Lexical Summary spermologos: Babbler, seed-picker Original Word: σπερμολόγος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance babbler. From sperma and lego; a seed-picker (as the crow), i.e. (figuratively) a sponger, loafer (specially, a gossip or trifler in talk) -- babbler. see GREEK sperma see GREEK lego NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sperma and legó (to pick out, same verb as legó but with a different mean.) Definition a seed picker, fig. one who picks up scraps of knowledge NASB Translation idle babbler (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4691: σπερμολόγοςσπερμολόγος, σπερμολογον (σπέρμα, and λέγω to collect); 1. picking up seeds: used of birds, Plug. Demet. 28; Athen. 9, p. 387 f.; especially of the crow or daw that picks up grain in the fields (German Saatkrähe), Aristophanes av. 232, 579; Aristotle, h. a. 8, 8, p. 592{b}, 28, and other writings. 2. of men: "lounging about the market-place and picking up a subsistence by whatever may chance to fall from the loads of merchandise" (Eustathius on Homer, Odyssey 5, 490 σπερμολογοι. οἱ περί τά ἐμπορία καί ἀγορᾶς διατρίβοντες διά τό ἀναλέγεσθαι τά ἐκ τῶν φορτιων ἐπορρεοντα καί διά ζῆν ἐκ τούτων); hence, beggarly, abject, vile (a parasite); getting a living by flattery and buffoonery, Athen. 3, p. 85 f.; Plutarch, mor., p. 456 d.; a substantive, ὁ σπερμολόγος, an empty talker, babbler (Demosthenes, p. 269, 19; Athen. 8, p. 344 c.): Acts 17:18. Strong’s Greek 4691, σπερμολόγος, appears once in the Greek New Testament. It surfaces in Athens when Paul is confronted by Epicurean and Stoic thinkers (Acts 17:18). The word carries a tone of contempt and dismissiveness, labeling someone whose speech is thought to be incoherent, second-hand, and unworthy of serious attention. Textual Context in Acts 17:18 “A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, ‘What is this babbler trying to say?’ Others remarked, ‘He seems to be proclaiming foreign gods.’ They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:18) Paul has already reasoned in the synagogue and in the marketplace (Acts 17:17). When he reaches the Areopagus, representatives of Athens’s two most influential philosophical schools use σπερμολόγος to belittle him. The taunt functions as a literary foil within Luke’s narrative, highlighting the contrast between human scorn and the power of the gospel message that will soon be proclaimed with clarity and authority (Acts 17:22-31). Literary and Cultural Background In classical Greek literature the term regularly carries derision. It was applied to itinerant teachers, street performers, or anyone perceived to be living off scraps of learning rather than cultivating original thought. By the first century, Stoics and Epicureans prided themselves on disciplined argumentation. Paul’s proclamation of a crucified and resurrected Lord cut across both schools: • Epicureans pursued pleasure through freedom from fear, leaving little room for bodily resurrection. Against these worldviews Paul announces a personal Creator who “has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed” (Acts 17:31). The term σπερμολόγος, intended as a slur, therefore prepares the reader for a demonstration of true wisdom that exposes the emptiness of human philosophies (compare 1 Corinthians 1:20-24). Observations on Usage 1. Singular Occurrence: Its solitary appearance underscores Luke’s precision; he imports an Athenian insult without needing to repeat it elsewhere. Theological Significance 1. Revelation Versus Speculation: σπερμολόγος exposes the limits of human speculation when contrasted with divine revelation. What philosophers deemed incoherent is identified by Paul as “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). Ministry Implications 1. Expect Misunderstanding: Contemporary gospel workers can anticipate being mislabeled as uninformed, irrelevant, or simplistic. Scripture normalizes such treatment (Matthew 5:11; 1 Peter 4:14). Relationship to Other Scriptures • Proverbs 26:4-5 presents the tension between answering fools according to their folly and avoiding entanglement. Paul models wise engagement. Historical Reception Early Christian writers like Justin Martyr and Tertullian recognized the charge implied by σπερμολόγος and turned it on its head, asserting that the gospel fulfills the deepest yearnings of both philosophy and prophecy. Reformers later cited Acts 17 to encourage preaching in universities and marketplaces alike, confident that divine truth withstands academic scorn. Practical Application for Modern Discipleship • Courage in Public Witness: University campuses, digital forums, and city centers remain modern Areopagi. Faithful proclamation may attract the same derision, yet perseverance honors Christ. In sum, σπερμολόγος supplies a vivid snapshot of the cultural resistance the gospel encounters, the resolve required of its messengers, and the superiority of divine wisdom over human slander. |
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