Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
C. 300. He taught his disciples that a man’s happiness consisted in bringing himself into harmony with the course of the universe. They were trained to bear evils with indifference, and so to be independent of externals. Materialism, pantheism, fatalism, and pride were the leading features of this philosophy.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
The Stoics and Epicureans, who are mentioned together in (Acts 17:18) represent the two opposite schools of practical philosophy which survived the fall of higher speculation in Greece. The Stoic school was founded by Zeno of Citium (cir. C. 280) and derived its name from the painted “portico” (stoa) at Athens in which he taught. Zeno was followed by Cleanthes (cir. C. 260); Cleanthes by Chrysippus (cir. C. 240) who was regarded as the founder of the Stoic system.
“They regarded God and the world as power and its manifestation matter being a passive ground in which dwells the divine energy. ”—American Cyclopaedia.
The ethical system of the Stoics has been commonly supposed to have a close connection with Christian morality; but the morality of stoicism is essentially based on pride, that of Christianity on humility; the one upholds individual independence, the other absolute faith in another; the one looks for consolation in the issue of fate, the other in Providence; the one is limited by Periods of cosmical ruin, the other is consummated in a personal resurrection.
(Acts 17:18) But in spite of the fundamental error of stoicism, which lies in a supreme egotism, the teaching of this school gave a wide currency to the noble doctrines of the fatherhood of God, the common bonds of mankind, the sovereignty of the soul. Among their most prominent representatives were Zeno and Antipater of Tarsus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
c. While in some respects there is a similarity between their opinions and those of Christians, there is yet the broad difference that Stoic morality was based on pride; Christian, on humility. They generally taught that it is wisdom alone that renders men happy, that the ills of life are but fancied evils, and that a wise man ought not to be moved with either joy or grief; and in their practice they affected much patience, austerity, and insensibility. The Stoics were known for many ages, especially at Athens. where some of them encountered Paul. Acts 17:18. b. d. 121-180.
Of all the ancient sects, the Stoics were most strict in their regard to moral virtue. They believed in the unity of the divine Being, the creation of the world by the Logos or Word, and a superintending providence administered in conformity with the will and purpose of God.