8 And a certain man in Lystra, impotent in the feet, was sitting, being lame from the womb of his mother—who never had walked, 9 this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved, 10 said with a loud voice, 'Stand up on thy feet upright;' and he was springing and walking, 11 and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, did lift up their voice, in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, 'The gods, having become like men, did come down unto us;' 12 they were calling also Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the leader in speaking. 13 And the priest of the Zeus that is before their city, oxen and garlands unto the porches having brought, with the multitudes did wish to sacrifice, 14 and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having rent their garments, did spring into the multitude, crying 15 and saying, 'Men, why these things do ye? and we are men like-affected with you, proclaiming good news to you, from these vanities to turn unto the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all the things in them; 16 who in the past generations did suffer all the nations to go on in their ways, 17 though, indeed, without witness He did not leave himself, doing good—from heaven giving rains to us, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness;' 18 and these things saying, scarcely did they restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 14:8-18
Commentary on Acts 14:8-18
(Read Acts 14:8-18)
All things are possible to those that believe. When we have faith, that most precious gift of God, we shall be delivered from the spiritual helplessness in which we were born, and from the dominion of sinful habits since formed; we shall be made able to stand upright and walk cheerfully in the ways of the Lord. When Christ, the Son of God, appeared in the likeness of men, and did many miracles, men were so far from doing sacrifice to him, that they made him a sacrifice to their pride and malice; but Paul and Barnabas, upon their working one miracle, were treated as gods. The same power of the god of this world, which closes the carnal mind against truth, makes errors and mistakes find easy admission. We do not learn that they rent their clothes when the people spake of stoning them; but when they spake of worshipping them; they could not bear it, being more concerned for God's honour than their own. God's truth needs not the services of man's falsehood. The servants of God might easily obtain undue honours if they would wink at men's errors and vices; but they must dread and detest such respect more than any reproach. When the apostles preached to the Jews, who hated idolatry, they had only to preach the grace of God in Christ; but when they had to do with the Gentiles, they must set right their mistakes in natural religion. Compare their conduct and declaration with the false opinions of those who think the worship of a God, under any name, or in any manner, is equally acceptable to the Lord Almighty. The most powerful arguments, the most earnest and affectionate addresses, even with miracles, are scarcely enough to keep men from absurdities and abominations; much less can they, without special grace, turn the hearts of sinners to God and to holiness.