councils. It was Paul’s custom to take leads from the surrounding culture in which he found himself. He would then use these to start conversations about Jesus and present the Gospel of Christ. This was important to Paul, and he tells us why in his letter to the Corinthians. In one of his letters Paul says, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake.” Paul made it a point to understand the culture in which he found himself. He did this in order to preach Christ and Him crucified. And Athens was yet another opportunity to be used by the Holy Spirit to save souls.
So Paul sought out the primary location where people met and discussed issues important to the people of the city. And Paul used a monument he found inscribed to the “Unknown God.” We have to remember, people in ancient culture were very religious including the Greeks and Romans. And they believed in many gods, including ancestor worship. As a matter of fact the Athenians were so worried they may have overlooked one of the gods (albeit a false god). That they built this monument so as not to offend any they may have excluded. Paul used this as an opening to explain to the Athenians the one true and living God of Heaven. And how God Himself stepped out of eternity and took on flesh in the person of Christ Jesus our Lord. And it is from this opportunity, that Dionysius’s heart was touched by the Holy Spirit and he was saved.
“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; ‘for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: ‘God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” (Book of Acts 17:22-24, 32-34)