Paul means the Athenians were excessively religious in a fear-driven, idolatrous way—not that they were genuinely seeking the true God.
In Acts 17:22 Paul tells the Athenians they are 'too superstitious.' Les Feldick explains Paul is saying they were 'too tied up in your religion'—a religion of idols and ritual rather than knowledge of the true God. Their devotion was rooted in superstition and fear of evil powers, not faith.
Acts 17:22 — Paul uses the exact word 'superstitious' here, setting up his address to the Athenians on Mars Hill.
Acts 17:23 — Paul connects their superstition to their altar 'To the Unknown God' and declares the true God to them.
In Acts 17:22-23, Paul stands on Mars Hill and says, 'Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.' He explains that as he passed by and 'beheld your devotions,' he found an altar with the inscription 'To the Unknown God,' and he declares, 'Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.' The preceding verse (Acts 17:16) reports that Paul's spirit was stirred when he saw the city 'wholly given to idolatry.'
Les Feldick explains that Paul came to Athens, 'a thriving city of intellectual import' with all the philosophers and universities, and yet the city was 'completely, totally given over to idolatry.' When Paul stood on Mars Hill and said, 'You men of Athens, I perceive in all things ye are too superstitious,' Les paraphrases Paul's meaning as 'you are too tied up in your religion.' Their religion was not a genuine search for the true God; it was paganism. Paul's word 'devotions' refers to their ritual of pagan worship. The Athenians had an altar to the Unknown God, and Paul said they were worshipping the true God ignorantly. Les says the whole idea of pagan religion was to keep people 'steeped in superstition' and 'scared to death' of the power of their gods and the demons in the air around them. They did not know the true God, which is why they could sacrifice to demons instead of Him. Les also points out the irony that such an intellectual city could follow such false religion. He asks, 'How can people who are intelligent, who can read, how can they follow some of this stuff that they follow?' He compares the same fear-based superstition to voodooism in Haiti, where people know the satanic power is real.
Paul was speaking to the intellectual citizens of Athens, a city 'wholly given to idolatry' (Acts 17:16). Les Feldick says Paul's phrase 'too superstitious' means the Athenians were 'too tied up in your religion.' Despite their philosophy and learning, their religion was paganism—idols and mythological gods—rather than the true God.
In Acts 17:23, Paul says he 'beheld your devotions.' Les Feldick explains that this means their ritual of pagan worship. Paul found an altar inscribed 'To the Unknown God' and then declared the true God to them. Their worship was an ignorant worship—devotion without knowing the object of that devotion.
Les Feldick notes that Athens was a center of intellectualism, yet Paul saw the city completely given over to idolatry. Even with all their philosophers and universities, they were 'pagan' and 'gullible,' ready to hear any new thing. Les asks how intelligent, educated people could follow such false religion, but they did—because they did not know the true God.
Les explains that the whole idea of pagan religion was to keep people 'steeped in superstition' and 'scared to death' of the power of their gods and of the demons around them. He compares it to voodooism in Haiti, where people know the satanic power is real. This is the fear-driven worship Paul called 'superstitious'—it was not a genuine faith in the God who has power over all.
Paul writes to the Galatians, 'Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.' Les points to the word 'service' in Galatians 4:8. Just as the Athenians were 'too superstitious' and bound to their devotions, Paul describes this same kind of religion as service to beings that are not gods. Pagan worship was not simply wrong ideas—it was actual religious service performed under superstition.
Service to False Gods
Les points to Galatians 4:8 to show that Paul uses the word 'service' for what a person did when he did not know God—serving beings that by nature are not gods.
Sacrifices to Demons
Les reflects on why people sacrificed to demons instead of the true God: they simply did not know who God was. He connects this to Paul's experience in Athens in Acts 17.
Athens Given to Idolatry
Les emphasizes that even though Athens was a great center of intellectualism, Paul found the city completely given over to idolatry and mythological gods.
Too Superstitious
Les directly explains Paul's phrase 'too superstitious' as 'too tied up in your religion.' He also notes the Athenians were gullible and intellectual pagans who had an altar to the Unknown God.
Devotions as Pagan Ritual
Les says Paul's word 'devotions' means their ritual of pagan worship, and he describes Paul's confrontation with the philosophers on Mars Hill.
Fear of Evil Powers
Les teaches that pagan religion was built on superstition and fear—people were 'scared to death' of the power of their gods and of demons. He compares it to voodooism in Haiti.
Idolatry Despite Learning
Les marvels that a city of learning and intelligence could still be steeped in false religion, and he pictures Paul's heart sinking as he saw the idols along the path to the Acropolis.
Revelation 17 Explained: The Rise of the Antichrist's World Religion
Now, even though idolatry is basically dealing in the realm of the spiritual, albeit it be the dark side of the spiritual, yet idolatry still is dealing with man's innate desire to worship something, isn't it? But when you get into a study of pagan worship, especially back at the time of Paul and the New Testament, you want to remember that part and parcel of their worship was gross immorality.
Acts 17:22: Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
This is Paul's opening statement to the Athenians, directly using the word 'superstitious' that defines the whole discussion.
Acts 17:23: For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Paul explains that their 'devotions' included an altar to an unknown god, and he reveals the true God to them.
Acts 17:16: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
This sets the scene: the city Paul saw was wholly given to idolatry, which is why he used the word 'superstitious.'
Galatians 4:8: Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Paul later reminds Gentile believers of their former service to false gods, echoing the superstition he confronted at Athens.
No. Les Feldick explains Paul was saying they were 'too tied up in your religion.' Paul saw that Athens was wholly given to idolatry, so his words were a rebuke of their false, fear-driven worship, not a compliment.
Les says 'devotions' refers to their ritual of pagan worship. Paul saw their altars and idols, including the altar to the Unknown God, and used that as his starting point to declare the true God.
No. They had an altar 'To the Unknown God' and Paul said they were 'ignorantly worshiping' the true God. Les points out they did not know who God was, so they sacrificed to demons instead.
Les says pagan religion kept people 'steeped in superstition' and 'scared to death' of evil powers. He uses voodooism in Haiti as an example where people know the satanic power is real—just as pagans in Paul's day knew demonic powers were real.
Watch the Teaching: The Service of God Explained: What Israel's Worship Meant — Romans 9:4