Acts 17:18 - Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
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What does "Acts 17:18" mean?
Acts 17:18 describes a scene in Athens where the apostle Paul encountered some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Let's break down the verse:
"Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him": Paul, while in Athens, was actively engaging in discussions (conversing) with people. Among those people were philosophers belonging to two prominent schools of thought:
Epicureans: These philosophers followed the teachings of Epicurus. Their philosophy emphasized happiness and pleasure as the ultimate goals in life. However, their concept of pleasure was not simply about hedonism; they valued tranquility, freedom from pain and fear, and a simple, virtuous life. They believed that the gods, if they existed, were uninvolved in human affairs.
Stoics: These philosophers adhered to Stoicism, which emphasized virtue, reason, and living in accordance with nature. They believed in self-control, duty, and accepting what one cannot change. They believed in a cosmic order and a rational universe governed by divine reason.
"Some said, 'What does this babbler want to say?'": Some of the philosophers were dismissive of Paul. They called him a "babbler" (Greek: spermologos). This word literally means "seed picker," and was used metaphorically to describe someone who picks up scraps of information or ideas and then repeats them without understanding or depth, like a bird pecking at seeds. It implies that they thought Paul was an ignorant and incoherent speaker.
"Others said, 'He seems to be advocating foreign deities,' because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.": Other philosophers took Paul's message a bit more seriously, but misunderstood it. They interpreted his preaching about Jesus and the resurrection as the introduction of new or "foreign" gods.
"Jesus and the resurrection": Paul's central message was about Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead. This was the core of the Christian gospel.
"Foreign deities": The Athenians were polytheistic and accustomed to worshipping a variety of gods. The philosophers who thought Paul was advocating foreign deities likely perceived "Jesus" and "the resurrection" as two new gods, which was a misunderstanding of Paul's monotheistic Christian message.
In Summary:
The verse captures a moment of initial reaction to Paul's preaching in Athens. Some philosophers scoffed at him, dismissing him as an unintelligent speaker, while others, although more curious, misinterpreted his message about Jesus and the resurrection as the introduction of new gods into their pantheon. This verse sets the stage for the subsequent events where Paul delivers a more formal speech to the Areopagus (a council or court in Athens), explaining the Christian message more clearly and addressing their misconceptions.
The verse highlights the cultural and philosophical context of the early church, where Christian missionaries like Paul encountered different worldviews and had to articulate their faith in ways that could be understood, even if not immediately accepted.
Acts 17:18 - Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
What does "Acts 17:18" mean?
Acts 17:18 describes a scene in Athens where the apostle Paul encountered some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Let's break down the verse:
"Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him": Paul, while in Athens, was actively engaging in discussions (conversing) with people. Among those people were philosophers belonging to two prominent schools of thought:
Epicureans: These philosophers followed the teachings of Epicurus. Their philosophy emphasized happiness and pleasure as the ultimate goals in life. However, their concept of pleasure was not simply about hedonism; they valued tranquility, freedom from pain and fear, and a simple, virtuous life. They believed that the gods, if they existed, were uninvolved in human affairs.
Stoics: These philosophers adhered to Stoicism, which emphasized virtue, reason, and living in accordance with nature. They believed in self-control, duty, and accepting what one cannot change. They believed in a cosmic order and a rational universe governed by divine reason.
"Some said, 'What does this babbler want to say?'": Some of the philosophers were dismissive of Paul. They called him a "babbler" (Greek: spermologos). This word literally means "seed picker," and was used metaphorically to describe someone who picks up scraps of information or ideas and then repeats them without understanding or depth, like a bird pecking at seeds. It implies that they thought Paul was an ignorant and incoherent speaker.
"Others said, 'He seems to be advocating foreign deities,' because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.": Other philosophers took Paul's message a bit more seriously, but misunderstood it. They interpreted his preaching about Jesus and the resurrection as the introduction of new or "foreign" gods.
"Jesus and the resurrection": Paul's central message was about Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead. This was the core of the Christian gospel.
"Foreign deities": The Athenians were polytheistic and accustomed to worshipping a variety of gods. The philosophers who thought Paul was advocating foreign deities likely perceived "Jesus" and "the resurrection" as two new gods, which was a misunderstanding of Paul's monotheistic Christian message.
In Summary:
The verse captures a moment of initial reaction to Paul's preaching in Athens. Some philosophers scoffed at him, dismissing him as an unintelligent speaker, while others, although more curious, misinterpreted his message about Jesus and the resurrection as the introduction of new gods into their pantheon. This verse sets the stage for the subsequent events where Paul delivers a more formal speech to the Areopagus (a council or court in Athens), explaining the Christian message more clearly and addressing their misconceptions.
The verse highlights the cultural and philosophical context of the early church, where Christian missionaries like Paul encountered different worldviews and had to articulate their faith in ways that could be understood, even if not immediately accepted.