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| Homily XX on Acts ix. 10, 12. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Homily XX.
Acts IX. 10; 12
“And there was a certain
disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a
vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,
and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for,
behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias
coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his
sight.”
What may be the reason that He neither drew any one of high authority
and importance, nor caused such to be forthcoming for the purpose of
instructing Paul?473
473 Œcumen. adds from some other source, “but Ananias who
was one of the Seventy:” and afterwards, “And this Ananias
was a deacon, as Paul himself testifies in the Canons:” the
latter from Ammonius the Presbyter, in the Catena.—Below,
Καὶ
ὅτι (Cat., ῞Οτι γὰρ) οὐ
τῶν σφόδρα
ἐπισήμων ἦν,
δῆλον, C. comp. p.
279. But Edd. “But that Ananias also was one of the very
distinguished persons, is plain both from what (the Lord) reveals and
says to him, and from what he himself says in answer: Lord, I have
heard,” etc. | It was, because
it was not meet that he should be induced by men, but only by Christ
Himself: as in fact this man taught him nothing, but merely baptized
him; for, as soon as baptized (φωτισθείς), he was to draw upon himself the grace of the Spirit, by
his zeal and exceeding earnestness. And that Ananias was no very
distinguished person, is plain. For, “the Lord,” it says,
“spake unto him in a vision, and Ananias answered and said, Lord,
I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy
saints at Jerusalem.” (v.
13.)
For if he spoke in objection to Him, much more would he have done so,
had He sent an Angel. And this is why, in the former instance, neither
is Philip told what the matter is; but he sees the Angel, and then the
Spirit bids him go near to the chariot. But observe here how the Lord
relieves him of his fear: “He is blind,” saith He,
“and prayeth, and art thou afraid?” In the same way Moses
also is afraid: so that the words betokened that he was afraid, and
shrunk from the task, not that he did not believe. He said,” have
heard from many concerning this man.” What sayest thou? God
speaketh, and thou hesitatest? They did not yet well know the power of
Christ. “And here he hath authority from the chief priests to
bind all that call on Thy name.” (v. 14.) How was that known? It is likely that they, being in
fear, made minute enquiries. He does not say this, as thinking that
Christ does not know the fact, but, “such being the case,
how,” says he, “can these things be?” As in fact
those (in the Gospel) say, “Who can be
saved?”—(Mark x. 26.) This is done,
in order that Paul may believe him that shall come to him: “he
hath seen in a vision:” it hath showed him beforehand: “he
prayeth,” saith (the Lord): fear not. And observe, He speaks not
to him of the success achieved: teaching us not to speak of our
achievements. And,474
474 Καὶ
φοβούμενον
ἰδὼν, οὐδὲ
οὕτως εἶπεν.
Οὐκ
ἀπιστηθήσῃ. The mod, t. prefixes Μᾶλλον δ, and adds, ἀλλά τι; ᾽Αναστὰς
πορεύθητι. “Nay, even seeing him afraid, even then He said not,
Thou shalt not be disbelieved: (Erasm. negligently, Be not
unbelieving:) but what? Arise,” etc. So Morel. Sav. but Ben. puts
a full stop at ἰδών: as if
the meaning were, “because He would teach us,” etc.: or
rather, “because He also saw him to be afraid. Nor did He speak
thus. Thou shalt not,” etc. But the full stop should be placed
at εἶπεν:
“nay, though he saw him afraid, He did not tell him what had
happened to Paul—the victory He had won over this adversary. But
only, Fear not to be disbelieved for he hath seen,”
etc. | though He saw him
afraid, for all this He said it not. “Thou shalt not be
disbelieved:” “he hath seen,” saith He, “in a
vision a man (named) Ananias:” for this is why it was “in a
vision,” namely, because he was blind. And not even the exceeding
wonderfulness of the thing took possession of the disciple’s
mind, so greatly was he afraid. But observe: Paul being blind, in this
way He restored to sight. “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy
way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him
how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
(v. 15, 16.) “Not
only,” saith He, “shall he be a believer, but even a
teacher, and great boldness shall he show: ‘before Gentiles and
kings’—such shall be the spread of the doctrine!—that
just as He astonished (him) by the former, so He may (startle him even
more) by the latter.475
475 ἵνα
ὥσπερ
ἐξέπληττεν
τούτῳ, οὕτω
κἀκείνῳ.
(Sav. marg. τοῦτο,
κἀκεῖνο.)
“That as He (Christ) astonished (Ananias) by the one, so He may
by the other.” τούτῳ, by the
announcement of Saul as a believer; ἐκείνῳ, by that
of his becoming a preacher, and before Gentiles and kings. (Chrys. is
negligent in his use of the pronouns οὗτος and
ἐκεῖνος.) Or
it may be, “that as he (Saul) astonished (men) by his conversion,
so by his wonderful boldness as a preacher.”—E. Edd. omit
this, and substitute, “as to prevail over all nations and
kings.” | “And Ananias
went, and entered into the house, and laid his hands upon him, and
said, Brother Saul”—he straightway addresses him as a
friend by that name—“Jesus, Who appeared unto thee in the
way in which thou camest”—and yet Christ had not told him
this, but he learnt it from the Spirit—“hath sent me unto
thee, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost.” (v.
17.)
As he said this, he laid his hands upon him. “And immediately
there fell from his eyes as it had been scales.” (v. 18.) Some say this was a
sign of his blindness. Why did he not blind his eyes (entirely)? This
was more wonderful, that, with his eyes open, he did not see:
(v. 8) which was just his
case in respect of the Law, until476
476 “But when was the name of Jesus put upon Paul, that he
should recover his sight? Here is either something wrong in the text,
or we must say that Ananias put the name of Jesus on Paul, when, having
laid his hands on him, he told him that it was Jesus from whom he
should receive his sight.” Ben.,—who surely must have
overlooked the clause ὅπερ
ἔπαθεν ἐπὶ
τοῦ νόμου, to which these words belong.—Above, Τινές φασι
τῆς πηρώσεως
εἶναι τοῦτο
σημεῖον,
the meaning is, that this falling off the scales, etc., is an emblem of
his mental blindness, and of his recovery therefrom. The innovator, not
understanding this, alters it to, ταύτας
τινές φασι
τῆς π. αὐτοῦ
εἶναι
αἰτίας.
“Some say that these were the cause of his blindness:”
which is accepted by Edd.—And below, “lest any should
imagine,” etc., where τις, E. bracketted by Sav.,
adopted by the other Edd. is due to the same hand. | the Name of
Jesus was put on him. “And he received sight forthwith, and
arose, and was baptized. And having taken food, he recovered
strength.” (v.
19.)
He was faint, therefore, both from his journey and from his fear; both
from hunger, and from dejection of mind. Wishing therefore to deepen
his dejection, He made the man blind until the coming of Ananias: and,
that he might not imagine the blindness to be (only) fancy, this is the
reason of the scales. He needed no other teaching: that which had
befallen was made teaching (to him). “And he was with the
disciples which were at Damascus certain days. And straightway in the
synagogues he preached Jesus,477
477 For Ιησοῦν (the
reading accredited by the leading authorities in v. 20) here and in the second exposition, E. alone has
Χριστὸν (with text recept.) adopted by Edd. | that He is the
Son of God.” (v.
20.)
See, straightway he was a teacher in the synagogues. He was not ashamed
of the change, was not afraid while the very things in which he was
glorious afore-time, the same he destroyed. Even478
478 Καὶ εὐθέως
ἐκ τροοιμίων,
θανατῶν ὁ
ἄνθρωπος ἦν
viz. ch. vii. 58. C. has θανάτων, for which A. conjecturally substitutes θαύμαστος. | from his first appearance on the stage
here was a man, death-dealing, ready for deeds of blood: seest thou
what a manifest sign (was here)? And with this very thing, he put all
in fear: for, said they, Hither also is he come for this very thing.
“But all that heard him were amazed, and said: Is not this he
that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came
hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief
priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the
Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”
(v. 21, 22.) As one learned in the
Law, he stopped their mouths, and suffered them not to speak. They
thought they were rid of disputation in such matters, in getting rid of
Stephen, and they found another, more vehement than Stephen.479
479 The
narratives given by Paul himself of his conversion in Acts xxii. and Acts xxvi.
as well as allusion to the subjects in his epistles, present some
harmonistic difficulties, which have, however, been greatly exaggerated
by a criticism which is unfavorable to the historical character of the
Acts. The constant factors in all the accounts are: the light from
heaven, the voice of Jesus and Saul’s answer, and the solemn
charge commissioning Saul to bear the name of Christ to the Gentiles.
In Acts xxvi. the interview with Ananias is omitted; in chap. xxii. it is narrated, but
the occasion of Ananias’ going to Saul is not given; in
chap. ix. the Lord is
represented as speaking to him and bidding him go, and it is affirmed
that at the same time Saul has a vision of his coming. In xxii. the address of Ananias is considerably more extended than
in ix. Some minor points of
difference have been noted, as: in ix. 7 it is said that Saul’s companions heard the voice but
saw no one, while in xxii.
9, it
is said that they saw the light but heard not the voice of Him who
spoke. The discrepancy is resolved by many by translating ἤκουσαν(xxii. 9)
“understood”—an admissable sense (so, Lechler,
Hackett, Lange). It is certainly an unwarranted criticism which rejects
the common matter of the various narratives upon the ground of such
incidental variations in the traditions in which a great and mysterious
experience has been preserved.—G.B.S. |
(Recapitulation.) But let us
look at what relates to Ananias.480
480 Σκεῦος δὲ
καλεῖται
δικαίως·
δεικνύντος
τοῦ λόγου ὅτι
οὐκ ἔστι
φυσικὴ ἡ
κακία·
σκεῦος, φησὶν,
ἐκλογῆς· τὸ
δόκιμον γὰρ
ἐκλεγόμεθα. A. B. C. N. i.e. “Justly is he called a
σκεῦος, for
he is well-fitted for the work of Christ by his energy and earnestness.
These need but to be turned to the right objects. It is contrary to
right reason to say, that evil is a physical quality or essence, and
therefore unchangeable. (See this argued Hom. lix. in
Matt. p. 596.) A fit implement, therefore, and of no common kind:
a σκεῦος
ἐκλογῆς,
of all others to be chosen, because of its approved suitableness for
the purpose.” Thus St. Chrysostom constantly interprets this
expression. Hom. xviii. in Rom. §6 t. ix. 638.
“When the stars were created, the Angels admired: but this man
Christ Himself admired, saying, A chosen vessel is this man to
Me!” Comm. in c. 1. Gal. §9, t. x. 674
“Called me by His grace. Yet God saith, that He called Him,
because of his virtue, (διὰ τὴν
ἀρετήν,)
saying, A chosen vessel, etc.: i.e. fit to do service, and do a great
work…But Paul himself everywhere ascribes it all to grace.”
Hom. iii. in 1 Tim. §1, t. xi. 562.
“God, foreknowing what he would be before he began to preach,
saith, A chosen vessel etc. For as they who in war bear the royal
standard, the labarum as we call it, have need of much skill and
bravery not to deliver it into the enemy’s hands, so they that
bear the name of Christ,” etc. And de Compunct. ad Demetr.
lib. i. §9, t. i. 138. “Since grace will have our part,
(τὰ
παρ᾽ ἡμῶν
ζητεῖ,) therefore
some it follows and abides with, from some it departs, and to the rest
it never even reaches. And to show that God first examined well the
bent of the will (προαίρεσις,) and thereupon gave the grace before this blessed man had
done aught wonderful, hear what the Lord saith of him: A chosen
vessel,” etc.—The modern text: “And having
said Σκεῦος, so
as to show that the evil in him (ἡ κακία
αὐτοῦ) is not
physical, He adds, ἐκλογῆς, to
declare that he is also approved; for,”
etc.—Œcumen. δείκνυσιν
ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὶ
φυσικὴ ἡ
κακία αὐτῷ, “The Lord shows that vice is not natural to
him.” | The Lord said
not to him, Converse with him, and catechize him. For if, when He said,
“He prayeth, and hath seen a man laying his hands upon
him,” (v. 11, 12.) He did not persuade
him, much less had He said this. So that he shall not disbelieve thee,
“he hath seen in a vision.” Observe how in the former
instance neither is Philip told all immediately. Fear not, He saith:
“for this man is a chosen vessel for Me. (v. 15.) He more than sufficiently released him of his fear, if
the case be so that this man shall be so zealous in our cause, as even
to suffer many things. And justly he is called “a vessel”
(or, instrument)—for reason shows that evil is not a physical
quality: “a vessel of election” (or, chosen instrument), He
saith; for we choose that which is approved. And let not any imagine,
that (Ananias) speaks in unbelief of what was told him, as imagining
that Christ was deceived: far from it! but affrighted and trembling, he
did not even attend to what was said, at hearing the name of Paul.
Moreover, the Lord does not tell that He has blinded him: at the
mention of his name fear had prepossessed his soul: “see,”
he says, “to whom Thou art betraying me: ‘and hither for
this very purpose is he come, to bind all that call upon Thy
Name.’ I fear, lest he take me to Jerusalem: why dost Thou cast
me into the mouth of the lion?” He is terrified, even while he
speaks these words; that from every quarter we may learn the energetic
character (ἀρετήν) of the man. For that these things should be spoken by Jews, were
nothing wonderful: but that these (the believers) are so terrified, it
is a most mighty proof of the power of God. Both the fear is shown, and
the obedience greater after the fear. For there was indeed need of
strength. Since He says, “a vessel of election,” that thou
mayest not imagine that God is to do all, He adds, “to bear My
Name before Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel. Ananias has
heard what he most desired—that against the Jews also he will
take his stand: this above all gave him courage. “For I,”
saith He, “will show him how great things he must suffer for My
Name’s sake.” At the same time also this is said by way of
putting Ananias to the blush: If he, that was so frantic, shall suffer
all things, and thou not willing even to baptize him! “It is
well,” saith he: “let him continue blind” (this481
481 διὰ τοῦτο
ταῦτα
λέγει: i.e.
Ananias’ objection, (v.
13)
in fact comes to this: this was the feeling which prompted his words.
The innovator substitutes, διὰ τοῦτο
νῦν ἥμερος,
ὅτι…“therefore is he now gentle,
because he is blind:” E. Edd.—The meaning is; “In
saying, ‘I will show him how much he shall suffer,’ etc.
the Lord rebukes Ananias’ reluctance to baptize him, and restore
his sight: his answer, ‘Lord, I have heard,’ etc. was in
fact as good as saying, Let him remain blind, it is better so.”
The parenthetic, πρὸς τὸ, ῞Ινα
ἀναβλέψῃ,
ταῦτα
εἴρηται,
looks like a marginal note of one who did not perceive the
connection.—E. makes it, “To that saying, ‘That he
may receive his sight,’ let this be added.” | is why he says these words): “he is
blind: why dost Thou at all bid me open his eyes, that he may bind
(men) again?” Fear not the future: for that opening of his eyes
he will use not against you, but for you (with reference to that
saying, “That he may receive his sight” (v. 12), these words are
spoken): for not only will he do you no harm, but he “will suffer
many things.” And what is wonderful indeed is,482
482 Καὶ τὸ δὴ
θαυμαστὸν
ὅτι πρότερον
πείσεται, καὶ
τότε. So all our mss. (Cat. τὸ πρ.) We conjecture
the true reading to be, ὅτι
πρότερον
εἴσεται:
“he shall first know,” viz. “how many things he must
suffer,” etc. v.
16. | that he shall first know “how
great things he shall suffer,” and then shall take the field
against the perils.—“Brother Saul, the Lord
Jesus”—he saith not, “Who made thee blind,”
but, “Who appeared with thee in the way, hath sent me unto thee
that thou mayest receive thy sight” (v. 17): observe this man also, how he utters nothing boastful,
but just as Peter said in the case of the lame man, “Why look ye
on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made him to
walk,” (ch. iii. 12) so here also he saith,
“Jesus, Who appeared unto thee.” (b) Or,483
483 In the mss. and Edd. the portions here
marked b, a, c, occur in the order a, b, c. The
clause ἢ ὥστε
πιστεῦσαι
ἐκεῖνον being thus thrown out of its connection, perplexed the scribes:
Cat. omits ἣ, “until he obtained the mighty gifts, so that he
(ἐκεῖνον,
Ananias?) believed.” A. E. F. D. reject the clause altogether.
N. ὥστε καὶ π.
ἐ. | (he saith it) that the other may
believe: and he saith not, He that was crucified, the Son of God, He
that doeth wonders: but what? “He that appeared unto thee:”
(speaking) from what the other knew: as Christ also added no more,
neither said, I am Jesus, the Crucified, the Risen: but what?
“Whom thou persecutest.” Ananias said not, “The
persecuted,” that he may not seem as it were to rave over him
(ἐπενθουσί&
139·ν), to deride him, “Who
appeared unto thee in the way:” and yet He did not (visibly)
appear, but was seen by the things done. And immediately he added,
wishing to draw a veil over the accusation: “That thou mayest
receive thy sight.” I came not to reprove the past, but to bestow
the gift: “that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with
the Holy Ghost.” (a) With hands laid on, he spake these
words. “And immediately there fell from his eyes,” etc.
(v. 18): a double blindness is
removed.—And why saith it, “Having taken food, he was
strengthened?” (v.
19.)
Because they that are in such case become relaxed: he had no heart to
partake of food before, until he obtained the mighty gifts. (c)
It seems to me, that both Paul and Cornelius, at the very instant when
the words were spoken, received the Spirit. And yet (in this case) the
giver was no great one. So true is it, that there was naught of
man’s in the things done, nor aught was done by man, but God was
present, the Doer of these things. And at the same time (the Lord) both
teaches him to think modestly of himself, in that He does not bring him
to the Apostles who were so admired, and shows that there is nothing of
man here. He was not filled, however, with the Spirit which works
signs: that in this way also his faith might be shown; for he wrought
no miracles. “And straightway,” it says, “in the
synagogues he preached Jesus”—(v. 20) not that He is risen—not this: no, nor that He
liveth: but what? immediately he strictly expounded the
doctrine—“that this is the Son of God. And all that heard
him were amazed,” etc. (v.
21.)
They were reduced to utter incredulity. And yet they ought not to have
wondered only, but to worship and reverence. “Is not this
he,” etc. He had not merely been a persecutor, but
“destroyed them which called on this Name”—they did
not say, “on Jesus;” for hatred, they could not bear even
to hear His name—and what is more marvellous still, “and
came hither for this purpose,” etc. “We cannot say, that he
associated with the Apostles before.” See by how many (witnesses)
he is confessed to have been of the number of the enemies! But Paul not
only was not confounded by these things, nor hid his face for shame,
but “increased the more in strength, and confounded the
Jews” (v. 22), i.e. put them to
silence, left them nothing to say for themselves, “proving, that
this is very Christ.” “Teaching,” it says: for this
man was a teacher.
“And after that many days
were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him.”484
484 It
is noticeable that in chap. xxii.
17,
Paul is reported as connecting his going to Jerusalem directly with the
narrative of his conversion, while in Gal. i. 16, 17 he
states that it was not until three years after his conversion that he
went up to Jerusalem. The various notices can only be matched together
on the view that the coming to Jerusalem mentioned in ix. 26 was the same as that
of Gal. i. 18, and that this occurred about three years after his
conversion. The ἡμέραι
ἱκαναί of v. 23 must therefore include
the time spent in Arabia (Gal. i. 17)., after which
Paul must have returned to Damascus, before going up to Jerusalem. In
this way the narratives can be harmonized without admitting a
contradiction (as Baur, Zeller, De Wette); it is probable, however,
that Luke did not know of the visit to Arabia, but connected
Paul’s going to Jerusalem closely with his
conversion.—G.B.S. | (v.
23.)
The Jews again resort to that valid argument (ἰσχυρὸν
συλλογισμόν) of theirs, not now seeking false-accusers and
false-witnesses; they cannot wait for these now: but what do they? They
set about it by themselves. For as they see the affair on the increase,
they do not even use the form of a trial. “But their laying await
was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill
him.” (v. 24.) For this was more
intolerable to them than the miracles which had taken place—than
the five thousand, the three thousand, than everything, in short. And
observe him, how he is delivered, not by (miraculous) grace, but by
man’s wisdom—not as the apostles were—(ἐκεἴνοι, ch. v. 19) that thou mayest learn
the energetic (ἀρετὴν) character of the man, how he shines even without miracles.
“Then the disciples took him by night,” that the affair
might not be suspected, “and let him down by the wall in a
basket.”485 (v. 25.) What then? having escaped such a danger, does he flee? By
no means, but goes where he kindled them to greater rage.
(Recapitulation, v. 20, 21.) “And
straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus”—for he was
accurate in the faith—“that this is the Son of God. But all
that heard him were amazed,” etc., for indeed it was incredible.
“But Saul increased,” etc. Therefore “after many
days” this happens: viz. the Jews “took counsel to kill
him. And their laying await was known of Saul.” (v. 22–24.) What does this
mean? It is likely that for awhile he did not choose to depart thence,
though many, perhaps, besought him; but when he learnt it, then he
permitted his disciples: for he had disciples immediately.
“Then the
disciples,” etc. (v.
25.)
Of this occurrence he says: “The ethnarch of Aretas the king kept
the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to apprehend
me.” (2 Cor. xi. 32.) But observe the
Writer here,486
486 τοῦτον: Edd. τὸν
εὐαγγελιστὴν: and below from E. alone, “ἀλλὰ
μόνον ὅτι
ἐπήγειραν
τὸν
βασιλέα,
not speaking ambitiously, and making Paul illustrious, but only
(saying) that they stirred up the king.” But he does not say it,
and his not saying it is the very thing which Chrys. commends:
ἀλλ᾽ ὅρα
τοῦτον οὐ
φιλοτίμως
λέγοντα, οὐδὲ
λαμπρὸν
δεικνύντα
τὸν Π.,
“᾽Επήγειραν
γάρ,” φησιν,
“τὸν
βασιλέα.” The φησὶν here is
put hypothetically, “as if he had said,” or “when he
might have said.” The sentence, however, requires something to
complete it, such as we have added in the translation. | that he does not tell the story
ambitiously, and so as to show what an important person Paul was,
saying, “For they stirred up the king,” and so forth: but
only, “Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by
the wall—in a basket:” for they sent him out alone, and
none with him. And it was well they did this: the consequence being,
that he showed himself to the Apostles in Jerusalem. Now they sent him
out, as bound to provide for his safety by flight: but he did just the
contrary—he leaped into the midst of those who were mad against
him. This it is to be on fire, this to be fervent indeed! From that day
forth he knew all the commands which the Apostles had heard:
“Except a man take up his cross, and follow Me.”
(Matt.
x. 38.) The very fact that he had been slower to come than the rest
made him more zealous: for “to whom much is forgiven”
(Luke vii. 47) the same will love more, so that the later he came, the more he
loved: * * *487
487 ᾽Αλλ᾽
ἔνεδρα (N. ἕνεδρα) ἐποίει τὸν
πρῶτον
χρόνον, καὶ
μυρία
ἠδικηκὼς,
οὐδὲν ἡγεῖτο
ἱκανὸν, κ. τ.
λ. So all our mss. except E. If ἔνεδρα be not
corrupt, it seems to be used in a sense unknown to the
Lexicons.—Edd. from E. “Therefore it is that he so
pillories (στηλιτεύων) his former life, and brands (στίζων) himself repeatedly, and thinks nothing enough,”
etc. | and having done ten thousand
wrongs, he thought he could never do enough to cast the former deeds
into the shade. “Proving” (v. 22), it says: i.e. with mildness teaching. And observe, they
did not say to him, Thou art he that destroyed: why art thou changed?
for they were ashamed: but they said it to themselves. For he would
have said to them, This very thing ought to teach you, as in fact he
does thus plead in his speech before Agrippa. Let us imitate this, man:
let us bear our souls in our hands ready to confront all
dangers.—(That he fled from Damascus) this was no cowardice:488
488 Hom.xxv. in 2 Cor. p.
615. Hom. v. de Laud. S. Pauli, t. ii. 501. | he preserved himself for the
preaching. Had he been a coward, he would not have gone to Jerusalem,
would not immediately have commenced teaching: he would have abated
somewhat of his vehemence: for he had been taught by the fate of
Stephen. He was no coward, but he was also prudent (οἰκονομικός) (in husbanding himself). Wherefore he thought it no great
thing to die for the Gospel’s sake, unless he should do this to
great advantage: willing not even to see Christ, Whom most of all he
longed to see, while the work of his stewardship among men was not yet
complete. (Phil. i. 23, 24). Such ought to be the
soul of a Christian. From489
489 Hom.xxvi. in 2 Cor. p.
617, B. | his first
appearance from the very outset, the character of Paul declared itself:
nay even before this, even in the things which he did “not
according to knowledge” (Rom. x. 2), it was not by
man’s reasoning that he was moved to act as he did.490
490 Μᾶλλον δὲ
καὶ πρὸ
τούτου, καὶ
ἐν οἷς οὐ
κατὰ γνῶσιν
ἐποίει, οὐκ
(B. οὐδὲ, A. om.
ἀνθρωπίνῳ
κινούμενος
λογισμῷ
διεπράττετο. i.e. “Even as a persecutor, he was not swayed by
common worldly considerations.” The mod. t. (Edd.) perverts the
Author’s meaning:“—nay even before this. For in the
things, etc. he was moved by man’s reasoning to act as he
did.” | For if, so long afterwards, he was content
not to depart, much more at the beginning of his trading voyage, when
he had but just left the harbor! Many things Christ leaves to be done
by (ordinary) human wisdom, that we may learn that (his disciples) were
men, that it was not all everywhere to be done by grace: for otherwise
they would have been mere motionless logs: but in many things they
managed matters themselves.—This is not less than
martyrdom,—to shrink from no suffering for the sake of the
salvation of the many. Nothing so delights God. Again will I repeat
what I have often said: and I repeat it, because I do exceedingly
desire it: as Christ also did the same, when discoursing concerning
forgiveness: “When ye pray, forgive if ye have aught against any
man:” (Mark xi. 25.) and again to Peter He
said, “I say not unto thee, Forgive until seven times, but until
seventy-times seven.” (Matt. xviii.
22.)
And Himself in fact forgives the transgressions against Him. So do we
also, because we know that this is the very goal of Christianity,
continually discourse thereof. Nothing is more frigid than a Christian,
who cares not for the salvation of others. Thou canst not here plead
poverty: for she that cast down the two mites, shall be thine accuser.
(Luke xxi. 1.) And Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none.”
(Acts iii. 6.) And Paul was so poor, that he was often hungered, and wanted
necessary food. Thou canst not plead lowness of birth: for they too
were ignoble men, and of ignoble parents. Thou canst not allege want of
education: for they too were “unlearned men.” (Acts iv. 13.)
Even if thou be a slave therefore and a runaway slave, thou canst
perform thy part: for such was Onesimus: yet see to what Paul calls
him, and to how great honor he advances him: “that he may
communicate with me,” he says, “in my bonds.”
(Philem. v. 13.) Thou canst not plead
infirmity: for such was Timothy, having often infirmities; for, says
the apostle, “Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and
thine often infirmities.” (1 Tim. v. 23.) Every one can
profit his neighbor, if he will fulfil his part. See ye not the
unfruitful trees, how strong they are, how fair, how large also, and
smooth, and of great height? But if we had a garden; we should much
rather have pomegranates, or fruitful olive trees: for the others are
for delight to the eye, not for profit, which in them is but small.
Such are those men who only consider their own interest: nay, not such
even since these persons are fit only for burning: whereas those trees
are useful both for building and for the safety of those within. Such
too were those Virgins, chaste indeed, and decent, and modest, but
profitable to none (Matt. xxv. 1) wherefore they
are burned. Such are they who have not nourished Christ. For observe
that none of those are charged with particular sins of their own, with
fornication, for instance, or with perjury; in short, with no sin but
the having been of no use to another. Such was he who buried his
talent, showing indeed a blameless life, but not being useful to
another. (ib. 25.) How can such an one
be a Christian? Say, if the leaven being mixed up with the flour did
not change the whole into its own nature, would such a thing be leaven?
Again, if a perfume shed no sweet odor on those who approach it, could
we call it a perfume? Say not, “It is impossible for me to induce
others (to become Christians)”—for if thou art a Christian,
it is impossible but that it should be so. For as the natural
properties of things cannot be gainsaid, so it is here: the thing is
part of the very nature of the Christian. Do not insult God. To say,
that the sun cannot shine, would be to insult Him: to say that a
Christian cannot do good, is to insult God, and call Him a liar. For it
is easier for the sun not to give heat, nor to shine, than for the
Christian not to send forth light: it is easier for the light to be
darkness, than for this to be so. Tell me not that it is impossible:
the contrary is the impossible. Do not insult God. If we once get our
own affairs in a right state, the other will certainly follow as a
natural and necessary consequence. It is not possible for the light of
a Christian to be hid; not possible for a lamp so conspicuous as that
to be concealed. Let us not be careless. For, as the profit from virtue
reaches both to ourselves, and to those who are benefited by it: so
from vice there is a two-fold loss, reaching both to ourselves, and to
those who are injured by it. Let there be (if you will) some private
man, who has suffered numberless ills from some one, and let no one
take his part, yet let that man still return good offices; what
teaching so mighty as this? What words, or what exhortations could
equal it? What wrath were it not enough to extinguish and soften?
Knowing therefore these things, let us hold fast to virtue, as knowing
that it is not possible to be saved otherwise, than by passing through
this present life in doing these good works, that we may also obtain
the good things which are to come, through the grace and mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father together with the Holy
Spirit be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end.
Amen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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