Matthew Poole and continuators on Acts 17:23

23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription , TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye g ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Any thing unto which Divine Worship and Honour is given.

It is storied, That in a Plague-time, when the Athenians had wearied themselves with their supplications unto all the gods of their Countrey, they were advised by Epaminondas (a devout man amonst them), to erect an Altar unto that god who had the power over that Disease, whosoever he was; which because they did not know, and would be sure not to omit in their devotions, they erected an Altar unto him under the Name of the Unknown God. Some say, there was a more general Inscription, To the Gods of Asia; Europe and Africa, to the unknown and strange Gods; tho the Inscription the Apostle mentions in the singular Number, might be usual too: for the Athenians, who entertain'd all manner of Gods, fearing lest there should be any which they had not heard of, for their greater security, as they imagined, would have an Altar for such also. Now▪ this Vnknown God, St. Paul says, which was worshipped by them, was the true God: For, 1. They had an apprehension, that Christ was the true God, whilst that wonderful Eclipse at his Death was effectually considered amongst them. Hence it is said, that Dionysius, cried out, Deus ignotus in carne patitur. Now the unknown God▪ suffers in the Flesh. 2. The God of the Iews, whose Name the Iews took to be so ineffable, that they would not undertake to speak it; and who was not wholly unknown to Plato and Pythagoras; and who is truly invisible and incomprehensible, might upon that account be thus stiled amongst them.

Marginal references: Or, Gods th[illegible: 2 letters] you worship. 2 Thes. 2▪4.