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| Homily XXXVI on Acts xvi. 25, 26.
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Homily XXXVI.
Acts XVI. 25, 26
“And at midnight Paul and
Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of
the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and
every one’s bands were loosed.”
What could equal these souls? These men had been scourged, had received
many stripes, they had been misused, were in peril of their lives, were
thrust into the inner prison, and set fast in the stocks: and for all
this they did not suffer themselves to sleep, but kept vigil all the
night. Do you mark what a blessing tribulation is? But we, in837
| 837 Mod. text ἡμεῖς δὲ
οὐδὲ ἐν
ἁπαλοῖς κ. τ.
λ. but Sav. justly rejects οὐδὲ, and even Ben. omits it in the Latin. | our soft beds, with none to be afraid
of, pass the whole night in sleep. But belike this is why they kept
vigil, because they were in this condition. Not the tyranny of sleep
could overpower them, not the smart of pain could bow them, not the
fear of evil east them into helpless dejection: no, these were the very
things that made them wakeful: and they were even filled with exceeding
delight. “At midnight,” it says, “and the prisoners
listened to them:” it was so strange and surprising! “And
suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken, and immediately, all the doors were opened, and
every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison
awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew out
his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners
had been fled.” (v.
27.)
There was an earthquake, that the keeper should be roused from sleep,
and the doors flew open, that he should wonder at what had happened:
but these things the prisoners saw not: otherwise they would all have
fled:838
| 838 The explanation of Chrys. that Paul and Silas could not have known
that the doors were open, else they would have escaped, is clearly out
of harmony with the narrative. The unwillingness of Paul (v. 37) to go forth from the
prison without an explicit vindication from the authorities who had
imprisoned him without just cause, shows that he was not bent upon an
escape. This would be all the more true in view of the miraculous
interposition in their behalf.—G.B.S. | but the keeper of the prison was
about to slay himself, thinking the prisoners were escaped. “But
Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are
all here” (v.
28.)
(b) “Then he called for lights, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out,
and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v. 29, 30.) Do you mark how the
wonder overpowered him? (a) He wondered more at Paul’s
kindness; he was amazed at his manly boldness, that he had not escaped
when he had it in his power, that he hindered him from killing
himself.839
| 839 i.e. “The miracle amazed him, but he was more astonished at
Paul’s boldness, was more moved to admiration by his
kindness.” But besides the transposition marked by the letters,
the clauses of (a) may perhaps be better re-arranged thus:
“He more marvelled at Paul’s boldness, in not escaping
etc., he was amazed at his kindness in hindering,”
etc. | (c) “And they said,
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that
were in his house.” (v. 31;
35)
and (so) immediately gave proof of their kindness towards him.
“And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”
(v. 33.) He washed them, and
was himself baptized, he and his house. “And when he had brought
them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing
in God with all his house. And when it was day, the magistrates sent
the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.” (v. 34, 35.) It is likely the
magistrates had learnt what had happened, and did not dare of
themselves to dismiss them. “And the keeper of the prison told
these words to Paul, saying, the magistrates have sent to let you go:
now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them, they
have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into
prison; and now do they thrust as out privily? nay verily; but let them
come themselves and fetch us out. And the sergeants told these words
unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were
Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the
prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the
brethren, they comforted them, and departed.” (v. 36–40.) Even840
| 840 The
report seems to be defective, but the meaning may be, that in taking
this high tone with the magistrates the Apostle was not influenced by
personal feelings; but acted thus for the assurance of Lydia and the
other believers, by letting it be seen that they were not set at
liberty upon their own request. In the recapitulation another
consideration is mentioned, viz. in respect of the jailer.—Mod.
text “perhaps for the sake of Lydia and the other brethren: or
also putting them in fear that they may not, etc., and that they may
set the others also in a posture of boldness.” Then, Τριπλοῦν,
ἀγαπητοὶ, κ. τ.
λ. the third point being καὶ
δημοσί& 139·. We reject this καὶ though all our mss. have it. We have also transferred the
ἀγαπητοὶ, which is out of place here to the beginning of the
recapitulation. | upon the declaration of the magistrates
Paul does not go out, but for the sake both of Lydia and the rest he
puts them in fear: that they may not be supposed to have come out upon
their own request, that they may set the rest in a posture of boldness.
The impeachment was twofold: that “being Romans,” and
“uncondemned,” they had openly cast them into prison. You
see that in many things they took their measures as men.
(Recapitulation) “And at
midnight,” etc. (v.
25.)
Let us compare, beloved, with that night these nights of ours, with
their revellings, their drunkenness, and wanton excesses, with their
sleep which might as well be death, their watchings which are worse
than sleep. For while some sleep without sense or feeling, others lie
awake to pitiable and wretched purpose, plotting deceits, anxiously
thinking about money, studying how they may be revenged upon those who
do them wrong, meditating enmity, reckoning up the abusive words spoken
during the day: thus do they rake up the smouldering embers of wrath,
doing things intolerable.841
Mark how Peter
slept. (ch. xii. 6.) Both there, it was
wisely ordered (that he should be asleep); for the Angel came to him,
and it behooved that none should see what happened; and on the other
hand it was well ordered here (that Paul should be awake), in order
that the keeper of the prison might be prevented from killing himself.
“And suddenly there was a great earthquake.” (v. 26.) And why did no other
miracle take place? Because this was, of all others, the thing
sufficient for his conversion, seeing he was personally in danger: for
it is not so much miracles that overpower us, as the things which issue
in our own deliverance. That the earthquake should not seem to have
come of itself, there was this concurrent circumstance, bearing witness
to it: “the doors were opened, and all their bonds were
loosed.” And it appears in the night-time; for the Apostles did
not work for display, but for men’s salvation. “And the
keeper of the prison,” etc. (v. 27.) The keeper was not an evil-disposed man that he
“thrust them into the inner prison,” (v. 24) was because of his “having received such a
command,” not of himself. The man842
| 842 Mod. text “And why did not Paul shout before this? The man was all in a tumult of perturbation, and would not have received (what
was said). Therefore when he saw him about to kill himself, he is
beforehand with him, and shouts saying, “We are all here.”
Therefore also, “Having asked,” it says, “for lights,
he sprang in, and fell before Paul and Silas.” The keeper falls
at the feet of the prisoner. And he brings them out, and says,
“Sirs,” etc. But the question, Διὰ τί μὴ
πρὸ τούτου; evidently cannot be meant for ἐβόησεν ὁ
Παῦλος. The
meaning is, “Why did he not sooner ask, ‘What shall I do to
be saved?’ Observe his first impulse is to kill
himself—such was the tumult of his thoughts. Suddenly awaked, he
sees the doors open, and supposes the prisoners were escaped. Therefore
Paul shouted to him, to reassure him on that point, until he could
satisfy himself with his own eyes: as, it says, ‘He called for
lights,’ for that purpose: and then indeed, relieved of that
fear, he is overcome with awe: and falls down at the feet of his
prisoner saying, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ Why, what
had they said? Nothing more: but the religious awe now seizes him: for
he does not think all is right and no need to trouble himself any
further, because he finds himself safe from the temporal danger.”
For this is the meaning of ὅρα
αὐπὸν οὐκ,
ἐπειδὴ
διεσώθη, ἐπὶ
τούτῳ
στέργοντα,
ἀλλὰ τὴν
δύναμιν
ἐκπλαγέντα: not as Ben. vide illum non ab hoc diligere quod
servatus esset, sed quod de virtute obstupesceret. |
was all in a tumult of perturbation. “What shall I do to be
saved?” he asks. Why not before this? Paul shouted, until he saw,
and is beforehand with him saying, “We are all here. And having
called for lights,” it says, “he sprang in, and fell down
at the feet” of the prisoner; he, the prison keeper, saying,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v. 28–30.) Why, what had they
said? Observe, he does not, on finding himself safe, think all is well;
he is overcome with awe at the miraculous power.
Do you mark843
| 843 This is the sequel to what was said above: “It is not so
much miracles that overpower or convince us (αἱρεῖ),
as the sense of benefits received.” For, they saw the miracle of
dispossession wrought upon the girl, and they cast the doers of it into
prison: whereas here the jailer sees but the doors open (the prisoners
safe, the Apostle’s manliness in not escaping, and their kindness
to himself), and he is converted. The doors were open, and the door of
his heart (like Lydia’s) was opened: the prisoner’s chains
were loosed, and worse chains were loosed from himself: he called for a
light, but the true light was lighted in his own heart. | what happened in the former case, and
what here? There a girl was released from a spirit, and they cast them
into prison, because they had liberated her from the spirit. Here, they
did but show the doors standing open, and it opened the doors of his
heart, it loosed two sorts of chains; that (prisoner)844
| 844 ἧψεν
ἐκεῖνος τὸ
φῶς. Edd. (from D. F.)
ἐκεῖνο. | kindled the (true) light; for the light
in his heart was shining. “And he sprang in, and fell before
them;” and he does not ask, How is this? What is this? but
straightway he says, “What must I do to be saved?” What
then answers Paul? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, thou and thine house.” (v. 31.) For this above all, wins men: that one’s house also
should be saved. “And they spake the word to him, and to all that
were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and
washed their stripes,” etc. (v. 32, 33), washed them and was
washed: those he washed from their stripes, himself was washed from his
sins: he fed and was fed.845
| 845 ἔθρεψε καὶ
ἐτράφη:
probably meaning the Holy Eucharist immediately after the baptism. So
above p. 219, τοσαῦτα
μυστήρια, in the case of Lydia. | “And
rejoiced,” it says: although there was nothing but words only and
good hopes: “having believed in God with all his house
(v. 34): this was the token of
his having believed—that he was released of all. What worse than
a jailer, what more ruthless, more savage? He entertained them with
great honor. Not, because he was safe, he made merry, but, having
believed God. (a) “Believe on the Lord,” said the
Apostle: therefore it is that the writer here says, “Having
believed.846
| 846 Edd. “Having believed, that he may not seem to be
liberated,” etc., as if this (b) were said of the jailer.
(Here again the method of the derangement is 1, 3, 5: 2, 4, 6: as in p.
213, note 5, 220, note 2). | —(d) Now therefore,” it
says, “depart, and go in peace” (v. 36): that is, in safety, fearing no man. (b) “But
Paul said unto them” (v.
37):
that he may not seem to be receiving his liberty as one condemned, and
as one that has done wrong: therefore it is that he says, “Having
openly beaten us uncondemned,” etc.—that it may not be
matter of grace on their part. (e) And besides, they wish the
jailer himself to be out of danger, that he may not be called to
account for this afterwards. And they do not say, “Having beaten
us,” who have wrought miracles: for they (the magistrates) did
not even heed these: but, that which was most effectual to shake their
minds, “uncondemned, and being Romans.” (c) Observe
how diversely grace manages things: how Peter went out, how Paul,
though both were Apostles. “They feared,” (v. 38) it says: because the
men were Romans, not because they had unjustly cast them into prison,847
“And besought them to depart out
of the city” (v.
39):
begged them as a favor. And they went to the house of Lydia, and having
confirmed her, so departed. For it was not right to leave their hostess
in distress and anxiety. But they went out, not in compliance with the
request of those rulers, but hasting to the preaching: the city having
been sufficiently benefited by the miracle: for it was fit they should
not be there any longer. For in the absence of them that wrought it,
the miracle appeared greater, itself crying out more loudly: the faith
of the jailer was a voice in itself. What equal to this? He is put in
bonds, and looses, being bound: looses a twofold bond: him that bound
him, he looses by being bound. These are indeed works of (supernatural)
grace.
(f) Let us constantly
bear in mind this jailer,848
| 848 All our mss. δεσμοφύλακος, but Savile δεσμώτου. adopted by Ben. We retain the old reading—Mod. text
“What say the heathen? how being a prisoner,” etc. Then:
“Καὶ
τίνα, φησὶ,
πεισθῆναι
ἐχρῆν, ἢ
μιαρὸν κ. τ.
λ. And what man (say they) was (more) to
be persuaded than, etc. Moreover, they allege this also: for who but a
tanner τίς
γὰρ ἢ
βυρσεὺς).…believed?”—We take τίνα to be acc.
plur. sc. δόγματα. The heathen objection is this, You may see by the character of
the first converts, such as this jailer, what is the character of the
doctrines: “Since what doctrines behooved (a man like this) to be
persuaded of?” St. Chrys. says, “Let us bear in mind this
jailer—not to dwell upon the miracle, but to consider how his
prisoner persuaded him: how he induced a man like this not only to
receive the doctrines, but to submit to the self-denying rule of the
Gospel. The heathen raise a prejudice against the Gospel from the very
fact, that such men as these were converted. What, say they, must be
the teaching to be received by a wretched creature like this jailer?
The doctrines were well matched with their first converts, tanner,
purple-seller, eunuch,” etc. (So in the remarkable argument on
this same subject in the Morale of Hom. vii. in 1
Cor. p. 62, E. “but it is objected: Those who were
convinced by them were slaves, women, nurses, eunuchs:” whence it
seems, as here, that the case of the eunuch, Acts viii. was made a
reproach, as if he must needs be a person of inferior
understanding). | not the
miracle: how, prisoner as he was (the Apostle), persuaded his jailer.
What say the heathen? “And of what things,” say they,
“was such a man as this to be persuaded—a vile, wretched
creature, of no understanding, full of all that is bad and nothing
else, and easily brought over to anything? For these, say they, are the
things, a tanner, a purple-seller, an eunuch, slaves, and women
believed.” This is what they say. What then will they be able to
say, when we produce the men of rank and station, the centurion, the
proconsul, those from that time to the present, the rulers themselves,
the emperors? But for my part, I speak of something else, greater than
this: let us look to these very persons of no consideration. “And
where is the wonder?” say you. Why, this, I say, is a wonder.
For, if a person be persuaded about any common things, it is no wonder:
but if resurrection, a kingdom of heaven, a life of philosophic
self-command, be the subjects, and, discoursing of these to persons of
mean consideration, one persuades them, it will be more wonderful than
if one persuaded wise men. For when there is no danger attending the
things of which one persuades people, then (the objector) might with
some plausibility allege want of sense on their part: but when (the
preacher) says—to the slave, as you will have it—“If
thou be persuaded by me, it is at thy peril, thou wilt have all men for
thine enemies, thou must die, thou must suffer evils without
number,” and yet for all this, convinces that man’s soul,
there can be no more talk here of want of sense. Since, if indeed the
doctrines contained what was pleasant, one might fairly enough say
this: but if, what the philosohers would never have chosen to learn,
this the slave does learn, then is the wonder greater. And, if you
will, let us bring before us the tanner himself, and see what were the
subjects on which Peter conversed with him: or if you will, this same
jailer. What then said Paul to him? “That Christ rose
again,” say you; “that there is a resurrection of the dead,
and a kingdom: and he had no difficulty in persuading him, a man easily
led to anything.” How? Said he nothing about the mode of life;
that he must be temperate, that he must be superior to money, that he
must not be unmerciful, that he must impart of his good things to
others? For it cannot be said, that the being persuaded to these things
also was from the want of power of mind; no, to be brought to all this
required a great soul. For be it so, that as far as the doctrines went,
they were rendered more apt to receive these by their want of
intelligence: but to accept such a virtuous, self-denying rule of life,
how could that be owing to any defect of understanding? So that the
less understanding the person may have, if nevertheless he is persuaded
to things, to which even philosophers were unable to persuade their
fellow-philosophers, the greater the wonder—when women and slaves
are persuaded of these truths, and prove it by their actions, of which
same truths the Platos and all the rest of them were never able to
persuade any man. And why say I, “any man?” Say rather, not
themselves even: on the contrary, that money is not to be despised,
Plato persuaded (his disciples) by getting, as he did, such an
abundance of property, and golden rings, and goblets; and that the
honor to be had from the many is not to be despised, this Socrates
himself shows, for all that he may philosophize without end on this
point: for in everything he did, he had an eye to fame. And if you were
conversant with his discourses, I might go at great length into this
subject, and show what a deal of insincerity (εἰρωνείαν) there was in them,—if at least we may believe what
his disciple says of him,—and how that all his writings have
their ground-work in vainglory. But, leaving them, let us direct the
discourse to our own selves. For besides the things that have been
said, there is this also to be added, that men were persuaded of these
things to their own peril. Be not thou therefore shameless, but let us
think over that night, the stocks, and the hymns of praise. This let us
also do, and we shall open for ourselves—not a prison,
but—heaven. If we pray, we shall be able even to open heaven.
Elias both shut and opened heaven by prayer. (James v. 17.) There is a
prison in heaven also. “Whatsoever,” He saith, “ye
shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven.” (Matt. xvi.
19.)
Let us pray by night, and we shall loose these bonds. For that prayers
loose sins, let that widow convince us, let that friend convince us,
who at that untimely hour of the night persists and knocks
(Luke xi. 5): let Cornelius convince us, for, “thy prayers,” it
says, “and thine alms are come up before God.”
(ch. x. 4.) Let Paul convince us,
who says, “Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth
in God, and continueth in supplications night and day.”
(1 Tim. v. 5.) If he speaks thus of a widow, a weak woman, much more would he
of men. I have both before discoursed to you on this, and now repeat
it: let us arouse ourselves during the night: though thou make not many
prayers, make one with watchfulness, and it is enough, I ask no more:
and if not at midnight, at any rate at the first dawn. Show that the
night is not only for the body, but also for the soul: do not suffer it
to pass idly, but make this return to thy Master: nay rather (the
benefit) itself returns to thee. Say, if we fall into any difficult
strait, to whom do we not make request? and if we soon obtain our
request, we breathe freely again. What a boon were it for thee, to have
a friend to go to with thy request, who shall be ready to take it as a
kindness, and to be obliged to thee for thy asking? What a boon, not to
have to go about and seek one to ask of, but to find one ready? to have
no need of others through whom thou mayest solicit? What could be
greater than this? Since here is One who then does most, when we make
not our requests of others than Himself: just as a sincere friend then
most complains of us for not trusting in his friendship, when we ask of
others to make request to him. Thus also let us act.849
| 849 οὕτω καὶ
ἡμεῖς: which mod.
text needlessly expands into: “(Thus also we) act in the case of
those who ask of us: we then most oblige them, when they approach us by
themselves not by others.” | “But what,” you will ask,
“if I should have offended Him?” Cease to give offence, and
weep, and so draw near to Him, and thou wilt quickly render Him
propitious as to thy former sins. Say only, I have offended: say it
from thy soul and with a sincere mind, and all things are remitted to
thee. Thou dost not so much desire thy sins to be forgiven, as He
desires to forgive thee thy sins. In proof that thou dost not so desire
it, consider that thou hast no mind either to practice vigils, or to
give thy money freely: but He, that He might forgive our sins, spared
not His Only-begotten and True Son, the partner of His throne. Seest
thou how He more desires to forgive thee thy sins (than thou to be
forgiven )? Then let us not be slothful, nor put off this any longer.
He is merciful and good: only let us give Him an
opportunity.
And (even) this (He seeks), only
that we may not become unprofitable, since even without this He could
have freed us from them: but like as we (with the same view) devise and
arrange many things for our servants to do, so does He in the matter of
our salvation. “Let us anticipate His face with
thanksgiving.” (Ps. xcv. 2. “Let us
come before His presence.” E.V.), since He is good and kind. But
if thou call not upon Him, what will He do? Thou dost not choose
to say, Forgive; thou wilt not say it from thy heart, but with thy
mouth only. What is it, to call in truth? (To call) with purpose of
heart, with earnestness, with a sincere mind; just as men say of
perfumes, “This is genuine, and has nothing spurious,” so
here. He who truly calls on Him, he who truly prays to Him, continually
attends to it, and desists not, until he obtain (his request): but he
who does it in a merely formal manner (ἀφοσιούμενος), and even this only by way of fulfilling a law, does not
call in truth. Whosoever thou art, say not only, “I am a
sinner,” but be earnest also to rid thyself of this character;
say not this only, but also grieve. If thou grievest, thou art in
earnest: if thou art not in earnest, thou grievest not: if thou
grievest not, thou triflest. What sort of man is he who shall say,
“I am sick,” and not to do all to be freed from his
sickness? A mighty weapon is Prayer. “If ye,” saith the
Lord, “know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more your Father?” (Luke xi. 13.) Then wherefore
art thou unwilling to approach Him? He loves thee, He is of more power
than all besides. Both willing is He and able, what is there to hinder?
Nothing. But then, on our part, let us draw near with faith, draw near,
offering the gifts that He desires, forgetfulness of wrongs, kindness,
meekness. Though thou be a sinner, with boldness shalt thou ask of Him
forgiveness of thy sins, if thou canst show that this has been done by
thyself: but though thou be righteous, and possess not this virtue of
forgetfulness of injuries, thou art none the better for it. It cannot
be that a man who has forgiven his neighbor should not obtain perfect
forgiveness: for God is beyond comparison more merciful than we. What
sayest thou? If thou sayest, “I have been wronged, I have subdued
my anger, I have endured the onset of wrath because of Thy command, and
dost Thou not forgive?”850
| 850 καὶ σὺ οὐκ
ἀφί& 219·ς; Mod.
text, οὐκ
ἀφήσει καὶ
αὐτός; “will
not He also forgive?” | Full surely He will
forgive: and this is plain to all. Therefore let us purge our soul from
all resentment. This is sufficient for us, in order that we may be
heard; and let us pray with watching and much perseverance, that having
enjoyed His bountiful mercy, we may be found worthy of the good things
promised, 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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