Teks -- Acts 17:31 (NET)

17:31 because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Act 17:31 - Inasmuch as

Inasmuch as ( kathoti ).

According as (kata , hoti ). Old causal conjunction, but in N.T. only used in Luke’ s writings (Luk 1:7; Luk 19:9; Act 2:45; Act 4:35; Act 17:31).

Robertson: Act 17:31 - Hath appointed a day

Hath appointed a day ( estēsen hēmeran )

First aorist active indicative of histēmi , to place, set. God did set the day in his counsel and he will fulfil it in his own time.

Robertson: Act 17:31 - Will judge

Will judge ( mellei krinein ).

Rather, is going to judge, mellō and the present active infinitive of krinō . Paul here quotes Psa 9:8 where krinei occurs.

Robertson: Act 17:31 - By the man whom he hath ordained

By the man whom he hath ordained ( en andri hōi hōrisen ).

Here he adds to the Psalm the place and function of Jesus Christ, a passage in harmony with Christ’ s own words in Matthew 25. Hōi (whom) is attracted from the accusative, object of hōrisen (first aorist active indicative of horizō ) to the case of the antecedent andri . It has been said that Paul left the simple gospel in this address to the council of the Areopagus for philosophy. But did he? He skilfully caught their attention by reference to an altar to an Unknown God whom he interprets to be the Creator of all things and all men who overrules the whole world and who now commands repentance of all and has revealed his will about a day of reckoning when Jesus Christ will be Judge. He has preached the unity of God, the one and only God, has proclaimed repentance, a judgment day, Jesus as the Judge as shown by his Resurrection, great fundamental doctrines, and doubtless had much more to say when they interrupted his address. There is no room here for such a charge against Paul. He rose to a great occasion and made a masterful exposition of God’ s place and power in human history.

Robertson: Act 17:31 - Whereof he hath given assurance

Whereof he hath given assurance ( pistin paraschōn ).

Second aorist active participle of parechō , old verb to furnish, used regularly by Demosthenes for bringing forward evidence. Note this old use of pistis as conviction or ground of confidence (Heb 11:1) like a note or title-deed, a conviction resting on solid basis of fact. All the other uses of pistis grow out of this one from peithō , to persuade.

Robertson: Act 17:31 - In that he hath raised him from the dead

In that he hath raised him from the dead ( anastēsas auton ek nekrōn ).

First aorist active participle of anistēmi , causal participle, but literally, "having raised him from the dead."This Paul knew to be a fact because he himself had seen the Risen Christ. Paul has here come to the heart of his message and could now throw light on their misapprehension about "Jesus and the Resurrection"(Act 17:18). Here Paul has given the proof of all his claims in the address that seemed new and strange to them.

Wesley: Act 17:31 - He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world

How fitly does he speak this, in their supreme court of justice? By the man - So he speaks, suiting himself to the capacity of his hearers. Whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead - God raising Jesus demonstrated hereby, that he was to be the glorious Judge of all. We are by no means to imagine that this was all which the apostle intended to have said, but the indolence of some of his hearers and the petulancy of others cut him short.

JFB: Act 17:31 - Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world

Such language beyond doubt teaches that the judgment will, in its essence, be a solemn judicial assize held upon all mankind at once. "Aptly is this uttered on the Areopagus, the seat of judgment" [BENGEL].

JFB: Act 17:31 - by that man whom he hath ordained

Compare Joh 5:22-23, Joh 5:27; Act 10:42.

JFB: Act 17:31 - whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead

The most patent evidence to mankind at large of the judicial authority with which the Risen One is clothed.

Clarke: Act 17:31 - He hath appointed a day

He hath appointed a day - He has fixed the time in which he will judge the world, though he has not revealed this time to man

Clarke: Act 17:31 - By that man whom he hath ordained

By that man whom he hath ordained - He has also appointed the judge, by whom the inhabitants of the earth are to be tried

Clarke: Act 17:31 - Whereof he hath given assurance

Whereof he hath given assurance - ΠιϚιν παρασχων πασιν, Having given to all this indubitable proof, that Jesus Christ shall judge the world, by raising him from the dead. The sense of the argument is this: "Jesus Christ, whom we preach as the Savior of men, has repeatedly told his followers that he would judge the world; and has described to us, at large, the whole of the proceedings of that awful time, Mat 25:31, etc.; Joh 5:25. Though he was put to death by the Jews, and thus he became a victim for sin, yet God raised him from the dead. By raising him from the dead, God has set his seal to the doctrines he has taught: one of these doctrines is, that he shall judge the world; his resurrection, established by the most incontrovertible evidence, is therefore a proof, an incontestable proof, that he shall judge the world, according to his own declaration."

Calvin: Act 17:31 - Because he hath appointed a day // By the man whom he hath appointed

31.Because he hath appointed a day He maketh mention of the last judgment, that he may awake them out of their dream. For we know how hard a matter it is for men to deny themselves. Therefore, they must be violently enforced unto repentance, which cannot be done better than when they be cited to appear before God’s judgment-seat, and that fearful judgment is set before them, which they may neither despise nor escape. Therefore, let us remember that the doctrine of repentance doth then take place, when men, who would naturally desire to flatter themselves, are awaked with fear of God’s judgment and that none are fit teachers of the gospel but those who are the criers or apparitors of the highest Judge, who bring those who are to come the Judge to plead their cause, and denounce the judgment hanging over their heads, even as if it were in their own hand. Neither is this added in vain, in righteousness, or righteously. For though all men in the world confess that God is a just Judge, yet we see how they, for the most part, pamper and flatter themselves; for they will not suffer God to demand an account farther than their knowledge and understanding doth reach. Therefore, Paul’s meaning is, that men do profit themselves nothing by vain flattery; because they shall not prejudice God’s justice by this means, which showeth that all that is an abomination before God which seemeth goodly in the sight of men, because he will not follow the decrees of men, but that form which himself hath appointed. −

By the man whom he hath appointed It is not to be doubted but that Paul spake more largely concerning Christ, that the Athenians might know that he is the Son of God, by whom salvation was brought to the world, and who had all power given him in heaven and earth; otherwise this speech, which we read here, should have had but small force to persuade. But Luke thought it sufficient to gather the sum of the sermon briefly. Yet is it to be thought that Paul spake first concerning the grace of Christ and that he did first preach him to be the Redeemer of men, before he made him a Judge. But because Christ is oftentimes contemned, when he offereth himself to be a Redeemer, Paul denounceth that he will once sharply punish such wicked contempt, because the whole world must be judged by him. The word [ ὁριζειν ] may be referred, as well unto the secret counsel of God, as unto external manifestation. Yet because the former exposition is more common, I do willingly embrace the same; to wit, that God, by his eternal decree, hath ordained his Son to be the Judge of the world; and that to the end the reprobate, who refuse to be ruled by Christ, may learn that they strive but in vain against the decree of God, which cannot be broken. But because nothing seemeth more strange to men, than that God shall judge in the person of man, Paul addeth afterward, that dignity of Christ, which were hard to be believed, was approved by his resurrection. −

The will of God alone ought to be so reverenced among us, that every man for himself subscribe to his decrees without delay. Because the cloak and color of ignorance useth oftentimes to be objected, therefore Paul saith plainly, that Christ was by his resurrection openly showed to be the Judge of the world, and that that was revealed to the eyes of men, which God had before determined with himself concerning him. For that point of doctrine, which Luke toucheth briefly in few words, was handled by Paul at large. He said not only in a word that Christ rose from death, but he did also intreat of the power of his resurrection as was meet. For to what end did Christ rise, but that he might be the first fruits of those which rise again? ( 1Co 15:23.) And to what end shall we rise again, but either to life or death? Whereupon it followeth, that Christ by his resurrection is declared and proved to be the Judge of the world. −

Defender: Act 17:31 - judge the world

God, who created all men, must be the Judge of all men, and "the Judge of all the earth" will certainly "do right" (Gen 18:25). And since God both "created all things by Jesus Christ" (Eph 3:9), and has also "made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself" (Col 1:20), it is appropriate that "He shall judge" all things by Christ (Joh 5:22, Joh 5:27; Mat 25:31).

Defender: Act 17:31 - raised him from the dead

Death has always been man's greatest, and finally victorious, enemy (1Co 15:26), and only the Creator of life, the Judge who imposed the sentence of death because of sin (Gen 3:17-20), can conquer death. The founders and leaders of all other religions and philosophies eventually die, but Jesus Christ is alive! His tomb is empty, and He has ascended in His resurrection body to the Father in heaven. His bodily resurrection, which is the best-proved fact of biblical history, is the certain assurance that He is the Creator and Judge of all."

TSK: Act 17:31 - he hath appointed // given assurance // in that

he hath appointed : Act 10:42; Matt. 25:31-46; Joh 5:22, Joh 5:23; Rom 2:5, Rom 2:16, Rom 14:9, Rom 14:10; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 5:10; 2Ti 4:1; 2Pe 3:7; Jud 1:14, Jud 1:15

given assurance : or, offered faith

in that : Act 17:18, Act 2:23, Act 2:24, Act 2:32, Act 3:15, Act 3:16, Act 4:10, Act 5:30-32, Act 10:39-41, Act 13:30,Act 13:31; Luk 24:46-48; 1Co 15:3-8

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Act 17:31 - He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world // In righteousness // By that man whom he hath ordained // Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead

He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world: that God will judge the world his enemies have with trembling acknowledged, but when God will judge the world he hath concealed from his friends; yet the time is already set, Psa 96:13 2Co 5:10 , and we ought to be daily prepared for it.

In righteousness: shall not the Judge of all the world do right?

By that man whom he hath ordained our blessed Saviour, called here man, suitably to his death and resurrection, which St. Paul preached of; as also as man he is thus highly exalted for his debasing of himself for our sakes, Phi 2:9-11 .

Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead an undeniable proof or argument, it being so difficult a matter to believe a world to come, when we see all things remain as they did in this world; and especially to believe, that in the general judgment Christ, whom they had judged, condemned, and executed, should be Judge: God therefore did glorify him, by raising him from the dead, that they and we might not be faithless, but believe, Rom 1:4 .

Haydock: Act 17:31 - Because he hath appointed

Because he hath appointed a day for judging all men with equity, by the man, to wit, Christ Jesus, a man, and also his true Son, whom he has appointed to be their judge; and by raising him (Jesus) from the dead, he hath made it credible, and given sufficient proofs of this truth, that every one shall rise from death. (Witham)

Gill: Act 17:31 - Because he hath appointed a day // in the which he will judge the world in righteousness // by that man whom he hath ordained // whereof he hath given assurance to all men // in that he hath raised him from the dead

Because he hath appointed a day,.... The day of judgment is fixed by God in his eternal purposes, and is sure and certain, and will come, though it is not known by men or angels; and this is a reason why God will have the doctrine of repentance everywhere published, both to Jews and Gentiles, since all must come to judgment: and the day for it is appointed by him,

in the which he will judge the world in righteousness; the whole world will be judged, and every individual in it, good and bad, righteous and wicked; and this judgment will be a righteous one; it will proceed according to the strict rules of justice and equity, and upon the foot of the righteousness of Christ, as that has been received or rejected by men, or as men are clothed with, or are without that righteousness:

by that man whom he hath ordained; Beza's ancient copy reads, "the man Jesus": not that the apostle means that Christ is a mere man; for then he would not be fit to be a Judge of quick and dead, and to pass and execute the definitive sentence; which requires omniscience and omnipotence: but preaching to mere Heathens, he chose not at once to assert the deity of Christ, though he tacitly suggests it: but intended, by degrees, to open the glories of his nature and office to them, he being the person God had from all eternity ordained, and in time had signified, should have all judgment committed to him, and by whom the last judgment shall be managed and transacted:

whereof he hath given assurance to all men: or full proof, both of his being the Judge, and of his fitness to be one, and also of the righteousness, according to which he will judge:

in that he hath raised him from the dead; whereby he was declared to be the Son of God; and when all power in heaven and in earth was given to him; and which was done for the justification of all those for whose offences he was delivered: and this seems to be the reason why the apostle calls Christ the Judge a man, that he might have the opportunity of mentioning his resurrection from the dead.