Topical Bible: Poet: Greek

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the context of the Bible, the term "poet" refers to individuals who compose verse and are often associated with the expression of profound truths, emotions, and cultural narratives through structured language. Greek poets, in particular, hold a significant place in the cultural and intellectual history of the ancient world, influencing various aspects of literature, philosophy, and even religious thought.

Biblical References to Greek Poets

The New Testament makes specific reference to Greek poets, highlighting their influence and the integration of their ideas into broader discussions of truth and morality. In Acts 17:28, the Apostle Paul, while addressing the Areopagus in Athens, quotes Greek poetry to connect with his audience and to illustrate a theological point. He states, "For in Him we live and move and have our being." This line is attributed to the Cretan poet Epimenides. Paul continues, "As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.'" This latter quote is believed to be from the Stoic philosopher-poet Aratus, who wrote about the god Zeus in a manner that Paul adapts to speak of the one true God.

Cultural and Philosophical Context

Greek poets were not merely creators of art but were also seen as conveyors of wisdom and cultural values. Their works often explored themes of heroism, the divine, and the human condition. The poetry of Homer, Hesiod, and others laid the groundwork for Greek mythology and religious thought, which permeated the Hellenistic world. This cultural backdrop is essential for understanding the context in which the New Testament was written and the audiences it addressed.

Theological Implications

The use of Greek poetry by Paul in Acts 17 demonstrates an engagement with the surrounding culture to communicate the Gospel effectively. By referencing familiar cultural touchstones, Paul bridges the gap between Greek philosophical thought and Christian doctrine. This approach underscores the universality of the Gospel message and the idea that all truth is God's truth, regardless of its source.

Greek Poets and Early Christian Thought

Early Christian writers and theologians often engaged with Greek literature, recognizing both its value and its limitations. While Greek poets provided insights into human nature and the divine, early Christians discerned these works through the lens of biblical revelation. The engagement with Greek poetry and philosophy was part of a broader effort to articulate the Christian faith in a way that was intelligible and compelling to a Greco-Roman audience.

Conclusion

The mention of Greek poets in the Bible serves as a testament to the cultural and intellectual milieu of the early Christian era. It reflects the early Church's mission to communicate the Gospel across cultural boundaries, using familiar references to convey the transformative message of Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Nave's Topical Index

Titus 1:12
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Nave's Topical Index

Greek

4396. prophetes -- a prophet (an interpreter or forth-teller of ...
... prophet. From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy,
an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet -- prophet. see GREEK pro. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4396.htm - 8k

4163. poietes -- a maker, a doer
... poet, doer. From poieo; a performer; specially, a "poet"; --doer, poet. see GREEK
poieo. (poietai) -- 2 Occurrences. (poietes) -- 3 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4163.htm - 6k

Library

Greek Plagiarism from the Hebrews.
... The Stromata, or Miscellanies. Book IV. Chapter XIV."Greek Plagiarism from
the Hebrews. ... And the lyric poet:". "And God from gloomy night. ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xiv greek plagiarism from the.htm

Introduction.
... [2] S. Gregory Nazianzen, the first Greek Church poet, used only the ordinary
classical measures. S. Sophronius of Jerusalem employed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neale/hymns of the eastern church/introduction.htm

He Prohibited the Christians from the Markets and from the ...
... They rapidly translate the Scripture into Greek Modes of Expression ... Basil, the one
in a Rhetorical Vein, the other in Epic Style and in Imitation of every Poet. ...
/.../chapter xviii he prohibited the christians.htm

Introductory Remarks. 1 the Term Hermeneutics (Greek...
... The Greek word exegesis"that is, exposition"denotes the actual work of interpretation. ...
By the power of imagination, we must go with the poet, in his exile ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxiii introductory remarks 1.htm

Some Other Writers of the New Testament
... remembered and admired to this day. Homer, the greatest Greek poet, who
lived about a thousand years BC, is still world famous. ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter xii some other writers.htm

But Why did I So Much Hate the Greek...
... reading, writing and arithmetic, I thought as great a burden and penalty as any
Greek. ... be true that Aeneas came on a time to Carthage, as the poet tells, the ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xiii but why did.htm

He Delighted in Latin Studies and the Empty Fables of the Poets ...
... writing, and ciphering, I considered no less of a burden and a punishment than Greek. ...
For if I ask them whether it be true, as the poet says, that ??neas once ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xiii he delighted in latin.htm

Grecian Literature, and the Roman Empire.
... "a vein of thought and sentiment more devout, more humane, more akin to the Christian
than is to be found in any other ancient poet, whether Greek or Roman. ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 12 grecian literature and.htm

Statement of the Reasons Wherefore the Matters, Treated of Shortly ...
... lust, that seemed upon this life's rocky shores to sing some tuneful song, but deadly
withal, to catch the souls of youth,"which the Greek poet himself tells ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter i statement of the.htm

Notanda.
... Ars Poet., v.333. ... The title {GREEK SMALL LETTER PI}{GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON}{GREEK
SMALL LETTER LAMDA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON}{GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA ...
//christianbookshelf.org/binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/notanda.htm