And saying, Sirs, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them:
All Commentaries on Acts 14:15 Go To Acts 14
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Which when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.
Mark the vehemence with which all this is done by the Apostles: rent their clothes, ran in, cried out, all from strong affection of the soul, revolted by the things that were done. For it was a grief, indeed a grief inconsolable, that they should needs be thought gods, and introduce idolatry, the very thing which they came to destroy! This also was a contrivance of the devil— but he did not prevail. But what say they? We also are men of like passions with you. At the very outset they overthrew the evil. They said not simply, Men, but As ye. Then, that they may not seem to honor the gods, hear what they add: Preaching unto you, that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, Who made heaven, the sea, and all things that are therein. Observe how they nowhere mention things invisible. (b) For they had learned that one should study not so much to say somewhat worthy of God, as to say what is profitable for the hearers. (a) What then? If He be Maker of all things, why does He not also attend to these things by His Providence?— Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways
