New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Commentaries:
<< Acts 17:29 Acts 17:31 >>
Acts 17:30
God overlooked, tolerated, or bore with it because of, in this case, our ignorance. God made excuses, as it were, to Himself to restrain Himself from striking out. This is, of course, bringing God down to a human level so we can understand. This is the kind of language Paul and Luke used to allow us to grasp the fact that God bore with us. We have to learn to do the same toward others.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Unity (Part 8): Ephesians 4 (E)Related Topics: Forbearance | God's Forbearance | God's Longsuffering | God's Restraint | God's Tolerance | Longsuffering | Restraint | Self Restraint | Tolerance
<< Acts 17:29 Acts 17:31 >>
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What Does Acts 17:30 Mean?
God, in times of human ignorance, chose to overlook and tolerate shortcomings, restraining any immediate judgment. This patience is described in a way that brings God to a human level for better understanding, showing how God bore with humanity despite their lack of knowledge. This reflects the message in Acts 17:30, where past ignorance was overlooked, but now a call to repentance is made to all people everywhere. Just as God showed patience, there is an encouragement to extend similar forbearance towards others, mirroring the divine example of restraint and understanding during times of unawareness.