Acts 14:15

Like passions. The word covers the more passive feelings of human life, as well as what are commonly known as “passions” (see James 5:17). A striking similarity may be noted between the language of Paul and Barnabas here and that of Peter to Cornelius (Acts 10:26).

Preach unto you. Literally, “bring you the good tidings” (see on ch. 13:32). To idolaters a message that sets forth the living God in place of dumb idols must be “good tidings,” and especially so since Jesus Christ is God incarnate, the Saviour of men.

These vanities. That is, the pagan sacrifice that was about to take place, and all it signified. Language such as this is often used to describe the emptiness and worthlessness of heathen worship (Eph. 4:17; 1 Peter 1:18).

Living God. In contrast with their idolatry, the apostle calls the people of Lystra to turn to a God who lives and acts, who made the heavens and the earth, who is the Giver of all good gifts, and who will judge all men. Isaiah dramatically draws this contrast (Isa. 40:6-31; 41:18-29; 44:6-28).

Heaven, and earth, and the sea. This contrasts sharply with the popular heathen religions, which assigned heaven, earth, and sea to different deities. Paul proclaims that one God made all these things and controls them.

The appeal to God’s creatorship is one made repeatedly in Scripture. It lies at the beginning of the whole history of God’s relation to the universe (Gen. 1), and is the foundation of the last gospel message of warning to the world (Rev. 14:7).