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ACTS VI. 8.
"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did
great wonders and miracles among the people."
SEE how even among the seven one was pre
minent, and won the first prize. For though
the ordination was common to him and them, yet
he drew upon himself greater grace. And
observe, how he wrought no (signs and wonders)
before this time, but only when he became
publicly known; to show that grace alone is not
sufficient, but there must be ordination also;
so that there was a further access of the
Spirit. For if they were full of the Spirit,
it was of that which is from the Laver of
Baptism. "Then there arose certain of them of
the synagogue." (v. 9.) Again he uses the
phrase of "rising up" (anastasin, Hom.
xiii. p. 81), to denote their exasperation
and wrath. Here we have a great multitude.
And observe the difference in the form of
accusation: for since Gamaliel had stopped them
from finding fault on the former plea, they
bring in another charge. "And there rose up,
it says, certain of them of the synagogue of
those who are called (twn legomenWn. Edd.
ths legomenhs) Libertines, and of the
Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of them of
Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and
the spirit by which he spake. Then they
suborned men, which said, We have heard him
speak blasphemous words against Moses, and
against God." (v. 9-12.) That they
may establish the charge, the phrase is, "he
speaks against God, and against Moses." And
with this object too they disputed, that they
might force him to say somewhat. But he now
discoursed more openly, and perhaps spoke of the
cessation of the Divine Law: or, spoke it
not, but hinted as much: since had he spoken
plainly, there had been no need of suborned
men, nor yet of false witnesses. The
synagogues were diverse: [to wit, "Of the
Libertines"]: "of the Cyrenians, i. e.
those in the parts beyond Alexandria ["of the
Alexandrians," etc.]. There also they seem
to have had synagogues according to their
different nations; for many stayed behind
there, that they might not be obliged to be
continually travelling. The Libertines perhaps
were freedmen of the Romans. As there were
many foreigners dwelling there, so they had
their synagogues, where the Law was to be
read. "Disputing with Stephen." Observe
him, not taking upon him to teach, but forced
to do so. The miracles once more brought him
into ill-will; but when he overcame m
argument, it was false-witness! For they did
not wish to kill intolerable to them. "They
could not resist, etc.: then they suborned
men." Everywhere out of hand, but by means of
a sentence, that they might hurt their
reputation also: and leaving those (the
Apostles), they attack these (the
disciples), thinking in this way to terrify
those also. They say not, "he speaketh,"
but, "he ceaseth not to speak. And they
stirred up the people, and the elders, and the
scribes, and came upon him, and caught him,
and brought him to the council, and set up false
witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to
speak blasphemous words against this holy place,
and the law." (v. 12, 13.) "Ceaseth
not," say they, as if he made this his
business. "For we have heard him say that this
Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place,
and shall change the customs which Moses
delivered us." (v. 14.) "Jesus," they
say, "the Nazarene," as a term of reproach,
"shall destroy this place, and shall change the
customs." This is also what they said about
Christ. "Thou that destroyest this
Temple." (Matt. xxvii. 40.) For great
was their veneration for the Temple (as indeed
they had chosen to leave their own country
(metoikein) in order to be near it) and for
the name of Moses. The charge is twofold. If
He "shall change the customs," He will also
introduce others instead: observe how the charge
is a bitter one, and fraught with perils.
"And all that sat in the council, looking
steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been
the face of an angel." (v. 15.) So
possible is it even for one in a lower degree to
shine. For what, I ask, had this man less
than the Apostles? He lacked not miracles,
and great was the boldness he
exhibited.--"They saw Iris face," it is
said, "as it had been the face of an angel."
(Ex. xxxiv. 30.) For this was his
grace, this was the glory of Moses. God made
him thus gracious (epikarin) of visage, now
that he was about to say somewhat, thus at once
by his very look to awe them. For there are,
yes, there are faces full-fraught with
spiritual grace, lovely to them that love,
awful to haters and enemies. It mentions also
the reason, why they suffered his
oration.--"Then," it proceeds, "said the
high-priest, Are these things so?" (ch.
vii. 1.) Observe, the question is put with
mildness, that he may, effect some great
mischief. For this reason Stephen too begins
his speech in a tone of gentleness, and says,
"Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The
God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham,
when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in
Charran." (v. 2.) Immediately at the
outset he overthrows their conceit, and makes it
appear by what he says, that the temple is
nothing, that the customs are nothing either,
without their suspecting his drift: also that
they shall not overcome the preaching; and that
from powerless (amhkanwn) things God evermore
contrives Him powerful (eumhkana)
instruments. Mark then how these threads make
the texture of the whole speech: and moreover
that having evermore enjoyed exceeding goodness,
they still requited their Benefactor with the
opposite conduct, and that they are now
attempting impossibilities. "The God of glory
appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was
in Mesopotamia, before he came into
Charran." Both the temple was not, and
sacrifice was not, and yet a vision of God was
vouchsafed to Abraham, and yet had he Persians
for his ancestors, and was in a strange land.
And he does well at the beginning of his speech
to call Him, "the God of glory:" seeing
that He hath made them that are without honor to
be glorious. "Because" (says he) "it was
He that made them glorious, He will make us
also." Observe how he leads them away from
things of the body, from the place, in the
first instance, as the place was in question.
"The God of glory," says he: implying
again, that He needs not the glory which comes
from us, which comes by the Temple: for
Himself is the Fountain thereof. Think not,
he would say, in this way to glorify Him.
"And from thy kindred." How then saith the
Scripture, that Abraham's father was willing
to go out? Hence we learn, that it was in
consequence of Abraham's vision, that his
father was moved to join in the migration.
(Gen. xi. 31.) "And said unto him,
Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and come into a land which I shall
show thee." (v. 3.) It shows how far
these men are from being children of Abraham,
how obedient he was. "And from thy kindred."
Uncomfortable (fortika) reflections, both,
that he endured the labors, while ye reap the
fruits, and that all your ancestors were in evil
case. "Then came he out of the land of the
Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from
thence, when his father was dead, He removed
him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And
He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so
much as to set his foot on." (v. 4, 5.)
See how he raises their thoughts away from
(their possession of) the land. For if He
said (that, He will give: clearly fall came
from him], and nothing from themselves. For
he came, having left both kindred and country.
Wherefore then did He not give it to him?
Truly it was a figure of another land. "And
He promised to give it to him." Do you
perceive, that he does not merely resume the
thread of his discourse? "He gave him not,"
says he; "and He promised; and to his seed
after him, when as yet he had no child."
Again, what God can do: that out of
impossibilities, He doeth all; For here is a
man in Persia, so far away, and this man God
saith He will make lord of Palestine. But let
us look back to what was said before.
Whence, I pray you, did that grace bloom upon
the countenance of Stephen?
(Recapitulation.) The writer gives him this
report above, that he was "full of faith."
(ch. vi. 8). For it is possible to have a
grace that does not consist in works of healing:
"For to one is given the grace of the Spirit
(1 Cor. xii. 8, 9) in such and such wise
(toiwsde). But here, it seems to me, it
says that he was also gracious to look at:
"They saw his face as it had been the face of
an angel." "Full of faith and of power":
(v. 15) which is also the character given of
Barnabas "he was a good man, full of faith and
of the Holy Ghost." (ch. xi. 24.)
Whence we learn that the sincere and innocent
are, above all others, the men to be saved,
and that these same are also more gracious.
"Then they suborned men, which said, We have
heard him speak blasphemous words." (v.
11.) In the case of the Apostles they were
annoyed that they preached the Resurrection,
and that much people flowed unto them: but in
this case, that they were getting their diseases
healed. (ch. iv. 2.) The things for which
they ought to give thanks, they made matter of
blame: O the madness! The men who overcame
them by works, they expected to overcome by
words! It is just what they did in the case of
Christ, and always they forced them to words.
For they were ashamed to seize them without more
ado, having nothing to charge them with. And
observe, not the persons themselves who bring
them to judgment bear witness against them; for
they would have been refuted: but they simply
hire others, that it may not seem to be an act
of mere violence. It is all of a piece with
their proceeding in the case of Christ. And
observe the power of the preaching, that,
though they are not only scourged but stoned, it
still prevails: not only, private individuals
as they are, dragged to the bar, but assailed
from all quarters: and, their enemies
themselves being witnesses, not only were these
worsted, but "they were not able" even "to
resist" (v. 10), though they were
exceeding shameless: so mightily did it
overthrow them, for all that they could do with
their preposterous figments (as the saying that
He had a devil--He that cast out devils!).
For the battle was not man's, but God's
against men. And there were many combined
together; not only they in Jerusalem, but
others as well. (v. 9.) For "we have
heard him," say they, "speaking blasphemous
words against Moses and against God." (v.
11.) O ye shameless ones! Ye work
blasphemous deeds, and think nothing of it.
This is why Moses is added--because the
things of God were no great concern to them:
and it is ever and always Moses that they make
mention of: "This Moses, which brought us
out." (ch. vii. 40.) "And they stirred
up the people." (v. 12.) Fickleness of
the multitude! And yet how could a man who was
a blasphemer have so succeeded? How could a
blasphemer work such miracles among the people?
But the undisciplined multitude made them strong
who had the worst of it (in
argument).--This was what most annoyed
them. "We have heard him," they say,
"speaking blasphemous words against Moses and
against God" (v. 13): and again, "This
man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words
against this holy place and the law," and with
an addition, "the customs" "which Moses
delivered to us" (v. 14); Moses, not
God. Upon the supposition of a design to
overturn their manner of life (politeias ),
they accused him of impiety also. But to show
that it was not in the nature of such a man to
speak such things, and harshly ["Then all,"
it says, "which were in the council, looking
steadfastly upon him, saw his face, as it had
been the face of an angel"] (v. 15): so
mild was he even in countenance. For, in cases
where persons were not falsely accused,
Scripture mentions nothing of this kind: but as
in this case it was all false accusation, with
reason does God rectify it by the very look of
the man. For the Apostles indeed were not
falsely accused, but were forbidden: but this
man is falsely accused: and therefore before all
else his countenance pleads for him. This
abashed even the priest. "And he said,"
etc. (ch. vii. 1.) He shows here, that
the promise was made before the Place, before
Circumcision, before Sacrifice, before the
Temple, and that it was not of their merit that
these received either Circumcision or Law, but
that the land was the reward of obedience alone.
Moreover, that neither on the giving of
circumcision does the promise receive its
fulfillment. Also, that these were figures,
and (so was) both the leaving his country at
God's command--not against the law (for home
and country is where God shall lead): "Then
came he out," it says, "of the land of the
Chaldeans" (v. 4): --and that if one
look closely into the matter, the Jews are of
Persian origin: and that, without miracles,
one must do as God bids, whatever hardships be
the consequence; since the Patriarch left both
the grave of his father and all that he had, in
obedience to God's command. But if
Abraham's father was not allowed to take part
with him in the privilege of migrating to
Palestine, because he was unworthy: much more
shall the children (be excluded at last), for
all that they may have gone a good distance on
the way. "And He promised," it says, "to
give it to him, and to his seed after him."
(v. 5.) Herein is shown the greatness both
of God's goodness and of Abraham's faith.
For the expression, "when as yet he had no
child," does show his obedience and faith.
"Promised to give it to him and to his seed."
And yet the events showed the contrary:
namely, after he came, he had not "so much as
to set his foot on," had not a child; which
very things were contrary to his faith.
These things having seen, let us likewise,
whatever God shall promise, receive the same,
however contrary may be the events. And yet in
our case, they are not contrary, but very
suitable. For where the promises are, there,
when the contraries turn out, they are really
contrary;but in our case it is just the
reverse: for He has told us that we should have
tribulation here, but our rest there. Why do
we confound the times? Why do we turn things
upside down? Say, art thou afflicted, and
livest in poverty, and in dejection? Be not
troubled: for it were worth being troubled at,
wert thou destined to be afflicted in that
world: as for this present affliction, it is
the cause of rest. "This sickness," saith
He, "is not unto death." (John xi. 4.)
That affliction is punishment: this, schooling
and correction. It is a contest, this life
present: if so, to fight is our business now:
it is war and battle. In war one does not seek
to have rest, in war one does not seek to have
dainty living, one is not anxious about riches,
one's care is not about a wife then: one thing
only he looks at, how he may overcome his foes.
Be this our care likewise: if we overcome, and
return with the victory, God will give us all
things. Be this alone our study, how we may
overcome the devil: though after all it is not
our own study that does it, but God's grace
does the whole business. Be it our one study,
how we may attract His grace, how we may draw
to ourselves that assistance. "If God be for
us, who can be against us?" (Rom. viii.
31.) Let us make one thing our study; that
He be not our enemy, that He turn not away
from us.
Not the being afflicted is an evil; the evil
is, to sin. This is the sore affliction,
however we may pass our days in luxury:--not
to speak of the life to come, it is so even in
this life present. Think how our conscience is
stung with remorse, and whether this is not
worse than any kind of torture! I should like
to put the question searchingly to those who live
in evil ways (en kakois), whether they never
come to reflect upon their own sins, whether
they do not tremble, and are in fear and
anguish, whether they do not think those blessed
who live in abstinence, them of the mountains,
them of the strict rule? (tous enpollh
FilosoFia) Dost thou wish to find rest in the
life to come? Suffer affliction in this life
for Christ's sake: there is nothing equal to
this rest. The Apostles rejoiced when
scourged. Paul gives this exhortation,
saying, "Rejoice in the Lord." (Philip.
iv. 4.) And how can there be rejoicing,
where there are bonds, where there are
tortures; where there are courts of justice?
There, most of all, is rejoicing. But say,
how can there be rejoicing, where these are
not? For he who is conscious of no evil, will
have a sort of exceeding delight, insomuch that
in what degree you speak of tribulation, in the
same you tell of his delight. The soldier who
has received numberless wounds and is come home
again, will he not return with exceeding
delight, with his wounds as his title for
speaking up boldly, and as evidence of his glory
and renown? And thou, if thou be able to
exclaim as Paul does, "I bear the marks of
Jesus" (Gal. vi. 17), wilt be able to
become great and glorious and renowned. "But
there is no persecution." Make thy stand
against glory: and should any one speak anything
against thee, fear not to be evil-spoken of for
Christ's sake: make thy stand against the
tyranny of pride, against the fighting of
anger, against the torment of concupiscence.
These also are "marks," these also are
torments. For, I ask, what is the worst in
tortures? Is it not, that the soul is pained,
and is on fire? For in the other case, the
body too has its share: but in this, the whole
belongs to the soul. On the soul alone comes
all the smart, when one is angry, when one is
envious, whatever else of this kind one does,
or rather suffers. For, in fact, it is not
action, but passion, not a doing, but a
suffering--to be angered, to feel envy:
therefore indeed they are called passions (or
sufferings) (paqhper-turbationes) of the
soul, yea wounds, and bruises. For it is
indeed a suffering, and worse than suffering.
Bethink you, ye that are angry, that ye do
such things in "passion," in a state of
suffering. Therefore he who is not angry
suffers not.
Do you mark that not he who is abused is the
sufferer, but he that abuses, as I said
above? For that he is a sufferer, is plain in
the first place from the very fact, that such a
thing is called by this name of passion: and it
is also plain from the (effects on the) body:
for these are the affections (paqh) for
"sufferings," as we call them] engendered by
anger, viz. dimness of vision, insanity, and
numberless others. "But he insulted my boy,"
say you; "but [he called him] clown." Deem
it not weakness thy not doing the same thing
thyself. For, I ask you, was it well done?
You will not say that: then leave that undone
which being done were not well done. I know
what passions are engendered in such cases.
"But," say you, "how if he despise me, how
if he say it again?" Show him that he is in
the wrong: rebuke him, entreat him: by
meekness anger is put down: go and expostulate
with him. For though in cases of wrong done to
ourselves it is right not to do even this, yet
it is quite necessary to do it in behalf of
others. Do not look on it as an insult to
yourself that your boy has been insulted:
annoyed you may be for his sake, yet not as if
you were insulted: for it does not follow
because your boy has been ill-treated, that you
are disgraced, but he is disgraced that did the
ill. Quench (thine anger) that sharp sword:
let it lie in its scabbard. If we have it
un-sheathed, we shall be apt to use it even
when the time is not proper, being drawn on by
it: but if it be hidden, though a necessity
should arise, yet, while we seek it in order to
draw it, the anger will be quenched. Christ
would not have us be angry on his account:
(hear what He saith to Peter: "Put tip
again thy sword into the sheath:") (Matt.
xxvi. 52) and art thou angry on account of a
boy? Teach thy boy also to be philosophical:
tell him thy own sufferings: imitate (herein)
thy Teacher. (Matt. xxvi. 52.) When
they too (His disciples) were about to be
treated with dishonor, He said not, "I will
avenge you:" but, "to Me also," saith
He, "they have done the same: bear it nobly,
for ye are not better than I." These words
too do thou speak to thy son and thy boy:
"Thou art not better than thy master." But
these words of philosophy are counted as the talk
of a widow woman. Alas! that it is not in the
power of words to bring it home to people in the
way that it is possible to be taught it by actual
experience! And that you may learn this; stand
between two combatants, take part with the
wronged, not with the wrong-doers [that you
may learn] whether you shall not see the victory
on your side, whether you shall not get splendid
crowns.--See, how God is insulted, and how
He answers; how gently, "Where," saith
He, "is Abel thy brother?" and what saith
the other: "Am I my brother's keeper?"
(Gen. vi. 9.) What could be more
contumacious than this? Would any one have
heard it (patiently) even from a son? and if
from a brother, would he not have thought such
conduct an insult? What then? See how again
God gently answers, "The voice of thy
brother's blood," saith He "crieth unto
Me." "But God," it will be said, "is
superior to wrath." Yes, but for this reason
the Son of God came down, that He might make
thee a God as far as human power can go. "But
I cannot," says one, "seeing I am man."
Well then, let us give you men for instances.
And do not suppose I speak of Paul or of
Peter: no, but of some of inferior sort,
yea, very much lower down. Eli's menial
insulted Hannah, saying, "Put away thy wine
from thee." (1 Sam. i. 14.) What
could be more insulting than this? What then
said she? "I am a woman of a hard lot."
Indeed, there is nothing equal to affliction:
she is the mother of true philosophy. But this
same woman, though she has her rival, insulted
her not: but what does she? She takes refuge
with God, and in her prayer does not even make
mention of her, nor say, "Avenge me, for
such an one reproaches me:" so magnanimous was
that woman (let us men be ashamed):--and yet
ye know, that there is nothing like jealousy.
The publican, when insulted by the Pharisee,
insulted not in return, though, had he wished
it, he might have done so: but he bore it like
a philosopher, saying, "Be merciful to me a
sinner." (Luke xviii. 13.)
Mephibosheth, having been accused and
calumniated by his servant, neither said, nor
did, any evil to him, not even in the presence
of the king himself. (2 Sam. xix. 26.)
Shall I tell you even of a harlot, what
philosophic magnanimity she showed? Hear
Christ saying, as she was wiping His feet with
her hair, "The publicans and harlots go into
the kingdom before you." (Matt. xxi.
31.) Do you see her standing, and taking
courage, and washing away her own sins?
Observe, how she was not angry even with the
Pharisee, when reproached by him: "for had
He known," says he, "that this woman is a
sinner, He would not have suffered her (Luke
vii. 39): and how she said not to him,
"What then? Say, art thou pure from sins?"
but felt more, wept more, and let fall hotter
tears. But if women and publicans and harlots
play the philosopher, and that before grace
(i.e. of Baptism), what pardon can they
deserve, who, after so great grace, fight,
and worry, and kick one another, worse than
beasts? Nothing is more base than passion,
nothing more disgraceful, nothing more
frightful, nothing more odious, nothing more
hurtful. These things I say, not only in
order that towards men we may be gentle, but
also if a wife be a talker, that thou mayest
bear it: let thy wife be to thee a school for
training and exercise (palaistra kaa
Uunasiion) For how can it but be absurd, to
submit to exercises which yield no profit, where
we afflict the body, but not to practise
exercises at home, which, even before the
contest, present to us a crown? Does thy wife
abuse thee? Do not thou become a woman: to be
abusive is womanly: it is a disease of the
soul, an inferiority. Think not that it is
unworthy of thee, when thy wife abuses thee.
Unworthy it is, when thou art abusive, but she
bears patiently (FilosoFh): then dost thou
act unseemly, then art thou disgraced: but if,
having been abused, thou bear it, great is the
proof of thy strength. I do not say this, to
induce wives to be abusive: God forbid: but
only in case it should so happen at the instance
of Satan. It is the part of men that are
strong, to bear the weak. And if thy servant
contradict thee, bear it philosophically: not
what he deserves to have said to him, do thou
say or do, but that which it behooves thee both
to do and to say. Never insult a girl by
uttering some foul word against her: never call
thy servant, scoundrel (miaron): not he is
disgraced, but thou. It is not possible to be
master of one's self, being in a passion.
Like a sea rolling mountains high, it is all
hurly-burly: or even as a pure fountain, when
mire is cast into it, becomes muddied, and all
is in turmoil. Yon may beat him, you may rend
his coat to rags, but it is you that sustain the
greater damage: for to him the blow is on the
body and the garment, but to you on the soul.
It is your own soul that you have cut open; it
is there that you have inflicted a wound: you
have flung your own charioteer from his horses.
you have got him dragging along the ground upon
his back. And it is all one, as if one driver
being in a passion with another, should choose
to be thus dragged along. You may rebuke, you
may chide, you may do whatever if be, only let
it be without wrath and passion. For if he who
rebukes is physician to him who offends, how can
he heal another, when he has first hurt
himself, when he does not heal himself? Say,
if a physician should go to heal another person,
does he first wound his own hand, first blind
his own eyes, and so set about healing that
other? God forbid. So also, however thou
rebuke, however thou chide, let thine eyes see
clearly. Do not make thy mind muddy, else how
shall the cure be wrought? It is not possible
to be in the same tranquillity, being in a
passion, and being free from passion. Why dost
thou first overturn thy master from his seat,
and then discourse with him as he lies sprawling
on the ground? Seest thou not the judges,
how, when about to hold the assize, they seat
themselves upon the bench, in their becoming
attire? Thus do thou likewise dress thy soul
with the judicial robe (which is gentleness).
"But he will not be afraid of me," say you.
He will be the more afraid. In the other
case, though you speak justly, your servant
will impute it to passion: but if you do it with
gentleness, he will condemn himself: and, what
is of the first importance, God will accept
thee, and thus thou wilt be able to attain unto
the eternal blessings, through the grace and
loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with Whom to the Father together with the Holy
Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and
ever, and world without end. Amen.
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