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ACTS XXVIII. 17-20.
"And it came to pass, that after three days
Paul called the chief of the Jews together:
and when they were come together, he said unto
them, Men and brethren, thought I have
committed nothing against the people, or customs
of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner
from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Who, when they had examined me, would have let
me go, because there was no cause of death in
me. But when the Jews spake against it, I
was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that
I had aught to accuse my nation of. For this
cause therefore have I called for you, to see
you, and to speak with you: because that for
the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
He wished to exculpate both himself and others;
himself, that they might not accuse him, and by
so doing hurt themselves; and thoseothers),
that it might not seem that the whole thing was
of their doing. For it was likely that a report
was prevalent, that he had been delivered up by
the Jews; and this was enough to alarm them.
He therefore addresses himself to this, and
defends himself as to his own conduct. "How
then is it reasonable," it might be said,
"that they should deliver thee up without a
cause?" The Roman governors, he says, bear
me witness, who wished to let me go. "How was
it then that they did not let (thee) go?"
"When the Jews spake against it," he says.
Observe how he extenuates (in speaking of)
their charges against him. Since if he had
wished to aggravate matters, he might have used
them so as to bear harder upon them.
Wherefore, he says, "I was constrained to
appeal unto Caesar:" so that his whole speech
is of a forgiving nature. What then? didst
thou this, that thou mightest accuse them?
No, he says: "Not that I had aught to
accuse my nation of:" but that I might escape
the danger. For it is for your sakes "that I
am bound with this chain." So far am I, he
says, from any hostile feeling towards you.
Then they also were so subdued by his speech,
that they too apologized for those of their own
nation: "And they said unto him, We neither
received letters out of Judea concerning thee,
neither any of the brethren that came showed or
spake any harm of thee." (v. 21.)
Neither through letters, nor through men, have
they made known any harm of thee.
Nevertheless, we wish to hear from thyself:
''But we desire to hear of thee what thou
thinkest" (v. 22): and then forestalled
him by showing their own sentiments. "For as
concerning this sect, it is known to us, that
everywhere it is spoken against. And when they
had appointed him a day, there came many to him
into his lodging; to whom he expounded and
testified the kingdom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the Law of
Moses and out of the Prophets, from morning
till evening. And some believed the things
which were spoken, and some believed not."
(v. 23, 24.) They said not, we speak
against it, but "it is spoken against." Then
he did not immediately answer, but gave them a
day, and they came to him, and he discoursed,
it says, "both out of the Law of Moses, and
out of the Prophets. And some believed, and
some be-believed not. And when they agreed not
among themselves, they departed, after that
Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy
Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
saying, Go unto this people, and say,
Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not
perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed
gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes have they closed; lest they should
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them." (v.
25-27.) But when they departed, as they
were opposed to each other, then he reproaches
them, not because he wished to reproach those
(that believed not), but to confirm these
(that believed). "Well said Esaias," says
he to them. So that to the Gentiles it is
given to know this mystery. No wonder then, if
they did gainsay: this was foretold from the
first. Then again he moves their jealousy (on
the score) of them of the Gentiles. "Be it
known therefore unto you, that the salvation of
God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they
will hear it. And when he had said these
words, the Jews departed, and had great
reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two
whole years in his own hired house, and received
all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom
of God, and teaching those things which concern
the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence,
no man forbidding him. Amen." (v.
28-31.) It shows the freedom he had now:
without hindrance in Rome, he who had been
hindered in Judea; and he remained teaching
there for two years. What of the (years)
after these?
(Recapitulation.) "Who having examined
me," says he, "found nothing in me" (v.
18). When those ought to have rescued, they
"delivered (him) into the hands of the
Romans." And such the superabundance, * *
because those had not power to condemn but
delivered him prisoner. "Not as having aught
to accuse my nation of," (v. 19) am I
come. See what friendliness of expression "my
nation:" he does not hold them as aliens. He
does not say, I do not accuse, but, "I have
not (whereof) to accuse:" although he had
suffered so many evils at their hands. But
nothing of all this does he say, nor make his
speech offensive: neither does he seem to be
sparing them as matter of favor.
For this was the main point, to show that they
delivered him prisoner to the Romans, when
those ought to have condemned him. "For this
cause," he says, "I wished to see you"
(v. 20): that it might not be in any man's
power to accuse me, and to say what
(naturally) might suggest itself (ta
paristamena), that having escaped their hands
I have come for this: not to bring evils upon
others, but myself fleeing from evils. "I was
compelled to appeal unto Caesar." Observe
them also speaking more mildly to him. "We
beg," say they: and wish to speak in
exculpation of those (at Jerusalem). Whereas
they ought to accuse them, they plead for them:
by the very fact of their exonerating them, they
do in fact accuse them. For this very thing was
a proof that they knew themselves exceedingly in
the wrong. Had they been confident, they would
at any rate have done this, so that he should
not have it in his power to make out his story in
his own way, and besides they shrank from
coming. And by their many times attempting they
showed * * "As for this sect, it is known to
us," say they, "that it is everywhere spoken
against." (v. 21, 21.) True, but
(people) are also everywhere persuaded (as,
in fact, here), "some were persuaded, and
some believed not. And when they had appointed
him a day," etc. (v. 23-25.) See
again how not by miracles but by Law and
Prophets he puts them to silence, and how we
always find him doing this. And yet he might
also have wrought signs; but then it would no
longer have been matter of faith. In fact,
this (itself) was a great sign, his
discoursing from the Law and the Prophets.
Then that you may not deem it strange (that
they believed not), he introduces the prophecy
which saith "Hearing ye shall hear and not
understand," more now than then: "and ye
shall see and not perceive" (v. 26) more
now than then. This is not spoken for the
former sort, but for the unbelievers. How
then? Was it contrary to the prophecy, that
those believed? ("Go,") it says, "unto
this people" (that is), to the unbelieving
people. He did not say this to insult them,
but to remove the offence. "Be it known
then," he says, "unto you, that unto the
Gentiles is sent the salvation of God.
They," says he, "will hear it too." (v.
28.) Then why dost thou discourse to us?
Didst thou not know this? Yes, but that ye
might be persuaded, and that I might exculpate
myself, and give none a handle (against me).
The unbelieving were they that withdrew. But
see how they do not now form plots against him.
For in Judea they had a sort of tyranny. Then
wherefore did the Providence of God order that
he should go thither, and yet the Lord had
said, "Get thee out quickly from
Jerusalem?" (ch. xxii. 18.) That both
their wickedness might be shown and Christ's
prophecy made good, that they would not endure
to hear him: and so that all might learn that he
was ready to suffer all things, and that the
event might be for the consolation of those in
Judea: for there also (the brethren) were
suffering many grievous evils. But if while
preaching the Jewish doctrines, he suffered
thus, had he preached the doctrines of the glory
of Christ, how would they have endured him?
While "purifying himself" (ch. xxi. 26)
he was intolerable, and how should he have been
tolerable while preaching? What lay ye to his
charge? What have ye heard? He spoke nothing
of the kind. He was simply seen, and he
exasperated all against him. Well might he t
then be set apart for the Gentiles: well might
he be sent afar off: there also destined to
discourse to the Gentiles. First he calls the
Jews, then having shown them the facts he comes
to the Gentiles. (ch. xxiv. 18.) "Well
spake the Holy Ghost," etc. But this
saying, "The Spirit said," is nothing
wonderful: for an angel also is said to say what
the Lord saith: but He (the Spirit) not
so. When one is speaking of the things said by
the angel, one does not say, Well said the
angel, but, Well said the Lord. "Well said
the Spirit:" as much as to say, It is not me
that ye disbelieve. But God foreknew this from
the first. "He discoursed," it says, "with
boldness, unhindered" (v. 31): for it is
possible to speak with boldness, yet hindered.
His boldness nothing checked: but in fact he
also spoke unhindered. "Discoursed," it
says, "the things concerning the kingdom of
God:" mark, nothing of the things of sense,
nothing of the things present. But of his
affairs after the two years, what say we?
(The writer) leaves the hearer athirst for
more: the heathen authors do the same (in their
writings), for to know everything makes the
reader dull and jaded. Or else he does this,
not having it in his power to exhibit it from his
own personal knowledge. Mark the order of
God's Providence, "I have been much
hindered from coming unto you . . . having a
great desire these many years to come unto
you." (Rom xv. 22, 23.) But he fed
them with hopes. I am in haste to go to
Spain, and "I hope," says he, "to see you
in my journey, and to be brought thitherward on
my journey by you, if first I be filled with
your company in some measure." (ib. 24.)
Of this he says, I will come and rest together
with you "in the fulness of the blessing of the
Gospel" (ib. 29): and again "I am going
to Jerusalem to minister to the saints" (ib.
25): this is the same that he has said here,
"To do alms to my nation I came." (Acts
xxiv. 17.) Do you mark how he did not
foresee everything--that sacred and divine
head, the man higher than the heavens, that had
a soul able to grasp all at once, the holder of
the first place--Paul? The man whose very
name, to them that know him, suffices for
rousing of the soul, for vigilance, for shaking
off all sleep! Rome received him bound coming
up from the sea, saved from a ship-wreck--and
was saved from the shipwreck of error. Like an
emperor that has fought a naval battle and
overcome, he entered into that most imperial
city. He was nearer now to his crown. Rome
received him bound, and saw him crowned and
proclaimed conqueror. There he had said, I
will rest together with you: but this was the
beginning of a course once more, and he added
trophies to trophies, a man not to be overcome.
Corinth kept him two years, and Asia three,
and this city two for this time; a second time
he again entered it, when also he was
consummated. Thus he escaped then, and having
filled the whole world, he so brought his life
to a close. Why didst thou wish to learn what
happened after these two years? Those too are
such as these: bonds, tortures, fightings,
imprisonments, lyings in wait, false
accusations, deaths, day by day. Thou hast
seen but a small part of it? How much soever
thou hast seen, such is he for all the rest.
As in the case of the sky, if thou see one part
of it, go where thou wilt thou shalt see it such
as this: as it is with the sun, though thou see
its rays but in part, thou mayest conjecture the
rest: so is it with Paul. His Acts thou hast
seen in part; such are they all throughout,
teeming with dangers. He was a heaven having in
it the Sun of Righteousness, not such a sun
(as we see): so that that man was better than
the very heaven. Think you that this is a small
thing--when you say "The Apostle,"
immediately every one thinks of him, when you
say "The Baptist," immediately they think of
John? To what shall one compare his words?
To the sea, or even to the ocean? But nothing
is equal to them. More copious than this
(sea) are (his) streams; purer and deeper;
so that one would not err in calling Paul's
heart both a sea and a heaven, the one for
purity, the other for depth. He is a sea,
having for its voyagers not those who sail from
city to city, but those from earth to heaven:
if any man sail in this sea, he will have a
prosperous voyage. On this sea, not winds,
but instead of winds the Holy and Divine
Spirit wafts the souls which sail thereon: no
waves are here, no rock, no monsters: all is
calm. It is a sea which is more calm and secure
than a haven, having no bitter brine, but a
pure fountain both sweeter than * *, and
brighter and more transparent than the sun: a
sea it is, not having precious stones, nor
purple dye as ours, but treasures far better
than those. He who wishes to descend into this
sea, needs not divers, needs not oil, but much
loving-kindness (filanqrwpias): he will find
in it all the good things that are in the kingdom
of Heaven. He will even be able to become a
king, and to take the whole world into his
possession, and to be in the greatest honor; he
who sails on this sea will never undergo
shipwreck, but will know all things well. But
as those who are inexpert in this (our visible
sea) are suffocated (in attempting to dive
therein), so is it in that other sea: which is
just the case with the heretics, when they
attempt things above their strength. It
behooves therefore to know the depth, or else
not to venture. If we are to sail on this sea,
let us come well-girded. "I could not," he
says, "speak unto you as unto spiritual, but
as unto carnal." (1 Cor. iii. 1.) Let
no one who is without endurance sail on this
sea. Let us provide for ourselves ships, that
is, zeal, earnestness, prayers, that we, may
pass over the sea in quiet. For indeed this is
the living water. Like as if one should get a
mouth of fire, such a mouth does that man get
who knows Paul well: like as if one should have
a sharp sword, so again does such an one become
invincible. And for the understanding of
Paul's words there is needed also a pure life.
For therefore also he said: "Ye are become
such as have need of milk, seeing ye are dull of
hearing." (Heb. v. 11, 12.) For
there is, there is an infirmity of hearing.
For as a stomach which is infirm could not take
in wholesome food (which it finds) hard of
digestion, so a soul which is become tumid and
heated, unstrung and relaxed, could not receive
the word of the Spirit. Hear the disciples
saying, "This is a hard saying: who can hear
it" (John vi. 60)? But if the soul be
strong and healthy, all is most easy, all is
light: it becomes more lofty and buoyant: it is
more able to soar and lift itself on high.
Knowing then these things, let us bring our
soul into a healthy state: let us emulate
Paul, and imitate that noble, that adamantine
soul: that, advancing in the steps of his
life, we may be enabled to sail through the sea
of this present life, and to come unto the haven
wherein are no waves, and attain unto the good
things promised to them that love Him, through
the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with Whom to the Father and Holy Ghost
together be glory, might, honor, now and
ever, world without end. Amen.
As I keep hearing the Epistles of the blessed
Paul read, and that twice every week, and
often three or four times, whenever we are
celebrating the memorials of the holy martyrs,
gladly do I enjoy the spiritual trumpet, and
get roused and warmed with desire at recognizing
the voice so dear to me, and seem to fancy him
all but present to my sight, and behold him
conversing with me. But I grieve and am
pained, that all people do not know this man,
as much as they ought to know him; but some are
so far ignorant of him, as not even to know for
certainty the number of his Epistles And this
comes not of incapacity, but of their not having
the wish to be continually conversing with this
blessed man. For it is not through any natural
readiness and sharpness of wit that even I am
acquainted with as much as I do know, if I do
know anything, but owing to a continual cleaving
to the man, and an earnest affection towards
him. For, what belongs to men beloved, they
who love them know above all others; because
they are interested in them. And this also this
blessed Apostle shows in what he said to the
Philippians; "Even as it is meet for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my
heart, both in my bonds, and in the defence and
confirmation of the Gospel." (Phil. i.
7.) And so ye also, if ye be willing to
apply to the reading of him with a ready mind,
will need no other aid. For the word of Christ
is true which saith, "Seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you." (Matt. vii. 7.) But since the
greater part of those who here gather themselves
to us, have taken upon themselves the bringing
up of children, and the care of a wife, and the
charge of a family, and for this cause cannot
afford to all events aroused to receive those
things which have been brought together by
others, and bestow as much attention upon the
hearing of what is said as ye give to the
gathering together of goods. For although it is
unseemly to demand only so much of you, yet
still one must be content if ye give as much.
For from this it is that our countless evils
have arisen--from ignorance of the
Scriptures; from this it is that the plague of
heresies has broken out; from this that there
are negligent lives; from this labors without
advantage. For as men deprived of this daylight
would not walk aright, so they that look not to
the gleaming of the Holy Scriptures must needs
be frequently and constantly sinning, in that
they are walking the worst darkness And that
this fall not out, let us hold our eyes open to
the bright shining of the Apostle's words; for
this man's tongue shone forth above the sun,
and be abounded more than all the rest in the
word of doctrine; for since he labored more
abundantly than they, he also drew upon himself
a large measure of the Spirit's grace. (I
Cor. xv. 10.) And this i constantly
affirm, not only from his Epistles, but also
from the Acts. For if there were anywhere a
season for oratory, to him men everywhere gave
place. Wherefore also he was thought by the
unbelievers to be Mercurius, because he took
the lead in speech. (Acts xiv. 12.) And
as we are going to enter fully into this
Epistle, it is necessary to give the date also
at which it was written. For it is not, as
most think, before all the others, but before
all that were written from Rome, yet subsequent
to the rest, though not to all of them. For
both those to the Corinthians were sent before
this: and this is plain from what he wrote at
the end of this, saying as follows: "But now
I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the
saints: for it hath pleased them of Macedonia
and Achaia to make a certain contribution for
the poor saints which are at Jerusalem."
(Rom. xv. 25, 26.) For in writing to
the Corinthians he says: "If it be meet that
I go also, they shall go with me" (1 Cor.
xvi. 4);meaning this about those who were to
carry the money from thence. Whence it is
plain, that when he wrote to the Corinthians,
the matter of this journey of his was in doubt,
but when to the Romans, it stood now a derided
thing. And this being allowed, the other point
is plain, that this Epistle was after those.
But that to the Thessalonians also seems to me
to be before the Epistle to the Corinthians:
for having written to them before, and having
moved the question of alms to them, when he
said, "But as touching brotherly love, ye
need not that I write unto you: for ye
yourselves are taught of God to love one
another. And indeed ye do it toward all the
brethren" (I Thess. iv. 9, 10): then
he wrote to the Corinthians. And this very
point he makes plain in the words, "For I
know the forwardness of your mind, for which I
boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia
was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath
provoked very many" (2 Cor. ix. 2):
whence he shows that they were the first he had
spoken to about this. This Epistle then is
later than those, but prior (prwth) to those
from Rome; for he had not as yet set foot in
the city of the Romans when he wrote this
Epistle, and this he shows by saying, "For
I long to see you, that I may impart unto you
some spiritual gift." (Rom. i. II.)
But it was from Rome he wrote to the Philip
plans; wherefore he says, "All the saints
salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's
household" (Phil. iv. 22): and to the
Hebrews from thence likewise, wherefore also he
says, "all they of Italy salute them."
(Heb. xiii. 24.) And the Epistle to
Timothy he sent also from Rome, when in
prison; which also seems to me to be the last of
all the Epistles; and this is plain from the
end: "For I am now ready to be offered," he
says, "and the time of my departure is at
hand." (2 Tim. iv. 6.) But that he
ended his life there, is clear, I may say, to
every one. And that to Philemon is also very
late, (for he wrote it in extreme old age,
wherefore also he said, "as Paul the aged,
and now also a prisoner in Christ Jesus")
(Philem. 9), yet previous to that to the
Colossians. And this again is plain from the
end. For in writing to the Colossians, he
says, "All my state shall Tychicus declare
unto you, whom I have sent with Onesimus, a
faithful and beloved brother." (Col. iv.
7.) For this was that Onesimus in whose
behalf he composed the Epistle to Philemon.
And that this was no other of the same name with
him, is plain from the mention of Archippus.
For it is he whom he had taken as worker
together with himself in the Epistle to
Philemon, when he besought him for Onesimus,
whom when writing to the Colossians he stirreth
up, saying, "Say to Archippus, Take heed
to the ministry which thou hast received, that
thou fulfil it." (Col. iv. 17.) And
that to the Galatians seems to me to be before
that to the Romans. But if they have a
different order in the Bibles, that is nothing
wonderful, since the twelve Prophets, though
not exceeding one another in order of time, but
standing at great intervals from one another,
are in the arrangement of the Bible placed in
succession. Thus Haggai and Zachariah and the
Messenger prophesied after Ezekiel and
Daniel, and long after Jonah and Zephaniah
and all the rest. Yet they are nevertheless
joined with all those from whom they stand so far
off in time.
But let no one consider this an undertaking
beside the purpose, nor a search of this kind a
piece of superfluous curiosity; for the date of
the Epistles contributes no little to what we
are looking after. For when I see him writing
to the Romans and to the Colossians about the
same subjects, and yet not in a like way about
the same subjects; but to the former with much
condescension, as when he says, "Him that is
weak in the faith receive ye, but not to
doubtful disputations; for one believeth that he
may eat all things, another, herbs" (Rom.
xiv. 1, 2): who is weak, eateth weak, but
to the Colossians he does not write in this
way, though about the same things, but with
greater boldness of speech: "Wherefore if ye
be dead with Christ," he says, "why, as
though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances (touch not, taste not, handle
not), which all are to perish with the using,
not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh"
(Col. ii. 20-23);--I find no other
reason for this difference than the time of the
transaction. For at the first it was needful to
be condescending, but afterwards it became no
more so. And in many other places one may find
him doing this. Thus both the physician and the
teacher are used to do. For neither does the
physician treat alike his patients in the first
stage of their disorder, and when they have come
to the point of having health thenceforth, nor
the teacher those children who are beginning to
learn and those who want more advanced subjects
of instruction. Now to the rest he was moved to
write by some particular cause and subject, and
this he shows, as when he says to the
Corinthians, "Touching those things whereof
ye wrote unto me" (1 Cor. vii. 1): and
to the Galatians too from the very commencement
of the whole Epistle writes so as to indicate
the same thing; but to these for what purpose
and wherefore does he write? For one finds him
bearing testimony to them that they are "full of
goodness, being filled with all knowledge, and
able also to admonish others." (Rom. xv.
14.) Why then does he write to them?
"Because of the grace of God," he says,
"which is given unto me, that I should be the
minister of Jesus Christ" (ib. 15,
16): wherefore also he says in the
beginning: "I am a debtor; as much as in me
is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you
that are at Rome also;" for what is said--as
that they are able to exhort others also"
(Rom. i. 14, 15),--and the like,
rather belongs to encomium and encouragement:
and the correction afforded by means of a
letter, was needful even for these; for since
he had not yet been present, he bringeth the men
to good order in two ways, both by the
profitableness of his letter and by the
expectation of his presence. For such was that
holy soul, it comprised the whole world and
carried about all men in itself thinking the
nearest relationship to be that in God. And he
loved them so, as if he had begotten them all,
or rather showed (so 4 Mss.) a greater
instinctive affection than any father (so
Field: all Mss. give "a father's toward
all"); for such is the grace of the Spirit,
it exceedeth the pangs of the flesh, and
displays a more ardent longing than theirs. And
this one may see specially in the soul of Paul,
who having as it were become winged through
love, went continually round to all, abiding
nowhere nor standing still. For since he had
heard Christ saying, "Peter, lovest thou
Me? feed My sheep" (John xxi. 15); and
setting forth this as the greatest test of love,
he displayed it in a very high degree. Let us
too then, in imitation of him, each one bring
into order, if not the world, or not entire
cities and nations, yet at all events his own
house, his wife, his children, his friends,
his neighbors. And let no one say to me, "I
am unskilled and unlearned:" nothing were less
instructed than Peter, nothing more rude than
Paul, and this himself confessed, and was not
ashamed to say, "though I be rude in speech,
yet not in knowledge." (2 Cor. xi. 6.)
Yet nevertheless this rude one, and that
unlearned man, overcame countless philosophers,
stopped the mouths of countless orators, and did
all by heir own ready mind and the grace of
God. What excuse then shall we have, if we
are not equal to twenty names, and are not even
of service to them that live with us? This is
but a pretence and an excuse--for it is not
want of learning or of instruction which
hindereth our teaching, but drowsiness and
sleep. (Acts i. 15; ii. 41.) Let us
then having shaken off this sleep with all
diligence cleave to our own members, that we may
even here enjoy much calm, by ordering in the
fear of God them that are akin to us, and
hereafter may partake of countless blessings
through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus
Christ towards man, through Whom, and with
Whom, be glory to the Father, with the Holy
Ghost, now, and evermore, and to all ages.
Amen.
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