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The Epicureans
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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(followers of Epicurus). A
sect
of pleasure-loving philosophers at
Athens
(
Acts 17:18
18
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. (Acts 17:18)
).
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
A school of philosophers that derived their name from the
Athenian
Epicurus, who had his “
garden
” at
Athens
. His theory was that pleasurable emotions should be the aim of human
life
, quiet ease of mind being the sum of happiness. Experience and not
truth
was the test he applied.
Paul
endeavored to turn the thoughts of the Athenians from their self-made
philosophy
, and their many idols, to the one true
God
(
Acts 17:18
18
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. (Acts 17:18)
).
Jackson’s
Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names
:
a helper: defender Er, awaking: stirring up
From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Acts 17:18
18
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. (Acts 17:18)
. Then certain philosophers of
the Epicureans
, and of the
Stoics
, encountered him.
1. Epicurus, the founder of the
sect
which bore his name, was born at Samoa about 340 B.C. He early adopted the atomic theory of Democritus, and taught
philosophy
in
Athens
for nearly forty years, his place of instruction being a beautiful
garden
in the
heart
of the city. According to the Epicureans the universe consists of matter and space. Matter is uncreated and indestructible. It is composed of minute atoms,
infinite
in number and imperceptible to the senses. These atoms may change in mutual relation and in combination, but they cannot be annihilated. They are perpetually moving in space, and are constantly undergoing transpositions of form, but are regulated by no
law
save that of blind chance. Epicurus believed in the existence of the
gods
, but this belief was practically no better than atheism, since he denied that the gods had any part in the operations of
nature
. There was in his system no room for
conscience
, no place for moral obligation. Pleasure was the chief object of
life
. Though it is claimed that the ideal of Epicurus was not pleasure of a degrading nature, and that he taught a strict morality, yet the system inevitably tended to sensuality, and had
natural
attractions for those who were fond of debasing pleasures. It made no provision for a future life, for it knew of no other life than this. Its creed may be briefly summed up in this: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
2. The Stoics were founded by Zeno of Citium in the fourth century before Christ. Their place of meeting was in the “Painted Porch,” or Siva, of Athens, whence they derived their name. They believed in two fundamental principles, the active and the passive. The passive was matter, the active was
God
. They were pantheists, denying the independent existence of the
soul
, and affirming that all souls were emanations of Deity. They also taught that God and
man
were both alike inexorably subject to Fate. In opposition to the Epicureans they held that men ought to have no regard to pleasure, but to act only for the right. They were not agreed in their views of a future life. Some believed that all souls were absorbed into Deity at
death
; others that they maintained their separate existence until a general conflagration of the universe took place; others still, that only the good thus maintained a separate existence.
Related Books and Articles:
843. Epicureans Stoics
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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