“The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life, and breath, and all things.”
But Paul does not intend for Him to remain unknown. His first emphasis is that his God is the One God Who is Creator of all things and is above all things and requires neither man's buildings nor man's service. He needs nothing from man. Indeed both man and all creatures owe all that they are and have to Him. Life, breath and everything else come from Him. He is the Lord of creation and the Lord of life.
‘He gives -- all things.' Rather than men providing for Him, He is man's provider so that all that benefits mankind comes from Him (compare Acts 14:17).
It will be observed that this is soundly based on Scripture, yet put in such a way as to appeal to men of all religions. It is totally Scriptural. For the oneness of God see Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 45:5-6; Nehemiah 9:6; for creating all things and giving them life and breath see Acts 14:15; Isaiah 42:5; Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 7:22; Ecclesiastes 12:7; for possession of heaven and earth see Genesis 14:19; Genesis 14:22; for being above all things see Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; for not requiring service at men's hands as though He needed anything see Psalms 50:12-13; for having made all things, possessing all things and not dwelling in houses made with hands see Isaiah 61:1-2, compare Acts 7:48. Compare also Matthew 11:25.
Zeno, the Stoic philosopher, also stressed that the deity did not live in temples made with hands and Plutarch upbraided men for forgetting it, so they would connect with this. The Epicureans certainly firmly believed that the gods, whom they saw as keeping totally apart from men, did not require men's ‘service' and provision. Thus both could sympathise with some of Paul's references, but we must not see Paul as pandering to them, for he has made it quite clear that the One of Whom he speaks has created all things separately from Himself (as against the divine reason pervading all things), and he will stress that He very much involves Himself with the affairs of men.