Acts 14:15
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
At Lystra after the healing of a man crippled from birth, the people concluded that gods had come down in the likeness of men, calling Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercury and bringing oxen, garlands and music to the gate to worship them as visitants from heaven. The apostles tore their clothing and rushed among the multitude to stop it, declaring that they were not divine but only mortal men of the same nature, feelings and passions as their hearers. They called the people to turn from these empty vanities of idols and sacrifice to men unto the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all things therein, as the only One worthy of worship. Where there was no synagogue Paul directed minds through the firmament, sun, moon and stars, recurring seasons, mountains and trees to the Maker, and then set forth the Son of God in His life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension as man's Advocate, declaring the gospel with the Spirit and power of God. God's messengers remain frail, tempted and erring mortals like those they seek to save, and therefore must deal with others with kindly compassion, humility and patience, never ruling mind or conscience or correcting in anger and pride.
What Happened at Lystra
At Lystra the cry of Acts 14:15 followed the healing of a man crippled from birth who had never walked, wrought while the apostles were preaching Jesus, which led the onlookers to conclude that supernatural power attended them and that gods had come down in the likeness of men. Lystra had no Jewish synagogue and was superstitious and idolatrous, with the temple of Jupiter standing conspicuous among the people. In their excitement the crowd called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercury or Mercurius, and the priest of Jupiter with worshipers brought oxen and sacrificial animals and beasts, garlands, and precious things with music and shouting to the gate of the house where the apostles were resting, to honor them as visitants from heaven.
When the apostles understood the cause they were filled with indignation, horror, and grief, tore their clothing, and rushed in among the multitude to stop what was being done. Paul in a loud ringing voice above the noise quelled the tumult and demanded attention by asking why they did these things. The people listened with impatience and clung to superstition and enthusiasm, unwilling to admit error and have their expectations thwarted, so that he could scarcely restrain them. Only after much persuasion and explanation of the apostles' true mission did they reluctantly give up their purpose and lead the animals away disappointed. Even then the appeal began forming in their minds the first conception of faith in the true God and of the worship and honor due to Him.
The same miracle that first led people without firm faith to regard the apostles as divine soon showed how easily they could be swayed. Unbelieving Jews from other cities followed with false reports and false accusations, turning wonder and admiration into hate, abuse, and hostility with a threat and attempt to kill Paul. Those who had been ready to worship him stoned him and dragged him from the city as dead, until he rose up while the disciples stood mourning around him and went with them into the city. Paul afterward returned to Lystra to care for the results of his work there.
Turn to Living Creator
The cry is a positive denial of the divinity the crowd attributed to the apostles, declaring that they were not divine but only mortal men of the same nature, feelings and passions as their hearers. They stood only as representatives of God and of His Son, the great Healer, and their preaching called the people to turn away from empty idolatries to the living God. These vanities are worthless idols and heathen worship, including the offering of sacrifice to men, and the call is to turn from them and from every other false belief to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them. He alone is worthy of worship and adoration, the only right object of worship.
To make the Maker known where there was no Jewish synagogue, Paul spoke in Greek and turned minds from these vanities to the living God as the one to be adored. He identified that living God as Maker of heaven and earth and sea and all things in them by directing the people to His visible works — the firmament of the heavens, the sun, moon and stars, the beautiful order of the recurring seasons, the mighty mountains capped with snow, the lofty trees, and the varied wonders of nature. Those works show a skill and exactitude almost beyond finite comprehension, with wisdom and power and rule, and through them he led minds to contemplate the great Mind of the universe. Lessons from nature more readily than any other method lead those who do not know God to realize the difference between idols, the works of their own hands, and the true living God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and to turn from those vanities to Him.
Having set forth the Creator, Paul then told of the Son of God who came from heaven to earth because He loved men, with His life and ministry, His rejection by those He came to save, His trial and crucifixion by wicked men, His resurrection from the dead to finish His work on earth, and His ascension to heaven to be man's Advocate in the presence of the Maker of the world. He declared the gospel of Christ with the Spirit and power of God, teaching that the Creator sent His Son to save humanity and that Christ now serves as humanity's Advocate. The apostles were only instruments of Jesus, whom God had raised and exalted, and Jesus was to receive all honor and praise.
The verse belongs to a whole chapter that those preparing to labor must study and become familiar with, because it gives the pattern for missionary work now. That pattern is visiting every place where entrance can be gained, winning souls to Jesus Christ, visiting again the churches planted to confirm and strengthen them, and then returning to the sending place from which workers were recommended by prayer and counsel. Laborers together with God in the last days will realize similar experiences to those that followed this refusal, shortly before Paul was stoned.
Human Messengers Helping Others
God's messengers are human beings like those they seek to save, subject to frailty and temptation, weakness and ambition, faults and error. God entrusts the making known of Christ to weak, erring mortals rather than to perfect angels, because human beings can reach other human beings, and shared human infirmity prepares them to help others with sympathy. Christ Himself took humanity to reach humanity, so that a divine-human Saviour could bring salvation to the world. Their work draws its power from God and carries the gospel's transforming influence to minds and hearts.
All people have the same passions, feeling the same weaknesses and suffering the same temptations, and sharing the same struggle to maintain integrity and keep the balance of the mind in circumstances of peril. Remembering this requires dealing with fellow mortals with kindly compassion and tenderest sympathy, with humility, patience, and dependence on the Spirit of God. It calls for cultivating amiable tempers together with firmness of principle, being true to duty and honest and firm for right without swerving. True love is to unite the human brotherhood, with true justice that does not injure, true politeness that does not offend, and Christian courtesy that unites and perfects justice and politeness. Mercy and love give the finest touches to character, overcoming the selfishness, envy, and jealousy that keep love from flourishing.
Because God's people are His blood-bought possession, no person is appointed to rule another person's mind or conscience or to lord over another, and they must be treated with care. Those who correct others must not act in anger, pride, or harsh treatment that can imperil souls. Remembering shared human weakness and fault should instead lead to helping erring people with persevering effort, pity, and love rather than harshness.
Paul before the furious mob at Lystra preached without shame for the cause he advocated. Even under opposition and persecution he held to the one great purpose of his Christian life, to serve Christ whose name had once filled him with contempt, and nothing could turn him aside. His faith, made strong by effort and pure by sacrifice, upheld and strengthened him there as everywhere.