The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers are mentioned in the New Testament in the context of the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys. Specifically, they appear in Acts 17:18, where Paul encounters them in Athens: "Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, 'What is this babbler trying to say?' Others said, 'He seems to be advocating foreign gods.' They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection" .

Epicurean Philosophers

Epicureanism, founded by Epicurus in the 4th century BC, was a philosophy that sought to achieve happiness through the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. However, this pleasure was not hedonistic in the modern sense but was understood as the absence of disturbance and pain, leading to a state of tranquility and freedom from fear. Epicureans believed that the gods were indifferent to human affairs and that the soul perished with the body, thus denying an afterlife. This worldview was fundamentally at odds with Christian teachings, which affirm the existence of a personal God who is actively involved in His creation and the reality of life after death.

In the context of Acts 17, the Epicureans would have been skeptical of Paul's message about the resurrection of Jesus, as it contradicted their belief in the finality of death. Their dismissal of Paul's teachings as the ramblings of a "babbler" reflects their philosophical stance that prioritized empirical observation and rational thought over spiritual revelation.

Stoic Philosophers

Stoicism, founded by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC, emphasized rationality, self-control, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. Stoics believed in a divine reason (logos) that ordered the universe and taught that virtue was the highest good. Unlike the Epicureans, Stoics acknowledged a form of divine providence but saw it as an impersonal force rather than a personal deity. They advocated for emotional resilience and the acceptance of fate, viewing emotions as the result of errors in judgment.

The Stoics' emphasis on virtue and moral integrity had some points of contact with Christian ethics, yet their understanding of God and the nature of the soul diverged significantly from Christian doctrine. The Stoics' belief in an impersonal divine force contrasts with the Christian belief in a personal God who desires a relationship with humanity. Furthermore, the Stoic view of the soul's eventual absorption into the divine logos differs from the Christian hope of eternal life through the resurrection.

In Acts 17, the Stoics' engagement with Paul indicates their interest in philosophical discourse, yet their reaction to his message about Jesus and the resurrection suggests a fundamental misunderstanding or rejection of the personal and redemptive nature of the Christian God. Their philosophical framework, which emphasized reason and self-sufficiency, would have been challenged by the Christian call to faith and reliance on God's grace.

Paul's Address to the Areopagus

In his address to the Areopagus (Acts 17:22-31), Paul skillfully engages with both Epicurean and Stoic thought by acknowledging their religious sentiments and using their own philosophical language to introduce the Christian God. He begins by noting their religiosity and even quotes their own poets, saying, "For in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Paul then presents the Christian message of repentance and the resurrection, challenging both the Epicurean dismissal of divine involvement and the Stoic concept of an impersonal deity.

Paul's encounter with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens serves as a profound example of early Christian engagement with contemporary philosophical thought, highlighting the distinctiveness of the Christian message in a pluralistic world.