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Selected Verse: Acts 17:29 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ac 17:29 |
Strong Concordance |
Forasmuch then [3767] as we are [5225] the offspring [1085] of God [2316], we ought [3784] not [3756] to think [3543] that the Godhead [2304] is [1511] like [3664] unto gold [5557], or [2228] silver [696], or [2228] stone [3037], graven [5480] by art [5078] and [2532] man's [444] device [1761]. |
| |
King James |
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think--The courtesy of this language is worthy of notice.
that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device--("graven by the art or device of man"). One can hardly doubt that the apostle would here point to those matchless monuments of the plastic art, in gold and silver and costliest stone, which lay so profusely beneath and around him. The more intelligent pagan Greeks no more pretended that these sculptured gods and goddesses were real deities, or even their actual likenesses, than Romanist Christians do their images; and Paul doubtless knew this; yet here we find him condemning all such efforts visibly to represent the invisible God. How shamefully inexcusable then are the Greek and Roman churches in paganizing the worship of the Christian Church by the encouragement of pictures and images in religious service! (In the eighth century, the second council of Nicea decreed that the image of God was as proper an object of worship as God Himself). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Forasmuch then - Admitting or assuming this to be true. The argument which follows is drawn from the concessions of their own writers.
We ought not to think - It is absurd to suppose. The argument of the apostle is this: "Since we are formed by God; since we are like him, living and intelligent beings; since we are more excellent in our nature than the most precious and ingenious works of art, it is absurd to suppose that the original source of our existence can be like gold, and silver, and stone. Man himself is far more excellent than an image of wood and stone; how much more excellent still must be the great Fountain and Source of all our wisdom and intelligence." See this thought pursued at length in Isa 40:18-23.
The Godhead - The divinity (τὸ Θεῖον to Theion), the divine nature, or essence. The word used here is an adjective employed as a noun, and does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.
Is like unto gold ... - All these things were used in making images or statues of the gods. It is absurd to think that the source of all life and intelligence resembles a lifeless block of wood or stone. Even degraded pagan, one would think, might see the force of an argument like this.
Graven - Sculptured; made into an image. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
offspring of God
(Greek, "genos", means "race"). The reference is to the creation-work of God in which He made man (i.e. mankind, the race in Adam) in his own likeness, (Gen 1:26); (Gen 1:27); thus rebuking the thought that "the Godhead is like unto gold," etc. The word "Father" is not used, not does the passage affirm anything concerning fatherhood or sonship, which are relationships based on faith, and the new birth.
Compare (Joh 1:12); (Joh 1:13); (Gal 3:26); (Gal 4:1-7); (Joh 5:1). |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
The Godhead (τὸ θεῖον)
Lit., that which is divine.
Like to gold, etc
These words must have impressed his hearers profoundly, as they looked at the multitude of statues of divinities which surrounded them.
Graven (χαράγματι)
Not a participle, as A. V., but a noun, in apposition with gold, silver, and stone: "a graving or carved-work of art," etc. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| We ought not to think - A tender expression especially in the first per son plural. As if he had said, Can God himself be a less noble being than we who are his offspring? Nor does he only here deny, that these are like God, but that they have any analogy to him at all, so as to be capable of representing him. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, etc. - This inference of the apostle was very strong and conclusive; and his argument runs thus: "If we are the offspring of God, he cannot be like those images of gold, silver, and stone, which are formed by the art and device of man; for the parent must resemble his offspring. Seeing, therefore, that we are living and intelligent beings, He from whom we have derived that being must be living and intelligent. It is necessary, also, that the object of religious worship should be much more excellent than the worshipper; but a man is, by innumerable degrees, more excellent than an image made out of gold, silver, or stone; and yet it would be impious to worship a man: how much more so to worship these images as gods! Every man in the Areopagus must have felt the power of this conclusion; and, taking it for granted that they had felt it, he proceeds: - |
18 To whom then will ye liken [01819] God [0410]? or what likeness [01823] will ye compare [06186] unto him?
19 The workman [02796] melteth [05258] a graven image [06459], and the goldsmith [06884] spreadeth [07554] it over with gold [02091], and casteth [06884] silver [03701] chains [07577].
20 He that is so impoverished [05533] [05534] that he hath no oblation [08641] chooseth [0977] a tree [06086] that will not rot [07537]; he seeketh [01245] unto him a cunning [02450] workman [02796] to prepare [03559] a graven image [06459], that shall not be moved [04131].
21 Have ye not known [03045]? have ye not heard [08085]? hath it not been told [05046] you from the beginning [07218]? have ye not understood [0995] from the foundations [04146] of the earth [0776]?
22 It is he that sitteth [03427] upon the circle [02329] of the earth [0776], and the inhabitants [03427] thereof are as grasshoppers [02284]; that stretcheth out [05186] the heavens [08064] as a curtain [01852], and spreadeth them out [04969] as a tent [0168] to dwell in [03427]:
23 That bringeth [05414] the princes [07336] to nothing; he maketh [06213] the judges [08199] of the earth [0776] as vanity [08414].
1 After [3326] this [5023] there was [2258] a feast [1859] of the Jews [2453]; and [2532] Jesus [2424] went up [305] to [1519] Jerusalem [2414].
1 Now [1161] I say [3004], That the heir [2818], as long as [1909] [3745] [5550] he is [2076] a child [3516], differeth [1308] nothing [3762] from a servant [1401], though he be [5607] lord [2962] of all [3956];
2 But [235] is [2076] under [5259] tutors [2012] and [2532] governors [3623] until [891] the time appointed [4287] of the father [3962].
3 Even [2532] so [3779] we [2249], when [3753] we were [2258] children [3516], were [2258] in bondage [1402] under [5259] the elements [4747] of the world [2889]:
4 But [1161] when [3753] the fulness [4138] of the time [5550] was come [2064], God [2316] sent forth [1821] his [846] Son [5207], made [1096] of [1537] a woman [1135], made [1096] under [5259] the law [3551],
5 To [2443] redeem [1805] them that were under [5259] the law [3551], that [2443] we might receive [618] the adoption of sons [5206].
6 And [1161] because [3754] ye are [2075] sons [5207], God [2316] hath sent forth [1821] the Spirit [4151] of his [846] Son [5207] into [1519] your [5216] hearts [2588], crying [2896], Abba [5], Father [3962].
7 Wherefore [5620] thou art [1488] no more [3765] a servant [1401], but [235] a son [5207]; and [1161] if [1487] a son [5207], then [2532] an heir [2818] of God [2316] through [1223] Christ [5547].
26 For [1063] ye are [2075] all [3956] the children [5207] of God [2316] by [1223] faith [4102] in [1722] Christ [5547] Jesus [2424].
13 Which [3739] were born [1080], not [3756] of [1537] blood [129], nor [3761] of [1537] the will [2307] of the flesh [4561], nor [3761] of [1537] the will [2307] of man [435], but [235] of [1537] God [2316].
12 But [1161] as many as [3745] received [2983] him [846], to them [846] gave he [1325] power [1849] to become [1096] the sons [5043] of God [2316], even to them that believe [4100] on [1519] his [846] name [3686]:
27 So God [0430] created [01254] man [0120] in his own image [06754], in the image [06754] of God [0430] created [01254] he him; male [02145] and female [05347] created [01254] he them.
26 And God [0430] said [0559], Let us make [06213] man [0120] in our image [06754], after our likeness [01823]: and let them have dominion [07287] over the fish [01710] of the sea [03220], and over the fowl [05775] of the air [08064], and over the cattle [0929], and over all the earth [0776], and over every creeping thing [07431] that creepeth [07430] upon the earth [0776].