Acts 17:23

Passed by. Rather “passed through,” that is, through the city, either in leisurely wandering or while entering the city and penetrating to its center.

Beheld. Gr. anatheoreo, “to look at attentively,” “to observe accurately.”

Devotions. Gr. sebasmata, “objects of worship,” rather than “acts of worship.” Paul had seen and studied many of the numerous statutes and their inscriptions. He politely identifies these sculptures as the Athenians’ deities, the objects of their worship. Thus he sought to create good will at the outset that he might receive a continued hearing. He was intent on winning, not alienating, his audience.

Found an altar. The Greek has an emphatic conjunction between the words translated “found” and “an altar,” so the phrase should read, “found also an altar,” that is, in addition to the host of devotional objects already noted. The Greek word for “altar” (bomos) is used only here in the NT, but it appears in the LXX, where it sometimes refers to heathen altars (Ex. 34:13; Num. 23:1; Deut 7:5).

With this inscription. Literally, “upon which had been written.”

To the Unknown God. Gr. agnosto thed, “to an unknown God.” This unusual ascription has been the center of much discussion. Some have doubted the existence of an altar with such an inscription, and others have thought that Paul or Luke referred in the singular to an inscription that was generally found in the plural, that is, “to unknown gods.” A reasonable solution of the problem can be found in a consideration of ancient references to altars bearing similar inscriptions. Four of these may be mentioned: (1) Pausanius (c. A.D. 150) says that on the road from Phaleron, one of the harbors of Athens, there were altars to gods that were called unknown (i. 1. 4); (2) the same writer records that at Olympia there was also an altar to unknown gods (i. 14. 8); (3) Diogenes Laertius (i. 110), an early 3d century writer, tells how Epimenides of Crete was invited to help Athens in the time of great pestilence. The Cretan took some black and some white sheep to the Areopagus and turned them loose to wander through the city. Wherever one of the sheep lay down, a sacrifice was offered, and an altar was erected on the spot. The memorials of this atonement bore no name. (4) Philostratus (c. A.D. 200), in the Life of Apollonius of Tyana (vi. 3), makes special mention of Athens, where, says he, there were even altars to unknown deities. Such references are sufficient to establish the fact that the Greeks did erect altars to gods whose names they did not know. Although, outside the NT, there is not known record of an altar bearing the inscription in the singular, “to an unknown god,” the evidence above cited demonstrates the possibility that such an altar existed in Paul’s day. The presence of such an altar would be in harmony with what is known about Athenian religious philosophy. The inhabitants of the city were anxious to propitiate all deities, and erected altars to an unknown god, or to unknown gods, in order that none might be neglected. Such a practice represents the ultimate confession, similar to that which has sometimes been heard on the lips of modern scientist, of man’s impotence to solve the problems of the universe. A Latin counterpart of the Greek inscriptions is found on an altar discovered at Ostia, the seaport of Rome, and now in the Vatican Museum. This altar presents a Mithraic sacrificial group, and bears the inscription, “The Symbol of the Undiscoverable God.” An altar has also been found at Pergamum with a broken inscription in Greek apparently dedicating it to unknown gods.

Whom. Textual evidence favors the reading “what” and “this” instead of “whom” and “him.” Paul doubtless used the neuter pronouns, although he was referring to the Deity, since the Athenians were as yet ignorant of the personality of the living God. He may also have had the Godhead in mind, as in v. 29, where the Greek word for “Godhead” (theion) is neuter.

Ignorantly. Gr. agnoountes, a participle meaning “unknowing.” Here Paul makes a play on Greek words. He declares that the “unknown [agnostos] god” is the One “which you [who are] unknowing [agnoountes] are worshiping.”

Declare. Gr. kataggello, “to announce,” “to proclaim.” In v. 18 the philosophers had used virtually the same word (kataggeleus, “an announcer,” “a proclaimer”) to describe Paul as “a setter forth of strange gods.” Paul does not trouble to deny the charge, but takes the word (kataggello) and uses it to justify his own procedure. In this way he was able to introduce the true God, whom he loved and served.