John Calvin Commentary Acts 14:15

"and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:" — Acts 14:15 (ASV)

Men, why do you do those things? They begin with a rebuke, as the matter required; once that was done, they show for what purpose they were sent. Afterward, they preach concerning the only God and show that He was unknown to the world. Lastly, so that they might more strongly pluck out of their hearts the deceits and tricks of the devil, they teach that this ignorance was without excuse.

Therefore, the first part of the sermon is a rebuke, in which the men of Lystra are condemned for absurdly worshipping mortal men instead of God. Though the reason they allege seems to be weak. For it would be an easy matter to gather from that, that it is not unlawful to worship those who are delivered from human miseries by death.

By this reasoning, all the superstitions of the Gentiles would remain untouched, who were accustomed to count no one as gods except those who were dead. With the same pretext, the Papists have also colored their idolatry, who worship dead men’s bones, stones, and wood, rather than living men in whose nostrils is breath.

I answer that Paul and Barnabas drew this argument from the matter at hand: "We are miserable men; therefore you falsely and shamefully imagine us to be gods and worship us as gods."

If idolatry is handled generally, this will be a perpetual reason to condemn it, and alone will be sufficient enough: that the perfect and complete worship of godliness is due to God alone. Therefore, it is profaned as soon as it is in any respect given to creatures, whether they be angels, men, or stars.

But occasion will often arise for many things to be spoken against one kind of idolatry that do not pertain to another (and are not applicable to it); and yet they will be of no small force for the matter at hand, just as Paul and Barnabas, by confessing that they are mortal men, subject to various calamities, had a fitting reason to reprove the fury and madness of the people.

We preach to you. An argument drawn from contraries. For here they show that the purpose of their coming was quite the opposite: namely, that they might remove superstitions which had reigned until now. For it is just as if they had said, "Does the miracle move you? Then give credence to our words."

And the sum of our message is that all reigning godheads with which the world has until now been deceived may be done away with and perish. And this is a general doctrine, by which they not only appease the present madness but also rebuke all kinds of superstitions and whatever was contrary to, or in disagreement with, the rule of godliness.

For without doubt, they call everything vain that men have invented for themselves from their own minds. And we must note this definition: that all religion is vain which departs and degenerates from the pure and simple Word of God. Indeed, no express mention is made of the Word, because they spoke to the Gentiles.

But because God is rightly worshipped in no other way than according to His appointment, it follows from Paul’s words that as soon as men depart from that worship which God has commanded and does approve, they are wearied foolishly and vainly with a vain and unprofitable labor.

For that religion in which God does not have the preeminence is worthless, nor does it have any truth or soundness.

And this was the reason that sincere and perfect godliness was never found, nor did it ever flourish in most parts of the world. For they focused only on removing the old idolatry; and the other task—bringing men to the true God alone after they had forsaken idols—was in the meantime neglected.

Indeed, they sometimes turned the name of an idol into the name of God, but under that pretext they nevertheless cherished the old errors, which they should have endeavored to correct. So the priests of France gave rise to the 'single life' of the great Cybele. Nuns took the place of the Vestal Virgins.

The Church of All Saints succeeded the Pantheon (or the Church of All Gods); ceremonies were set against ceremonies, quite similar. At length, a multitude of 'gods' was introduced, who they thought would be lawful and tolerable if they had once masked them with the titles of saints.

Corruptions are not purged by this means, nor are the stables, both profane and full of filth, turned into the temple of God; but the name of God is mixed with profane pollutions, and God Himself is brought into a filthy stall.

Therefore, let us remember that the apostles not only dedicated themselves to overthrowing idolatry which had reigned for a long time in former ages, but also took great care that pure religion might reign afterward, having put all corruptions to flight.

Who has made heaven and earth. We know that the order of teaching requires that we begin with things that are better known.

Since Paul and Barnabas spoke to the Gentiles, they would have tried in vain to bring them to Christ. Therefore, it was necessary for them to begin with some other point, which was not so far removed from common perception, so that after that was confessed, they might afterward pass over to Christ.

The minds of the men of Lystra were possessed with the error that there are more gods than one. Paul and Barnabas show, on the contrary, that there is only one Creator of the world. After the reigning number and multitude of gods was taken away, a way was now made to the second point, so that they might teach what kind of God He was, the One who was the Creator of heaven and earth.

The case is different today between us and the Papists; they confess that there is only one God, and they accept the Scripture. Therefore, it remains for us to prove to them from the Scripture what God is, and in what way He wills to be worshipped by men.