Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5200 Human civilisation » 5441 philosophy An ideology or system of values which seeks to understand and, through rational argument, to investigate the nature and meaning of reality. Scripture exposes the emptiness of philosophy based purely upon human wisdom, while affirming that, at its best, human wisdom points towards God, and can serve as a preparation for the gospel. The gospel represents the height of human reason The quest for understanding Ecclesiastes 7:25; Acts 17:18-21 See also Job 34:2-4; Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 7:27,29-8:1; Ecclesiastes 12:12 The benefit of received wisdom Job 15:17-18; Proverbs 1:2-4; Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 The limits of human enquiry Job 11:7-9; Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 See also Job 38:36-37; Psalm 145:3; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 55:8-9; Acts 17:23; Romans 11:33-34; Isaiah 40:13; 1 Corinthians 1:20-21 The danger of philosophical speculation Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:20-21 See also Galatians 4:3; Colossians 2:20; 1 Timothy 1:4; Timothy 6:4; Titus 3:9 True insight is given by God Job 12:13; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Matthew 13:11 pp Luke 8:10; 2 Timothy 3:7 True meaning is found in relationship with God Acts 17:24-28 See also Ecclesiastes 12:1; Revelation 4:11 Epicureanism Paul meets some Epicureans in Athens Acts 17:16-18 Followers of the Greek philosophy founded by Epicurus (341-270 B.C.). In strong contrast to the Stoics, they taught that pleasure, and the avoidance of all disturbance, pain and fear, was the chief goal of life. Epicureans' assessment of Paul and his message Acts 17:18,18 Paul's listeners mistook the Greek word for “resurrection” (“anastasis”) for the name of a strange god. While Epicureans did not deny the existence of gods, they believed they had no interest in the lives of human beings, and that therefore everything in life was the result of mere chance. Epicurean and Stoic philosophers bring Paul to the Areopagus The response of Epicureans and others to Paul's preaching Docetism Docetism questions the reality of the incarnation 2Jn 7 Docetism is a denial of the physical reality of Jesus Christ's incarnation that may have been prompted by the typically Greek perception of physical matter as evil. See also 1 John 2:22-23 Scripture affirms the physical incarnation of Jesus Christ: John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14 Scripture emphasises the physical death of the Son of God: Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:6-8; 1 John 4:10 Docetic views are identified as heretical 1 John 4:1-3 See also John 6:53-56 Gnosticism Contrary to the teaching of Gnosticism, the world is not inherently evil 1 Timothy 4:4 Gnosticism was a religious philosophy whose fundamental belief in the inherent evil of the created realm led to a number of heretical teachings about creation, human nature, the person of Jesus Christ, salvation and ethics. Creation is God's work and is therefore good: Genesis 1:31; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 19:1; Acts 17:24; Colossians 1:15-17; Revelation 4:11 Creation, though fallen, will be redeemed and reconciled to God through Jesus Christ: Romans 8:20-21; Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:19-20 Contrary to the teaching of Gnosticism, human beings are not sparks of divinity trapped in evil, fleshly bodies Human beings are a good creation of God: Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7; Psalm 8:3-8 Human beings can know bodily redemption and use their bodies to serve God: Romans 6:12-13; Romans 8:22-23; Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:12-18,19-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:23 The future existence of glorified human beings will be a bodily existence, not just a spiritual one: Romans 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44; 2 Corinthians 5:1-4; Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:16-18 Contrary to the teaching of Gnosticism, Jesus Christ did not merely appear in human form The Son of God became a real flesh-and-blood human being: Luke 24:36-43; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 1:1-3; John 4:2-3; 2Jn 7 As a man, the Son of God experienced death on the cross: John 19:33-34; 1 Corinthians 2:8; Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 1:19-22; 1 John 5:6 Contrary to the teaching of Gnosticism, salvation is not found simply in a divine revelation of special knowledge Salvation is by faith in the crucified Christ: 1 Corinthians 3:18-20; Colossians 2:8,18-19; 1 Timothy 6:20-21 All knowledge and wisdom needed for full salvation are to be found in Christ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Colossians 1:19-20; Colossians 2:2-4,8-10; 2 Peter 1:3 Contrary to the teaching of Gnosticism, Christian behaviour is not to be marked by licence and ritualistic self-denial There is no value in empty ceremonial observance or ritualistic self-denial: Matthew 15:10-11 pp Mark 7:14-15; Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17,20-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Christian behaviour is to be marked by liberty, not by licence: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Galatians 5:13; Colossians 3:5-14; Titus 1:15-16; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 John 1:5-6; John 2:3-6; John 3:3-10; Jude 4 Stoicism Paul encounters the Stoics in Athens Acts 17:16-18 The Stoics were a leading philosophical group based, like their rivals the Epicureans, in Athens. Stoics held that God was the inner reason of the universe and that salvation lay in accepting one's place in the established order. Stoics ridicule Paul Stoics misunderstand Paul's message Paul presents a view of God very different from that of the Stoics Acts 17:24-25 In contrast to Stoic belief God is the Creator ; Acts 17:26-27 In contrast to Stoic belief God is a personal being. Response of the Stoics to Paul's message See also
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