Bible Commentaries
Acts 17

Verse 3

Christ

The Christ, i.e. that, according to the Scriptures, the Messiah must die and rise again. That Jesus was the Messiah was the second part of his argument.

Verse 6

drew

dragged. See margin ref., (See Scofield " :-") .

Verse 12

Therefore Illustrates John 5:46. Believing the O.T. they believed the Gospel.

honourable Greek women of honourable estate.

Verse 16

stirred

provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.

Verse 18

Epicureans Disciples of Epicurus, B.C. 342-271, who abandoned as hopeless the search by reason for pure truth, cf. John 18:38 seeking instead true pleasure through experience.

Stoicks Disciples of Zeno, B.C. 280, and Chrysippus, B.C. 240. This philosophy was founded on human self-sufficiency, inculcated stern self-repression, the solidarily of the race, and the unity of Deity. Epicureans and Stocis divided the apostolic world.

Verse 19

Areopagus

Mars' hill.

Verse 26

blood

"blood" is not in the best manuscripts. R.V. omits.

Verse 28

For we

Found in the sritings of Aratus and Cleanthes.

Verse 29

offspring of God

(Greek - γένος = "race)." The reference is to the creation-work of God in which He made man (i.e. mankind, the race in Adam) in his own likeness, Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:27 thus rebuking the thought that "the Godhead is like unto gold," etc. The word "Father" is not used, not does the passage affirm anything concerning fatherhood or sonship, which are relationships based on faith, and the new birth.

Cf John 1:12; John 1:13; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:1-7; John 5:1.

Verse 30

Repent

Repentance is the trans. of a (Greek - γένος ("metanoia-metanoeo") meaning "to have another mind," "to change the mind," and is used in the N).T. to indicate a change of mind in respect of sin, of God, and of self. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 but sorrow for sin, though it may "work" repentance, is not repentance. The son in Matthew 21:28; Matthew 21:29 illustrates true repentance.

Saving faith: (See Scofield "Matthew 21:29- :") includes and implies that change of mind which is called repentance.

Verse 31

world

"oikoumene" = inhabited earth. (See Scofield " :-") .