Paul the Middle Platonist?: Exegetical Traditions on Timaeus 28c and the Characterization of Paul in Acts 17:16–31
Paul’s speech to the Areopagus in Acts 17 places the apostle in philosophical dialogue with Stoics and Epicureans. This article identifies important points of contact between Paul’s speech and Middle Platonic exegesis of a famous Platonic phrase from Timaeus 28c. There, the philosopher declares that...
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
2022
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| In: |
Harvard theological review
Jahr: 2022, Band: 115, Heft: 4, Seiten: 477-495 |
| normierte Schlagwort(-folgen): | B
Bibel. Apostelgeschichte 17,16-31
/ Plato 427 v. Chr.-347 v. Chr., Timaeus 28c
/ Gott Vater
/ Schöpferkraft Gottes
/ Philosophie
/ Platonismus
/ Geschichte 50 v. Chr.-200
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| RelBib Classification: | HC Neues Testament KAB Kirchengeschichte 30-500; Frühchristentum NBC Gotteslehre TB Altertum VA Philosophie |
| weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Middle Platonism
B Paul B Acts B Philosophy B Stoicism |
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| Zusammenfassung: | Paul’s speech to the Areopagus in Acts 17 places the apostle in philosophical dialogue with Stoics and Epicureans. This article identifies important points of contact between Paul’s speech and Middle Platonic exegesis of a famous Platonic phrase from Timaeus 28c. There, the philosopher declares that the maker and father of the world is hard to find, and even more difficult to talk about. Many later interpreters of Plato commented on the dictum. Middle Platonists such as Plutarch mused about the theological implications of naming god both "maker" and "father." Jewish and Christian interpreters like Philo and Justin employed Plato’s phrase to describe their access to divine revelation. The first portion of this article argues that the Areopagus speech contains evidence of similar exegesis, both in its references to god’s roles as maker and father and in Paul’s claim to declare the unknown god. These resonances do more than clarify the author’s philosophical background; they also have previously unexplored implications for our understanding of Paul’s characterization in Acts 17. The second half of the article argues that in aligning Paul with the Platonic tradition, the author participates in an established Greco-Roman practice of depicting the Platonists, Stoics, and Epicureans in theological dialogue. |
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| ISSN: | 1475-4517 |
| Enthält: | Enthalten in: Harvard theological review
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0017816022000281 |