Acts 17:17-18 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.… I. THE PARTIES WITH WHOM PAUL REASONED. These may be looked on in two aspects: — 1. Theologically. (1) The "Jews" were monotheists. They believed in the one true and living God, and in Moses as His great minister. (2) The "Epicureans" were atheists. They ascribed the creation of the world to chance; they had no faith in the one infinite Creator of heaven and earth. (3) The Stoics were pantheists. They confounded the universe with God, or regarded it rather as God. Paul had to deal, therefore, with these three great intellectual systems. Each would require a very different line of argument. 2. Ethically. These three represented three great cardinal moral evils — (1) Self-righteousness in the Jew. (2) Carnality in the Epicurean. (3) Indifferentism in the Stoics. II. THE SUBJECTS ON WHICH HE DISCOURSED — "Jesus and the resurrection." 1. The greatest person in the history of the race. 2. The greatest fact in the history of this person. III. THE EFFECTS OF THE DISCUSSION. 1. Contempt. "What will this babbler say?" Paul was probably no orator in their sense, nor was he of commanding presence. 2. Misconception. They thoroughly misunderstood him. "He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods." 3. Curiosity (ver. 19). This was so far the most favourable result. The apostle's teaching succeeded up to this point in generating in them the desire to know something more about the new doctrine. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. |
    |