Homilies on Acts 46.1–46.3

“And on the following day Paul went in with us to … And when he had greeted them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.” This man was the brother of the Lord and bishop of Jerusalem, a great and admirable man. To him Paul goes in, just as before this too he was sent to him. And hear how: “And on the following day,” it says, “Paul went in with us to James.” See the freedom from pride. “And all the elders were present …” “… one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.” Again he relates to them the affairs of the Gentiles, not from vainglory, God forbid, but wishing to display God’s love for humankind and to fill them with great joy. See, at any rate, how when they heard it they glorified God. They did not extol him or admire him, but “glorified God”; for he related it as one who ascribed it to him. “And when they heard it they glorified God, and said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many tens of thousands of Jews there are who have believed; and they are all zealous for the law. And they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.’” See with how much reserve they too speak. He does not speak with authority as bishop, but they take Paul as a partner in their judgment, as if from the very start, at the outset, they were excusing themselves: “We did not want this. You see the necessity of the matter.” “You see,” he says, “how many tens of thousands of Jews there are who have believed?” And they did not say, “How many tens of thousands we have instructed,” but “there are.” “And these,” he says, “are all zealous for the law.” Two reasons: the number, and their disposition. For neither, if they had been few, ought they to have been disregarded; nor, if they were many but not all holding to the law, would much account need to be made of them. Then a third reason too: “And they have all been informed,” he says, “about you, that you teach all the Jews among the Gentiles apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.” They did not say, “They have heard,” but “They have been informed,” that is, they have been taught and have believed that you teach apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Having said this, he went on: “What then is to be done? A crowd will certainly come together, for they will hear that you have come. Do, then, what we tell you.” They say this as giving counsel, not as giving orders. “We have four men who are under a vow. Take these, purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing in what they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk in good order, keeping the law.” They advise him to make his defense by deed, not by word. “So that they may shave,” he says, “and all may know that there is nothing in what they have been informed about you.” They did not say, “that you teach,” but “they have been informed,” again showing by this that they had been taught; and “you walk in good order,” that is, you yourself also keep it, over and above. For the concern was not only that he should not teach others so, but that he himself also kept it. “What then? If the Gentiles learn of it, will they not be offended?” he says. How so? when even we, the teachers of the Jews, have sent to them: “But concerning the … that they should observe nothing of the kind, except to keep themselves from what is offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.” Here they speak to move him. What he says is this: Just as we gave those people instructions, although we preach to Jews, so you too, although you preach to Gentiles, work together with us. See Paul: he does not say, “But I can bring forward Timothy, whom I circumcised; but I can persuade them by argument”; but he obeyed them and did everything, for so it was expedient. For it was not the same thing to stand up and make a defense as to do these things with no one knowing. The paying of the expenses, too, was beyond suspicion. “Then Paul took the men, and on the next day, having purified himself with them, went into the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the offering should be presented for each one of them.” “Giving notice,” that is, announcing, so that he himself was the one who made himself known. “And when the seven days were about to be completed.”

See how he lingers with them most of all. “The Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid their hands on him, … ‘This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place; and besides, he has also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’” See their character, turbulent everywhere, and simply shouting in the midst. “For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. And the whole city was stirred up, and the people ran together; and seizing Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.” “Men of Israel, help!” they say. “This is the man who is against the people and the law and this place.” What troubled them most, the temple and the law, these they put forward. And Paul, though he suffered so much, brought no complaint against the apostles that they had been the cause of these things for him; so great-souled was he. “And they dragged him,” it says, “out of the temple, and the doors were shut.” For they wanted to kill him, and that is why they dragged him outside, so as to do it with greater freedom … “… to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. At once he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and seized him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he inquired who he might be and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another.” And why, when he was about to examine him, did he order him to be bound with two chains? To soothe the anger of the people. “And when he could not learn the facts for certain because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; for the mass of the people followed, crying out, ‘Away with him!’” What is “Away with him”? It was the custom of the Jews to say this against those whom they condemned, as they are seen doing and saying in Christ’s case too, “Away with him,” that is, make him vanish from among the living. But some say that this “Away with him” is what among us is said, according to the Roman usage, “Throw him among the standards.” “And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, ‘May I say something to you?’” As he is being carried up the steps, he asks to say something to the tribune. And see how mildly: “May I say something to you?” he says. “And he said, ‘Do you know Greek? Are you not, then, the Egyptian who before these days stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the assassins out into the wilderness?’” This Egyptian was a revolutionary and seditious man. To this Paul makes his defense, and by what he said frees himself from the suspicion.

But let us look at what was read from the beginning. “We have four men,” he says, “who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself with them.” To this Paul does not object, but obeys. From this it is clear that this was not something to be done on principle (which is why they persuade him), but that the matter was a dispensation and a condescension. So it was no hindrance to the preaching, since they themselves had made such rules for those people. Managing things in the same way, he himself later rebukes Peter, and does not simply do so; for what he himself did here, Peter did there, keeping silent and establishing his own teaching. And they did not say, “One must not teach those among the Gentiles,” or “It is enough not to preach it there,” but “One must also do something more, so that they may be persuaded that you keep the law. The thing is a condescension; fear nothing.” And see, they do not persuade him until they have first spoken of the dispensation and the gain. And to do this in Jerusalem was bearable: do this, then, here, so that you may be free to do the other outside. “Then,” it says, “[Paul] took the men on the next day.” He did not put it off, but showing his compliance by deed, he takes those with whom he was to be purified. So fervent a thing is a dispensation. And how, one asks, did the Jews from Asia see him in the temple? It is likely that they were spending some days there. And see how what happened was itself a dispensation: for after the Jews had been persuaded, then these attack him; naturally. “Israelites,” as though someone hard to hunt and hard to catch had fallen into their hands, “help!” they say; “this is the one who teaches everyone everywhere.” Not only here, he says, but “everywhere.” Then the accusation is made greater from the present circumstances: “And besides,” he says, “he has defiled the temple, bringing in Greeks.” Yet in Christ’s time too they came up; but these men speak of those who would not have chosen to worship. “And seizing Paul,” it says, “they dragged him out.” Consider: they cast him out of the temple; for they no longer needed laws or courts; that is why they were beating him. So in everything they show themselves reckless and defiled. He did not make his defense then, but later; naturally, for then they would not even have listened. And why ever did they shout, “Away with him”? They were afraid he would escape. But see with how much reserve Paul speaks to the tribune. For what does he say? “May I say something to you?” So humble was he, since one had to show moderation everywhere. “Are you not, then,” he says, “the Eg-

See the malice of the devil. That Egyptian was a deceiver and a sorcerer, and through him the devil expected to cast a shadow over Christ and the apostles too, and make them partners in the charges that belonged to that man. But he had no power; rather, the truth became still brighter, harmed in nothing by the devil’s threads, but shining out even more. For if there had not been sorcerers, and then these had prevailed, perhaps someone might have seized on that; but when those too appeared and these prevail, that is the wonder. That is why they are not prevented from appearing, so that in this way too these may shine the more; as he himself says elsewhere, “So that those who are approved may become evident.” Something of this kind was what Gamaliel too was saying: “Before these days Theudas rose up.” As for the assassins, some say they were a kind of brigands, so called among the Romans; others, that they belonged to one sect among … For there are among them three principal sects: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, who are also called “holy ones” (for this is what the name Essenes means) because of the dignity of their life; and the same were also called Sicarii because they were zealots. Let us not, then, be pained that there are heresies, since even false christs wished to attack Christ, both before and after this, so as to cast a shadow over him. But the truth shines and is clear everywhere. This happened with the prophets too: there were false prophets, and by comparison they shone the more. For sickness shows health clearly, and darkness light, and storm calm. The Greeks cannot say that they were deceivers and sorcerers, for those men were exposed. This happened with Moses too: God permitted the magicians, so that Moses might not be thought a magician; he let them teach everyone how far magic can produce illusions; but beyond that they did not deceive, but themselves confessed their defeat. Those who attack us harm us in nothing; rather, they even make us better, if one is willing to pay attention.

“What then,” one says, “when we share their reputation?” Not in our eyes, but in the eyes of those who have no judgment. Let us not care too much for the reputation of the many, nor be anxious about it beyond what is needed. We live to God, not to men; our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth; there the prizes and rewards of our labors are laid up; from there we await the praises, from there the crowns. Let us care for men so far as not to give or offer them a handle. But if, when we offer none, they choose to accuse us idly and at random, let us laugh, not weep. “Take thought for what is honorable before the Lord and before men”; if, while you take thought for what is honorable, that man jeers, care no longer. You have the examples in the Scriptures. “For am I now persuading men, or God?” he says; and again, “We persuade men, but we are made manifest to God.” And Christ said thus: “… they are blind guides of the blind”; and again, “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you”; and again, “Let your works shine, so that men may see them and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” And if elsewhere he says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it is better for him that a donkey’s millstone be hung around his neck and he be drowned in the depth of the sea,” do not be surprised; for these are not contrary, but entirely in harmony. For when it happens through our fault, woe to us; but when not through our fault, no longer. And again: “Woe to you, through whom the name of God is blasphemed.” What then, if I do something of what is right, and another blasphemes? That is nothing to you, but to him; for it was blasphemed through him.

“And how is it possible to do something of what is right and yet give others a handle?” Where do you want me to bring you the examples from: from those now living, or from those of old? So that we may not be easily frightened, would you like us to speak of this very matter now in hand? Paul Judaized in Jerusalem, but in Antioch no longer; he Judaized, and they were offended, but those people were not justly offended. … How many things do you think they said against him because of this? But not justly. For if he had welcomed them for licentiousness or for wicked deeds, it would have been natural; but if for an upright life, on what account? Let me tell you something that happened to one of my acquaintances. The wrath of God once fell, and he, being very young and in the rank of deacon, since the bishop happened to be away at that time and none of the presbyters took any thought, but they simply had many tens of thousands illuminated all at once in one night, and all were being baptized indiscriminately, knowing nothing: he took these aside, a hundred and two hundred together, and talked with them about nothing else, only the mysteries, so as not even to allow the uninitiated to be present. Because he did this, many thought he did it out of a love of office. But he paid no attention to those who thought so; he did not, however, prolong the matter, but stopped at once. What then? Was he the cause of the offense? I do not think so. For if he had done this without there being a reason, they would rightly have laid the blame on him, and also if he had prolonged it. For when any of the things pleasing to God are hindered because of another’s offense, one must disregard it; but one should take care when we are not forced on his account to offend God. For tell me: if, while we are speaking and mocking the drunkards, someone … , am I to stop speaking? Hear Christ saying, “Do you also want to go away?” So one ought neither to disregard the weakness of the many nor to make too much of it. Or do we not see physicians doing this too: when it is allowed, indulging the sick, but when indulging them does harm, sparing them no longer? Everywhere it is good to honor due measure. … and they reviled those who were instructing her. What then? Ought they to have desisted because of this? Not at all; for they were doing nothing wrong, but something very pleasing to God. Let us not look, then, at whether some are offended, but whether justly, and whether not with harm to ourselves. “If food,” he says, “causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat.” Rightly; for not eating did no harm. But if it offends him that I want to renounce the world, one need no longer care. “And whom,” one says, “does this offend?” Many; I know it. When, then, the hindrance concerns a thing indifferent, let it be done; since if we were to look at this alone, we would have to withdraw from many things; just as, conversely, if we were to disregard it, we would destroy many. For Paul too took thought beforehand … ; and how, hear: “So that no one,” he says, “may blame us in this abundance that is being administered by us”; for removing the suspicion did no harm. But when we fall into such a necessity that great evils would come about because of another’s offense, let us disregard him. For he is the cause for himself, and we are no longer answerable; for it was not possible to spare him without harm. Many were offended that some believers reclined at table in temples, since one ought not to recline there; but wrongly; for no harm came from this. They were offended that Peter ate with the Gentiles; but he spared them, while the other no longer did. Everywhere it befits us, following the laws of God, to take great care to give no occasion of offense, so that we ourselves may be blameless and may be counted worthy of God’s love for humankind, by the grace and love for humankind of his only-begotten Son, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.