John Calvin Commentary Acts 17:32

"Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again." — Acts 17:32 (ASV)

Some mocked. By this we see how great the carelessness of men is, whom neither the judgment seat of God, nor the majesty of the highest Judge, makes afraid (Acts 26:23). We have said that this is a very sharp goad, by which men’s minds are urged forward to fear God, when His judgment is set before their eyes; but there is such unspeakable hardness in the despisers, that they are not afraid to consider it a fable or lie what is said about giving an account of our life one day.

Nevertheless, there is no cause why the ministers of the gospel should omit the preaching of the judgment which is commanded them. Though the wicked laugh and mock, yet this doctrine, which they seek to nullify, will so constrain them, that they will at last perceive that they have struggled in vain against the snare that holds them.

And it is no wonder if this point of Paul’s doctrine was derided at Athens; for it is a mystery hidden from men’s minds, about which the foremost philosophers never thought, nor can we comprehend it otherwise than when we lift up the eyes of faith to the infinite power of God. And yet Paul’s sermon was not entirely without fruit, because there were some of the hearers who desired to benefit and progress. For when they say that they will hear him again, their meaning is, that though they were not yet thoroughly persuaded, they still had some taste of it, which provoked them to desire to benefit further. Surely this desire was contrary to aversion.