Homilies on Acts 2.1–2.5

[Lemma] “So when they had come together, they asked him, saying, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”

Whenever the disciples are about to ask something, they come to him together. They do this to put pressure on him by their numbers. For they knew that what he had said before, “No one knows the day,” was the word of one who was putting them off, not of one who did not know, but of one deferring his answer; so they come and ask again. They would not have asked if they had really been convinced. For since they had heard that they were going to receive the Spirit, they wanted to learn, as men now worthy, and they were ready for their release. For they did not want to throw themselves into dangers, but to take breath; for what had befallen them was no small matter, but the danger had hung over their very lives. So, saying nothing to him about the Spirit, they ask, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” They did not say, “When?”, but, “Now?” So eager were they to learn the day. That is why they also come with greater respect. To me it seems that it was not even clear to them what the kingdom was, for the Spirit had not yet taught them. And they did not say, “When will these things be?”, but what? “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”, as though it had already fallen. They inquire in this way because they were still attached to the things of sense, though not as much as before; for they had not yet become better. So now they formed greater ideas about him. Since [their minds were lifted up, he too speaks more loftily]. For he no longer says to them, “Not even the Son knows the day,” but what? “It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father has set by his own authority.” “You are asking for things too great,” he says. And yet they had already learned things far greater. So that you may learn this exactly, see how many I can count. What, tell me, is greater than their learning what they learned? They learned that he is the Son of God, and that God has a Son of equal honor; they learned that there will be a resurrection; they learned that he went up and sat at the right hand of the Father; they learned what is more awesome than this, that flesh sits on high and is worshiped by angels; they learned that he will come again to judge the whole world; they learned that they too will then sit as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel; they learned that the Jews are cast out and those from the Gentiles enter in their place. To know that these things will be is a great thing; but to learn that someone will reign, or when, is nothing great. Paul learned things that it is not lawful for a man to speak; he learned all that was before the world. Which is harder to learn, the beginning or the end? Clearly the first. Well, Moses learned this, both when it was and how many ages before, as he shows by counting the years. So did Solomon; that is why he said, “I will recount the things from of old.” That it is near, these men too knew afterward, as Paul did, saying, “The Lord is near; do not be anxious about anything.” But then they did not know, though they had received proofs. And Christ, just as [he said, “not many days from now,”] wishing them [to be watchful], and did not make it plain openly, so he does now too. Besides, here they are asking not about the consummation but about the kingdom; that is why they said, “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” But he did not reveal even this to them. About the end they had asked before this too; but he did not answer them, as he did there, more sternly, to lead them away from thinking that their release was near, and he cast them into the thought of dangers; so here too, but more gently. For so that they would not seem to have been rebuffed, nor these words to be mere pretexts, hear how he at once promises to give them something at which they rejoiced. He added at any rate, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Then, so that they would not ask him again, he was at once taken up. So just as there he silenced them by fear and by saying “I do not know,” so here too, by being taken up. For they had a great desire for the thing and would not have left off; and it was very necessary that they should not learn it. For tell me: what do the Greeks disbelieve more, when the consummation will be, or that God became man and came forth from a virgin's womb and was seen by men with flesh? Is it not the latter? You too will certainly say so. But I am ashamed to keep speaking about this as though it were an indifferent matter. Then again, so that they might not say, “Why do you make so much of the matter?”, he says, “which the Father has set by his own authority.” And yet the authority of the Father and his own is one, as when he says, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son too gives life to whom he will.” If, where he must act, he acts with the same authority as the Father, where he must know, does he not know with the same authority? And yet raising the dead is much greater than learning the day. If he does the greater with authority, much more the other.

But so that you may understand, I will make this plain by an illustration. When we see a little child crying and continually wanting to get from us something that is not good for him, we hide it, show our empty hands and say, “Look, we do not have it.” So he too did with the apostles. But just as that child, even when we show him, keeps on crying, knowing that he has been tricked, and then we leave him and go off, saying, “So-and-so is calling me,” and give him something else in its place, wanting to draw him away from his … and making much of that thing instead of this, and having given it we run off, so Christ did too. They sought to receive; he said he did not have it. At first he also frightened them; and when they asked again, he said again that he did not have it. But now he does not frighten them; after showing what he had done, he also gives a plausible reason: “which the Father has set by his own authority.” What then? Do you not know the things of the Father? Do you know him, but not his things? You yourself said, “No one knows the Father except the Son,” and, “The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God”; and do you not know this? Far from it. He did not say this so that we would suspect this, but he feigns ignorance, leading them away from untimely inquiry. So they were afraid to ask again, so as not to hear, “Are you also without understanding?” For they feared him much more now than before. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” For just as there he did not answer what they asked (for this is the part of a teacher, to teach not what the disciple wants but what it profits him to learn), so now too he foretells what they needed to learn, so that they would not be troubled. They were still weak, then. But so that they might speak boldly, he lifted up their souls and veiled the burdensome things. For since he was about to leave them shortly, in speaking of these things he says nothing that is simply grievous. What then? He speaks of the grievous things together with praise, all but saying, “Do not be afraid; for you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria.” For he had said, “Do not go on the road of the Gentiles, and do not enter a town of the Samaritans”; but now he wants them to preach in all Judea and Samaria; and what he did not say then he added here, saying, “and to the end of the earth.” And having said what was most fearful of all, so that they would not ask him again, “while they were watching he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” Do you see that they preached and fulfilled the gospel? Truly he bestowed a great gift on them. “Where you were afraid,” he says, “in Jerusalem, preach there first, and afterward to the end of the earth.” Then again the confirmation of what was said: “While they were watching,” it says, “he was lifted up.” For he did not rise while they were watching, but he was lifted up while they were watching; since here too sight did not achieve everything. For of the resurrection they saw the end but not the beginning; and of the ascension they saw the beginning but not the end. For it was superfluous to see the beginning of the former, since he himself who said these things was present and the tomb showed that he was not there; but what came after this they had to learn by word. For since the eyes are not able to show the height, nor to teach whether he went up into heaven or only as if into heaven, see what happens. That it was Jesus himself they knew from his talking with them (for at a distance it was not possible to recognize him by sight); but that he is being taken up into heaven, the angels themselves then taught them. See how it is arranged that not everything happens by the Spirit, but also by sight. And why did a cloud take him up? This too is a proof that he went up into heaven. Not fire, as with Elijah, nor a chariot of fire; but a cloud took him up, which was a symbol of heaven, as the prophet says, “who makes the clouds his chariot,” though this is said of the Father. That is why it says “on a cloud,” showing that he went in the very symbol of divine power; for no other power is ever seen on a cloud. Hear again what another prophet says: “God sits on …” For this happened when the question was about a necessary matter, and they were attending closely to what was said, awake and not drowsing. On the mountain too there was a cloud because of him, when Moses entered the darkness; but the cloud was not because of Moses. And he did not say only, “I am going,” so that they would not grieve again, but he also said, “The Spirit …” … that he was going away into heaven they learned with their own eyes. Oh, what a sight they were counted worthy of! “And as they were gazing into heaven,” it says, “as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven …’” They used the word “this” to point him out, saying, “This one, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him going into heaven.” Again the appearance is bright. For some angels suddenly appeared, shaped in the form of men, and say, “Men of Galilee.” They seemed credible from their saying, “Men of Galilee.” For what need was there for men who knew their country to learn it, unless this was the point? By their appearance too they turned them, and showed that they were from heaven. Why does he not say these things to them himself, but the angels? He had already told them everything beforehand, so that through the angels he was reminding them of what they had heard. And they did not say, “whom you saw taken up,” but “going into heaven,” showing that the taking up is an ascent; to be taken up belongs to the flesh. That is why they say, “He who has been taken up from you will come in this way”; not “will be sent,” but “will come.” Where then is the lesser expression? In the cloud? For “he who went up is the same one who came down.” But see how they say some things to suit the disciples' understanding, and others worthily of God. The minds of those who saw were now lifted up; he granted them no small token of the second coming. For “He will come in this way” is the word of one making this plain: with the body, it says, which they longed to hear; and that he will come again to judgment in this way, on a cloud. “And behold,” it says, “two men stood by them.” Why in the form of men? So that they would not be terrified. “Who also said, ‘Why do you stand looking into heaven?’” The words were at once those of men soothing them and not letting them expect him to come back at once. These speak of the greater thing, but not of the lesser. That he will come in this way, and that they must look for him from heaven, they say; but when, they keep silent. Then from that sight they turned them back to their own work, so that they would not, because they could no longer see him, think that he had not gone up but would come back while they were talking. For if before this they said, “Where are you going?”, much more would they have said now, “Will you at this time …?” So well did they know his gentleness that even after his passion they ask him, “Will you restore?” And yet earlier he had told them, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but the end is not yet,” nor would Jerusalem yet be taken. But now they are asking about the kingdom, not about the consummation. Besides, he no longer speaks at length to them after the resurrection. So they ask as men who would themselves be held in honor if this happened. But he did not make it plain that he would not restore it. For what need was there for them to learn this? That is why, being afraid, they no longer said, “What is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”, but, “Will you restore the kingdom to Israel?” For they thought it was already at hand. But he had shown in parables too that it was not near; and when they asked, he did not answer the question itself, but said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” See: he said “has come upon,” not “has been sent,” to show the equality of honor. How then, you fighter against the Spirit, do you dare to call him a creature? “And you will be my witnesses.” He hinted at the ascension; or rather, he reminded them again of what they had already heard before. It has already been shown that he went up into heaven: “Cloud and darkness are under his feet,” it says; this is what “a cloud took him” shows; it is speaking of the Master of heaven. For just as a royal chariot points to a king, so the royal chariot was sent for him too, so that they would not utter anything sorrowful, nor suffer what Elisha did when his teacher was taken up, tearing his garment. And what do they say? “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way”; and, “Behold, two men stood by them.” Rightly so; for “on the mouth of two witnesses every word will stand.” And they say these very things. And “in white clothing,” it says. Just as they had already seen an angel at the tomb in white garments, who also foretold their thoughts, so too an angel becomes the herald of his ascension, though the prophets had foretold it in many places, as they had the resurrection too.

Everywhere angels become heralds: at the birth, again to Mary, at the resurrection; so too at the ascension; and moreover at the second coming too angels will appear running before him. Having said, “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you,” so that they would not drive them to utter perplexity, they added, “will come in the same way.” They took breath a little on hearing that he will come again, and in this way, and will not be unapproachable. And “from you” is not added idly either; it displays his love for them and his choice of them, and that he will not abandon those whom he chose. Of the resurrection, then, he himself became the witness (for of all things this was the most wonderful after his birth, or rather even before his birth: that he raised himself. “Destroy this temple,” he says, “and in three days I will raise it up”); of the coming that is to be, the angels, saying, “He will come in the same way.” If anyone, then, longs to see Christ, if anyone grieves that he has not seen him, let him hear this and show a wonderful life, and he will certainly see him and will not be disappointed. For he will come with greater glory; yet in this way, with a cloud, in this way, with a body; and it is far more wonderful to see him coming down from heaven than going up from the earth. That the prophets did not foretell this, do not be surprised; for it was superfluous to say anything separately about it, since it is understood together with the resurrection. … [This] confirms the resurrection. For if he was taken up with a body, much more did he rise with a body. Where are those who disbelieve the resurrection? Who are they, tell me? Greeks or Christians? For I do not know. Or rather, I know exactly: they are Greeks, who also disbelieve the making of the creation. For it belongs to the same people not to allow God to make anything from what does not exist, and to say that he does not raise up what lies in the grave. Then, ashamed that they do not know the power of God, and so as not to be charged with this, they say, “That is not why we say these things, but because there is no need of a body.” Truly it is timely to say, “The fool will speak foolish things.” Are you not ashamed to grant that God makes nothing out of what does not exist? If he makes from things that exist, how does he differ from men? “But where,” he says, “do evils come from?” Because you do not know where from, must you therefore bring in another evil in your knowledge of evils? Two absurdities follow. One is that you dare to say this; for if you do not say that God makes the things that are from things that are not, much less will you know where evils come from. The other is that by saying this you introduce evil as unoriginate. Consider how grievous it is, when wishing to find the source of evils, both to be ignorant of it and to add another source to it. Seek where evils come from, and do not blaspheme God. “And how do I blaspheme?” he says. What are you saying? Do you not blaspheme when you introduce evil as unoriginate? When you allow it to have power equal to God's? When you bring in a power of evils equal in strength? When you call it unoriginate? See what Paul says: “For his invisible attributes are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood through the things that are made.” But the devil said that both were of matter, so that there might be nowhere left from which we could come to know God. For what is harder, tell me: to make what is evil by nature good (if indeed there is any such thing; I am speaking on your terms, for nothing is evil by nature), to make evil a co-worker of good, or to make from what does not exist? Which is easier (I am speaking of quality): to bring in a quality that does not exist, or to change an existing one into its opposite? Which is easier: to make a house that does not exist, or to make a house that has been utterly ruined exist again from the beginning? Clearly the former. So this is impossible. As this, then, is impossible, so that too is impossible: I mean, to make a thing work as its opposite.

Tell me, which is harder: to make perfume, or to force filth to do the work of perfume? Which of these is easier, tell me (since we are subjecting God to our reasonings; no, not we, God forbid, but you): to form eyes, or to make a blind man see while he remains blind, and see more sharply than one who has sight, and to change blindness into sight and deafness into hearing? To me it seems the former. Do you, then, grant God the harder thing, tell me, and not the easier? But why do I say this? They even say that souls are of his substance. But see how many impious and senseless things there are. Wishing to show that evils are from God, [they bring in] another … and they say that God is older than none of them, daring to give them too that great prerogative. Second, they say that evil is also indestructible; for what is unoriginate is not destroyed. Do you see the blasphemy? So that necessarily either nothing is God's, or, if these things are not, God is not either. Third, as I said, in this way they war against themselves and prepare for God to be the more indignant. Fourth, they grant that unstable matter has such great aptitude. Fifth, they say that wickedness became the cause of God's goodness, and that without it the Good would not have been good. Sixth, they shut against us the ways to the knowledge of God. Seventh, they bring God down into men, and plants, and logs. For if our soul is of the substance of God, and its passing into new bodies ends in cucumbers and melons and onions, then the substance of God will be in cucumbers. If we say that the Holy Spirit fashioned a temple in the Virgin, they laugh; if we say that he dwelt in the spiritual temple, again they laugh. Yet they themselves are not ashamed to bring the substance of God down into cucumbers and melons, flies and caterpillars and asses, inventing a new kind of idolatry. “But the onion is not in God; God is in the onion”; for heaven forbid that the onion should be God! Why do you shrink from God's coming into a body? “It is shameful,” he says. Then this is much more shameful. “But it is not shameful.” How not? For whatever happens to us is truly shameful. Do you see the sweepings of their impiety? But why do they not want the body to rise? What will they say? That the body is evil? Then where, tell me, do you know God from? Where do you get your knowledge of the things that exist? And how is the philosopher a philosopher, if the body contributes nothing? Maim the senses, and then learn something of what one needs to know! What would be more foolish than a soul, if its senses had been maimed from the beginning? For if the maiming of a single part, I mean the brain, harms the soul entirely, if the others were maimed too, what use would it be? Show me a soul without a body. Or do you not hear physicians saying, “Disease, when present, terribly darkens the soul”? How long will you not hang yourselves? The body belongs to matter, tell me? Very well. Then you ought to hate it. Why then do you feed it? Why do you cherish it? [Then you ought to kill yourself?] Then you ought to get free of the prison. Besides: “God cannot prevail over matter unless he is entwined with it. For he cannot command it until he has united with it and taken his stand through the whole of it.” Oh, what weakness! A king does everything by giving commands, and God does not, by commanding the wicked? In short, if matter had no share in some good, it would not have held together. For wickedness has no nature to hold together unless it lays hold of something belonging to virtue; so that if before this it had been unmixed with virtue, it would long ago have been destroyed. For this is the way of evils. Suppose a man is licentious and restrains himself in nothing at all: will he live ten days? Suppose someone is a robber with no conscience toward anyone, even toward his fellow robbers: will he live at all? Suppose someone is a shameless thief who does not blush but steals in public: will such a man survive? Evils have no nature to hold together unless they take even a little from the good; so that by their own account God gave them their consistency. Suppose a city of wicked men: will it ever stand? Let them be wicked not only toward the good, but also toward one another. It cannot stand. Truly “claiming to be wise, they became fools.” If the body is evil, then everything visible exists simply in vain: water and earth, sun and air. For air too is a body, though not thick and solid. It is timely, then, to say, “The lawless have told me idle tales.” But let us not put up with them; let us wall off our ears against them. For there is, there is a resurrection of bodies. The tomb in Jerusalem shows it; the post at which he was bound and scourged shows it. “For we ate and drank with him,” it says. Let us believe in the resurrection, then, and do what is worthy of it, so that we may obtain the good things to come, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.