Atos 17
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 17
McGee - Now don’t put that down as an oratorical gesture or hyperbole. When they said that these men were turning the world upside down, that is exactly what they meant. When Christianity penetrated that old Roman Empire it was a revolution. It had a tremendous effect. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary) William Barclay on upset the world - 'Those,' they said, 'who are upsetting the civilised world have arrived here.' That is one of the greatest compliments which has ever been paid to Christianity....When Christianity really goes into action it must cause a revolution both in the life of the individual and in the life of society." Acts 17 Commentary Jack Andrews - The missionaries and early church had the power of God upon them and God used them to shake up the world. Why does God not use us like he did these missionaries? Richard Owen Roberts wrote, “The sobering truth is that the greatest hindrance to the growth of Christianity in today’s world is the absence of the manifest presence of God from the church. The Lord has been so deeply grieved by the refusal of the church to faithfully proclaim the whole counsel of His Word in the power of the Holy Spirit that He has largely withdrawn from the church and left her to her own devices.” (Jack Andrews Expository Studies – Understanding Acts) John
Atos 17
Vernon McGee - In other words, he says we ought not to be idolaters. He has shown God to be the Creator. Now he will present Him as the Redeemer.
Atos 17
Vernon McGee - There was a time when God shut His eyes to paganism. Now light has come into the world. God asks men everywhere to turn to Him. Light creates responsibility. Now God is commanding all men everywhere to repent. He has presented God as the Creator in His past work. He shows God as the Redeemer in His present work. Now he shows God as the Judge in His future work. Jack Arnold has an interesting thought on times of ignorance - Some have taken the words “times of ignorance” to refer to the ages of paganism before the coming of Christ into this world. They say that until Christ came God withheld execution of physical judgment upon these Gentile nations. However, “the times of ignorance” may also refer to the life of an individual before conversion. There are times in one's life, as an offspring of God, a creature of God, that one tries to satisfy himself with things that are less than God. These are times of ignorance when men walk in independence of God, forming various idols in their minds. God overlooks these times. He does not bring immediate judgment to the person, waiting patiently for the person to repent. God now calls upon everybody everywhere to repent. When confronted with the truth of Christ, men are to execute their human responsibility and repent; that is, change the mind about idolatry, ignorance, sin, God, Christ and a sinful life style, and receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Notice that God does not ask men to repent but commands them to repent. (Sermon) Overlooked (has deliberately paid no attention to)(5237)(hupereido 2d aorist of huperoráo from hupér = over + eídon = to see, perceive) means to overlook, act as if one did not see, to disregard intentionally and so to bear with. BDAG - 1. to disregard as not worthy of one’s notice, disdain, despise (Socrates disdains all human opinion in favor of divine guidance) (Lev 26:37) 2. to indulgently take no notice of, overlook, disregard Josh 1:5; Ps 9:22 Ac 17:30. Thayer - to overlook, take no notice of, not attend to
Atos 17
Vernon McGee - When God judges, it will be right. Judgment will be through a Judge who has nail-pierced hands, the One who has been raised from the dead. Paul always presents the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a declaration to all men. It is by this that God assures all men there will be a judgment. (Thru the Bible) Jack Arnold - Paul began his sermon with God and ends it with the truth that God has an appointed day in the future when He will judge the world through Jesus Christ. This is an inescapable judgment when the secrets of all men will be made evident. Men shall be judged by a holy God and cast into hell because they are sinners, without a Savior, who failed to repent of their negative attitudes about God, Christ and godly living. A resurrected Christ will be involved in this judgment, and this was a shocker to the Stoics who only believed in the immortality of the soul and not the body. Judgment day is coming for all men whether they believe in Christ and a future judgment or not. Just because men believe there will be no future judgment, does not make it truth. Judgment is certain and men without Christ will be cast into outer darkness where there is gnashing of teeth and eternal separation from God (cf Lk 13:28+, Rev 20:11-15+, Eternal Punishment). Paul calmly, politely and tactfully told these mighty philosophers they were going to be eternally judged if they did not embrace Christ as Lord and Savior (ED: Actually Paul was cut short from this final appeal), and accept the Christian philosophy of life, death and eternity. (Sermon) R. Kent
Atos 17
Vernon McGee - Do you know why they mocked? Because Platonism denied the resurrection of the dead. That was one of the marks of Platonism. It denied the physical resurrection. When you hear people today talk about a spiritual resurrection but denying the physical resurrection, you are hearing Platonic philosophy rather than scriptural teaching. Paul taught the physical resurrection from the dead. So when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. Sneer (5512) (chleuazo from chleúe = joke, jest related to cheilos = a lip) means to throw out the lip and thus to mock, scoff, deride or sneer. To sneer stresses insulting another by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice. To scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision. It means to make fun of someone by joking or jesting. NET Acts 17:32 Now when they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, "We will hear you again about this." BDAG - (1) to engage in mockery, mock, sneer, scoff ; (2) to make fun of maliciously, mock, scoff at, sneer at
Atos 17
Vernon McGee - There was quite an aggregation of converts in the city of Athens. When Paul went to a place and preached the gospel, he had converts. He didn’t fail. He succeeded. Wherever the Word of God is preached, there will be those who will listen and believe. Joined ("glued")(2853)(kollao from kolla = glue) means literally to glue, cement, join or fasten together and thus to unite (someone with or to someone or some thing). To fasten firmly together. Kollao can mean to attach oneself to a master in a job means to hire oneself out as a servant ("the prodigal son" in Lk 15:15).