Acts 17:28

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 17:16-34

Ministry in Athens 17:16-34This section of Luke’s narrative contains three parts: the experiences of the missionaries that resulted in Paul preaching to the pagan Greeks there, the sermon itself, and the results of the sermon. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 17:22-31

Paul’s sermon to the Athenians 17:22-31Luke probably recorded Paul’s address (Acts 17:22-31) as a sample of his preaching to intellectual pagans (cf. Acts 13:16-41; Acts 14:15-18; Acts 20:18-35). [Note: See Dean W. Zweck, "The Areopagus Speech of Acts 17," Lutheran Theological Journal 21:3 (December 1987):11-22. See also Witherington, p. 518, for a rhetorical analysis of this speech.] In this speech Paul began with God as Creator and brought his hearers to God as Judge. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 17:28

Here Paul cited lines from two Greek writers who expressed ideas that were consistent with divine revelation. The Cretan poet Epimenides (ca. 600 B.C.; cf. Titus 1:12) had written, "For in thee we live and move and have our being." [Note: From his poem Cretica, cited by Longenecker, p. 476.] The Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315-240 B.C.), and Cleanthes (331-233 B.C.) before him, had written, "We are also his offspring." [Note: From Aratus’ Phaenomena 5, and Cleanthes’ Hymn to Zeus, also cited... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 17:1-34

Second Missionary Journey (continued)1-15. Thessalonica and Berœa.1. Amphipolis] 32 m. W. of Philippi.Apollonia] 30 m. W. of Amphipolis.Thessalonica] now Salonika, was the capital of the province of Macedonia, and an important commercial centre. St. Paul’s plan was first to evangelise the seats of government and the trade centres, knowing that if Christianity was once established in these places it would spread through the Empire. 3. Christ] RV ’the Christ,’ i.e. the Messiah. 4. Devout Greeks]... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Acts 17:28

(28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being.—Better, we live, and are moved, and are. Each of the verbs used has a definite philosophical significance. The first points to our animal life; the second—from which is derived the Greek word used by ethical writers for passions, such as fear, love, hate, and the like—not, as the English verb suggests, to man’s power of bodily motion in space, but to our emotional nature; the third, to that which constitutes our true essential being, the... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Acts 17:1-34

Acts 17:6-7 Trust is the postulate of the capacity to help ourselves in any great or noble work. It becomes impossible to do our part bravely without this perfect reliance on the co-operation of God.... No man will dare to follow a gleam of conviction which tends to overturn a world, unless he is sure that he is the interpreter of a Power who gave him that conviction, and who can guard it after his interpreter is gone. R. H. Hutton, Theological Essays, p. 13. References. XVII. 9. Expositor... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Acts 17:1-34

CHAPTER 17 1. The Gospel in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9 ). 2. The Gospel in Beroea (Acts 17:10-14 ). 3. Paul in Athens (Acts 17:15-34 ). Three cities in which the Gospel is next preached are before us in this chapter. But there is a marked difference between these three places. In Thessalonica there was much hostility, the result of the success of the Gospel. In Beroea a more noble class of Jews were found. Their nobility consisted in submission to the Scriptures, the oracles of God, and in... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 17:1-34

From Philippi Paul and his company travelled westward in Greece to Thessalonica (also in Macedonia). A Jewish synagogue being there, they attended this for three sabbath days, reasoning with the Jews from their own scriptures, showing from these that the Messiah promised of God must necessarily first be a sufferer before He could reign; in fact must suffer death and be raised again. The scriptures were definitely clear about this matter; and Paul goes further to declare that Jesus was this... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Acts 17:1-34

SECOND JOURNEY Though the text of this lesson is long, it will be interesting to read it through at a single sitting, and get the whole journey at one view. The events are clear cut, easily remembered and apparent in their spiritual teaching. STARTING FORTH It begins with the contention between Paul and Barnabas men “of like passions” with ourselves, which was providentially overruled so that two missionary journeys grew out of it instead of one (Acts 15:36-41 ). Note that there were... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Acts 17:24-28

Chapter 62 Prayer Almighty God, thou art the God of gods and the Lord of lords, yea the King of kings; the root of all life; the glory of all light. We know thee not except by our love. We know thee through our holiness, and that holiness is thine own work; for in us that is in our flesh there is no good thing. We are saved, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to thy mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. So, what we have of... read more

Group of Brands