Acts 17:26-30
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The New Testament > The Acts > Chapter 17
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Questions
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Lexical notes
Verses 28-29
- The word translated as "offspring" in these verses is the Greek γένος (genos), a cousin of the English words "genus" and "genetic." The Greek word can mean not just "children" or "descendants," but also "type" or "kind," as in Matthew 13:47 or 1 Corinthians 14:10.
Verse 30
- winked at is translated here from the Greek ὑπεροράωv (hyperoraō) which means to overlook, take no notice of, to not attend to. See Thayer's lexicon.
Exegesis
Verses 28-29
The context of these verses as well as Paul's use of the word genos (see lexical notes) strongly suggest that humans are God's children in more than a symbolic or philosophical sense. Paul's words go beyond saying that people were created by God, but that they are in some way the same type of creature as God is. If we were to see God, Paul tells us in verse 29, we wouldn't see a statue but rather someone very much like ourselves.
Verses 30-31
It is interesting to see how Paul deals with what is to the Athenians a new commandment Paul is bringing to them--to leave idolatry and worship the living God. Paul ties the change, i.e. the new commandment "now commandeth all men every where to repent," with the final judgment and Jesus's resurrection. The need to repent is obviously tied to the final judgment. But, in order for the judgment to have a purpose, their must be a resurrection of the judged. And, Paul tells us, we are given assurance of this resurrection of all men by the fact that Jesus resurrected.
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