Stoics means in the bible: Zeno founded a school for philosophers in 300 B.C. Zeno founded a school of philosophers around 300 B.C. They believed that virtue is the first duty of man, and that only the body can perceive real things. These were materialists. They were also pantheists in religious belief. This meant that they believed all things came from God and would be absorbed back into Him. The fatalists also believed that all things are governed by absolute laws, and Providence is not concerned about the private lives of people. To be happy, one must live in harmony with the flow of the universe. Suicide was considered always legal and sometimes a moral obligation. Stoicism was a way to live proudly without external influences and to accept all kinds of evil with dignity. Their teachings were noble and spiritual. Stoicism is a form of religion that man can attain by his own efforts. Acts 17-18 describes Paul’s meeting with the Stoics.
(in Bible Dictionary)
