SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY (CONTINUED) 1-15. Thessalonica and Berœa. 1. Amphipolis] 32 m. W. of Philippi. APOLLONIA] 30 m. W. of Amphipolis. THESSALONICA] now Salonika, was the capital of the province of Macedonia, and an important commercial centre. St. Paul's plan was first to evangelise the sea... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST] RV 'the Christ,' i.e. the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVOUT GREEKS] Not necessarily proselytes, but persons who had given up idolatry, attended the synagogue services, and worshipped the God of the Jews.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEWD FELLOWS] lit. 'certain evil men of the idlers in the marketplace.' Jason] probably identical with the Jason of Romans 16:21, and therefore a Jew. His correct name was probably Jesus or Joshua.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RULERS] The Gk. word used here (_politarchai,_ a rare and peculiar one) is proved to be correct by an inscription on an arch, which also contains the names Sosipater, Gaius, and Secundus.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKEN SECURITY] The immediate departure of Paul and Silas renders it probable that Jason gave security that St. Paul would leave the city, and that the Apostle assented to this undertaking, and was thus prevented from revisiting the Thessalonians: see 1 Thessalonians 2:18. The Epistles to the Thessa... [ Continue Reading ]
BEREA (Berœa)] a Macedonian town of some importance, 50 m. SW. of Thessalonica. To this 'out of the way' place (Cicero) St. Paul retreated, probably for rest and quiet.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS IT WERE TO THE SEA] i.e. they pretended to go to the sea (to elude pursuit), and then turned off and went by land to Athens. Others translate simply 'to the sea,' and suppose that St. Paul embarked at Dium and went by sea to Athens.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO ATHENS] D adds: 'But he passed by (i.e. did not preach in) Thessaly, for he was prevented from preaching the word to them.' It appears from 1 Thessalonians 3:1 that Timothy and Silas did actually join St. Paul at Athens according to his instructions, but the Apostle being filled with anxiety ab... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOLLY GIVEN TO IDOLATRY] Xenophon calls Athens 'one altar, one sacrifice and offering to the gods.' St. Paul, as a Jew, would have no sympathy with the artistic beauty of the Athenian statues and temples, but only horror at the superstition which they represented.... [ Continue Reading ]
ATHENS. After leaving Berœa, St. Paul entered the Roman province of Achaia, which was at this time a senatorian province, governed by a proconsul, and of which the capital was Corinth. He first visited Athens. Athens, though fallen from its former glory, was still the artistic and philosophic, and,... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MARKET DAILY] So Socrates used to sit every day and all day in the market-place of Athens, discussing philosophy with all comers. The market-place, or _agora,_ of Athens afforded a glorious architectural spectacle. 'Here the eye fell on portico after portico, painted by the brush of famous ar... [ Continue Reading ]
BABBLER] lit. 'a picker up of seeds' (like a bird); hence a shallow talker who picks up scraps of information, and retails them at secondhand. AND THE RESURRECTION] better, and Anastasis.' The Athenians, either in jest or in earnest, seem to have understood Anastasis (the Resurrection) to be a femal... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY TOOK HIM, etc.] Some translate, 'And they arrested him and brought him before the court of the Areopagus.' But there is no indication in St. Paul's speech that he was on his trial, or that any judgment was passed upon him (Acts 17:32). We prefer, therefore, the rendering, 'And they took him... [ Continue Reading ]
TOO SUPERSTITIOUS] rather, 'more religious' (than other men). Both senses are possible, but the tactful apostle would be more likely to begin his speech with a compliment than with a reproach.... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL'S SPEECH. It is discreet and to the point. It deals not with the OT., with which his hearers were unacquainted, but with the truths of natural religion, many of which were understood (though only partially) by the Athenian philosophers (cp. the speech at Lystra, Acts 14:15.).... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR DEVOTIONS] RV 'the objects of your worship.' TO THE UNKNOWN GOD] RV 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Several ancient writers mention such altars. Pausanias speaks of 'altars of known (lit. 'named') and unknown gods and heroes.' Philostratus says, 'It is more prudent to speak well of all gods, especially a... [ Continue Reading ]
Creation was altogether denied by the Epicureans, who regarded the atoms of matter as eternal; and only imperfectly recognised by the Stoics, who were pantheists, and did not regard the Divine Person which shaped the world as distinct from it. The doctrine of creation, as preached by St. Paul, was c... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostle rebukes the narrow pride of the Greeks, who divided mankind into Greeks and barbarians, the latter being of no account. The Stoics, who believed in the spiritual equality OF ALL MEN, WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH ST. PAUL IN THIS. 28. A quotation from the 'Phænomena' of Aratus, a Cilician poet... [ Continue Reading ]
The argument probably is: Since we are the offspring of God, in that our souls are immaterial and immortal, we ought to regard the author of our souls as an immaterial and immortal spirit, and not like silver or gold or any material object. The Stoics would have sympathised with this sentiment. Sene... [ Continue Reading ]
TIMES OF THIS IGNORANCE] cp. Acts 14:16. REPENT] i.e. turn from idolatry. Idolatry was pardonable in the times of ignorance, but now that the True Light has appeared, it is a heinous sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
St. Paul was accustomed, in preaching to the heathen, to lead up to the idea of a judgment to come (Acts 24:25). HATH GIVEN ASSURANCE] viz. that He will be the Judge. The Resurrection of Jesus is the evidence that He will be the future Judge of the world.... [ Continue Reading ]
DIONYSIUS THE AREDPAGITE] i.e. a member of the Court of Areopagus. As all members of the Areopagus had passed through the office of Archon, Dionysius must have been of high social position. Tradition makes him bishop of Athens, and a martyr. The work 'On the heavenly hierarchy' attributed to him is... [ Continue Reading ]