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ACTS XIII. 4, 5.
"So they, being sent forth by the Holy
Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from
thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they
were at Salamis, they preached the word of God
in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had
also John to their minister."
AS soon as they were ordained they went forth,
and hasted to Cyprus, that being a place where
was no ill-design hatching against them, and
where moreover the Word had been sown already.
In Antioch there were (teachers) enough, and
Phoenice too was near to Palestine; but
Cyprus not so. However, you are not to make a
question of the why and wherefore, when it is
the Spirit that directs their movements: for
they were not only ordained by the Spirit, but
sent forth by Him likewise. "And when they
were come to Salamis, they preached the word of
God in the synagogues of the Jews." Do you
mark how they make a point of preaching the word
to them first, not to make them more
contentious? The persons mentioned before
"spake to none but to Jews only" (ch. xi.
19), and so here they betook them to the
synagogues. "And when they had gone through
the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain
sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name
was Barjesus: which was with the deputy of the
country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who
called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to
hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer
(for so is his name by interpretation)
withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy
from the faith." (v. 6-8.) Again a Jew
sorcerer, as was Simon. And observe this
man, how, while they preached to the others,
he did not take it much amiss, but only when
they approached the proconsul. And then in
respect of the proconsul the wonder is, that
although prepossessed by the man's sorcery, he
was nevertheless willing to hear the Apostles.
So it was with the Samaritans: and from the
competition (sugkrisews) the victory appears,
the sorcery being worsted. Everywhere,
vainglory and love of power are a (fruitful)
source of evils! "But Saul, who is also
Paul,"-- (v. 9) here his name is changed
at the same time that he is ordained, as it was
in Peter's case,--"filled with the Holy
Ghost, looked upon him, and said, O full of
all guile and all villany, thou child of the
devil:" (v. 10) and observe, this is not
abuse, but accusation: for so ought forward,
impudent people to be rebuked "thou enemy of all
righteousness;" here he lays bare what was in
the thoughts of the man, while under pretext of
saving he was ruining the proconsul: "wilt thou
not cease," he says, "to pervert the ways of
the Lord?" (He says it) both confidently
(axiopistws), It is not with us thou art
warring, nor art thou fighting (with us), but
"the ways of the Lord" thou art perverting,
and with praise (of these, he adds) "the
right" ways. "And now, behold, the hand of
the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be
blind." (v. 11.) It was the sign by
which he was himself converted, and by this he
would fain convert this man. As also that
expression, "for a season," puts it not as an
act of punishing, but as meant for his
conversion: had it been for punishment, he
would have made him lastingly blind, but now it
is not so, but "for a season" (and this),
that he may gain the proconsul. For, as he was
prepossessed by the sorcery, it was well to
teach him a lesson by this infliction (and the
sorcerer also), in the same way as the
magicians (in Egypt) were taught by the
boils. (Ex. ix. 11.) "And immediately
there fell on him a mist and a darkness: add he
went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Then the deputy, when he saw what was done,
believed, being astonished at the doctrine of
the Lord." (v. 12.) But observe, how
they do not linger there, as (they might have
been tempted to do) now that the proconsul was a
believer, nor are enervated by being courted i
and honored, but immediately keep on with their
work, and set out for the country on the
opposite coast. "Now when Paul and his
company loosed froth Paphos, they came to
Perga in Pamphylia; and John departing from
them returned to Jerusalem. But when they
departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in
Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the
sabbath day, and sat down." (v. 13,
14.) And here again they entered the
synagogues, in the character of Jews, that
they might not be treated as enemies, and be
driven away: and in this way they carried the
whole matter successfully. "And after the
reading of the Law and the Prophets, the
rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying,
Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of
exhortation for the people, say on." (v.
15.) From this point, we learn the history
of Paul's doings, as in what was said above we
have learned not a little about Peter. But let
us review what has been said.
(Recapitulation.) "And when they were come
to Salamis," the metropolis of Cyprus,
"they preached the word of God." (v. 5.)
They had spent a year in Antioch: it behooved
that they should go hither also (to Cyprus)
and not sit permanently where they were (the
converts in Cyprus): needed greater teachers.
See too how they remain no time in Seleucia,
knowing that (the people there) might have
reaped much benefit from the neighboring city
(of Antioch): but they hasten on to the more
pressing duties. When they came to the
metropolis of the island, they were earnest to
disabuse (diorqwsai) the proconsul. But that
it is no flattery that (the writer) says, "he
was with the proconsul, a prudent man" (v.
7), you may learn from the facts; for he
needed not many discourses, and himself wished
to hear them. And he mentions also the names.
* * * Observe, how he said nothing to the
sorcerer, until he gave him an occasion: but
they only "preached the word of the Lord."
Since (though Elymas) saw the rest attending
to them, he looked only to this one object,
that the proconsul might not be won over. Why
did not (Paul) perform some other miracle?
Because there was none equal to this, the
taking the enemy captive. And observe, he
first impeaches, and then punishes, him. He
shows how justly the man deserved to suffer, by
his saying, "O full of all deceit" (v.
10): (" full of all,") he says: nothing
wanting to the full measure: and he well says,
of all "deceit," for the man was playing the
part of a hypocrite.--" Child of the
devil," because he was doing his work: "enemy
of all righteousness," since this (which they
preached) was the whole of righteousness
(though at the same time): I suppose in these
words he reproves his manner of life. His words
were not prompted by anger, and to show this,
the writer premises, "filled with the Holy
Ghost," that is, with His operation. "And
now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee."
(v. 11.) It was not vengeance then, but
healing: for it is as though he said: "It is
not I that do it, but the hand of God."
Mark how unassuming! No "light," aS in the
case of Paul, "shone round about him."
(ch. ix. 3.) "Thou shalt be blind," he
says, "not seeing the sun for a season," that
he may give him opportunity for repentance: for
we nowhere find them wishing to be made
conspicuous by the more stern (exercise of their
authority), even though it was against enemies
that this was put forth: in respect of those of
their own body (they used severity,), and
with good reason, but in dealing with those
without, not so; that (the obedience of
faith) might not seem to be matter of compulsion
and fear. It is a proof of his blindness, his
"seeking some to lead him by the hand." (ch.
v. 1. ff.) And the proconsul sees the
blindness inflicted, "and when he saw what was
done, he believed:" and both alone believed
not merely this, but, "being astonished at the
doctrine of the Lord" (v. 12): he saw
that these things were not mere words, nor
trickery. Mark how he loved to receive
instruction from his teachers, though he was in
a station of so high authority. And (Paul)
said not to the sorcerer, "Wilt thou not cease
to pervert" the proconsul? What may be the
reason of John's going back from them? For
"John," it says, "departing from them
returned to Jerusalem" (v. 13): (he does
it) because they are undertaking a still longer
journey: and yet he was their attendant, and as
for the danger, they incurred it (not
he).--Again, when they were come to
Perga, they hastily passed by the other
cities, for they were in haste to the
metropolis, Antioch. And observe how concise
the historian is. " They sat down in the
synagogue," he says, and, "on the sabbath
day" (v. 14, 15): that they might
prepare the way beforehand for the Word. And
they do not speak first, but when invited:
since as strangers, they called upon them to do
so. Had they not waited, there would have been
no discourse. Here for the first time we have
Paul preaching. And observe his prudence:
where the word was already sown, he passes on:
but where there was none (to preach), he makes
a stay: as he himself writes: "Yea, so have
I strived to preach the Gospel, not where
Christ was named." (Rom. xv. 20.)
Great courage this also. Truly, from the very
outset, a wonderful man! crucified, ready for
all encounters (paratagmenos), he knew how
great grace he had obtained, and he brought to
it zeal equivalent. He was not angry with
John: for this was not for him : but he kept
to the work, he quailed not, he was
unappalled, when shut up in the midst of a
host. Observe how wisely it is ordered that
Paul should not preach at Jerusalem: the very
hearing that he is become a believer, this of
itself is enough for them; for him to preach,
they never would have endured, such was their
hatred of him: so he departs far away, where he
was not known. But it is well done, that
"they entered the synagogue on the sabbath day"
when all were collected together. "And after
the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the
rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying,
Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word or
exhortation for the people, say on." (v.
15.) Behold how they do this without
grudging, but no longer after this. If ye did
wish this (really), there was more need to
exhort.
He first convicted the sorcerer (and showed),
what he was; and that he was such, the sign
showed: "thou shalt be blind, not seeing the
sun" this was a sign of the blindness of his
soul: "for a season" (v. 11): he says,
to bring him to repentance. But, oh that love
of rule! oh, that lust of vainglory! how it
does overturn and ruin everything; makes people
stand up against their own, against each
other's salvation; renders them blind indeed,
and dark, insomuch that they have even to seek
for some to lead them by the hand! Oh that they
did even this, oh that they did seek were it but
some to lead them by the hand! But no, they no
longer endure this, they take the whole matter
into their own hands. (This vice) will let no
man see:like a mist and thick darkness it
spreads itself over them, not letting any see
through it. What pleas shall we have to offer,
we who for one evil affection, overcome another
evil affection (supra p. 176), but not for
the fear of God! For example, many who are
both lewd and covetous, have for their
niggardliness put a bridle upon their lust,
while other such, on the contrary, have for
pleasure's sake, despised riches. Again,
those who are both the one and the other, have
by the lust of vainglory overcome both,
lavishing their money unsparingly, and
practising temperance to no (good) purpose;
others again, who are exceedingly vainglorious,
have despised that evil affection, submitting to
many vile disgraces for the sake of their
amours, or for the sake of their money: others
again, that they may satiate their anger, have
chosen to suffer losses. without end, and care
for none of them, provided only they may work
their own will. And yet, what passion can do
with us, the fear of God is impotent to
effect! Why speak I of passion? What shame
before men can do with us, the fear of God has
not the strength to effect! Many are the things
we do right and wrong, from a feeling of shame
before men; but God we fear not. How many
have been shamed by regard to the opinions of men
into flinging away money! How many have
mistakenly made it a point of honor to give
themselves up to the service of their friends
(only), to their hurt! How many from respect
for their friendships have been shamed into
numberless wrong acts! Since then both passion
and regard for the opinion of men are able to put
us upon doing wrong things and right, it is idle
to say, "we cannot:" we can, if we have the
mind: and we ought to have the mind. Why canst
not thou overcome the love of glory, when others
do overcome it, having the same soul as thou,
and the same body; bearing the same form, and
living the same life? Think of God, think of
the glory that is from above: weigh against that
the things present, and thou wilt quickly recoil
from this worldly glory. If at all events thou
covet glory, covet that which is glory,
indeed. What kind of glory is it, when it
begets infamy? What kind of glory, when it
compels one to desire the honor of those who are
inferior, and stands in need of that? Real
honor is the gaining the esteem of those who are
greater than one's self. If at all events thou
art enamoured of glory, be thou rather enamoured
of that which comes from God. If enamoured of
that glory thou despisest this world's glory,
thou shall see how ignoble this is: but so long
as thou seest not that glory, neither wilt thou
be able to see this, how foul it is, how
ridiculous. For as those who are under the
spell of some wicked, hideously ugly woman, so
long as they are in love with her, cannot see
her ill-favoredness, because their passion
spreads a darkness over their judgment: so is it
here also: so long as we are possessed with the
passion, we cannot perceive what a thing it is.
How then might we be rid of it? Think of those
who (for the sake of glory) have spent
countless sums, and now are none the better for
it: think of the dead, what glory they got,
and (now) this glory is nowhere abiding, but
all perished and come to naught: bethink thee
how it is only a name, and has nothing real in
it. For say, what is glory? give me some
definition. "The being admired by all," you
will say. With justice, or also not with
justice? For if it be not with justice, this
is not admiration, but crimination
(kathgoria), and flattery, and
misrepresentation (diabolh). But if you say,
With justice, why that is impossible: for in
the populace there are no right judgments; those
that minister to their lusts, those are the
persons they admire. And if you would (see the
proof of this), mark those who give away their
substance to the harlots, to the charioteers,
to the dancers. But you will say, we do not
mean these, but those who are just and upright,
and able to do great and noble good acts. Would
that they wished it, and they soon would do
good: but as things are, they do nothing of the
kind. Who, I ask you, now praises the just
and upright man? Nay, it is just the
contrary. Could anything be more preposterous
than for a just man, when doing any such good
act, to seek glory of the many--as if an
artist of consummate skill, employed upon an
Emperor's portrait, should wish to have the
praises of the ignorant! Moreover, a man who
looks for honor from men, will soon enough
desist from the acts which virtue enjoins. If
he will needs be gaping for their praises, he
will do just what they wish, not what himself
wishes. What then would I advise you? You
must look only to God, to the praise that is
from Him, perform all things which are pleasing
to Him, and go after the good things (that are
with Him), not be gaping for anything that is
of man: for this mars both fasting and prayer
and alms-giving, and makes all our good deeds
void. Which that it be not our case, let us
flee this passion. To one thing alone let us
look, to the praise which is from God, to the
being accepted of Him, to the commendation from
our common Master; that, having passed through
our present life virtuously, we may obtain the
promised blessings together with them that love
Him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father,
together with the Holy Ghost, be glory,
might, honor, now and ever, world without
end. Amen.
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