An Exegetical Study of Acts 17:8-9: Grammatical Ambiguity and Causal Relationships in the Thessalonian Disturbance
This exegetical study of An Exegetical Study of Acts 17:8-9: Grammatical Ambiguity and Causal Relationships in the Thessalonian Disturbance is based on a b-greek discussion from September 8th, 2016. The initial query concerned the syntactical function of the phrase “τὸν ὄχλον καὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας ἀκούοντας ταῦτα” in Acts 17:8, questioning if it represents an accusative of respect or explication, and seeking clarification on the implied subject of the main verb Ἐτάραξαν. The subsequent verse, Acts 17:9, which details the taking of security from Jason and others, also raised questions regarding its pronominal references and the identity of the subject of λαβόντες and ἀπέλυσαν.
The central exegetical challenge lies in precisely determining the grammatical role of the participle ἀκούοντας and its object ταῦτα in Acts 17:8, specifically whether it conveys a separate causality or merely describes a contemporaneous action. Furthermore, the identification of the implied subject for Ἐτάραξαν (who is doing the disturbing) and for the subsequent verbs λαβόντες and ἀπέλυσαν (who takes security and releases) in Acts 17:9 presents a significant interpretative hurdle, impacting the understanding of agency and responsibility in the narrative. The discussion explores whether the participle implies a shared action for both the crowd and the city rulers, or if it introduces a distinct causal element for their being upset.
Ἐτάραξαν δὲ τὸν ὄχλον καὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας ἀκούοντας ταῦτα. Καὶ λαβόντες τὸ ἱκανὸν παρὰ τοῦ Ἰάσονος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- There are no substantive textual variants between the provided text (consistent with Nestle 1904) and the SBLGNT (2010) for Acts 17:8-9 that affect meaning or grammatical structure. Minor punctuation differences may exist but are textually insignificant.
Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)
The text of Acts 17:8-9 is remarkably stable across major manuscript traditions, with NA28 reporting no significant variants that impact the interpretative issues under discussion (such as the subject of Ἐτάραξαν, the function of ἀκούοντας, or the subject of λαβόντες and ἀπέλυσαν).
Lexical Notes:
- Ἐτάραξαν (from ταράσσω): BDAG defines ταράσσω as ‘to cause to be in a state of agitation, disturb, trouble, stir up’. In Acts, it frequently refers to instigating public unrest or agitation (cf. Acts 16:20; 17:8, 13; 20:10; 21:27). KITTEL (TDNT) emphasizes the sense of both inner turmoil and outward disturbance. Here, it signifies the deliberate instigation of disorder among the populace and city officials.
- ὄχλον (from ὄχλος): BDAG offers ‘a crowd, throng, multitude’, often with a nuance of an unorganized or easily swayed multitude. In Acts, it frequently denotes the general populace, often susceptible to influence. KITTEL highlights its use to refer to the common people, distinct from authorities.
- πολιτάρχας (from πολιτάρχης): BDAG defines this as ‘a city official, politarch’. This term holds significant historical value, as its presence in Thessalonica has been corroborated by epigraphic evidence, confirming the accuracy of Luke’s account. It refers to the chief magistrates of the city.
- ἀκούοντας (from ἀκούω): BDAG translates ἀκούω as ‘to hear, listen, perceive’. The present participle indicates a continuous or contemporaneous action. The precise nuance here is crucial: are the crowd and politarchs merely hearing *while* being disturbed, or is their hearing *the direct cause* of their disturbance? KITTEL discusses the range of “hearing,” from simply perceiving sound to understanding and obeying.
- ταῦτα (from οὗτος): BDAG refers to ‘these things’. As a demonstrative pronoun, it refers to what was being said or done. In this context, it most likely points to the accusations against Paul, Silas, and Jason, as described in the preceding verses (e.g., Acts 17:6-7).
- λαβόντες (from λαμβάνω): BDAG provides ‘to take, receive, get’. The aorist participle indicates an action completed prior to or concomitant with the main verb. The key interpretative point is identifying who “takes” the security.
- τὸ ἱκανὸν: BDAG: ‘enough, sufficient’. In legal or judicial contexts, as in this passage, it consistently means ‘security, bail, bond’ (cf. Josephus, *Ant*. 18.232).
- ἀπέλυσαν (from ἀπολύω): BDAG: ‘to release, set free’. Here, it specifically means to release from custody or legal obligation.
Translation Variants and Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis
Grammatical Analysis of Acts 17:8: Ἐτάραξαν δὲ τὸν ὄχλον καὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας ἀκούοντας ταῦτα
The implied subject of Ἐτάραξαν is derived from the preceding context (Acts 17:5), where “the unbelieving Jews” (οἱ ἀπειθοῦντες Ἰουδαῖοι) became jealous and, gathering “wicked men from the market place” (ἄνδρας πονηροὺς τινὰς τῶν ἀγοραίων), stirred up the city. Thus, these Jewish instigators and their associates are clearly the agents of the disturbance.
The primary point of grammatical contention centers on the function of ἀκούοντας ταῦτα. This phrase, consisting of a present participle with its object, can be interpreted in several ways:
- Adverbial Participle (Circumstantial/Causal): Many scholars understand ἀκούοντας as an adverbial participle. It describes the circumstances *under which* the crowd and politarchs were disturbed, or even provides a causal explanation. If causal, it means “because they heard these things.” If purely circumstantial, “while they were hearing these things.” This interpretation is strongly supported by the forum discussion, which suggests the hearing was the “actual cause for their being upset.” The participle would modify the action of Ἐτάραξαν in relation to its objects, τὸν ὄχλον καὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας. The participle is considered to apply to both the crowd and the politarchs, indicating a shared experience of hearing.
- Adjectival Participle (Attributive/Predicative): While grammatically possible, an adjectival interpretation is less likely to fully capture the dynamic of the scene. If attributive, it would mean “the crowd and the city rulers *who were hearing these things*.” This might suggest that only a subset of the crowd and rulers were disturbed, specifically those who were listening. A predicative use, where the participle describes a state or action of the object, could be argued to describe their state *at the time* they were disturbed. However, the strong causal or circumstantial link to the main verb’s action generally favors an adverbial reading.
The suggestion in the forum that the sentence is “ungrammatical” or uses “convoluted verb omission” is largely an overstatement. Greek frequently employs participles economically, and this construction, where a main verb acts on direct objects and a participle then describes a contemporaneous action or condition related to those objects, is a common and grammatically sound idiom.
Grammatical Analysis of Acts 17:9: Καὶ λαβόντες τὸ ἱκανὸν παρὰ τοῦ Ἰάσονος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς.
The second major point of contention is the identification of the subject for the particple λαβόντες and the main verb ἀπέλυσαν.
- The Politarchs: Given that Acts 17:8 describes the politarchs being disturbed and the inherent legal authority required to demand “security” (τὸ ἱκανὸν), the most logical and widely accepted subject for both verbs is the politarchs. They are the civic magistrates responsible for maintaining order and enforcing legal measures. The phrase παρὰ τοῦ Ἰάσονος (from Jason) indicates Jason is the one providing the security, implying he is under an obligation to the party taking the bond.
- The Unbelieving Jews / Instigators: One alternative interpretation suggested in the forum posits that the “unbelieving Jews” or the instigators are the subject. While grammatically conceivable in isolation, this interpretation clashes with the legal context of “taking security.” The instigators would not possess the authority to exact a bond from Jason, nor would they be releasing individuals from official custody.
Rhetorical Analysis:
Luke’s narrative in Acts 17:8-9 presents a dynamic scene of escalating tension followed by formal resolution. The use of Ἐτάραξαν, a strong verb denoting agitation, immediately followed by ἀκούοντας ταῦτα, effectively emphasizes the immediate and impactful nature of the accusations being spread. This sequence highlights a twofold effect: the general populace is stirred into a tumultuous state, and the city’s legal authorities (the politarchs) are compelled to intervene due to the information they *hear* and the resulting civic unrest. The narrative then transitions to the legal aftermath, depicting the authorities taking formal action to restore order. This involves requiring Jason and his associates to provide security, framing them as sureties for the peaceable conduct of Paul and Silas (or for themselves).
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the grammatical and rhetorical analysis, the most coherent interpretation for Acts 17:8-9 is as follows: the “unbelieving Jews and their associates” are the implied subject of Ἐτάραξαν. The participle ἀκούοντας ταῦτα is best understood as an adverbial circumstantial participle, applying to both the crowd and the politarchs, indicating that their disturbance occurred while or because they heard the accusations. The politarchs are the most logical subject for the participle λαβόντες and the main verb ἀπέλυσαν, as they alone possess the civic authority to demand security and effect releases.
Here are three suggested translations reflecting different interpretive nuances:
- “And they stirred up the crowd and the city rulers, who were hearing these things. And having taken security from Jason and the rest, they released them.”
This translation emphasizes the contemporaneous action of hearing, suggesting the hearing was a condition for their disturbance, without explicitly stating causality. - “And they disturbed the crowd and the city rulers because they heard these things. And after taking a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.”
This version highlights a causal link, implying that the content of what was heard directly caused their agitation. This is a strong interpretive choice given the narrative context of accusations. - “And they agitated the crowd and the city rulers as they listened to these claims. So, the officials, having secured a pledge from Jason and his associates, discharged them.”
This option clarifies the implied subjects (e.g., “the officials”) and the nature of ταῦτα (“these claims”), offering a more fluent and interpretively explicit English rendering while maintaining the sense of simultaneous action.