John Calvin Commentary Acts 17:22

"And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious." — Acts 17:22 (ASV)

Men of Athens. We may divide this sermon of Paul into five parts. For though Luke only briefly touches upon those things which he recorded in many words, yet I do not doubt that he comprehended the main points, so that he omitted none of the principal ones.

1. Paul accuses the men of Athens of superstition, because they worship their gods quite haphazardly.
2. He shows by natural arguments who and what God is, and how He is rightly worshiped.
3. He inveighs against the dullness of men, who, though they are created for this purpose—to know their Creator and Maker—yet wander and err in darkness like blind men.
4. He shows that nothing is more absurd than to make any physical image of God, since the mind of man is His true image.
5. Fifthly, he finally comes to Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

For it was necessary to address those four points generally, before he came to the faith of the gospel.

As it were, more superstitious. The Greeks often understand δεισιδαιμονια in a good sense; however, it sometimes signifies immoderate fear, with which superstitious men carefully torment themselves, while they invent vain doubts for themselves. And this seems to be the meaning of this passage: that the men of Athens exceed all measure in worshiping God, or that they do not perceive what moderation entails; as if he were saying that they act very unwisely in wearying themselves by following misguided paths.

So much for the words; now to the substance. He proves by this one reason that all the acts of worship of the men of Athens are corrupt: because they are uncertain what gods they ought to worship, because they rashly and unwisely adopt various rites, and do so excessively.

For the fact that they had set up an altar to the unknown God was a sign that they lacked certainty. They had, indeed, a great multitude of gods about whom they spoke much, yet all the while they knew nothing of true divinity. Furthermore, whoever worships God without any certainty worships his own inventions instead of God.

However much credulous men flatter themselves, yet God neither allows any religion without knowledge and truth, nor ought it to be counted holy and lawful. Indeed, however proud they may be, yet because they doubt in their consciences, they must inevitably be convicted by their own judgment. For superstition is always fearful, and is always becoming aware of new anxieties and then inventing something new.

Therefore, we see how miserable the condition is of those who do not have the certain light of the truth, because they both always doubt within themselves and waste their efforts before God. Nevertheless, we must note that unbelievers, while they sometimes make themselves blind through willful stubbornness, and are sometimes in the midst of various and manifold doubts, yet strive and fight with themselves.

Often they not only flatter themselves, but if anyone dares to mutter against their folly, they rage cruelly against him; the devil so bewitches them that they think nothing is better than what pleases them. Nevertheless, if any doubt arises, if any seducer appears, if any new folly (or delirium) begins to appear, they not only waver, being in doubt, but also willingly offer themselves to be carried here and there.

From this it is apparent that neither in judgment nor in peace of mind do they find stability and rest in the common custom of worshiping God, but instead they stagger like drunken men. But the anxious concern and doubtfulness—indeed, anxiety—which prevent unbelievers from flattering and pleasing themselves, are better than spiritual stupor.

Finally, though superstition is not always fearful, yet because it is enveloped in various errors, it disquiets men’s minds and pricks them with various hidden torments. This was the reason the men of Athens mixed their household gods (whom they thought they knew, because in their vain opinion they had invented them) with unknown gods.

For by this their restlessness is revealed: because they confess that they have not yet done as they ought, even when they have sacrificed to the familiar gods whom they had received from their fathers and whom they called their native gods.

Therefore, so that Paul might remove from their minds all vain and false convictions, he states this maxim: that they do not know what they worship, nor do they have any certain divine power (or deity). For if they had known any god at all, and been content with him, they would never have turned to unknown gods, because the knowledge of the true God alone is sufficient to abolish all idols.