Homilies on Acts 32.1–32.2

[Lemma] “And they stayed there,” it says, “no little time with the disciples. And some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’” (Acts 14:28–15:1)

See how everywhere it is the Jews who make the beginning of the passing over to the Gentiles necessary. Before this, when Peter was accused, he made his defense, and said everything by way of defense, which made his word acceptable; then, when the Jews turned away, so they came to the Gentiles. Here again, seeing another excess being pressed, he thus settles the rule. For since the apostles, being taught by God, spoke to all without distinction, this roused the jealousy of those from among the Jews. And they did not simply teach circumcision, but that “you cannot even be saved,” when it would have been timely to say the opposite, that if you are circumcised you cannot be saved. Do you see the temptations without a break, within and without? But this is well arranged, with Paul present, so that he might answer them. And Paul did not say, “What? Am I not worthy of belief, after so many signs?” but he yielded for their sake. And see: all now learn of what had been done among the Gentiles, and the Samaritans too, and they rejoiced … “And when no small dissension and debate had arisen between Paul and Barnabas and them, they appointed … others of them to go up to the apostles and … to Jerusalem about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they brought great joy to all the brothers … Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.” See how great a providential ordering takes place. “But some of the party of the Pharisees who had believed rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.’ The apostles and the elders came together to consider … Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Men, brothers, you know that from early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.’” See Peter, who from the first had kept apart from the matter, and up to this time still lived as a Jew. “You know,” he says. Perhaps those were present who had accused him long before over Cornelius, and those who had gone in with him; that is why he brings them forward as witnesses. “From early days God made a choice among you.” What is “among you”? Either in Palestine, he means, or in your presence. “By my mouth.” See how he shows that it was God who spoke through him, and nothing human. “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them.” He leads them up to the spiritual testimony. “By giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.” See how everywhere he puts the Gentiles on an equal footing. “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.” From faith alone, he says, they obtained the same things. These words also served to put those men to shame; or rather, they could teach them too that faith alone is needed, and not works nor circumcision. For they do not say these things only in defense of the Gentiles, but also to teach those men to break away from the law. But for the present they do not yet say this. “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” What is “putting God to the test”? Why do you distrust God, he says? Why do you test him, as though he were unable to save by faith? So bringing in the law is a mark of unbelief. Then he shows that they themselves were benefited in nothing, and turns the whole charge onto the law, not onto them, and so cuts the accusation short. “Which we and our fathers were not able to bear,” he says; “but through the grace of the Lord Jesus we believe that we will be saved in the same way as they.” How full of power these words are! What Paul said at length in the letter to the Romans, this man says too. “For if Abraham,” he says, “was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” Do you see that this is instruction for those men rather than a defense of the Gentiles? Had he said these things without an occasion, perhaps he would have been regarded with suspicion; but having taken his starting point from this, he now speaks without fear. And see how everywhere what the enemies do works together with the apostles. For if those men had not stirred things up, these things would not have been said, nor what followed. From this they learn that, even if the Jews did not wish the Gentiles to be brought in, they must not neglect them.

But let us look at what was said from the beginning. “Among you,” he says, and “from early days.” He said this to show that it was long ago, not just now. And it is no small thing that this turning took place even while Jews were believing. He confirms what he says by two things, by the time and by the place. And “he made a choice” is well said; as with regard to them he did not say, “he willed,” but, “he made a choice.” Where is this made clear? From the Spirit, he says. Then he shows that this was a testimony to them not simply of grace but of virtue, and that it gave them nothing less. “For he made no distinction,” he says, “between us and them.” So everywhere one must look to the heart. And fittingly he said, “God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them,” as there too: “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show …” For see what he adds, to show that this is what he means: “He made no distinction between us and them.” When he had stated the testimony given them, then he uttered this great saying, which Paul too says: “Neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision”; and, “that he might create the two in himself.” The seeds of all these things lie in Peter’s speech. And he did not say, “Between those of the circumcision,” but, “Between us,” that is, the apostles. Then, so that “no distinction” might not seem an insult, he adds, “having cleansed their hearts by faith”; and by this he removes the suspicion. He first cleared his statement, and then he shows that it is not the law that is evil, but they who were weak.

See how he ended on a fearful note. He argues with them nothing from the prophets, but from present facts, of which they themselves were witnesses. Rightly, then, they too add their testimony, and make the word stronger by what had already happened. And see: he allows the debate to take place in the church first, and then he speaks. Since then he did not say, “those of the circumcision,” but, “the Gentiles” (for this, brought in little by little, became the stronger argument, while the other was the act of one testing whether God could save even with the law), see what he does: he shows that they are in danger, if indeed what the law could not do, faith could; and if they fall away from faith, they must necessarily be in perdition. And he did not say, “You disbelieve,” which would have been more offensive, and that when the thing had already been proved. Now in Jerusalem there were none from the Gentiles, but in Antioch there likely were. That is why they go away and spend no little time there. “But some of the Pharisees rose up,” still sick with love of power and wishing to have those from the Gentiles attached to themselves. And yet Paul too was learned in the law, but he did not suffer this; and when he came back from there, the doctrine too became more exact. For if those in Jerusalem enjoin no such thing, much less these. Do you see how those who do not love power rejoice in the faith? The accounts, then, were not given for ambition or display, but in defense of the preaching to the Gentiles; that is why they say nothing of what had happened among the Jews. Great is the obstinacy of the Pharisees, who still lay down the law even after believing, and do not obey the apostles. But see the apostles, how gently and without a show of authority they speak; for such words are welcome, and fix themselves more firmly. Do you see nowhere a display of words, but only the proof by deeds, the proof by the Spirit? Yet, though they had such proofs, they still speak gently. And see: they do not go about slandering those in Antioch, but take their occasion from there again. So intent were those men on their love of power; and Paul and Barnabas were blamed without the apostles’ knowledge. Yet these brought forward none of this; but when they had proved their case, then they write more forcefully. For gentleness is everywhere a great good; gentleness, I say, not coldness; gentleness, not flattery; for these are far apart from one another. Nothing exasperated Paul, nothing Peter. When you have proofs, why are you angry? Is it so that you may make these too of no effect? One can never persuade an angry man.

Yesterday too we spoke about anger; but nothing prevents our doing so today as well; for the persistence will perhaps achieve something. For even a medicine that has power to remove a wound loses all its effect unless it is applied continually. Do not think, then, that it is a condemnation of you that we keep speaking about the same things; for if we had condemned you, we would not have spoken at all; but as it is, hoping to gain much, we say these things. Would that we always spoke about the same things! Would that there were no other subject or concern of our words than how we might master our passions! For how is it not absurd that kings, who live in luxury and in such honor, have no other talk, neither at table nor at any other time, but only how they must master their enemies, and for this purpose hold councils every day, enlist generals and soldiers, exact tributes, and think these two the necessary aims of public affairs, to master those who make war on them and to establish their own people in peace; while we do not wish even in a dream to discuss such things, but talk every day, and never have our fill, about how we may buy a field, and how slaves, and how we may make our property greater; but about the things within us, the things that are truly ours, we neither wish to speak ourselves nor bear to hear others speak? About what, then, tell me, do you wish to talk? About dinner? But these are cooks’ words. About money? But these belong to shopkeepers and merchants. About buildings? But these belong to carpenters and builders. About land? But these belong to farmers. But we have no other business than how we may gain wealth for the soul. Let not our word, then, become tiresome. For why does no one blame the physician for always speaking about medicine, nor the other craftsmen for speaking about their own crafts? If our passions had been so mastered that there was no need of words, someone might rightly charge us with ambition and display; or rather not even then. For even if they had been mastered, we should still have to speak, so as not to fall back; since physicians too speak not only to the sick but also to the healthy, and they have books of both kinds of treatment, the one to rid men of disease, the other to preserve their health. So even if we are healthy, not even then should we desist, but do everything so that our health may be preserved.

[3] But when we are also sick, the need of words is twofold: first, to be rid of the disease; second, once rid of it, not to fall into it again. So we are speaking now by the method of healing, not by the regimen of health. How then might one cut out this evil passion? How abate the violent fever? Let us see where it was born, and remove the cause. Where is it usually born? From boastfulness and great arrogance. Let us remove this cause, then, and the disease too is removed with it. And what is boastfulness? Where is it born? For perhaps we risk going back again to another beginning. So let us walk whatever road the argument leads us, so that the evil may be pulled up from below and by the roots. Where, then, does boastfulness come from? From not examining our own affairs, but busying ourselves about the nature of the earth, though we are not farmers, and about the nature of plants, and about the nature of gold, though we are not merchants, and about garments, and about everything; but about ourselves and our own nature we do not … bear to do this. And who, someone says, does not know his own nature? Many; perhaps all except a few. And if you will, I will make the proof from this. … tell me, what is man? If someone were asked how he differs from the irrational creatures, how he is akin to the beings in heaven, what he can become from being a man, will he be able … to answer? I for my part think not. As with some material, so also with man: what … is man; but he can become both angel and beast. Does this saying not seem strange? … you have often heard it in the Scriptures. Of some men it was said that he is “an angel of the Lord,” and, “from his lips,” it says, “they will seek …”; and again, “I send my messenger before your face”; but of others, “Snakes, brood of vipers.” So the whole rests with those who use their nature, to become either angel or man. Why do I say angel? Even a child of God: “For I said,” it says, “you are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High.” And what is greater, … to become god and angel and child of God, the power … he has himself been entrusted with. And there is man … But hear Christ saying, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but … angels”; and again, “He who is able to receive it ….” In short, it is virtue that makes angels; … masters of it; so we can create angels, not by nature but by free choice. For without virtue there is no benefit in being an angel by nature; and the devil shows this, who was an angel before; but when virtue is present, there is no harm in being a man by nature; and … shows this, being a man, and Elijah, taken up into heaven, and all who are going to go there. These were not prevented by the body from dwelling in heaven; but those others, though bodiless, could not remain in heaven. Let no one, then, be pained or indignant at nature as a hindrance, but at the free choice. The devil, from being bodiless, became …: “For behold,” it says, “our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”; we become angels from being in bodies. For … if someone, not being a craftsman, found precious material and despised it, he would suffer great loss … or pearls, or purple dye, or some other such thing; so we too, if we do not know our own nature, will despise it; but if we know it, we will show great zeal and reap the greatest fruits. For from this material a royal garment is made, from this a royal …, from this all the limbs become royal. Let us not, then, misuse our own nature. “A little lower than the angels” … by death, I mean; but this too we have recovered. Nothing, then, hinders us from becoming angels, if we will. Let us will it, then, let us will it, and … ourselves, let us send up glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.