Bible Dictionary: The Epicureans

◄ The Epicureans ►

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The Epicureans

derived their name from Epicurus (342-271 B.C.), a philosopher of Attic descent, whose "Garden" at Athens rivalled in popularity the "Porch" and the "Academy." The doctrines of Epicurus found wide acceptance in Asia Minor and Alexandria. (95-50 B.C.) The object of Epicurus was to find in philosophy a practical guide to happiness. True pleasure and not absolute truth was the end at which he aimed; experience and not reason the test on which he relied. It is obvious that a system thus formed would degenerate by a natural descent into mere materialism; and in this form Epicurism was the popular philosophy at the beginning of the Christian era. When St. Paul addressed "Epicureans and Soics," (Acts 17:18) at Athens, the philosophy of life was practically reduced to the teaching of these two antagonistic schools. Epistles, letters; personal correspondence by writing. The twenty-one epistles of the New Testament took the place of tracts among us. In their outward form they are such as might be expected from men who were brought into contact with Greek and Roman customs, themselves belonging to a different race, and so reproducing the imported style with only partial accuracy. They begin (the Epistle to the Hebrews and 1John excepted) with the names of the writer and of those to whom the epistle is addressed. Then follows the formula of salutation. Then the letter itself commences in the first person, the singular and plural being used indiscriminately. When the substance of the letter has been completed, come the individual messages. The conclusion in this case was probably modified by the fact that the letters were dictated to an amanuensis. When he had done his work, the apostle took up the pen or reed, and added in his own large characters, (Galatians 6:11) the authenticating autograph. In one instance, (Romans 16:22) the amanuensis in his own name adds his salutation. An allusion in (2 Corinthians 3:1) brings before us another class of letters which must have been in frequent use in the early ages of the Christian Church, by which travellers or teachers were commended by one church to the good offices of others.

Library

Epicureans.
... EPICUREANS. The disciples of Epicurus, who flourished about AM3700. This
sect maintained that the world was formed not by God, nor ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/epicureans.htm

The Following is the view of Celsus and the Epicureans...
... Chapter XXI. The following is the view of Celsus and the Epicureans� The
following is the view of Celsus and the Epicureans: "Moses ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxi the following is.htm

Of Nature, and of the World; and a Censure of the Stoics and ...
... The Divine Institutes. Book VII. Of a Happy Life. Chap. III."Of Nature, and
of the World; And a Censure of the Stoics and Epicureans. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap iii of nature and of.htm

Your Apology Says that There are Three Opinions as to the Origin ...
... your answer. Of Cyrene. A disciple of Socrates, founder of the Cyrenaic
sect, the precursors of the Epicureans. 30. Your Apology ...
/.../30 your apology says that.htm

The Ministry of Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.
... innovator. "Certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics
encountered him; and some said"What will this babbler say? ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter vii the ministry of.htm

Paul in Athens.
... We are informed, that "certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics
encountered him." It was natural that these should be the first to contend ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xx paul in athens.htm

The Empress Eudoxia from the Story of Christian Womanhood in Old ...
... The ethical philosophy of the Greeks and the moral teachings of the Stoics and the
Epicureans had found their logical end in the philosophical doctrines of ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/ix the empress eudoxia from.htm

In Opposition to those of the School of Epicurus who Deny The
... [646]. Footnotes: [641] Against the Epicureans. In Eusebius, Præpar. Evangel.,
book xiv. ch. 23-27. Eusebius introduces this extract ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/i in opposition to those.htm

What it is to Know God, --Tendency of this Knowledge.
... 2. Further illustration of the use, together with a necessary reproof of vain
curiosity, and refutation of the Epicureans. The character ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 2 what it is.htm

Of Christian Liberty.
... The nature and efficacy of this liberty against the Epicureans and others
who take no account whatever of the weak, sec.9 and 10. III. ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 19 of christian liberty.htm