使徒行传 17章22节 到 17章22节     上一笔  下一笔
 {Stood in the midst of the Areopagus} (statheis en mes(9369)
tou Areiou Pagou). First aorist passive of hist(886d)i used of
Peter in  2:14 . Majestic figure whether on Mars Hill or in the
Stoa Basilica before the Areopagus Court. There would be a crowd
of spectators and philosophers in either case and Paul seized the
opportunity to preach Christ to this strange audience as he did
in Caesarea before Herod Agrippa and the crowd of prominent
people gathered by Festus for the entertainment. Paul does not
speak as a man on trial, but as one trying to get a hearing for
the gospel of Christ. {Somewhat superstitious} (h(9373)
deisidaimonesterous). The Authorized Version has "too
superstitious," the American Standard "very religious."
Deisidaim(936e) is a neutral word (from deid(935c), to fear, and
daim(936e), deity). The Greeks used it either in the good sense of
pious or religious or the bad sense of superstitious. Thayer
suggests that Paul uses it "with kindly ambiguity." Page thinks
that Luke uses the word to represent the religious feeling of the
Athenians (_religiosus_) which bordered on superstition. The
Vulgate has _superstitiosiores_. In  25:19  Festus uses the term
deisidaimonia for "religion." It seems unlikely that Paul
should give this audience a slap in the face at the very start.
The way one takes this adjective here colours Paul's whole speech
before the Council of Areopagus. The comparative here as in verse
 21  means more religions than usual (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp.
664f.), the object of the comparison not being expressed. The
Athenians had a tremendous reputation for their devotion to
religion, "full of idols" (verse  16 ).

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