Homilies on Acts 24.1–24.4

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from the circumcision who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles too; for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.” See God's dispensation. He did not let the speech be finished, nor the baptism take place at Peter's command; but when they had shown their mind to be admirable, and the beginning of the teaching had been made, and they had believed that baptism is certainly the forgiveness of sins, then the Spirit came. This happens because God was arranging beforehand a great defense for Peter. They do not simply receive the Spirit, but … Why ever is the matter so arranged? Because of the Jews; for they were very hostile to it. That is why everywhere the whole is done by God. And Peter is present almost merely to be taught that they must from now on lay hold of the Gentiles, and that this must be done through them. And do not wonder. For when, after so much, there was dispute both in Caesarea and in Jerusalem, what would not have happened if these things had not accompanied it? That is why these things happen in such excess. And see how Peter too makes his defense once he has an occasion. That he answers after the occasion is given, hear the evangelist narrating and saying: “Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’” Did you see where he referred the matter, and how he was in labor to bring this out? So long had he been of this mind. “Can anyone,” he says, “forbid water?” For this is almost the language of one standing up against those who forbid it and say that it ought not to happen. The whole has happened, he says; the more necessary thing has happened, the baptism with which we too were baptized. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” After he had defended himself, then he commanded them to be baptized, teaching them through the facts; so hostile were the Jews. That is why he first makes his defense, although the facts cried out, and then gave the command. “Then they asked him to stay some days.” From this he fittingly takes courage and stays. “Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had received the word of God. And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision disputed with him, saying, ‘To men …’” After so much! “Those of the circumcision disputed,” not the apostles. What is “disputed”? … not slightly. And see what they put forward. They do not say, “Why did you preach?” but, “Why did you eat with them?” But Peter does not take his stand on this trivial point (for it was truly trivial), but on that great one, saying, “If they too received the Spirit, how could I not share this with them?” How then did this not happen in the case of the Samaritans, but the opposite? For not only did it not happen before baptism, it did not even happen after baptism; and they were not indignant, but rather, on hearing of it, they sent the apostles for this very purpose. But not even here do they make this a charge, for they knew that it was of divine grace; but, “Why,” they say, “did you eat with them?” Besides, the difference between Samaritans and Gentiles is great and boundless. Or the charge against him was also arranged by design, so that these men might learn; for Peter would not have spoken without cause. And see his freedom from pride and from vainglory. “Peter began,” it says, “and set it out to them in order, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying.’” And he does not say why, nor on what occasion. “‘And I saw in a trance a vision, something like a great sheet descending, let down by four corners from heaven, and it came to me. Gazing at it I considered it, and saw the four-footed creatures of the earth, and the wild beasts and the reptiles and the birds of heaven; and I heard a voice saying to me, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”’” What does he mean to say by these things? Even this was enough to persuade, he says, the sight of the sheet; but a voice too was added. “‘But I said, “By no means, Lord, for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.”’” Do you see? I did my part, he says; I said that I had never eaten such things. This answers what they said, that “you ate with them.” But he does not say this to Cornelius, for there was no need. “‘But the voice answered me a second time from heaven, “What God has cleansed, do not call common.” This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men stood at the house where I was, sent to me from Caesarea.’” He narrates what was necessary, and is silent about the rest; or rather, through these he establishes those too. And see how he defends himself, and does not think fit to use the authority of the teacher; for he knew that the more gently he spoke, the more he would win them over. “Nothing common or unclean,” he says, “has ever entered my mouth.” So the whole defense was a matter of good management. “And behold, at that very moment three men stood at the house where I was. And the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing.”

Do you see that the legislation is the Spirit's? “And these six brothers also went with me.” What could be more humble … Peter, who from this and the brothers … “we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send men to Joppa and summon Simon called Peter, who will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’” And he did not … what was said by the angel to Cornelius, “Your prayers and your alms have gone up as a memorial before God,” so that it might not provoke them, but what had nothing great in it: “He will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.” How … what I said before, he hastens on? And he says nothing … of the man's reasonableness. When the Spirit had …, when God had commanded, calling him through the angel, urging him from this side, resolving the … of the matter, what should he have done? But he says nothing of this, but rests his case on what came last, which itself was an indisputable testimony. And why did not this alone happen? God acted more than enough, so that the beginning too might be shown not to have come from Peter. If he had gone of his own accord, …, they would have been very much shocked; so from the start he makes them his own, saying to them, “who received the Holy Spirit just as we did.” And again: “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as on us at the beginning.” And he is not content with this, but also reminds them of a word of the Lord: “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” So nothing new happened, but what he had foretold. But … “I commanded them first to be baptized”; but, “Can anyone forbid water, so that these should not be baptized …?” What we have had, then, they received. “If then,” he says, “God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, who was I that I could withstand God?” To stop their mouths more than enough he added this: “the same gift.” Do you see how he does not allow those who believed … to have less? “God gave them the same gift as us, who believed in the Lord”; so that he himself … them. And he does not say “to you” but “to us”, and in this way … the word. Why then are you indignant … if we call them partners? “When they heard these things, they fell silent, and glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.’” Do you see how from Peter's … the whole has turned out well, … the things that were done? That is why they glorified God, that he gave repentance to them too; so humbled were they by these words. From then on the door was opened to the Gentiles. But let us look, if you will, at what was said from the beginning. He did not say that Peter disputed, but those of the circumcision; for he himself knew what was being prepared. And yet one ought to have wondered at this, how they too … when they heard that they believed, nothing …, but when God granted the Spirit, when Peter was setting out his own trance, saying, “God has shown me to call no man common or unclean.” So he knew this from the beginning. That is why he also prepares the way for the word on behalf of the Gentiles, showing that they were no longer Gentiles once faith had come. Nothing wonderful, then, if they received the Spirit before baptism; this happened in our case too. Here Peter shows that they were not even baptized as the rest were, but in a much better way. That is why it is arranged so abundantly, so that they may have nothing to say, but even so may think them their equals. “And they asked him,” it says, “to stay.” Do you see how they were not kindly disposed to Peter? Did you see the zeal they had for the law? They did not respect Peter's dignity, nor the signs that had taken place, nor the achievement, how great a thing it was that the word had been received; but they disputed on behalf of those dead observances. For if none of these things had been, the achievement would not have sufficed. But Peter does not defend himself in that way; for he was prudent; or rather, the words were not of his prudence, but of the Spirit. And by his defense he shows himself nowhere the cause, but God everywhere. And he all but says this to them: “He made me fall into a trance; I was simply praying. He showed the vessel; I objected; again he spoke, and not even so did I listen; the Spirit … not to disobey; and nevertheless, when I went, I did not run ahead; I said that God had sent me; and after this not even so did I baptize, but again God did the whole.” So God baptized them, not I. And he did not say, “When all these things had happened, was it not necessary to add the water too?” but, as if nothing were lacking, “Who was I,” he says, “to withstand God?” Oh, what a defense! For he did not say, “Knowing these things, then, be quiet”; but what? He receives their attack, and makes his defense to his accusers: “Who was I that I could withstand God?”, using the defense to shame them and with great weight: “I could not withstand.” From then on, afraid, they fell silent, and glorified God. [3] So we too must glorify God for the good things of our neighbors, and not abuse them spitefully, as many of the newly baptized do when they see others baptized and departing at once. One should glorify God, even because he does not let them remain. So you too, if you will, have received a greater gift; I do not mean as regards the illumination (for it is the same for him and for you), but in having received a term of time for winning approval. He put on the robe and was not allowed to parade in it; to you God has given full authority to use the arms as one should, and to make trial of them here. He departs having only the reward of faith; you stand in the stadium of works, able to receive many rewards, and to appear as much more illustrious than he as the sun than the smallest star, as the general than the lowest soldier, or rather as the king. Blame yourself, then; or rather do not blame, but always correct yourself; for blaming is not enough; it is possible to renew the fight. Were you thrown? Did you suffer terribly? Get up, recover yourself; you still stand in the stadium, the theater is still assembled. Do you not see how many who were thrown afterwards renewed the fight? Only do not fall willingly. Do you count blessed the one who has departed? Much rather count yourself blessed. Was he forgiven his sins? But you, if you will, will not only wash away your sins, but will also have good deeds, which is not possible in his case. It is possible for us to recover ourselves. Great are the remedies of repentance; let no one despair of himself. That man is truly worthy of despair who despairs of himself; that man no longer has hopes of salvation. It is not terrible to come into the depth of evils, but to lie there after coming; it is not impious to come into the depth of evils, but to despise after coming. Do you, tell me, rather despise the very thing over which you ought to be anxious? Have you sunk down because you have so many wounds? No wound of the soul is incurable; in the body there are many such, in the soul none; and for those we do not cease toiling, but for these we are indolent. Do you not see the thief, how in a short time he succeeded? Do you not see the martyrs, how in a short time they accomplished the whole? “But now is not a time of martyrdom.” But it is a time of contests, as I have often said, if we will. “For all who wish,” it says, “to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Those who live godly are always persecuted, if not by men, then by demons, which is indeed a harder persecution. And first of all, those who are not sober endure this from ease itself above all. Or do you think it a small persecution to be at ease? This is heavier than all, this is worse even than persecution. For like a stream flowing in, ease slackens the soul; and what summer and winter are, that persecution and ease are. That you may learn more than enough that this persecution is worse, consider this. It pours sleep upon the soul, it produces much yawning and indolence, it rouses the passions on every side, it arms conceit, arms pleasure, arms anger, envy, vainglory, jealousy. But in persecution none of these can trouble us; fear comes in, and, as if striking a loudly barking dog hard with a whip, does not let all these passions so much as growl. Who in persecution can be vainglorious? Who can be in pleasure? No one; but much trembling and fear, producing great calm, preparing a fair-weather harbor, making the soul devout. I once heard our fathers say (may it not happen in our time! for we are commanded not to ask for temptation) that in the old persecution one could see men who were truly Christians. For no one cared for money, no one for wife, no one for children, no one for house, no one for homeland; all had one concern, to save their own souls. Some hid in monuments and tombs, others in deserts. And not only men, but also tender and delicate women hid then, battling continual hunger. Consider, then, whether any desire for extravagance or luxury would ever have come upon a woman hiding beside a coffin and waiting …, lest she be caught, lying in the tomb as in a furnace: would she give a thought that there was ever luxury, that there is a world at all? Do you see that now rather is the persecution, with the passions attacking us on every side like wild beasts? Now is the hard persecution, both for this reason and because it is not even thought to be persecution. For this war has this hardship too, that it is thought to be peace, so that we do not arm ourselves against it nor rouse ourselves; no one fears, no one trembles. If you do not believe me, ask the Greeks, the persecutors, when the Christians' affairs were in stricter order, when all were more approved. Then the multitude was reduced to a few, but it amounted to great wealth of virtue. For what use, tell me, is it for there to be much grass, when it is possible to have precious stones? Abundance lies not in the size of the number but in the proven worth of virtue. Elijah was one, but the world was not worthy of him. And yet the world is countless thousands; but they are not thousands when they do not even balance the one. … one who does the will of the Lord than ten thousand transgressors. A wise man too hints at this, saying somewhere, “Do not desire a multitude of useless children.” These bring even more blasphemy on God than if they were not Christians. What need have I of a multitude? More fuel for the fire. You may learn this from the body too: moderate food with health is better than luxury with harm. This is more food than that; this is food, that is disease. One can see this in war too: ten experienced and brave men are better than ten thousand inexperienced. These, besides doing nothing, also hinder those who are working. One may find this on a ship too: two experienced sailors are better than a countless crowd of inexperienced ones; for these will even sink the ship.

I say these things not out of hostility to your numbers, but because I wish all to be approved, and not to trust in numbers. Those who enter hell are far more; but the kingdom is greater than it, even if it has few. The multitude of the people was as the sand of the sea, but one man saved them. Moses was one, and he prevailed more than all; Joshua was one, and he could do more than the six hundred thousand. Let us not be eager only for this, that there may be many, but before this, that they may be approved; when this is achieved, then that will follow too. No one wants first to make a house spacious, but first strong and sound, and then spacious; no one lays foundations so as to be laughed at. Let us seek this first, and then that. When this exists, that too will be easy; but if that does not exist, then even if this exists, it is of no use. For if there are those who can shine in the church, there will soon be a multitude too; but if these are lacking, the multitude will never be approved. How many do you think there are in our city who are being saved? What I am about to say is painful, but I will say it nonetheless. Among so many thousands it is not possible to find a hundred who are being saved; and I have doubts even about these. For how much wickedness, tell me, is there among the young? How much indolence among the old? No one takes care of his own child as he should; no one, seeing an old man, has the zeal to imitate him. The models have vanished; that is why the young do not become admirable either. Do not tell me, “We are a great crowd.” This is the word of cold men; with men it might fittingly be said, but not with God, who has no need of us. And that the word is cold even there, hear. The man who has many servants, if he has them corrupt, how much will he suffer? In the case of one who has none, the hardship seems to be that he is not served; but one who has wicked servants even destroys himself along with them, and the loss is greater. For it is much harder than serving oneself to have to box with others and take on a war. I say these things so that no one may … the church because of its numbers, but so that we may be eager to make it approved; so that each may provide for his own …, not of his friends, nor of his relatives, as I always say, nor of his neighbors, but even so as … the strangers. For example, prayer is going on; all lie there, the young … and the old; scum rather than young men, laughing, guffawing, chatting (for this too … happens), and mocking one another while … on their knees. You stand by, young or old: rebuke them, if you see it; rebuke them more sharply; if he does not bear it, call the deacon, threaten, do your part; and if he dares do anything against you, you will surely have many to help you. For who is so senseless as, seeing you rebuking on behalf of such things and those men …, not to take your side? … the reward of the prayer. In a master's house we judge those servants more loyal who overlook nothing, not even a vessel lying out of place. Tell me, if you see in a house a silver vessel thrown outside, even if you are not in charge, will you not take it up and carry it into the house? If a garment is simply thrown down, even if the care of it is not yours, even if you are an enemy of the one in charge, will you not, out of goodwill to the master, do this rightly? So too now. These are vessels …; … I do not refuse the trouble; tell me, make it known to me; I cannot see everything; forgive me. You see how much wickedness possesses the … Did I speak idly when I said that it is a multitude of grass, a disorderly sea? I do not say that those men do this, but that such a sleep has been poured on those who come in that they do not even correct these things. Again, … standing and chatting with one another while the prayer is going on; and the more reasonable of them …, not only while the prayer is going on, but even while the priest is blessing. O the …! When will there be salvation? How shall we be able to propitiate God? If you go to a festival, you will see all dancing in good order, and nothing neglected. As in an instrument fully tuned and skillfully made, one symphony is produced from the good order of each of its parts, so here too one harmonious concord ought …; for we have become a church, joined to one head … if whatever part it may be is neglected, the whole is neglected … destroyed. So the disorder of one spoils the good order of the many. And the fearful thing is that you do not come here to a … nor to dance a dance, and you stand laughing. Do you not know that you stand with angels? With them you sing, with them you hymn, and you stand laughing? Is it not a wonder that a thunderbolt is not let loose, not on those only, but on us too? For these things deserve thunderbolts. The king is present, he views the army; and you stand laughing before their eyes, or overlook the one who laughs? But how long shall we accuse? How long shall we blame? Ought not such people, as corrupters, as …, as ruined and depraved and full of countless evils, to be driven out of the church? When will these men refrain from laughter, who laugh at the time of awe? When will they abstain from chatter, who chatter at the time of the blessing? Do they not respect …? Do they not fear God? … not only indolence of mind, nor that while praying we wander elsewhere; but we also bring in laughter and much … Is what happens here a theater? But, I think, it is the theaters that do this, that make the many unruly; … with us … is overturned there; and not only this, but they must also be filled with other uncleanness. And it is the same as if someone wished to clean a field while a spring lying above it sends down mud; for however much you clean, more flows in again. This happens here too. For when we cleanse those who come in from the theaters bringing uncleanness, they go back there and take on greater uncleanness, as if they lived for this very purpose, to give us toil; and they come back carrying much dung, in their manners, in their movements, in their words, in their laughter, in their indolence. Then again we dig from above, as if digging for this very purpose, so that we may send them out clean … I hand you over to God for this. From now on I testify to you who are sound that it will be judgment and condemnation for you if anyone sees someone being disorderly or chatting, especially at that time, and does not report him or turn him back; this is better than prayer. Leave off your prayer and rebuke him; so you will both benefit him and gain yourself. In this way we shall all be able to be saved, and to attain the kingdom of heaven; which may we all enjoy, 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, honor, now and always and to the ages of ages.