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ACTS XXIV. 22, 23.
"And when Felix heard these things, having
more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred
them and said, When Lysias the tribune shall
come down, I will know the uttermost of your
matter. And he commanded a centurion to keep
Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he
should forbid none of his acquaintance to
minister or come unto him."
SEE how much close investigation is made by
the many in a long course of time, that it
should not be said that the trial was hurried
over. For, as the orator had made mention of
Lysias, that he took "him away with violence,
Felix," he says, "deferred them. Having
knowledge of that way:" that is, he put them
off on purpose: not because he wanted to learn,
but as wishing to get rid of the Jews. On
their account, he did not like to let him go:
to punish him was not possible; that would have
been (too) barefaced. "And to let him have
liberty, and to forbid none of his acquaintance
to minister to him." So entirely did he too
acquit him of the charges. Howbeit, to gratify
them, he detained him, and besides, expecting
to receive money, he called for Paul. "And
after certain days, when Felix came with his
wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent
for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in
Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness,
temperance (i.e. self-control or chastity),
and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and
answered, Go thy way for this time; when I
have a convenient season, I will call for
thee. He hoped also that money should have been
given him of Paul, that he might loose him;
wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and
communed with him. But after two years Porcius
Festus came into Felix's room: and Felix,
willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul
bound." (v. 24-27.) See how close to
the truth are the things written. But he sent
for him- frequently, not that he admired him,
nor that he praised the things spoken, nor that
he wished to believe, but why? "Expecting,"
it says, "that money should have been given
him." Observe how he does not hide here the
mind of the judge. "Wherefore he sent for
him," etc. And yet if he had condemned him,
he would not have done this, nor have wished to
hear a man, condemned and of evil character.
And observe Paul, how, though reasoning with
a ruler, he says nothing of the sort that was
likely to amuse and entertain, but (" he
reasoned," it says,) "of righteousness, and
of the coming judgment," and of the
resurrection. And such was the force of his
words, that they even terrified the governor.
This man is succeeded in his office by another,
and he leaves Paul a prisoner: and yet he ought
not to have done this; he ought to have put an
end to the business: but he leaves him, by way
of gratifying them.
They however were so urgent, that they again
besought the judge. Yet against none of the
Apostles had they set themselves thus
pertinaciously; there, when they had attacked,
anon they desisted. So providentially is he
removed from Jerusalem, having to do with such
wild beasts. And they nevertheless request that
he might be brought again there to be tried.
"Now when Festus was come into the province,
after three days he ascended from Caesarea to
Jerusalem.
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews
informed him against Paul, and besought him,
and desired favor against him, that he would
send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the
way to kill him." (ch. xxv. 1-3.) Here
now God's providence interposed, not
permitting the governor to do this: for it was
natural that he having just come to the
government would wish to gratify them: but God
suffered him not. "But Festus answered, that
Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he
himself would depart shortly thither. Let them
therefore, said he, which among you are able,
go down with me, and accuse this man, if there
be any wickedness in him. And when he had
tarried among them more than ten days, he went
down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on
the judgment seat commanded Paul to be
brought." (v. 4-6.) But after they came
down, they forthwith made their accusations
shamelessly and with more vehemence: and not
having been able to convict him on grounds
relating to the Law, they again according to
their custom stirred the question about Caesar,
being just what they did in Christ's case.
For that they had recourse to this is manifest
by the fact, that Paul defends himself on the
score of offences against Caesar. "And when
he was come, the Jews which came down from
Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and
grievous complaints against Paul, which they
could not prove. While he answered for
himself, Neither against the law of the Jews,
neither against the temple, nor yet against
Caesar, have I offended anything at all. But
Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure,
answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to
Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things
before me "? (v. 7-9.) Wherefore he too
gratifies the Jews, the whole people, and the
city. Such being the case, Paul terrifies him
also, using a human weapon for his defence.
"Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's
judgment seat, where I ought to be judged; to
the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very
well knowest. For if I be an offender, or
have committed anything worthy of death, I
refuse not to die: but if there be none of these
things whereof these accuse me, no man may
deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar."
(v. 10-11.) Some one might say, How
is it, that having been told, "Thou must also
bear witness of Me in Rome," (ch. xxiii.
11), he, as if unbelieving, did this? God
forbid: nay, he did it, because he so strongly
believed. For it would have been a tempting of
God to be bold on account of that declaration,
and to cast himself into numberless dangers, and
to say: "Let us see if God is able even thus
to deliver me." But not so does Paul; no,
he does his part, all that in him lies,
committing the whole to God. Quietly also he
reproves the governor: for, "If, says he,
I am an offender, thou doest well: but if
not, why dost thou give me up?" "No man,"
he says, "may sacrifice me." He put him in
fear, so that even if he wished, he could not
sacrifice him to them; while also as an excuse
to them he had Paul's appeal to allege.
"Then Festus, when he had con-ferred with
the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto
Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. And after
certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto
Caesarea to salute Festus." (v. 12,
13.) Observe, he communicates the matter to
Agrippa, so that there should be other hearers
once more, both the king, and the army, and
Bernice. Thereupon a speech in his
exculpation. "And when they had been there
many days, Festus declared Paul's, cause
unto the king, saying, There is a certain man
left in bonds by Felix: about whom, when I
was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the
elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to
have judgment against him. To whom I
answered, It is not the manner of the Romans
to deliver any man to die, before that he which
is accused have the accusers face to face, and
have license to answer for himself concerning the
crime laid against him. Therefore, when they
were come hither, without any delay on the
morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and
commanded the man to be brought forth. Against
whom when the accusers stood up, they brought
none accusation of such things as I supposed:
but had certain questions against him of their
own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was
dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And
because I doubted of such manner of questions,
I asked him whether be would go to Jerusalem,
and there be judged of these matters. But when
Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the
hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be
kept till I might send him to Caesar. Then
Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear
the man myself. To-morrow, said he, thou
shalt hear him." (v. 14-22.) And
observe a crimination of the Jews, not from
Paul, but also from the governor.
"Desiring," he says, "to have judgment
against him." To whom I said, to their
shame, that "it is not the manner of the
Romans," before giving an opportunity to speak
for himself, "to sacrifice a man." But I
did give him (such opportunity), and I found
no fault in him. "Because I doubted," says
he, of "such manner of questions: he casts a
veil also over his own wrong. Then the other
desires to see him. But let us look again at
what has been said. (Recapitulation.) "And
when Felix," etc. (v. 22.) Observe on
all occasions how the governors try to keep off
from themselves the annoyance of the Jews, and
are often compelled to act contrary to justice,
and seek pretexts for deferring: for of course
it was not from ignorance that he deferred the
cause, but knowing it. And his wife also
hears, together with the governor. (v.
24.) This seems to me to show great honor.
For he would not have brought his wife to be
present with him at the hearing, but that be
thought great things of him. It seems to me
that she also longed for this. And observe how
Paul immediately discourses not only about
faith, nor about remission of sins, but also
about practical points of duty. "Go thy
way," he says, "for this time: when I have
a convenient season, I will call for thee."
(v. 25.) Observe his hardness of heart:
hearing such things, "he hoped that he should
receive money from him!" (v. 26.) And
not only so, but even after conversing with
him--for it was towards the end of his
government--he left him bound, "willing to
show the Jews a pleasure" (v. 27): so
that he not only coveted money, but also glory.
How, O wretch, canst thou look for money from
a man who preaches the contrary? But that he
did not get it, is evident from his leaving him
bound; he would have loosed him, had he
received it. "Of temperance," it says, he
reasoned; but the other was hankering to receive
money from him who discoursed these things! And
to ask indeed he did not dare: for such is
wickedness: but he hoped it. "And when two
years were completed," etc., so that it was
but natural that he showed them a pleasure, as
he had been so long governor there. "Now when
Festus was come into the province," etc.
(ch. xxv. 1, 2.) At the very beginning,
the priests came to him, who would not have
hesitated to go even to Caesarea, unless he had
been seen immediately coming up, since
immediately on his arrival they come to him.
And he spends ten days? in order, I suppose,
to be open to those who wished to corrupt him
with bribes. But Paul was in the prison.
"They besought him," it says, "that he
would send for him:" why did they desire it as
a favor, if he was deserving of death? But
thus their plotting became evident even to him,
so that discoursing of it (to Agrippa), he
says, "desiring to have judgment against
him." They wanted to induce him to pass
sentence now immediately, being afraid of
Paul's tongue. What are ye afraid of? What
are ye in such a hurry? In fact, that
expression, "that he should be kept " (v.
4), shows this. Does he want to escape?
"Let them therefore," he says, "which among
you are able, accuse him." (v. 5.) Again
accusers, again at Caesarea, again Paul is
brought forth. And having come, immediately
"he sat on the judgment-seat" (v. 6);
with all his haste: they so drove, so hurried
him. While as yet he had not got acquainted
with the Jews, nor experienced the honor paid
to him by them, he answered rightly: but now
that he had been in Jerusalem ten days, he too
wants to pleasure them (by sacrificing Paul to
them): then, also to deceive Paul, "Wilt
thou," says he, "be judged there of these
things by me?" (v. 9.) I am not giving
thee up to them--but this was the fact--and
he leaves the point to his own choice, that by
this mark of respect he might get him to yield:
since his was the sentence, and it would have
been too barefaced, when he had been convicted
of nothing here, to take him back thither.
"But Paul said, At Caesar's tribunal am I
standing," etc. (v. 10): he did not
say, I will not, lest he should make the judge
more vehement, but (here) again is his great
boldness: They cast me out once for all,
themselves, and by this they think to condemn
me, by their showing that I have offended
against Caesar: at his bar I choose to be
judged, at the bar of the injured person
himself. "To the Jews have I done no wrong,
as thou also very well knowest." Here now he
reproved him, that he too wished to sacrifice
him to the Jews: then, on the other hand, he
relaxes (the sternness of) his speech: "if
then I be an offender, or have committed
anything worthy of death, I refuse not to
die." I utter sentence against myself. For
along with boldness of speech there must be also
justness of cause, so as to abash (the
hearer). "But if there be nothing in the
things whereof these accuse me, no man
"--however he may wish it--"no man may
sacrifice me to please them." He said, not,
I am not worthy of death, nor, I am worthy to
be acquitted, but, I am ready to take my trial
before Caesar. At the same time too,
remembering the dream, he was the more confident
to appeal. (ch. xxiii. II.) And he said
not, Thou (mayest not), but, neither any
other man may sacrifice me, that it might be no
affront to him. "Then Festus, when he had
conferred with the council "--do you observe
how he seeks to gratify them? for this is favor
--" having conferred," it says, "with the
council, he said, Hast thou appealed unto
Caesar? unto Caesar shall thou go." (v.
12.) See how his trial is again lengthened
out, and how the plot against him becomes an
occasion for the preaching: so that with ease
and in safe custody he should be taken away to
Rome, with none to plot evil against him: for
it was not the same thing his simply coming
there, and his coming on such a cause. For,
in fact this was what made the Jews come
together there. (ch. xxviii. 17.) Then
again, some time passes while he tarries at
Jerusalem, that you may learn, that, though
some time passed, the evil design against him
prevails nothing, God not permitting it. But
this king Agrippa, who was also a Herod, was
a different Agrippa, after him of James'
time, so that this is the fourth (Herod).
See how his enemies cooperate with him against
their will. To make the audience large,
Agrippa falls into a desire of hearing: and he
does not simply hear, but with much parade.
And see what a vindication (apologian)! So
writes Festus, and the ruthlessness of the
Jews is openly made a show of: for when it is
the governor that says these things, he is a
witness above all suspicion: so that the Jews
are condemned by him also. For, when all had
pronounced sentence against them, then, and not
sooner, God brings upon them the punishment.
But observe: Lysias gave it against them,
Felix against them, Festus against
them--although he wished to gratify
them--Agrippa against them. What further?
The Pharisees--even they gave it against
themselves. No evil, says Festus, "of such
things as I supposed: no accusation did they
bring against him." (v. 18.) And yet
they did bring it: true, but they did not prove
it: for their evil design and daring plot
against him gave cause to surmise this, but the
examination brought out nothing of the kind.
"And of one Jesus," he says, "which was
dead." (v. 19.) He says naturally
enough, "of one" (Jesus), as being a man
in office, and not caring for these things.
"And not knowing, for my part, what to make
of the enquiry concerning these things" (v.
20)--of course, it went beyond a judge's
hearing, the examining into these matters. If
thou art at a loss, why dost thou drag him to
Jerusalem? But the other would not deign
this: no, "To Caesar" (says he); as in
fact it was touching Caesar that they accused
him Do you hear the appeal? hear the plotting
of the Jews? hear their factious spirit? All
these things provoked him to a desire (of
hearing him): and he gives them the
gratification and Paul becomes more renowned.
For such as I said, are the ill designs (of
enemies). Had not these things been so, none
of these rulers would have deigned to hear him,
none would have heard with such quietness and
silence. And he seems indeed to be teaching,
he seems to be making a defence; but he rather
makes a public harangue with much orderliness.
Then let us not think that ill designs against
us are a grievous thing. So long as we do not
make ill designs against ourselves, no one will
be able to have ill designs against us: or
rather, people may do this, but they do us no
hurt; nay, even benefit us in the highest
degree: for it rests with ourselves, whether we
shall suffer evil, or not suffer evil. Lo! I
testify, and proclaim with a loud voice, more
piercing even than the sound of a trumpet--and
were it possible to ascend on high and cry
aloud, I would not shrink from doing it--him
that is a Christian, none of all the human
beings that inhabit the earth will have power to
hurt. And why do I say, human beings? Not
even the Evil Spirit himself, the tyrant, the
Devil, can do this, unless the man injure
himself; be what it may that any one works, in
vain he works it. For even as no human being
could hurt an angel, if he were on earth, so
neither can one human being hurt another human
being. But neither again will he himself be
able to hurt another, so long as he is good.
What then can be equal to this, when neither to
be hurt is possible, nor to hurt another? For
this thing is not less than the former, the not
wishing to hurt another. Why, that man is a
kind of angel, yea, like God. For such is
God; only, He indeed (is such) by nature,
but this man, by moral choice: neither to be
hurt is possible (for either), nor to hurt
another. But this thing, this "not
possible,' think not that it is for any want of
power--for the contrary to this is want of
power--no, I speak of the morally
incompatible (to anendekton). For the
(Divine) Nature is neither Itself
susceptible of hurt, nor capable of hurting
another: since this very thing in itself is a
hurt. For in no other way do we hurt
ourselves, than by hurting another, and our
greatest sins become such from our doing injury
to ourselves. So I that for this reason also
the Christian cannot be hurt, namely, because
neither can he hurt. But how in hurting others
we hurt ourselves, come, let us take this
saying in hand for examination in detail. Let a
man wrong another, insult, overreach; whom
then has he hurt? is it not himself first?
This is plain to every one. For to the one,
the damage is in money, to himself, it is in
the soul; to destruction, and to punishment.
Again, let another be envious: is it not
himself he has injured? For such is the nature
of injustice: to its own author first it does
incalculable hurt.
"Yes, but to another also?" True, but
nothing worth considering: or rather, not even
a little--nay, it even benefits him. For let
there be,--as the whole matter lies most in
these examples,--let there be some poor man,
having but little property and (barely)
provided with necessary food, and another rich
and wealthy, and having much power, and then
let him take the poor man's property, and strip
him naked, and give him up to starvation, while
he shall luxuriate in what he has unjustly taken
from the other: not only has he not hurt that
man at all--he has even benefited him, while
himself he has not only not benefited, but even
hurt. For how should it be otherwise? In the
first place, harassed by an evil conscience,
and day by day condemning himself and being
condemned by all men: and then, secondly, in
the judgment to come. But the other, how is he
benefited? Because to suffer ill and bear it
nobly, is great gain: for it is a doing away of
sins, this suffering of ill, it is a training
to philosophy, it is a discipline of virtue.
Let us see which of the two is in evil case,
this man or that. For the one, if he be a man
of well-ordered mind, will bear it nobly: the
other will be every day in a constant tremor and
misgiving: which then is hurt, this man or
that? "You talk idly," say you: "for when
a man has nothing to eat, and is forced to
bewail himself and to feel himself very
wretched, or comes and begs, and gets nothing.
is not that a ruining of both soul and body?"
No, it is you that talk idly: for I show
facts in proof. For say, does none of the rich
feel himself wretched? What then? Is poverty
the cause of his wretchedness? "But he does
not starve." And what of that? The greater
is the punishment, when having riches he does
this. For neither does wealth make a man
strong-minded, nor poverty make him weak
otherwise none of those living in wealth would
pass a wretched life, nor would any of those in
poverty (not) curse his fate. But that yours
is indeed the idle talk, I will make manifest
to you from hence. Was Paul in poverty or in
wealth? did he suffer hunger, or did he not?
You may hear himself saying, "In hunger and
thirst." (2 Cor. xi. 27.) Did the
prophets suffer hunger, or did they not? They
too had a hard time of it. "Again, you fetch
up Paul to me, again the prophets, some ten or
twenty men." But whence shall I bring
examples? "Show me from the many some who bear
ills nobly." But the rare is ever such:
however, if you will, let us examine the matter
as it is in itself. Let us see whose is the
greater and sharper care, whose the more easy to
be borne. The one is solicitous about his
necessary food, the other about numberless
matters, freed from that care. The rich man is
not afraid on the score of hunger, but he is
afraid about other things: oftentimes for his
very life. The poor man is not free from
anxiety about food, but he is free from other
anxieties, he has safety, has quietness, has
security.
If to injure another is not an evil, but a
good, wherefore are we ashamed? wherefore do we
cover our faces? Wherefore, being reproached,
are we vexed and disconcerted? If the being
injured is not a good thing, wherefore do we
pride ourselves, and glory in the thing, and
justify ourselves on its account? Would you
learn how this is better than that? Observe
those who are in the one condition, and those
who are in the other. Wherefore are laws?
Wherefore are courts of justice? Wherefore
punishments? Is it not, on account of those
men, as being diseased and unsound? But the
pleasure lies great, you will say. Let us not
speak of the future: let us look into the
present. What is worse than a man who is under
such a suspicion as this? what more precarious?
what more unsound? is he not always in a state
of shipwreck? Even if he do any just thing,
he, is not credited, condemned as he is by all
on account of his power (of injuring): for in
all who dwell with him he has accusers: he
cannot enjoy friendship: for none would readily
choose to become the friend of a man who has such
a character, for fear of becoming implicated
with him in the opinion held of him. As if he
were a wild beast, all men turn away from him;
as from a pest, a foe, a man-slayer, and an
enemy of nature, so they shrink from the unjust
man. If he who has wronged another happen to be
brought into a court of justice, he does not
even need an accuser, his character condemns him
in place of any accuser. Not so he who is
injured; he has all men to take his part, to
condole with him, to stretch out the hand of
help: he stands on safe ground. If to injure
another be a good and a safe thing, let any one
confess that he is unjust: but if he dares not
do this, why then does he pursue it as a good
thing? But let us see in our own persons, if
his same be done there, what evils come of it:
(I mean,) if any of the parts or functions
within us having overstepped its proper bounds,
grasp at the office of some other. For let the
spleen, if it will, have left its proper
place, and seize on the part belonging to some
other organ along with its own, is not this
disease? The moisture within us, let it fill
every place, is it not dropsy and gout? is not
this to ruin itself, along with the other?
Again, let the bile seek for a wide room, and
let the blood be diffused throughout every part.
But how is it in the soul with anger, lust,
and all the rest. if the food exceed its proper
measure? Again in the body, if the eye wish to
take in more, or to see more than is allotted to
it, or admit a greater light than is proper.
But if, when the light is good, yet the eye is
ruined, if it choose to see more than is right:
consider what it must be in the case of an evil
thing. If the ear take in a (too) loud
voice, the sense is stunned: the mind, if it
reason about things above itself, it is
overpowered: and whatever is in excess, mars
all. For this is pleonexia, the wanting to
have more than what is marked off and allotted.
So too in respect of money; when we will needs
put upon more burdens (than is meet), although
we do not perceive it, to our sore hurt we are
nourishing within ourselves a wild beast; much
having, yet much wanting, numberless the cares
we entangle ourselves withal, many the handles
we furnish the devil against ourselves. In the
case of the rich, however, the devil has not
even need of labor, so surely do their very
concerns of business of themselves ruin them.
Wherefore I beseech you to abstain from the
lust of these things, that we may be enabled to
escape the snares of the evil one, and having
taken hold of virtue, to attain unto the good
things eternal, through the grace and mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the
Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory
forever. Amen.
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