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ACTS XVII. 32-34. XVIII.
I.
"And when they heard of the resurrection of the
dead, some mocked: and others said, We will
hear thee again of this matter. So Paul
departed from among them. Howbeit certain men
clave unto him, and believed: among the which
was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named
Damaris, and others with them. After these
things Paul departed from Athens, and came to
Corinth."
What can be the reason that, having persuaded
(some so far as to say) that they would hear
him again, and there being no dangers, Paul is
so in haste to leave Athens? Probably he knew
that he should do them no great good; moreover
he was led by the Spirit to Corinth. For the
Athenians, although fond of hearing strange
things, nevertheless did not attend (to him);
for this was not their study, but only to be
always having something to say; which was the
cause that made them hold off from him. But if
this was their custom, how is it that they
accuse him, "he seemeth to be a setter forth of
strange gods?" (ch. xvii. 18.) Yes,
but these were matters they did not at all know
what to make of. Howbeit, he did convert both
Dionysius the Areopagite, and some others.
For those who were careful Of (right)
living, quickly received the word; but the
others not so. It seemed to Paul sufficient to
have cast the seeds of the doctrines. To
Corinth then, as I said, he was led by the
Spirit, in which city he was to abide. "And
having found a certain Jew named Aquila, of
Pontus by birth, lately come from
"Italy"-for the greater part of his life had
been passed there--" and Priscilla his wife,
because that Claudius had commanded all the
Jews to depart from Rome." (v. 2.) For
though it was in the reign of Nero that the war
against the Jews was consummated, yet from the
time of Claudius and thenceforward it was
fanning up, at a distance indeed, so that,
were it but so, they might come to their
senses, and from Rome they were now driven as
common pests. This is why it is so ordered by
Providence that Paul was led thither as a
prisoner, that he might not as a Jew be driven
away, but as acting under military custody might
even be guarded there. (Having found these,)
"he came to them, and because he was of the
same craft, he abode with them and wrought: for
by occupation they were tent-makers." (v.
3.) Lo, what a justification he found for
dwelling in the same house with them! For
because here, of all places, it was necessary
that he should not receive, as he himself says,
"That wherein they glory, they may be found,
even as we" (2 Cor. xi. 12), it is
providentially ordered that he there abides.
"And he reasoned in the synagogue every
sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the
Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were
come from Macedonia, Paul was straitened in
the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is
the Christ." (v. 4, 5.) "And when the
Jews opposed and blasphemed," i.e. they
tried to bear him down (ephreazon), they set
upon him--What then does Paul? He separates
from them, and in a very awful manner: and
though he does not now say, "It was need that
the word should be spoken unto you," yet he
darkly intimates it to them?--" and when they
opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook
his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be
upon your own heads; I am clean: from
henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles."
(v. 6.) "And he departed thence, and
entered into a certain man's house, named
Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house
joined hard to the synagogue." See how having
again said, "Henceforth--" for all that,
he does not neglect them; so that it was to
rouse them that he said this, and thereupon came
to Justus, whose house was contiguous to the
synagogue, so that a even from this they might
have jealousy, from the very proximity. "And
Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue,
believed on the Lord with all his house."
This also was, of all things, enough to bring
them over. "And many of the Corinthians
hearing believed, and were baptized. Then
spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a
vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold
not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much
people in this city." (v. 8-10.) See
by how many reasons He persuades him, and how
He puts last the reason which of all others most
prevailed with him, "I have much people in
this city." Then how was it, you may ask,
that they set upon him?
And yet, the writer tells us, they prevailed
nothing, but brought him to the proconsul.
"And he continued there a year and six months,
teaching the word of God among them. And when
Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the
Jews;made insurrection with one accord against
Paul, and brought him to the judgment-seat."
(v. II, 12.) Do you mark why those men
were ever contriving to give a public turn to the
misdemeanors (they accused them of)? Thus see
here: "Saying, This fellow seduceth men
contrary to the law to worship God. And when
Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio
said: If indeed it were any wrong-doing or
wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that
I should bear with you. But if it be a
question of words and names, and of your law,
look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such
matters. And he drave them from the
judgment-seat." (v. 13--16.) This
Gallio seems to me to have been a sensible man.
Thus observe, when these had said, "Against
the law he seduceth men to worship God," he
"cared for none of these things:" and observe
how he answers them: "If indeed it were" any
matter affecting the city, "any wrong-doing or
wicked lewdness," etc. "Then all the Jews?
took Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, and
beat him before the judgment-seat: and Gallio
cared for none of these things" (v. 17):
but their beating him he did not take as an
insult to himself. So petulant were the Jews.
But let us look over again what has been said.
(Recapitulation.) "And when they heard,"
(ch. xvii. 32) what great and lofty
doctrines, they did not even attend, but jeered
at the Resurrection! "For the natural man,"
it saith, "receiveth not the things of the
Spirit." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) "And
so," it says, "Paul went forth." (v.
33.) How? Having persuaded some; derided
by others. "But certain men," it says,
"clave unto him, and believed, among whom was
also Dionysius the Areopagite and some
others." (v. 34.) "And after these
things," etc. "And having found a certain
Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by birth,
lately come from Italy, because that Claudius
had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome, he
came to them, and because he was of the same
craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by
their occupation they were tent-makers."
(ch.xviii. 1-3.) Being of Pontus, this
Aquila * * *. Observe how, not in
Jerusalem, nor near it (the crisis), was
hasting to come, but at a greater distance.
And with him he abides, and is not ashamed to
abide, nay, for this very reason he does
abide, as having a suitable lodging-place, for
to him it was much more suitable than any king's
palace. And smile not thou, beloved, to hear
(of his occupation).
For (it was good for him) even as to the
athlete the palaestra is more useful than
delicate carpets; so to the warrior the iron
sword (is useful), not that of gold. "And
wrought," though he preached. Let us be
ashamed, who though we have no preaching to
occupy us, live in idleness. "And he disputed
in the synagogue every sabbath day, and
persuaded both Jews and Greeks" (v. 4):
but "when they opposed and blasphemer" he
withdrew, by this expecting to draw them more.
For wherefore having left that house did he come
to live hard by the synagogue? was it not for
this? For it was not that he saw any danger
here.
But therefore it is that Paul having testified
to them--not teaches now, but testifies--
"having shaken his garments," to terrify them
not by word only but by action, "said unto
them, Your blood be upon your own heads" (v.
6): he speaks the more vehemently as having
already persuaded many. "I," says he, "am
clean." Then we also are accountable for the
blood of those entrusted to us, if we neglect
them. "From this time forth I will go to the
Gentiles." So that also when he says,
"Henceforth let no man trouble me" (Gal.
vi. 17), he says it to terrify. For not so
much did the punishment terrify, as this stung
them. "And having removed thence he came into
the house of one named Justus, that worshipped
God, whose house was contiguous to the
synagogue" (v. 7), and there abode, by
this wishing to persuade them that he was in
earnest pros ta eqnh hpeigeto to go to the
Gentiles. Accordingly, mark immediately the
ruler of the synagogue converted, and many
others, when he had done this.
"Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed in
the Lord, with his whole house: and many of
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were
baptized."-- (v. 8.) "With his whole
house:" observe the converts in those times
doing this with their entire household. This
Crispus he means where he writes, "I baptized
none save Crispus and Gaius." (1 Cor. i.
14.) This (same) I take to be called
Sosthenes-- (evidently) a believer,
insomuch that he is beaten, and is always
present with Paul.* "And the Lord said in
the night," etc. Now even the number (of the
"much people") persuaded him, but Christ's
claiming them for His own (moved him) more.
Yet He says also, "Fear not:" for the
danger was become greater now, both because more
believed, and also the ruler of the synagogue.
This was enough to rouse him. Not that he was
reproved as fearing; but that he should not
suffer aught; "I am with thee, and none shall
set upon thee to hurt thee." (v. 9,
10.) For He did not always permit them to
suffer evil, that they might' not become too
weak. For nothing so grieved Paul, as men's
unbelief and setting themselves (against the
Truth) this was worse than the dangers.
Therefore it is that (Christ) appears to him
now. "And he continued a year and six
months," etc. (v. 11.) After the year
and six months, they set upon him. "And when
Gallio was proconsul of Achaia," etc. (v.
12, 13), because they had no longer the
use of their own laws. And observe how prudent
he is: for he does not say straightway, I care
not, but, "If," says he, "it were a
matter of wrong-doing or wicked lewdness, O ye
Jews, reason would that I should bear with
you:but if it be a question of doctrine and
words and of your law, see ye to it, for I do
not choose to be a judge of such matters."
(v. 14, 15.) He taught them that not
such are the matters which crave a judicial
sentence, but they do all things out of order.
And he does not say, It is not my duty, but,
"I do not choose," that they may not trouble
him again. Thus Pilate said in the case of
Christ, "Take ye Him, and judge him
according to your law." (John xviii.
31.) But they were just like men drunken and
mad. "And he drave them from the
judgment-seat" (v. 16)--he effectually
closed the tribunal against them. "Then all"
(the Jews) "having seized Sosthenes the
ruler of the synagogue, beat him before the
judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of
these things." (v. 17). This thing, of
all others, set them on (to this
violence)--their persuasion that the governor
would not even let himself down (to notice
it). It was a splendid victory. O the shame
they were put to! For it is one thing to have
come off victorious from a controversy, and
another for those to learn that he cared nothing
for the affair. "And Gallio cared for none of
these things:" and yet the whole was meant as
an insult to him! But, forsooth, as if they
had received authority (they did this). Why
did he (Sosthenes), though he also had
authority, not beat (them)? But they were
(otherwise) trained: so that the judge should
learn which party was more reasonable. This was
no small benefit to those present--both the
reasonableness of these, and the audacity of
those. He was beaten, and said nothing.
This man let us also imitate: to them that beat
us, let us return blow for blow, by meekness,
by silence, by long-suffering. More grievous
these wounds, greater this blow, and more
heavy. For to show that it is not the receiving
a blow in the body that is grievous, but the
receiving it in the mind, we often smite
people, but since it is in the way of
friendship, they are even pleased: but if you
smite any indifferent person in an insolent
manner, you have pained him exceedingly,
because you have touched his heart. So let us
smite their heart. But that meekness inflicts a
greater blow than fierceness, come, let us
prove, so far as that is possible, by words.
For the sure proof indeed is by acts and by
experience: but if you will, let us also make
the enquiry by word, though indeed we have often
made it already. Now in insults, nothing pains
us so much, as the opinion passed by the
spectators; for it is not the same thing to be
insulted in public and in private, but those
same insults we endure even with ease, when we
suffer them in a solitary place, and with none
by to witness them, or know of them. So true
is it that it is not the insult, as it is in
itself, that mortifies us, but the having to
suffer it in the sight of all men: since if one
should do us honor in the sight of all men, and
insult us in private, we shall notwithstanding
even feel obliged to him. The pain then is not
in the nature of the insult, but in the opinion
of the beholders; that one may not seem to be
contemptible. What then, if this opinion
should be in our favor? Is not the man
attempting to disgrace us himself more
disgraced, when men give their opinion in our
favor? Say, whom do the bystanders despise?
Him who insults, or him who being insulted
keeps silence? Passion indeed suggests, that
they despise him who is insulted: but let us
look into it now while we are free from that
excitement, in order that we may not be carried
away when the time comes. Say, whom do we all
condemn? Plainly the man who insults: and if
he be an inferior, we shall say that he is even
mad; if an equal, that he is foolish; if a
superior, still we shall not approve of it.
For which man, I ask, is worthy of approval,
the man who is excited, who is tossed with a
tempest of passion, who is infuriated like a
wild beast, who demeans himself in this sort
against our common nature, or he who lives in a
state of calm, in a haven of repose, and in
virtuous equanimity? Is not the one like an
angel, the other not even like a man? For the
one cannot even bear his own evils, while the
other bears even those of others also: here,
the man cannot even endure himself; there, he
endures another too: the one is in danger of
shipwreck, the other sails in safety, his ship
wafted along the favoring gales: for he has not
suffered the squall of passion to catch his sails
and overturn the bark of his understanding: but
the breath of a soft and sweet air fanning upon
it, the breath of forbearance, wafts it with
much tranquillity into the haven of wise
equanimity. And like as when a ship is in
danger of foundering, the sailors know not what
they cast away, whether what they lay hands upon
be their own or other men's property, but they
throw overboard all the contents without
discrimination, alike the precious and what is
not such: but when the storm has ceased, then
reckoning up all that they have thrown out, they
shed tears, and are not sensible of the calm for
the loss of what they have thrown overboard: so
here, when passion blows hard, and the storm is
raised, people in flinging out their words know
not how to use order or fitness; but when the
passion has ceased, then recalling to mind what
kind of words they have given utterance to, they
consider the loss and feel not the quiet, when
they remember the words by which they have
disgraced themselves, and sustained most
grievous loss, not as to money, but as to
character for moderation and gentleness. Anger
is a darkness. "The foot," saith
Scripture, "hath said in his heart, There is
no God." (Ps. xiii. 1.) Perhaps also
of the angry man it is suitable to say the same,
that the angry man hath said, There is no
God. For, saith Scripture, "Through the
multitude of his anger he will not seek" (after
God). (Ps. x. 4.) For let what pious
thought will enter in, (passion) thrusts and
drives all out, flings all athwart. When you
are told, that he whom you abused uttered not
one bitter word, do you not for this feel more
pain than you have inflicted? If you in your
own mind do not feel more pain than he whom you
have abused, abuse still; (but)though there
be none to call you to account, the judgment of
your conscience, having taken you privately,
shall give you a thousand lashes, (when you
think) how you poured out a flood of railings on
one so meek, and humble, and forbearing. We
are forever saying these things, but we do not
see them exhibited in works. You, a human
being, insult your fellow-man? You, a
servant, your fellow-servant? But why do I
wonder at this, when many even insult God?
Let this be a consolation to you when suffering
insult. Are you insulted? God also is
insulted. Are you reviled? God also was
reviled. Are you treated with scorn? Why, so
was our Master also. In these things He
shares with us, but not so in the contrary
things. For He never insulted another
unjustly: God forbid! He never reviled,
never did a wrong. So that we are those who
share with Him, not ye. For to endure when
insulted is God's part: to be merely abusive,
is the part of the devil. 'See the two sides.
"Thou hast a devil" (John vii. 20; ib.
xviii. 22), Christ was told: He received
a blow on the face from the servant of the
high-priest. They who wrongfully insult, are
in the same class with these. For if Peter was
even called "Satan" (Matt. xvi. 23) for
one word; much more shall these men, when they
do the works of the Jews, be called, as those
were called, "children of the devil" (John
viii. 44), because they wrought the works of
the devil.
You insult; who are you, I ask (that you do
so)? Nay, rather the reason why you insult,
is this, that you are nothing: no one that is
human insults. So that what is said in
quarrels, "Who are you?" ought to be put in
the contrary way: "Insult: for you are
nothing." Instead of that the phrase is,
"Who are you, that you insult?" "A better
man than you," is the answer. And yet it is
just the contrary: but because we put the
question amiss, therefore they answer amiss: so
that the fault is ours. For as if we thought it
was for great men to insult, therefore we ask,
"Who are you, that you insult?" And
therefore they make this answer. But, on the
contrary, we ought to say: "Do you insult?
insult still: for you are nobody:" whereas to
those who do not insult this should be said:
"Who are you that you insult not?--you have
surpassed human nature." This is nobility,
this is generosity, to speak nothing
ungenerous, though a man may deserve to have it
spoken to him. Tell me now, how many are there
who are not worthy to be put to death?
Nevertheless, the judge does not this in his
own person, but interrogates them; and not this
either, in his own person. But if it is not to
be suffered, that the judge, sitting in
judgment, should (in his own person) speak
with a criminal, but he does all by the
intervention of a third person, much more is it
our duty not to insult our equals in rank; for
all the advantage we shall get of them will be,
not so much to have disgraced them, as to be
made to learn that we have disgraced ourselves.
Well then, in the case of the wicked, this is
why we must not insult (even them); in the
case of the good there is another reason also
because they do not deserve it: and for a
third, because it is not right to be abusive.
But as things are, see what comes of it; the
person abused is a man, and the person abusing
is a man, and the spectators men. What then?
must the beasts come between them and settle
matters? for only this is left. For when both
the wrong-doers and those who delight in the
wrong-doing are men, the part of reconciler is
left for the beasts: for just as when the
masters quarrel in a house, there is nothing
left but for the servants to reconcile
them,--even if this be not the result, for
the nature of the thing demands this,--just so
is it here.--Are you abusive? Well may you
be so, for you are not even human. Insolence
seemed to be a high-born thing; it seemed to
belong to the great; whereas it belongs rather
to slaves; but to give good words belongs to
free men. For as to do ill is the part of
those, so to suffer ill is the part of
these.--Just as if some slave should steal
the master's property, some old hag,--such a
thing as that is the abusive man. And like as
some detestable thief and runaway, with studied
purpose stealing in, looks all around him,
wishing to filch something: so does this man,
even as he, look narrowly at all on every side,
studying how to throw out some (reproach). Or
perhaps we may set him forth by a different sort
of example. Just as if one should steal filthy
vessels out of a house, and bring them out in
the presence of all men, the things purloined do
not so disgrace the persons robbed, as they
disgrace the thief himself: just so this man,
by bringing out his words in the presence of all
men, casts disgrace not on others but on himself
by the words, in giving vent to this language,
and be-fouling both his tongue and his mind.
For it is all one, when we quarrel with bad
men, as if one for the sake of striking a man
who is immersed in putrefying filth should defile
himself by plunging his hands into the
nastiness. Therefore, reflecting on these
things, let us flee the mischief thence
accruing, and keep a clean tongue, that being
clear from all abusiveness, we may be enabled
with strictness to pass through the life
present, and to attain unto the good things
promised to those that love Him, through the
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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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