Whether you’ve read the entire Bible or covered certain passages, do you ever wonder what you should think about someone mentioned only once? Like Damaris, for instance, a woman listed in Paul’s ministry. Is there a deeper story about her that you, the reader, should uncover? If she had something to do with Paul, there must be more to her story, no?
Let’s see what we can learn about and from this woman mentioned in Paul’s missionary travels.
The Bible mentions Damaris in Acts 17. The setting is Athens, Greece, where Paul traveled on one of his missionary journeys. He had just left Thessalonica and Berea and was waiting for disciples Timothy and Silas to join him in Athens.
While he was waiting, he explored the city. Athens was a melting pot: the Jews who Paul encountered in the synagogue, the “God-fearing Greeks,” and the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (not to mention other non-believers) he would talk to in the marketplace (Acts 17:17). Paul walked throughout the city. He was very upset that there were so many idols to pagan gods.
In Matthew Henry’s Commentary, he discussed what the Epicureans and Stoics believed.
“The Epicureans, who thought God altogether such a one as themselves, an idle inactive being, that minded nothing, nor put any difference between good and evil. They would not own, either that God made the world or that he governs it; nor that man needs to make any conscience of what he says or does, having no punishment to fear nor rewards to hope for.”
In other words, they were materlalists who loved to indulge their senses and pleasures, living for this world only.
Meanwhile, the Stoics “thought themselves altogether as good as God, and indulged themselves as much in the pride of life as the Epicureans did in the lusts of the flesh and of the eye; they made their virtuous man to be no way inferior to God himself, nay to be superior.”
Given these schools of thought, it was unlikely that Paul would receive a positive response when preaching about Jesus, but he boldly communicated it to anyone who would listen.
Some people noticed, so he was taken to a meeting of the Areopagus, the high court in Athens, where people shared teachings about foreign gods or new religions. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia notes, “The Areopagus also protected the worship of the gods, the sanctuaries and sacred festivals, and the olive trees of Athens; and it supervised the religious sentiments of the people, the moral conduct of the citizens, as well as the education of the youth.” Here discussion of whether a new “god” should be added to the Greek pantheon would take place.
Paul started his speech in the Areopagus by noting that he had “found an altar to an Unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:23).
This was a strategic opening. As Bible Project contributor Andy Patton notes, “Paul crafted his entire message to bridge the distance between the Christian gospel and the things the Athenians already treasured and trusted.” So, Paul starts by affirming the people’s desire to find truth, even if they look in the wrong places. As Patton puts it, Paul hated the idols but loved the God “who scattered His truth so broadly that even in a city immersed in paganism, humans still sought the eternal.”
Paul continued to be strategic throughout his discussion. As Patton and other writers have noted, Paul doesn’t quote the Old Testament since these Greek listeners weren’t familiar with it. He doesn’t use the name of Jesus or a Hebrew name for God like Jehovah. Instead, he spoke about “the divine being” in a way that the Stoics and Epicureans could relate to. He also uses phrases from Greek thinkers and poets (like “we are his offspring”) that could relate to the gospel. We might call this an early example of showing that all truth is God’s truth, using true ideas in other worldviews to explain the full story.
Paul wanted to draw people to faith in Jesus, so he ended his speech with a twist. He tells them at the end that God has been good to people, but they could not be unaware of God’s plans anymore. He talked about repenting and turning to follow the man that God would use to judge the world, a man that God raised from the dead. In Acts 17:32, we learn that some sneered once Paul mentioned resurrection from the dead and eternal life for believers.
But in Acts 17:33-34 we learn that some wanted to learn more, and a few even “became followers of Paul and believed. “Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris and a number of others.” The ISBE notes that Dionysius may have been mentioned because, at least according to one account, he later became the bishop of Athens.
But what of this mysterious Damaris?
While we don’t get a full picture of her life, the fact that she attended a meeting at the Areopagus, a place that usually only allowed men, gives us some possibilities.
The Theology of Work says that Damaris was likely an “intellectual courtesan” who earned her living as an independent prostitute. That background would mean she was well-connected enough to attend exclusive events. If she was indeed a courtesan, God turned her life around in a radical way.
Other theories say she was Dionysius's wife. Some believe she heard Paul’s words and came to trust his ideas after hearing him preach in the marketplace, not necessarily the Areopagus.
Whatever her story, the fact that the book of Acts mentions her is very surprising.
We know that Damaris is mentioned for a reason: the Bible does not waste a mention of anyone. Every person included has a purpose.
Maybe she gets mentioned because including a witness’s name shows that this is a historical record, not a legend.
She might have been mentioned because she was well-known in some social circles, and people of the time would have known her reputation if they had read Paul’s account.
In his book Gospel Women, Richard Bauckham writes that when Acts or the New Testament letters mention someone who converted to the faith, they highlight someone who became a well-known church leader. His argument seems plausible: if she became known for sharing the gospel, she would have earned mention by Luke in Acts.
While church tradition does not give a detailed look at what happened to Damaris, she is revered in some denominations. The Greek Orthodox tradition made Damaris a saint for being the first recorded Athenian woman to believe in Christ. Greek Orthodox Christians celebrate her (and St. Dionysius) every October 3.
Though Damaris was only mentioned once in the Bible, I believe we can learn a few very important things about Damaris.
Damaris’ story is a great example of how everyone matters to God. Even if we feel we are unknown and have little power or authority, God still sees us as precious workers in His kingdom, as He did Damaris.
Photo Credit: “Paul Preaching in the Areopagus” by Raphael, public domain photo
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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