14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
Verses 14-18 show the reaction of Paul and Barnabas to the Laconians calling them gods.
14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out
Immediately, the apostles rejected the label of gods that the Laconians placed on them. The tearing of clothes was a sign of deep distress in the Near East. In the Old Testament, the tearing of clothes referenced blasphemy.
Acts 14 is the only place in Acts where Luke called Paul and Barnabas “apostles.” The locations are here and in Acts 14:4.
14:15
and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you,
Paul began a speech to the crowd attempting to worship him and Barnabas as a couple of gods of the pantheon. This sermon is the first in Acts to strictly pagans. He said that the two of them were mere mortals, just like the people in the crowd.
and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God,
The apostles came to Lystra only to proclaim the “living God,” not to present themselves as gods. They set the “living God” in stark contrast to dead idols created by men. This God is sovereignly supreme over everything created.
who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
Paul said the true God is transcendent and created everything, not a finite god like the crowd attempted to make them. The God of the Bible stands distinct from any other god. God showed His providence in sustaining creation by His providence (Acts 17:24-28). These pagans could not claim that they had no revelation from God. The Lycaonians had to acknowledge they had no control over rain and the agriculture it yielded.
14:16
who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
God did not directly give other nations written revelation about Himself. He allowed them to choose their own course. He was forbearing of their rebellion against Him, demonstrating His mercy toward them.
14:17
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
Although God did not give revelation to nations other than Israel, He did leave a witness. The Laconians could see that witness in creation. People can observe His goodness as a Creator who sends rain and fruitful seasons. All creation depends on these things to sustain life with food. Created beings should be glad about the sustenance God gives.
14:18
And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
Regardless of Paul’s attempted correction of the mob, they determined to make sacrifices to the apostles.
PRINCIPLE:
Context is necessary to do evangelism adequately.
APPLICATION:
There are two examples of preaching to pagans in the book of Acts, here and in chapter 17. Paul appealed to natural theology in the section we just studied. He began with God as the Creator of all. Idolatry is the opposition to a proper relationship with God. The approach here by the apostles is not evangelism but pre-evangelism. Core assumptions about God are necessary to do direct evangelism.
