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ACTS XX. 1.
"And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called
unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and
departed for to go into Macedonia."
THERE was need of much comforting after that
uproar. Accordingly, having done this, he
goes into Macedonia, and then into Greece.
For, it says, "when he had gone over those
parts, and had given them much exhortation, he
came into Greece, and there abode three
months. And when the Jews laid wait for him,
as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed
to return through Macedonia."v. 2, 3.)
Again he is persecuted by the Jews, and goes
into Macedonia. "And there accompanied him
into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the
Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and
Gaius of Derbe, and Trophimus. These going
before tarried for us at Troas."v. 4.
5.) But how does he call Timothy a man "of
Thessalonica?" This is not his meaning,
but, "Of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and
Secundus and Gaius: of Derbe,
Timothy,"1) etc., these, he says, went
before him to Troas, preparing the way for
him. "And we sailed away from Philippi after
the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them
to Troas in five days; where we abode seven
days."v. 6.) For it seems to me that he
made a point of keeping the feasts in the large
cities. "From Philippi," where the affair
of the prison had taken place. This was his
third coming into Macedonia, and it is a high
testimony that be bears to the day of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread,
Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the
morrow; and continued his speech until
midnight."v. 7.) It was then theseason
between Easter and) Pentecost.2) See how
everything was subordinate to the preaching. It
was also, it says, then, because of
stillness. Mark how he both made a long
discourse, and beyond the time of supper
itself. But the Devil disturbed the
feast--not that he prevailed, however--by
plunging the hearer in sleep, and causing him to
fall down. "And," it says, "there were
many lights in the upper chamber, Eutychus,
being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was
long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and
fell down from the third loft, and was taken up
dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him,
and embracing him, said, Trouble not
yourselves; for his life is in him. When he
therefore was come up again, and had broken
bread, and eaten, and talked a long while,
even till break of day, so he departed. And
they brought the young man alive, and were not a
little comforted."v. 8-12.) But
observe, I pray you, the theatre, how crowded
it was: and the miracle, what it was. "He
was sitting in a window," at dead of night.
Such was their eagerness to hear him! Let us
take shame to our selves! "Aye, but a Paul"
say you, "was discoursing then." Yes, and
Paul discourses now, or rather not Paul,
either then or now, window in the case now, no
importunity of hunger, or sleep, and yet we do
not care to hear: no crowding in a narrow space
here, nor any other such comfort. And the
wonderful circumstance is, that though he was a
youth, he was not listless and indifferent; and
danger of falling down. It was not from
listlessness that he slumbered, but from
necessity of nature. But observe, I beseech
you, so fervent was their zeal, that they even
assembled in a third loft: for they had not a
Church yet. "Trouble not yourselves," he
says. He said not, "He shall come to life
again, for I will raise him up:" but mark the
unassuming way in which he comforts them: "for
his life," says he, "is in him. When he was
come up again, and had broken bread, and
eaten." This thing cut short the discourse;
it did no harm, however. "When he had
eaten," it says, "and discoursed a long
while, even till break of day, so he
departed." Do you mark the frugality of the
supper? Do you observe how they passed the
whole night? Such were their meals, that the
hearers came away sober, and fit for hearing.
But we, in what do we differ from dogs? Do
you mark what a differencebetween us and those
men)? "And they brought the young man alive,
and," it says, "were not a little
comforted," both because they received him back
alive and because a miracle had been
wrought.*) "And we went before to ship, and
sated unto Thasos, there intending to take in
Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself
to go afoot." (v. 13.) We often find
Paul parting from the disciples. For behold
again, he himself goes ardor: giving them the
easier way, and himself choosing the more
painful. He went afoot, both that he might
arrange many matters, and by way of training
them to bear a parting from him. "And when he
had joined us at Thasos, having taken him on
board, we came to. Mytilene; and having
sailed thence on the morrow, we come over
against Chios "--then they pass the
island--" and on the next day we touched at
Samos, and having stopped at Trogylium, on
the following day we came to Miletus. For
Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus,
because he would not spend the Pentecost."v.
14-16.) Why this haste? Not for the
sake of the feast, but of the multitude. At
the same time, by this he conciliated the
Jews, as being one that did honor the feasts,
wishing to gain even his adversaries: at the
same time also he delivers the word.
Accordingly, see what great gain accrued, from
all being present. But that the interests of
the people of Ephesus might not be neglected on
that account, he managed for this in a different
way. But let us look over again what has been
said.
(Recapitulation.) "And having embraced
them," it says, "he departed for to go into
Macedonia."v. 1.) By this again he
refreshed them anekthsato, giving them much
consolation. "And having exhorted" the
Macedonians, "with much discourse, he came
into Greece."v. 2.) Observe how we every
where find him accomplishing alI by means of
preaching, not by miracles. "And we,
sailed," etc. The writer constantly shows him
to us as hasting to get to Syria; and the
reason of it was the Church, and Jerusalem,
but still he restrained his desire, so as to set
all right in those parts also And yet Troas is
not a large place: why then do they pass seven
days in it? Perhaps it was large as regarded
the number of believers. And after he had
passed seven days there, on the following day he
spent the night in teaching: so hard did he find
it to tear himself away from them, and they from
him. "And when we came together" it says,
"to break bread." (v. 7-12.) At the
very time (of breaking bread) the discourse
having taken its commencement, extended: as
representing that they were hungry, and it was
not unseasonable: for the principal object
(which brought them together) was not
teaching, but they came together "to break
bread;" discourse however having come up, he
prolonged the teaching. See how all partook
also at Paul's table. It seems to me, that
he discoursed while even sitting at table,
teaching us to consider all other things as
subordinate to this. Picture to yourselves, I
beseech you, that house with its lights, with
its crowd, with Paul in the midst,
discoursing, with even the windows occupied by
many: what a thing it was to see, and to hear
that trumpet, and behold that gracious
countenance! But why did he discourse during
night time? Since "he was about to depart,"
it says, and was to see them no more: though
this indeed he does not tell them, they being
too weak (to bear it), but be did tell it to
the others. At the same time too the mirage
which took place would make them evermore to
remember that evening; so that the fall turned
out to the advantage of the teacher. Great was
the delight of the hearers, and even when
interrupted it was the more increased. That
(young man) was to rebuke all that are careless
(of the word), he whose death was caused by
nothing else than this, that he wished to hear
Paul. "And we went before to ship," etc.
(v. 13.) Wherefore does the writer say
where they came, and where they went to? To
show in the first place that he was making the
voyage more leisurely--and this upon human
grounds--and sailing past (some): also (for
the same reason he tells) where he made a stay,
and what parts he sailed past; (namely,)
"that he might not have to spend the time in
Asia." (v. 16.) Since had he come
there, he could not have sailed by; he did not
like to pain those who would have begged him to
remain. "For he hasted," it says, "if it
were possible for him to keep the day of
Pentecost in Jerusalem:" and (this) was not
possible of he stayed). Observe, how he is
also moved like other men. For therefore it is
that all this is done, that we may not fancy
that he was above human nature: (therefore)
you see him desiring (something), and
hasting, and in many instances not obtaining
(his object): for those great and holy men
were partakers of the same nature with us; it
was in the will and purpose that the),
differed, and so it was that also they attracted
upon themselves the great grace they did. See,
for instance, how many things they order by an
economy of their own. "That we give not
offence" (2 Con vi. 3) to those who wish
(to take offence), and, "That our ministry
be not blamed." Behold, both an
irreproachable life and on the other hand
condescension. This is (indeed to be ) called
economy, to the (very) summit and height (of
it). For he that went beyond the commandments
of Christ, was on the other hand more humble
than all. "I am made all things to all men,"
he says, "that I might gain all." (1
Cor. ix. 22.) He cast himself also upon
dangers, as he says in another place; "In
much patience, in afflictions, in necessities,
in distresses, in stripes in imprisonments."
(2 Cor. vi. 4, 5.) And great was his
love for Christ. For if there be not this,
all else is superfluous, both the economy (of
condescending accommodation), and the
irreproachable life, and the exposing himself to
dangers. "Who is weak," he says, "and I
am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn
not?" (2 Cor. xi. 29.) These words
let us imitate, and let us cast ourselves upon
dangers for our brethren's sake. Whether it be
fire, or the sword, cast thyself on it,
beloved, that thou mayest rescue (him that is)
thy member: cast thyself, be not afraid. Thou
art a disciple of Christ, Who laid down His
life for His brethren: a fellow-disciple with
Paul, who chose to suffer numberless ills for
his enemies, for men that were and avenged him;
he despised royal luxury, and for the sake of
those who were afflicted he became a fugitive, a
wanderer, lonely and deserted; he passed his
days in a foreign land; and yet he blamed not
himself, nor said, "What is this? I
despised royalty, with all that honor and
glory: I chose to avenge those who were
wronged, and God hath overlooked me: and not
only hath He not brought me back to my former
honor, but even forty years am I passing in a
foreign land. Truly, handsomely have I
received my wages, have I not!" But nothing
of the kind did he say or think. So also do
thou: be it that (thou have to wait) a long
time, be not thou offended, be not
discomposed: God will of a surety give thee thy
reward. The more the recompense is delayed,
the more is the interest of it increased. Let
us have a soul apt to sympathize, let us have a
heart that knows how to feel with others in their
sorrows: no unmerciful temper (wmon), no
inhumanity. Though thou be able to confer no
relief, yet weep thou, groan, grieve over what
has happened: even this is not to no purpose.
If it behooves us to feel for those who are
justly punished by God, much more for those who
suffer unjustly at the hands of men.
(They of) " nan," it saith, "came not
forth to mourn for the house which was near her"
(Micah i. II): they shall receive pain,
"in return for that they built for derision."
And again, Ezekiel makes this an accusation
against them, that they did not grieve for (the
afflicted). (Ezek. xvi. 2.) What sayest
thou, O Prophet? God punisheth, and shall
I grieve for those that He is punishing? Yea
verily: for God Himself that punisheth wisheth
this: since neither does He Himself wish to
punish, nay, even Himself grieves when
punishing. Then be not thou glad at it. You
will say, "If they are justly punished, we
ought not to grieve." Why, the thing we ought
to grieve for is this--that they were found
worthy of punishment. Say, when thou seest thy
son undergoing cautery or the knife, dost thou
not grieve? and sayest thou not to thyself,
"What is this? It is for health this
cutting, to quicken his recovery; it is for his
deliverance, this burning?" but for all that,
when thou hearest him crying out, and not able
to health being restored is not enough to carry
off the shock to nature. So also in the case of
these, though it be in order to their health
that they are punished, nevertheless let us show
a brotherly feeling, a fatherly disposition.
They are cuttings and cauteries, the
punishments sent by God: but it is for this we
ought to weep, that they were sick, that they
needed such a mode of cure. If it be for crowns
that any suffer these things, then grieve not;
for instance, as Paul, as Peter suffered:
but when it is for punishment that one suffers
justice, then weep, then groan. Such was the
part the prophets acted; thus one of them said,
"Ah! Lord, dost thou destroy the residue of
Israel?" (Ezek. ix. 8.) We see
men-slayers, wicked men, suffering
punishment, and we are distressed, and grieve
for them. Let us not be philosophical beyond
measure: let us show ourselves pitiful, that we
may be pitied; there is nothing equal to this
beautiful trait: nothing so marks to us the
stamp of human nature as the showing pity, as
the being kind to our fellow-men. In fact,
therefore do the laws consign to public
executioners the whole business of punishment:
having compelled the judge to punish so far as to
pronounce the sentence, thereafter they call
forth those to perform the act itself. So true
is it, that though it be justly done, it is not
the part of a generous (filosofou) soul to
inflict punishment, but it requires another sort
of person for this: since even God punishes not
by His own hand, but by means of the angels.
Are they then executioners, the angels? God
forbid: I say not this, but they are avenging
powers. When Sodom was destroyed, the whole
was done by them as the instruments: when the
judgments in Egypt were inflicted, it was
through them.
For, "He sent," it says, "evil angels
among them." (Psalm lxxvii. 50.) But
when there is need of saying, God does this by
Himself: thus, He sent the Son:-- but,
"He that receiveth you, receiveth Me, and he
that receiveth Me, receiveth Him that sent
Me." (Matt. x. 40.) And again He
saith, "Then will I say unto the angels,
Gather together them that do iniquity, and cast
them into the furnace." (Matt. xiii. 3o,
41, 42.) But concerning the just, not
so. And again, "Bind him hand and foot, and
cast him into outer darkness." (MAR.
xxii. 13.) Observe how in that case His
servants minister: but when the point is to do
good, see Himself doing the good, Himself
calling: "Come, ye blessed of My Father,
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you."
(Matt. xxv. 34.) When the matter is, to
converse with Abraham, then Himself comes to
him: when it is, to depart to Sodom, He
sends His servants, like a judge raising up
those who are to punish. "Thou hast been
faithful over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things" (Matt. xxv. 21);
I (will make thee): but that other, not
Himself, but His servants bind. Knowing
these things, let us not rejoice over those who
are suffering punishment, but even grieve: for
these let us mourn, for these let us weep, that
for this also we may receive a reward. But
now, many rejoice even over those who suffer
evil unjustly. But not so, we: let us show
all sympathy: that we also may have God
vouchsafed us, through the grace and mercy of
His only-begotten Son, with Whom to the
Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory,
might, honor, now and ever, world without
end. Amen.
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