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Acts 17

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

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.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

So Paul departed from among them.

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

What does Acts 17:31 mean?

Explanation

Acts 17:31 focuses on the assurance of judgment and resurrection, key doctrines in Christian belief.

The "day" mentioned signifies a fixed time determined by God to judge the world.

The judgment will be "in righteousness," showcasing God's just and moral nature.

The "man whom he hath ordained" refers to Jesus Christ, who, according to Christian doctrine, is the ordained judge of the living and the dead.

The phrase "whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" underscores the resurrection of Jesus as God's sign or proof to all humanity of Jesus’ divine authority and the certainty of future judgment.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 17 is part of the account of Paul's missionary journeys, and verse 31 comes from his speech at the Areopagus in Athens, Greece.

During this period, circa the mid-1st century CE, Athens was a hub of philosophical debate, where various schools of thought like Stoicism and Epicureanism were prevalent.

Paul addresses the Athenians by connecting the concept of resurrection and divine judgment with their religious and philosophical quest for truth and understanding.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse serves several functions:

It confirms the role of Jesus as the messiah and as the appointed judge in Christian eschatology.
It reinforces the doctrine of the bodily resurrection, a cornerstone of Christian faith.
It validates the Christian worldview by stating that God’s righteousness is the standard for judgment.
It highlights the universal nature of Christian salvation and judgment, extending to all peoples and nations.

Different denominations might emphasize various aspects of this verse, for instance, the evangelical perspective stresses the assurance of judgment and the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ.

Practical Applications

Practical applications of Acts 17:31 include:

Living a life that prepares for the ultimate accountability to God.
Motivating Christians to spread the Gospel since there is a guaranteed day of judgment.
Encouraging believers to seek righteousness, knowing that God's standards are just and fair.
Providing comfort with the assurance of Jesus' resurrection, confirming hope in life after death.

Cross-References

John 5:26-27: "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."
Romans 2:16: "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."
2 Timothy 4:1: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;"

Language Study

Key words from the original Greek in Acts 17:31 include:

"appointed" (ἔστησεν, estēsen): meaning established or fixed, implying God's sovereignty in setting the time.
"judge" (κρίνειν, krinein): conveys the idea of making a judgment or decision, which could encompass both condemnation and vindication.
"righteousness" (δικαιοσύνῃ, dikaiosynē): refers to the quality or state of being just or lawful, highlighting the ethical and moral dimension of the judgment.
"assurance" (πίστιν, pistin): indicates faith or trust, but here it's more about the evidence or guarantee God has provided.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Within the Hellenistic culture of the time, the idea of afterlife and judgment was variably present in philosophies and mythologies.

The concept of a day of judgment was not unique to Christianity but also present in Jewish apocalyptic literature and certain Greek philosophies which spoke of divine retribution for immoral actions.

However, unlike many mythologies that portrayed the afterlife as a shadowy existence, Christianity presented a more hopeful vision of resurrection and eternal life.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives generally do not affirm or refute theological claims of future events like divine judgment or resurrection as these fall outside the scope of empirical investigation.

However, historical and archaeological studies do provide context for understanding the beliefs and practices of ancient people, including the early Christians who held these doctrines.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary underlines the patience of God who has set a specific day for judgment rather than being immediate, allowing time for repentance.
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible emphasizes the certainty of the event, the universality of the judgment, and the suitability of Christ to be the judge given his nature as both God and man.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses Paul's skill in addressing the topic of resurrection to the Athenian audience, who might have been skeptical about such concepts.

It also explains how God laid down evidence for all people to believe in the form of Christ's resurrection.

Acts 17

Acts 17

What does Acts 17:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 17:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?