Homilies on Acts 15.1–15.5

[Lemma] “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did wonders and great signs among the people.”

See how even among the seven there was one who was preeminent and held the first place. For even if the ordination was common to all, still he drew down more grace. Before this he did not work signs, but only when he had become known: to show that grace alone is not enough, but ordination is needed too; so there was an addition of the Spirit. For even if they were full of the Spirit before this, it was of the Spirit given from the washing. “But some of those from the synagogue rose up.” Again he calls their provocation and anger a “rising up.” See here too how great the multitude is; or rather how different the form of the accusation is. For since Gamaliel had stopped them from bringing any charge concerning Christ, they bring in another accusation. “But some,” it says, “of those from the synagogue [called that of the Freedmen, and of the Cyrenians,] and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up disputing with Stephen; and they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly put forward men who said, We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God”: so as to make the accusation stand. “Against God,” they say, “and against Moses he speaks.” That is why they also disputed with him, to force him to say something. And he was now speaking more openly, and was perhaps saying only that the law was coming to an end; or he did not say it but hinted at it; since if he had said it openly, there would have been no need of men put forward or of false witnesses. The synagogues were different. The Cyrenians are those beyond Alexandria, who had synagogues there too according to their nations; and perhaps they stayed there so as not to be forced to travel continually. The Freedmen are those so called as freedmen of the Romans. And as many foreigners lived there, so they had synagogues too, where the law was to be read and prayers made. But consider, I pray you, how he too, under compulsion, sets about teaching, and how they in turn are moved to envy not only because of the signs, but also because he prevailed in argument and was not to be borne. [For they did not wish] simply to kill him, but with a vote, so as to damage his reputation too; and leaving the apostles, they come to these men, as if by this to strike terror into those too. And they did not say, “He speaks,” but “He does not cease speaking,” magnifying the charge. “And they stirred up the elders and the scribes, and came upon him and seized him and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses who said, This man does not cease speaking words against this holy place and the law.” “He does not cease,” they say, showing by this that he made it his work. “For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” “Jesus,” they say, “the Nazarene … this place, and will change the customs.” This they said in accusing Christ too: “You who would destroy the temple of God.” For great was their reverence for the temple, as men who did not wish to move away, and for the name of Moses. And see how the accusation is double: “He will destroy the place,” they say, “and change the customs.” Not only full of dangers, but also bitter, and double. “And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw his face as it were the face of an angel.” So it is possible even for those in a lower rank to shine. For what, tell me, did this man have less than the apostles? Did he not work signs? Did he not display great boldness? “They saw his face,” it says, “as it were the face of an angel.” This, then, was the grace; this too was the glory of Moses. It seems to me that God made him gracious because he was about to say something, and so that he might at once strike them with amazement by his appearance. For there are faces full of spiritual grace, lovely to those who long for them, and venerable and fearful to those who hate them. Or he said this also as the reason why they bore with his address. “And the high priest said, Are these things so?” Do you see how mild the question is, and as yet with nothing burdensome in it? That is why he himself begins his words with a respectful address, and says, “Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.” At once, from the opening, he removes their glory by what he says, and establishes without arousing suspicion both that the temple is nothing, nor are the customs, and that they will not prevail over the preaching, and that God always does and arranges everything out of impossibilities. See, then, how the address is woven through these things and shows that, though they had always enjoyed great love for humankind, they repaid their benefactor with the opposite, and that they are attempting impossibilities. “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham and said to him, Go out from your land [and from your kindred], and come into the land that I will show you.”

And there was no temple, and there was no sacrifice, and yet Abraham was counted worthy of divine visions; and he had Persians for forefathers, and was in a foreign land. And why, at the start, did he call God the God of glory? Because he has made the dishonored glorious; and to teach that, if he glorified those men, much more would he glorify these. Do you see how he leads them away from bodily things, and first of all from the place, since the argument was about the place? “The God of glory.” If he is the God of glory, it is clear that he does not need the glory that comes from us, nor that which comes through the temple; for he is himself the source of glory … So do not think that you glorify him in this way. “And from your kindred.” And how, someone says, does Scripture say this about his father, who went out with him? Because it does not waste words on things that are not very necessary. For what was useful to learn, this alone it taught us: that because of his son’s vision he went out with him; the rest it left untold, because he died soon after settling in Haran. “[Go out from your land and from your kindred].” Here he shows that these men are not children of Abraham. How? Because he was obedient, but they are disobedient; or rather, from what he is commanded we learn that he endured the toils, while they reap the fruits, and that all their forefathers lived in hardship. And … he did not need signs, and great … “Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran; and from there, after his father died, God removed him into this land in which you now live; and he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length.” See how he leads them away from the land. For he did not say … but “He did not give,” showing that all things came from God, nothing from them. For he came, leaving kindred and fatherland. Why then did he not give it? Because it was a type … “and he promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his offspring after him,” showing that not idly does he take up the word again … “he gave him,” he says. “And he promised … to his offspring after him, though he had no child.” Again the power of God is shown from this, … to make everything out of impossibilities. For the man who was so far from it, him he said he would make lord of Palestine. But let us look at what was said from the beginning. “Gazing at him,” it says, “they saw his face as it were the face of an angel.” Where did this grace that bloomed on Stephen come from? Was it not from his faith? For above it bore witness of him that he was full of faith. And it is possible to have grace, and not only in healings … the apostle: “To one is given grace,” he says, “to another a word of wisdom.” Here it seems to me he hints that Stephen was gracious, by saying that his face was as it were the face of an angel … or rather those who were full of grace. “Then [they put forward] men who said, We have heard him speaking blasphemous words.” In the apostles’ case they said that they were proclaiming the resurrection, … the crowd flowed in; but here, that he was healing … O the folly! For what they ought to have given thanks for, for this … and they thought that those who prevailed by deeds would be overcome by words (which they did in Christ’s case too), and they always drew them into arguments. For they were ashamed simply to seize them, … to accuse them. And see how they themselves do not bear witness, for they would have been refuted; they hire others, so that the thing might not seem an act of mere spite. One might see the same thing happen in Christ’s case too. Did you see the power of the preaching, how it prevails not only when they are scourged, but also [when they are stoned] … not even when they are brought to court … when they are driven out on every side? From this … not only did they not prevail, but they could not withstand him, though they were very … so mightily did he overpower them, … doing unbelievable things (as in Christ’s case too), and doing everything toward his death, … so that it might be clear to all that the fight was not one of men against men, but of God against men. Consider what the false witnesses say, set up by those who had seized him and dragged him into the council: “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” O shameless men! You act blasphemously against God and do not care, and do you pretend to care for Moses? That is why Moses is added, since they did not care much for the things of God; and from first to last they mention Moses, saying, “This Moses, who led us out,” so stirring up the crowd. And yet how could he … God … have prevailed? And how could one so blasphemous have worked such signs among the people? But such is envy: it makes those it captures senseless, so that they do not even see what they are uttering. “We have heard him,” they say, “[speaking blasphemous words against Moses and] God”; and again, “This man does not cease speaking words against the holy place and the law”; and with an addition, “which Moses handed down to us”: no longer God.

[3] Do you see how they accuse him of overturning the polity and of impiety? But that it was not like such a man to say such things, and rashly, is plain to everyone; so gentle was he, even from his face. Where they were not falsely accused, Scripture says nothing of this kind; but since here the whole thing is false accusation, God rightly sets it right, even through his very appearance. So the apostles were not falsely accused, but hindered; but this man is falsely accused; and that is why, before anything else, his appearance makes his defense. Perhaps this shamed the priest too. Having said, “He promised,” Stephen shows that the promise came before the place, before circumcision, before sacrifice, before the temple; and that these men did not receive circumcision or the law as their due, but that the land was the reward of obedience alone. And not even when circumcision had been given is the promise fulfilled. And that these things were types; and that leaving one’s fatherland at God’s command, and one’s kindred (for that is a fatherland, wherever God leads), and receiving the inheritance here; and that, if one examines it exactly, the Jews are Persians; and that one must obey God when he speaks without signs, even if terrible things happen; since the patriarch too, leaving his father’s tomb and everything, obeyed God. And if his father did not share with him the journey to Palestine because he was faithless, much more will the children not share, even if they come far along the road, if they have not emulated their father’s virtue. “And he promised to give it to him and to his offspring after him.” Great is God’s love for humankind shown here, and Abraham’s faith. For to be persuaded when he had no child shows both obedience and faith; and yet what happened showed the opposite: for example, after he came he had not a foot’s length, he had no child; things that were contrary to faith. Considering these things, let us too accept whatever God promises, even if what happens should somewhere be contrary; and yet in our case it is not contrary, but quite consistent. For where there are promises, when the opposite happens, it is truly contrary; but in our case it is the reverse: here he spoke of affliction, there of rest. Why do we confuse the times? Why do we turn things upside down? Are you afflicted, tell me? … affliction is the cause of rest. “This illness,” he says, “is not unto death.” That affliction is punishment; this is discipline and correction. The present time is a contest: so there is need of boxing; it is war and battle. No one in war seeks rest, no one in war seeks luxury, no one worries about money, no one takes thought for his wife, but he looks to one thing only: how to overcome the enemy. Let us do this too; and if we overcome and come back with trophies, God will give us everything. Let our one concern be how to overcome the devil; or rather the matter does not depend on our zeal, but the whole is of God’s grace. Let our concern be how to draw his grace to ourselves, how to draw that help toward us. “If God is for us,” he says, “who is against us?” Let us be eager for one thing only: that he may not become our enemy, that he may not turn away from us.

Being afflicted is not an evil; sinning is the evil. This is the grievous affliction, even if we live in luxury; I do not mean in the life to come only, but in the present too. For how do you think our conscience is stung? What torment would it not be worse than? I should like to ask closely those who live in wickedness whether they never come to think of their own sins, whether they do not tremble, do not fear, are not in anguish, whether they do not call blessed those who live in fasting, those in the mountains, those who live in philosophy. Do you want to find rest there? Be afflicted here for Christ’s sake: nothing is equal to this rest. The apostles rejoiced when they were scourged. Paul urges this, saying, “Rejoice in the Lord.” “And how,” someone says, “can one rejoice where there are bonds, where there are tortures, where there are law courts?” There above all it is possible. And how it is possible to rejoice where these things are, learn: the man who is conscious of nothing against himself will be delighted beyond measure, so that the more affliction you speak of, the more pleasure you speak of. For tell me, the soldier who has received countless wounds and comes home, will he not come home with great pleasure, having his wounds as the ground of his boldness, of his splendor and renown? And you, if you are able to utter that cry of Paul’s, “I bear the marks of Jesus,” will be able to become great and splendid and renowned. “But there is no persecution.” Take your stand against glory; and if someone says anything against you, do not be afraid to be spoken ill of for Christ’s sake. Take your stand against the tyranny of pride, against the battle of anger, against the torment of desire. These too are marks, these too are torments. For tell me, what is the most terrible thing in torments? Is it not that the soul is in pain and burns? For there the body too has its share; but here the whole belongs to the soul. The pain falls upon it when it is angry, when it envies, when it does anything of the kind, or rather when it suffers it. For to be angry, to be envious, is not doing but suffering; that is why they are called passions of the soul, and wounds, and scars. For it is truly a passion, and worse than a passion. Consider, you who are angry, that you do these things in passion. So the one who is not angry does not suffer. Do you see that it is not the one insulted who suffers, but the one who insults, as I said before? That he suffers is clear both from the fact that such a thing is called a passion and from the body; for these are the ailments that anger produces: dimness of sight, frenzy, and countless others. “But he insulted my boy,” someone says, “my servant.” Do not think it weakness not to do the same thing yourself. For tell me, was it well done? I do not think you will say so: then do not do what is not well done. I know what fits of anger arise in such cases. “What then,” he says, “if he despises me, if he says it again?” Convict him, rebuke him, entreat him: anger is dissolved by gentleness. Go to him and remonstrate. For on behalf of wrongs done to ourselves we ought not even to do this; but on behalf of others it is necessary. Do not think the insult to your boy an insult to yourself; and even if you are pained for him, do not be pained as though you yourself had been insulted. For it is not you who were insulted because your boy was ill-treated, but the man who did it. Put up the sharp sword; let it lie in its sheath. If we keep it bare, we shall often use it even when it is not the time, drawn on by it; but if it is hidden, then even if need arises, the anger will be quenched. Christ does not wish us to be angry on his behalf (for hear what he says to Peter: “Put your sword back into its sheath”); and are you angry on behalf of a servant? Teach your servant too to be a philosopher; tell him of the Master’s sufferings; imitate your Teacher. When they too were about to be dishonored, he did not say, “I will avenge you,” but what? “They persecuted me; they will persecute you too.” So bear it nobly; for you are not better than I. Say these things to your son and your servant too: “You are not better than your Master.” “But the words of philosophy are counted the talk of a widow.” Alas, that it is not possible to show by speech what one can be taught by experience itself! And so that you may learn it: when you stand between two who are fighting, take the side of the wronged and not of the wrongdoers, and see whether you do not see the victory on your side, whether you do not receive bright crowns. See how God is insulted, and how mildly and gently he answers. “Where,” he says, “is Abel your brother?” And what does that man say? “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What could be more insolent than this? Would anyone put up with hearing it even from a son? For if he heard it from a brother, would he not think the thing an insult? But God again answers gently: “The voice of your brother’s blood,” he says, “cries out to me.” “But God is above anger,” someone says. But it is for this that the Son of God came down: to make you god, as far as human power allows. “But I cannot,” he says, “since I am a man.” Then come, let us set men before you. And do not think that I shall speak of Paul or Peter, but of some of the lesser ones, much lower. Eli’s servant insulted Hannah, saying, “Put away your wine.” What could be more insulting than this? What then did she say? “I am a woman of a hard day.” Truly nothing equals affliction: it is the mother of philosophy. And this same woman, though she had her rival, did not insult her; but what? She takes refuge in God, and in her prayer does not even mention her, nor does she say, “Since so-and-so reproaches me, help me.” So philosophic was the woman (let us men be ashamed); and yet you know that nothing equals jealousy.

The tax collector, insulted by the Pharisee, did not insult him back, though he could have if he wished; but he bore it like a philosopher, saying, “Be merciful to me, the sinner.” … [Mephibosheth,] … and though he was slandered, he neither said nor did anything evil against him, not even before the king himself. Do you want to hear the philosophy of a prostitute too? Hear Christ saying, when she wiped his feet with her hair … “The tax collectors and the prostitutes go ahead of you into the kingdom.” Did you see her standing and weeping and washing away her own sins? See how she was not angry with the Pharisee when he reproached her: “If he knew,” he says, “that this woman is a sinner, he would not have let her.” And she did not say to him, “What? Tell me, are you clean of sins?” But she grieved the more, lamented the more, and shed hotter tears. If women, tax collectors, and prostitutes are philosophers, and that before grace, what pardon shall we deserve, if after so great a grace we become more savage than beasts? … Nothing is more shameful than anger, nothing more dishonorable, nothing … I say these things not only so that we may be gentle toward men, but so that, even if your wife is talkative, you may bear it. Let your wife be your wrestling school and gymnasium. For how is it not absurd to take on exercises that bring no gain, where we wear out the body, but not to exercise at home, where it gives us a crown even before the contests? Does your wife insult you? Do not you become a woman: for insulting is a womanish thing; it is a sickness of the soul, a defect. Do not think it beneath you when she insults you. It is beneath you when you insult; but when you are insulted by her and bear it, it is a great display of your strength. I do not say these things to lead wives on to insults, heaven forbid! but so that, if it should ever happen through some trial of Satan’s, you may bear it. It belongs to the strong men to bear the weak. Even if a servant talks back, be a philosopher: do not say or do what he deserves to hear, but what you ought to do and say. Never throw out a shameful word when you insult a maid; never call a servant foul. It was not he who was insulted, but you. It is not possible for the angry man to be himself, any more than for the sea to be calm when it is stormy, or for a spring to stay clean when mud has fallen into it from somewhere: so everything is mixed up, or rather so everything is turned upside down. Even if you beat him, even if you tear his tunic, it is you who have suffered the greater harm; for his blow falls on his body and his clothing, but yours on your soul. You have thrown that soul down from the horses and caused it to be dragged on its back; and it is the same as if a charioteer, angry with someone else, were to choose to be dragged himself. Whether you rebuke, or admonish, or do anything at all, do it without anger and wrath. For if the one who rebukes is the physician of the one who sins, how could he heal another, having first injured himself and not healing himself? Tell me, if a physician went to heal another after first wounding his own hand, after first maiming his own eyes, does he treat the other in that state? “No,” he says. So you too, whether you rebuke or admonish, let your eyes see clearly. Do not muddy your mind; otherwise how will the healing take place? It is not possible to be in the same calm when one is angry as when one is free of anger. Why do you overturn the teacher from his throne, and then talk with one lying on the ground? Do you not see the judges, who, when they are about to judge, sit on the throne and in a fitting bearing? So you too: adorn your soul with the judge’s robe (and this is gentleness), and then sit on the throne as judge. “But he will not be afraid,” he says. He will be more afraid then. … even if you say what is just, the servant will put it down to your anger; but if you speak with gentleness, he will condemn himself; and, what comes first, God will accept you, and so you will be able to obtain the eternal good things, by the grace and compassion and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, and honor, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.