John Calvin Commentary Acts 17:18

"And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection." — Acts 17:18 (ASV)

They reasoned with him. Luke now adds that Paul had a confrontation with the philosophers. This was not because he intentionally sought them out, since he knew they were virtually born only to brawl and cavil. Instead, he was forced to enter such a conflict contrary to his original purpose. This aligns with Paul's own command that godly teachers should be equipped with spiritual weapons, with which they may valiantly defend the truth if any enemies oppose it (Titus 1:9).

For it is not always our choice with whom we will engage; the Lord often allows stubborn and persistent men to arise to test us, so that by their opposition the truth may appear more plainly. Doubtless, the Epicureans, according to their usual perversity, troubled the holy man; and the Stoics, trusting in their subtle quips and cavils, stubbornly derided him. Yet the outcome will show that he did not dispute sophistically, nor was he carried away into any unprofitable and contentious debate, but observed the modesty that he himself commands elsewhere.

And this is what we must do: by meekly and modestly refuting vain cavils, we may express what is sound and true. We must always avoid the danger that ambition or a desire to display our intellect might entangle us in superfluous and vain contentions.

Furthermore, Luke mentions two sects, which, though contrary to each other, nonetheless each had their distinct vices. The Epicureans not only despised liberal arts but were also open enemies to them. Their philosophy was to claim that the sun was two feet broad, that the world was made ex atomis (of atoms, or of things so small that they could not be divided or made smaller), and by deluding men in this way, to obscure the wonderful workmanship that appears in the creation of the world.

If they were convicted a thousand times, they were as shameless as dogs. Although they might, in a word, confess that there are gods, they imagined them to be idle in heaven, wholly set on pleasure, and blessed only because they were idle. Just as they denied that the world was created by God, as I recently said, so they thought that human affairs were tossed to and fro without any governance, and not directed by celestial providence.

Pleasure was their chief good—not unbridled and filthy pleasure, yet such as increasingly corrupted men by its enticements, men who were already, of their own accord, inclined to pamper the flesh. They considered the immortality of their souls merely a fable, and as a result, they gave themselves liberty to indulge their bodies.

As for the Stoics, although they said that the world was subject to the providence of God, they afterwards corrupted that point of their doctrine through a most corrupt conjecture, or rather, foolishness. For they did not grant that God governed the world by counsel, justice, and power. Instead, they forged a labyrinth of the interconnection or agreement of causes, so that God Himself, being bound by the necessity of fate or destiny, would be carried violently along with the structure of heaven—just as the poets tie and fetter their Jupiter with golden chains, because the Fates or Destinies govern when he is occupied with something else.

Although they placed the chief good in virtue, they did not know what true virtue was, and they puffed men up with pride, so that they adorned themselves with what they took from God. For though they all debased the grace of the Holy Spirit, yet no sect was more proud. They had no other fortitude but a certain rash and immoderate fierceness.

Therefore, there was a wonderful force of the Spirit in Paul. Standing amidst such beasts, who sought to pull him to and fro, he stood firm in the sound sincerity of the gospel and valiantly withstood and endured both the dogged petulance of the former sect and the pride and crafty cavils of the other. And by this we see more plainly how little agreement there is between heavenly wisdom and the wisdom of the flesh. For although the whole multitude was offended by the gospel, the philosophers were captains and standard-bearers in assaulting it. For that principally appeared in them which Paul himself speaks of concerning the wisdom of the flesh—that it is an enemy to the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:26)—so that no one can be fit to learn the principles of the gospel unless he first abandons it.

Other some said. Luke sets before us two types of men, both of whom were far from godliness; and yet one sort is worse than the other. Those who are desirous to hear again what they call new are, firstly, moved not by any desire to learn, but by vain curiosity. Secondly, they think dishonorably of the Word of God, in that they consider it profane novelty. Yet because they listen, and do so while in doubt until they may know more about the matter, they are not entirely without hope.

But the rest, who proudly refuse what is offered, indeed, condemn it reproachfully, shut the gate of salvation against themselves. For this railing proceeded from monstrous pride: What does this babbler mean? Because they neither deign to hear Paul, and also reproachfully dismiss him, as if he were some common jester.

Moreover, they do not loathe his doctrine through rash zeal, but openly tread underfoot what is brought to them concerning religion, though they do not yet know it. This is because they are ashamed to learn anything from a base and obscure fellow, when they had until now professed themselves to be teachers of the whole world.

A declarer of new devils. They do not understand "devils" [deities] in a negative sense, as Scripture usually does, but as lesser gods or spiritual beings, whom they thought were intermediaries between the highest God and humans—a concept Plato often mentions. Regarding the substance of the matter, we must note that what Paul spoke concerning Christ and the resurrection seemed to them to be new devils.

From this we gather that our faith is principally distinguished from the superstitions of the Gentiles by these marks:

• It sets forth Christ as the sole Mediator.
• It teaches us to seek salvation only from Him.
• It commands us to seek remission of our sins in His death, by which we may be reconciled to God.
• It teaches that people, who were previously profane and slaves to sin, are renewed and refashioned by His Spirit, so that they may begin to live righteously and in holiness.
• Furthermore, from such beginnings that plainly declare the kingdom of God to be spiritual, it ultimately lifts our minds to the hope of the coming resurrection.

For concerning other things, though the philosophers do not reason purely, they still say something. Indeed, they speak much about eternal life and the immortality of the soul. But concerning faith—which shows free reconciliation in Christ, and regeneration by which the Spirit of God restores in us the image of God—and concerning calling upon God and the final resurrection, they say not a word.