Homilies on Acts 13.1–13.4

[Lemma] “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, and they laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison.”

Nothing is more reckless than wickedness, nothing bolder. Though they had learned the apostles’ courage by experience from what they had attempted before, they nevertheless make the attempt and again combine against them. What does “the high priest rose up, and all who were with him” mean? He was roused, he means, stirred by what had happened. “And they laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison.” Now they attack them more violently. But they did not judge them at once, expecting that they would become meek again. And how is it clear that they attacked them more violently? From their putting them in the public prison. Again they fall into dangers, and again they enjoy the help that comes from God; and how, hear what follows: “But an angel of the Lord by night opened the doors of the prison and brought them out and said, Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” This happened both for their encouragement and for the benefit and instruction of the others. And see the same thing happening now as in Christ’s case. He does not let them see the miracles as they happen, but arranges the things from which they might learn of them. For example, at his resurrection he did not let them see how he rose, for they were unworthy to see it, but he shows it from what he did. Likewise with the wine made from water: those reclining at table do not see it happen, for they were drunk; and he leaves the judging to others. So here too: they do not see the apostles being led out, but they saw the proofs from which they could learn what had happened. And why did he bring them out at night? Because in this way they were believed more than otherwise; besides, the rulers would not otherwise have come to ask; nor would they themselves otherwise have believed. So it was with the men of old too: the king saw the youths in the furnace [praising] God, and then he was struck with amazement. So these men too ought first to have asked, “How did you get out?” But they ask as though nothing had happened, saying, “Did we not charge you not to speak?” And see how they learn everything through others: [they see the prison locked] with all security, and the guards standing before the doors. “And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported, saying, We found the prison locked with all security and the guards standing before the doors; but when we opened it we found no one inside.” A double security, as at the tomb: both the seal and the guards. See how they were fighting against God. Tell me, [were they of men,] these things that happened to them? Who [led them out] when the doors were locked? How did they get out with the guards standing before the doors? Truly these are the words of men [out of their minds] and drunk. Those whom neither guards nor bonds nor locked doors held, these they thought they would overcome, … like foolish children. Their officers at any rate … and confess what had happened, so as to shut off every excuse. Do you see signs upon signs, … some done by them, others done to them, and these were more splendid? Rightly it was not reported at once either, but first they were at a loss … having considered … that it was a divine power … “Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, See, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the captain went with the officers and brought them, not by force; for they feared the people, lest they be stoned.” O the folly! “They feared,” he says, “the crowd.” What could the crowd do to them? They ought to have feared God, who time and again snatches them out of their hands; but they fear the crowd rather. “And the high priest questioned them, saying, Did we not strictly charge you not to teach in this name? And see, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” What then do the apostles say? Again they speak with gentleness; and yet they might have said, Who are you, to set yourselves against God? But what? They answer with exhortation and counsel, and with much gentleness. “But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.” Great is their philosophy, and … from this they show that the rulers too are fighting against God. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” “Whom you killed,” he says, “God raised.” And see, again they ascribe the whole to the Father, so that the Son may not seem to be alien to the Father. “Exalted,” he says, “at his right hand.” Not simply the resurrection, but the exaltation too, that is, the ascension, he shows. “To give repentance to Israel …” See again the gain, and teaching made complete in the form of a defense. “And we are his witnesses of these things.” Great is the boldness. Then, to make the word credible, he added: “And so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Do you see how they use not only their own testimony but also that of the Spirit? And they did not say, “whom he gave to us,” but “to those who obey,” at once speaking modestly and showing how great the gift is, and making clear that the rulers too can receive him. See how they were being instructed both by deeds and by words, and paid no attention, so that their condemnation might be just. For this very reason God allowed the apostles to be brought to court: so that those men might be instructed, if indeed they were willing to learn, and the apostles anointed for boldness. “But [when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and wanted to kill] them.” See the excess of wickedness. When they ought [to have been pricked to the heart] by what they heard, [they wanted] to kill without cause.

[2] But now we must look at what was read from the beginning. “But an angel of the Lord by night opened the doors of the prison and brought them out and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” “Brought them out”: he does not lead them away himself, but lets them go, so that by this too their fearlessness might be known; which they also showed by going into the temple in the dark and teaching. If the guards had let them out, as those men thought, they would have fled, if indeed they had gone out by persuading them; or rather, if those had let them out, they would not have stood in the temple, but would have run away. But no one is so foolish as not to see this. If, then, they too had been persuaded by you, you are right to call them to account; but if they told you from that time on that they would not be persuaded, the inquiries are superfluous, and so are the charges … folly. Now they want to show that the intentions of the Jews were murderous, as men who did these things not for the sake of truth but because they wished to take revenge. That is why the apostles do not answer them rashly either; for they were teachers. And yet who, with the whole city hanging on him and enjoying so much grace, would not have said and uttered something great? But not these men: for they were not angry, but pitied them and wept, and considered how to free them from their error and their anger. And they no longer say, [“You judge,” but simply declare,] saying, “whom God raised,” showing by this that these things are according to God’s will. They did not say, “Did we not tell you then too, We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard?” for they are not seekers of honor; but again they say the same things, the cross, the resurrection. And they do not say why he was crucified, that it was for us; but they hint at it, though not yet openly, wishing for the time being to frighten them. Tell me, what rhetoric is there here? None. So without artifice did they preach the gospel of life. And having said that he “exalted,” he says also for what: “to give repentance,” adding, “to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” “But these things were unbelievable at that time,” they say. What do you mean? And how were they not rather believable, since neither the rulers nor the crowd had anything to say against them, but the one were silenced and the other were taught? “And we,” he says, “are witnesses of these things.” Of what? That he promised forgiveness, that he promised repentance; for the resurrection was by now acknowledged. And that he gives forgiveness we bear witness, and so does the Holy Spirit, who would not have come if sins had not first [been forgiven]. You hear of forgiveness of sins, wretched man, and that he does not exact a penalty, and you want to kill? What great wickedness is this! And yet they ought either to have refuted them as liars, or, being unable to, to be persuaded; and if they did not wish to be persuaded, at least not to kill them. For what was there that deserved death? But they in their anger did not even perceive what had happened. See how here, having mentioned the crime, they speak of forgiveness, showing that what had been done deserved death, but that what was offered was offered as to men of good will. How else could anyone have persuaded them, except by speaking to them as men of good standing? And see the malice: they set the Sadducees against them, who were most pained over the resurrection. But they gained nothing from their wickedness. But perhaps someone will say, “And what man enjoying such things as the apostles enjoyed would not have become great?” But see, I pray you, before they enjoyed the grace, how they were persevering with one accord in prayer and hoping for the help from above. And you, beloved, hope for the kingdom of heaven, and endure nothing? You too have received the Spirit, but you do not suffer such things, nor are you in danger? But they, before they had caught their breath from the earlier trials, were led off again to others. And this very thing, not being puffed up, not being vainglorious, how great a good it is! To speak with gentleness, how great a gain! For not everything came from grace; there are many proofs of their own zeal too. For that the gifts of grace shone out in them was the work of their own diligence.

See, then, from the very beginning, how careful Peter is, how sober and watchful; how the believers threw away their money. They had nothing of their own, they were at prayer, they showed concord, they lived in fastings. Of what grace, tell me, are these things? That is why he makes the conviction come through the rulers themselves, through their own officers; who, just as the men sent in Christ’s case said, “Never has a man spoken as this man speaks,” came back and reported what they had seen. But consider here, I pray you, both the rulers’ own moderation, how they give way, and the high priest’s feigned purpose. For he speaks to them gently, as it seems, because he is afraid, and he wished rather to stop them than to kill them, since this he could not do. And so as to stir everyone up and hang the danger of the worst over the apostles, “Do you want,” he says, “to bring this man’s blood upon us?” Does he still seem to you a man? He spoke so to show that the order had been forced on them. But see also Peter, what he says: “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Here he does not mention the Gentiles, so as not to give them a handle. “And they wanted,” he says, “to kill them.” See again these men at a loss, these in pain; but the apostles in ease and good cheer and delight. They were not simply pained, but “cut to the heart.” This, then, is what it means that to do evil is to suffer evil, as one can see here too. These men were in bonds, they stood before the court, and the judges were at a loss, in great helplessness. For as one who strikes adamant receives the blow himself, so too these men. But they saw not only that the apostles’ boldness was not hindered, but that the preaching grew even more, and that they spoke undaunted and gave them no handle. Let us too, then, imitate these men, beloved, and become undaunted in all terrors. There is nothing terrible for one who fears God; the terrors are among those who do not fear him. For the one who by virtue has risen above the passions, and passes by present things as a shadow, how will he suffer anything terrible from anyone? Whom will he fear? Or … [Let us flee to the rock that cannot be] shaken. If someone built us a city and set a wall around it, or rather if he settled us in a land where there was no one to trouble us and provided every abundance there, not letting us have dealings with anyone, he would not have set us in such security as Christ has now. Suppose, if you like, that the city is of bronze, with a strong and impregnable wall on every side; let no enemy lie against it; let it have abundant and rich land; let there be plenty of everything else too; let the citizens be gentle and kindly, and let no evildoer be seen there, no thief, no clothes-stealer, no informer, no law court, but only contracts; and let us live in this city: not even so would it be possible to live in security. Why? Because one must have differences with servants, with a wife, with children, and there is ground for much discouragement. But here there was nothing of the kind: there was nothing at all to grieve them or cause them any discouragement. But the wonderful thing is that the very things that seemed to bring discouragement became the causes of all joy and gladness. For tell me, for what reason were they to be distressed? For what reason to be vexed? Shall we bring someone into our midst? Let there be a man of consular rank; let him own great wealth, live in the imperial city, have no dealings with anyone, only live in luxury and be busy with that, at the very peak of wealth and honor and power; [and let us set beside him Peter,] in bonds, if you like, a man in countless evils; and we shall find this one living in greater delight. For when there is such an abundance of joy that one takes pleasure in bonds, consider how great the joy is. For just as men in high office do not feel whatever terrible things befall them, but go on in their joy, so these men too rejoiced the more because of these very things. For it is not possible, it is not possible to set out in words the pleasure that those come to have who suffer something terrible for Christ; for they rejoice more in terrible things than in good ones. If anyone has loved Christ, he knows what I mean. But what? For the sake of safety were they to flee hardships? And who, tell me, with countless wealth, could have escaped so many dangers, mixing with so many nations, for the sole purpose of changing their way of life? But these men accomplished everything as by an imperial command, or rather far more easily. For an imperial command did not accomplish as much as their words did; for the imperial command drives men by necessity, but these men brought them willing and choosing and full of gratitude. What imperial command would have persuaded men to give up all their money and their very life, and to despise home, country, relatives, and safety itself? But the voices of fishermen and tentmakers prevailed. So they were both in pleasure and more powerful and stronger than all. “Yes,” someone says, “they were, because they worked the signs.” But tell me, the believers, the three thousand and the five thousand, what signs did they work, who also lived in great exultation? Naturally; for the ground of all discouragement, the possession of money, had been taken away. For that, that was the cause of wars and fighting, of grief and discouragement and all evils; it is that which makes life toilsome and more painful. And one would find more grounds of discouragement among those in wealth than among those in poverty. And if it does not seem so to some, that is not because of the nature of things but because of their opinion. And if those in wealth have some pleasure, it is no wonder; for those covered with the itch are also in great pleasure. That the rich differ in no way from them, but have a soul of that sort, is clear from this: cares vex them, and yet they want to be held fast by them for the sake of a passing pleasure; while those freed from them are in health and beyond discouragement.

Which is more pleasant, tell me? Which is safer: to take thought for one loaf and one set of clothes, or for countless people, slaves and free, while not caring for what concerns oneself? For as this man is afraid for himself, so are you for those who hang upon your head. “And why ever does poverty seem a thing to flee?” he says. Because other good things too are, for many, things to pray to be spared; and they are to be fled not because they are to be prayed against, but because they are hard to achieve. So poverty too is not a thing to pray against, but a thing hard to achieve; so that if someone could bear it, it would not be a thing to pray against. For why did the apostles not pray to be spared it? Why do many even choose it, and not only do not pray against it, but even run to it? For what is truly to be prayed against is not chosen either, except by madmen. And if the philosophic and lofty among men go to it as to a safe and healthy place, it is no wonder if it does not seem so to the others. For the rich man seems to me nothing other than an unwalled city lying in a plain, [open to attack] from many sides; [but poverty is a] safe [fortress], clad all round with much bronze and hard to climb. “And yet,” he says, “it is the opposite: for these are the ones who are often dragged into court; these are the ones who are insulted and ill-treated.” Not the poor simply, but those who are poor and want to be rich. I am not speaking of those, but of those who make it their aim to live in poverty. For tell me, why does no one drag those in the mountains into court? And yet if poverty were easy to overpower, they above all ought to be dragged there, since they are poorer than all. Why does no one drag beggars into court? Why does no one use violence against them or bring false charges against them? Is it not because they dwell in a safer place? How many think the thing even ill-omened, poverty I mean, and begging! What then, tell me, is begging a good thing? It is good, if there is one to comfort and pity, if there is one to give; and so everyone has seen this life to be free of trouble and safe. But I do not urge this, heaven forbid! but only that one should not aim at wealth. For tell me, whom would I rather call blessed, those suited to virtue or those who stand far from it? Clearly those who are suited. Who, then, is suited to learn something useful and to shine in philosophy, this one or that one? It is plain to everyone that it is this one. If you do not believe it, learn. Let one of the beggars be brought from the marketplace, and let him be maimed, lame, crippled; and let another be handsome to look at, strong in body, bursting with vigor on every side, overflowing with money; let him have illustrious birth and great power. Let us bring these into the school of philosophy, and see which of them will more readily receive the teaching. Let the first precept, then, be: Be lowly and moderate; for this is what Christ commanded. Who will be better able to achieve it, this one or that? “Blessed are those who mourn”: who will pay more heed to the saying? “Blessed are the lowly”: who will listen more? “Blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake”: who will easily accept these? And if you like, let us fit both men to all of them. Is not the one inflamed and swollen on every side, while the other is always humble-minded and wholly restrained? Plainly so. There is indeed a verse of this kind spoken by those outside: “Epictetus, a slave, maimed in body, an Irus in poverty, and a friend of the immortals.” But this is the poor man. The soul of the rich man is full of all evils: of madness, vainglory, countless desires, anger and wrath, greed, injustice, and whatever else there is. So it is plain that this soul is suited to philosophy, rather than that one. Surely you want to learn which is more pleasant; for I see this question asked by many: whether this way of life is the more pleasant. And yet there is no need to doubt about this either; for the one who is near to health is also in great pleasure. And tell me, as regards the matter before us, which we wish to achieve, this law I mean, who is suited to it, the poor man or the rich? Who will swear easily: the one provoked against his servants, the one who has contracts with countless people, or the one who comes asking for bread or a single garment? This man has not even any need of oaths, if he wishes, but always lives free of business. Or rather, the one who is trained not to swear will often despise money too; and one may see the roads of virtue everywhere branching off from this good thing, all leading to gentleness, to contempt of money, to reverence, to a settled soul, to compunction. Let us not, then, be slack, beloved, but again take great pains: those who have succeeded, to keep what they have achieved, so that there may not easily be some slipping away and ebbing back; those still behind, to rouse themselves and strive to fill up what is lacking. And meanwhile let those who have succeeded stretch out their hands to those who have not yet been able, as to men swimming in the sea, and receive them into the harbor of not swearing. For truly not swearing is a safe harbor, a harbor against being sunk by the winds that fall upon us. For even if anger, or insult, or wrath boils over, or anything else, the soul is set in safety, so that it will not throw out anything that ought not to be said; for it has not put itself under necessity or under a law. See what Herod did because of an oath: he cut off the head of the Forerunner. “For because of his oaths,” it says, “and those reclining with him, he did not want to refuse her.” What did the tribes suffer because of an oath in the matter of the tribe of Benjamin? What did Saul suffer because of an oath? The one perjured himself; but Herod did something even worse than perjury: murder. Again, you know what Joshua suffered because of his oath with the Gibeonites. For swearing is truly a satanic snare. Let us, then, break the cords, and we shall set ourselves at ease in all our watchfulness. Let us be freed from the satanic snare; let us fear the Master’s commandment; let us throw ourselves into the best of habits; so that, going forward step by step through this and the other commandments, we may obtain the good things promised to those who love him, by the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, and honor, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.