Canon XIII.
Hence neither is it lawful to accuse those who
have left all, and have retired for the safety of their life, as if
others had been held back by them. For at Ephesus also they
seized Gaius and Aristarchus instead of Paul, and rushed to the
theatre, these being Paul’s companions in travel2331
and he wishing
himself to enter in unto the people, since it was by reason of his
having
persuaded them, and drawing away a great multitude to the
worship of the true
God, that the tumult arose. “The
disciples suffered him not,” he says. “Nay, moreover,
certain of the
chief of
Asia, who were his
friends, sent unto him,
desiring him that he would not
adventure himself into the
theatre.” But if any persist in
contending with them, let
them apply their minds with
sincerity to him who says, “
Escape
for thy
life; look not behind thee.”
2332
Let them recall to their minds
also how Peter, the
chief of the
apostles, “was thrown into
prison, and
delivered to four quaternions of
soldiers to keep
him;”
2333
of whom,
when he had
escaped by
night, and had been
preserved out of the
hand of
the
Jews by the
commandment of the
angel of the
Lord, it is said,
“As soon as it was day, there was no
small stir among the
soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when
Herod had sought for
him, and found him not, he
examined the
keepers, and commanded that
they should be put to
death,”
2334
on account of whom no
blame is
attributed to Peter; for it was in their
power, when they saw what was
done, to
escape, just as also all the
infants in Bethlehem,
2335
and all the
coast thereof, might have
escaped, if their
parents had known what was
going to happen. These were put to
death by the murderer
Herod,
in order to
secure the
death of one
Infant whom he sought, which
Infant
itself also
escaped at the
commandment of the
angel of the
Lord, who
now began quickly to
spoil, and to hasten the prey, according to the
name whereby he was called: as it is written, “Call his
name Maher-shalal-hash-baz: for before the
child shall have
knowledge to
cry, My
father and my mother, the
riches of
Damascus and
the
spoil of
Samaria shall be taken away before the king of
Assyria.”
2336
The
Magi then as now having been despoiled and divided for a prey, humbly,
and in the guise of suppliants, adore the
Child, opening their
treasures, and offering unto Him
gifts most opportune and
magnificent—
gold, and
frankincense, and
myrrh—as to a king,
to
God, and to man; whence they were no longer willing to return to the
Assyrian king, being forbidden to do so by Providence. For
“being
warned of
God in a
dream,” he says, “that they
should not return to
Herod, they departed into their own
country
another way.”
2337
Hence the bloodthirsty
“
Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the
wise men, was
exceeding
wroth, and sent forth,” he says, “and slew all
the
children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the
coast thereof, from
two years old and under, according to the time that he had diligently
inquired of the
wise men.”
2338
Together with whom, having
sought to
kill another
infant that had been previously
born, and not
being able to find him, he slew
the child’s father
Zacharias between the
temple and the
altar, the
child having
escaped
with his mother
Elisabeth.
2339
Whence these men that have withdrawn themselves
are not at all to be
blamed.
Balsamon. But if any, says
he, have left their good and gone away, lest they should be detailed
and brought into peril, as being those perhaps who might not be able to
persist in their confession to the end, on account of the cruelty of
their tormentors, they shall not be found fault with, even though
others have been detained on their account. And he brings forward
as an instance on this score Gaius and Aristarchus, who were detained
instead of Paul; the soldiers who kept Peter; the infants who were
massacred by Herod on account of Christ; and Zacharias, the father of
the revered and blessed forerunner.
Zonaras. But if any, says
he, have left their possessions, and have gone away, lest being
detained they should be endangered, and because, perhaps, they would
not be able to persist in their confession unto the end on account of
the cruelty of the tormentors, they are not to be accused, even if
others are detained and punished on their account. And, again, he
brings forward an example from the Acts of the Apostles, saying that at
Ephesus also Gaius and Aristarchus were apprehended in the stead of
Paul, and that Paul was not blamed for this; nor was Peter, when he was
brought forth out of prison by an angel, and escaped the danger, and
the soldiers who guarded him were on his account punished. Then
he cites another example from the Gospel, namely, the infants who were
put to death by Herod; on account of which, says he, our Lord was not
blamed. And when Elisabeth had taken to flight with John, and had
preserved him, his father Zacharias was put to death, the child being
demanded of him; nor was this imputed as a crime to John.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
