Homilies on Acts 33.1–33.4

[Lemma] “After they had fallen silent, James answered, saying, ‘Men, brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited … And with this the words of the prophets agree.’” (Acts 15:13–15)

He was bishop of the church in Jerusalem; that is why he speaks last. And here the saying is fulfilled, “On the evidence of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” See also this man’s good judgment, confirming the word from both the recent and the ancient prophets. For he had no deed to point to, as Peter had, as Paul had. And it is well arranged that these things should be done through men who were not going to stay in Jerusalem, and that this man, who taught them, should not be open to blame, nor indeed seem to have broken away from their opinion. And what does he say? “Men, brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related.” Some say that this is the one mentioned by Luke; others, another of the same name. Whether it is this one or that, there is no need to inquire precisely; we need only receive as necessary what he related. “Men,” he says, “brothers.” Great is the man’s gentleness; and this speech is the more complete, since it also brings the matter to an end. “How God first visited, to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree.” Since that witness was plain from the time, but lacked authority because he was not ancient, he brings in an ancient prophecy too, saying, as it is written, “After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.” What then? Was Jerusalem raised up, and not rather torn down? But he did not say these things about that. And what raising up, someone says, does he mean? That after Babylon … “Known to God from of old are all his works.” Then the credibility of the word: that it is nothing new, but these things were foreshadowed from the beginning. And again, the authority: “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.” Since they had not heard the law, rightly he enjoins these things from the law, so that he may not seem to set it aside. And see how he does not let them hear these things from the law, but from himself, saying, “I judge,” that is, of myself, not having heard it from the law. Then the decree becomes common. “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, writing by their hand as follows.” See them not simply legislating these things; but to make the decree credible, they send men of their own, and so that Paul and his companions may henceforth be above suspicion. And see how … those men … “and Syria and Cilicia, to the brothers who are from the Gentiles, greetings. Since we have heard that some from among us … you, saying that your children must be circumcised and must keep the law, to whom we gave no instructions.” This accusation of those men’s rashness is enough, and worthy of the apostles’ gentleness, who said nothing further. “… men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To show that they write not tyrannically, that these things seem good to all, that they write after careful consideration, he said, “having chosen men from among us.” Then, so that the sending of those men might not seem a slander on Paul and Barnabas, see the praises given them: “Men,” he says, “who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” So there is nothing human here, if these things seem good to the Spirit. “To lay upon you no greater burden.” Again he calls the law a burden. Then he makes a defense even for these very things: “than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality, and from blood; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.” The New Testament did not ordain these things; for nowhere did Christ speak about them; but they take them from the law. “And from what is strangled,” he says. Here he restrains bloodshed. “So when they were sent off, they went to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced at the encouragement.” Then, to show that those men too encouraged them, he added: “And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them. And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to the apostles.”

No more dissensions and fights; that is why, having confirmed them, they went away in peace; for the Judaizers had been more contentiously disposed toward Paul; and from now on Paul teaches. So there was no pride in the church, but great good order. And see: after Peter, Paul speaks, and …; for James had been entrusted with the government of that church. John says nothing here, nor do the other apostles speak, but they are silent and not indignant; so pure of the love of glory was their soul. But let us look at what was said from the beginning. “After they had fallen silent,” it says, “James answered, saying, ‘Simeon has related how God first visited.’” At the start Peter spoke more forcefully, this man more mildly. So should one in great authority always act: leave the harsh things to others, and himself speak from the milder side. He said well, “Simeon has related,” implying that he too was stating the opinion of others. See how he shows this to be ancient. “To take from the Gentiles a people,” he says, “for his name.” Not simply “he chose,” but “for his name,” that is, for his glory. His name is not ashamed; he calls the taking of the Gentiles a glory. For this is a greater glory. Here he also hints at something great. What is this? That these, he means, came before all. “After this I will return, and I will rebuild,” he says, “the tent of David that has fallen.” If one examines carefully, one would find the kingdom of David standing now. For since his descendant reigns, it stands everywhere. For what is the use of buildings and of the city, if there are no subjects? And what harm comes from the tearing down of the city, when all are willing to give even their souls? So it not only stands, but has become more splendid than all; for now it is sung everywhere in the world. That came to pass; so this too must come to pass. Having said, “And I will rebuild,” he also adds the reason why, saying, “so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord.” If, then, the city was raised up for this, for the sake of the one who came from them, it is clear that the calling of the Gentiles was the reason for the rebuilding of the city. Who are “the rest”? Those left at that time. But see him also keeping the order, and bringing them in second. “Says the Lord,” he says, “who does all these things.” He not only says but also does; so the calling of the Gentiles is God’s work.

The question at issue was another, which Peter too stated more clearly: that they need not be circumcised. Why then do you make these speeches? For they were not saying that believers must not be received, but that they must be received together with the law. Peter spoke well about this too; but since this disturbed the hearers more than anything, James heals this as well. And see: what had to be legislated, that one need not keep the law, Peter introduced; but this man states what is on our side and was accepted long ago, and dwells on that about which nothing had been written, so that, having soothed their minds with what was conceded, he may bring in the other too at the right moment. “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from the Gentiles who turn,” that is, not overturn them. For if God called them, and these observances overturn them, we are fighting against God. And well did he say, “those from the Gentiles who turn,” showing both God’s providential care for them from above, and their compliance and readiness for the calling. What is “I judge”? Instead of, “I say with authority that this is so.” “But to write to them,” he says, “to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood.” For these, though bodily matters, must necessarily be observed, since they worked great evils. And so that no one might object, “Why do we not write the same things to Jews too?” he … saying, “Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him”; that is, Moses speaks to them continually. For this is the meaning of “every …” Where he did no harm, he set a teacher over them, and granted a favor that hindered nothing, allowing the Jews to hear Moses in everything, while leading those from the Gentiles away from him; then, through the very things by which he seemed to honor him and set him over his own people, by these he led the Gentiles away from him. Why then do they not learn from him? … through their own disobedience. From this he shows that these too need keep nothing more. If we do not write to them, it is not as though they were bound to keep something more, but because they have one who speaks to them. And he did not say, “not to scandalize them nor to overturn them,” which Paul says to the Galatians, but, “not to trouble them,” which shows that the thing is no achievement at all, but only a trouble. So he resolved the whole matter. And he seems to keep the law by taking these things from it, but he set it aside by taking only these. And yet he had often spoken to them about these things; but so that he might seem to honor the law too, and might say these things not as from Moses but as from the apostles, and so that he might make the commandments many, he divided the one. This especially gave them rest. The dispute too took place by design, so that after the dispute the decree might be firmer. “Then it seemed good to the apostles,” it says, “to send leading men among the brothers.” They send not ordinary men, but chosen leading men. “To those in Antioch,” it says, “and Syria and Cilicia,” where the disease had been born.

See them saying nothing harsh against those men, but looking only to one thing, to overturn what had been done; for this made even those who were causing dissension there agree. They did not say, “the deceivers, the destroyers,” and things of that kind; and yet where it was needed, Paul does this, as when he says, “O full of all deceit”; but here, since the matter had been set right, there was no longer any need. And see: they do not put, “Some from among us ordered you to keep the law,” but … of the expression; no one said it in this way. “Unsettling,” he says, souls that had already been confirmed, as in a building, pulling down what had been built. “To whom,” he says, “we gave no instructions. It has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, … with our beloved.” If they are beloved, they will not despise them; if they have given up their lives, they too are trustworthy. “We have therefore sent,” he says, “Judas and Silas, who will themselves tell you the same things by word of mouth.” For the letter must not come alone, so that they might not say that Paul and Barnabas had got it by underhand means, or had said one thing in place of another. The praise of Paul stopped their mouths. That is why neither Paul alone nor Barnabas comes, but others from the church too, so that Paul might not be suspected, since he himself was championing the doctrine; nor those from Jerusalem alone. It shows how trustworthy they are. They do not make themselves equal to the Spirit, he means; they are not so mad. That is why he also added, “men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And why did he say, “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,” when it was enough to say, “to the Holy Spirit”? “To the Holy Spirit,” so that they might not think it human; “to us,” so that they might be taught that the apostles too accept it, though they are in circumcision. “To lay upon you,” he says, “no greater burden.” They say this because the word was addressed to men who were still weak, and frightened; that is why this too is added. And he shows that the word was not one of condescension, nor spoken because they were sparing them as weak; but the opposite: for there was great respect for the teachers too; for that other thing was a superfluous burden. See: a short letter with nothing more in it, no elaborate proofs, no syllogisms, but a command; for it was legislation of the Spirit. Again and again they call the law a burden. “And having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.” After the letter they too encourage them by word; for this too was needed, so as to be rid of all suspicion. “And being themselves prophets,” he says, “they encouraged the brothers with many words.” Here he shows their credibility. For Paul too could have done it; but these were needed. “And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace.” No longer dissension, no longer turning away. Here, it seems to me, they received the right hand, as he himself says: “They gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.” Then he says, “They added nothing to me.” For they ratified his opinion, and admired it too. He shows that even by human reasoning one could see this, not by the Spirit only, that they had committed a sin not easy to correct; for such things do not need the Spirit. He shows that the other things are not necessary but superfluous, if indeed these are the necessary ones. “If you keep yourselves from these,” he says, “you will do well.” He shows that nothing is lacking to them, but that this is enough. They could have done it without a letter, but they write so that it might be a written law. And again, so that they might obey the law, they spoke to them, and they did so, and in peace.

Let us not, then, be scandalized at the heretics. See how many scandals there were at the beginning of the preaching: I do not mean those from outsiders, for these were nothing, but those within. For example, first Ananias, then the murmuring, then Simon the magician, then those who accused Peter on account of Cornelius, then the famine, then this very chief of evils. For it is not possible, when some good is being done, that evil should not spring up along with it. Let us not, then, be troubled if some are scandalized, but let us thank God for these things too, because he makes us more approved. For not only afflictions, but temptations themselves make us more illustrious. For one who holds to the truth when there is no one to lead him astray would not be an ardent lover of the truth; but the one who holds to it when many are drawing him away, he is approved. What then? Is it for this that scandals happen? I do not say that God does these things; God forbid! But I say that he does us good even out of their wickedness; since he himself never wished them to happen. “Grant them,” he says, “that they may be one.” But since scandals do happen, they do not harm these, but even benefit them. As, then, those who drag the martyrs to martyrdom benefit them against their own will, and yet are not pushed to this by God, so too here: let us not look at the fact that some are scandalized. This itself is proof that the doctrine is excellent, that many feign it and imitate it; for they would not feign it if it were not good. And this I will now make clear to you.

[4] Fragrant perfumes have those who adulterate them, such as leaf of amomum. For since they are rare and much needed, many counterfeits are also made. No one would choose to counterfeit any cheap thing. The pure life has many who counterfeit it; but no one would choose to feign the life of a worthless man, but rather that of one in the monastic life. What, then, shall we say to the pagans? A pagan comes and says, “I wish to become a Christian, but I do not know whom to join: there is much fighting and dissension among you, much uproar; which doctrine shall I take? Which shall I choose? Each says, ‘I am right.’ Whom shall I believe, knowing nothing at all of the Scriptures? And the others put forward the same claim.” This is very much in our favor. For if we said that one should be persuaded by reasonings, you would rightly be troubled; but if we say that one must believe the Scriptures, and these are simple and true, the decision is easy for you. If anyone agrees with them, he is a Christian; if anyone fights against them, he is far from this rule. What then, if the other comes and says that the Scripture holds this, and you say something else, and you interpret the Scriptures differently, dragging their meaning about? Tell me, have you then no mind or judgment? And how could I, he says, judge your affairs, when I do not even know them? I wish to become a disciple, and you are already making me a teacher. If he says this, what shall we answer? How shall we persuade him? Let us ask whether these things are not a pretext and an excuse; let us ask whether he has condemned paganism. He will certainly say something; for surely he would not come over to our side without having condemned it. Let us ask the reasons for which he condemned it; for he did not condemn it without reason. Clearly he will say, because its gods are created things, and it has no uncreated God. Good. If, then, he finds this in the other heresies, but the opposite with us, what need is there of argument? We all confess that Christ is God. But let us see who fight against this, and who do not. We, when we say “God,” also say things worthy of God: that he has authority, that he is not a slave, that he is free, that he does all things of himself; but the other says the opposite. Again I ask: if you were going to learn medicine, would you, tell me, accept what is said without examination and as it happened? And yet there are many doctrines among physicians. If, then, you accept whatever you hear without examination, this is not the part of a man; but if you have judgment and mind, you will surely know what is good. We say “Son,” and we mean what we say; they say it, but do not confess it. And to say it more clearly: they have certain men from whom they are named, the name, that is, of the heresiarch himself, and every heresy likewise; but among us no man gave us our name, but the faith itself.

But this is a pretext and an excuse. For why, tell me, when you are going to buy a garment, though you have no experience of the art of weaving, do you not say these words, “I do not know how to buy; they will cheat me,” but do everything to learn? And if you wish to buy anything else, you do everything, inquiring busily; but here you say these things. So on this reasoning you will accept nothing at all. For suppose someone holds no doctrine at all; if he too says what you say about the Christians: “There is such a multitude of men, and they hold different doctrines: one is a pagan, another a Jew, another a Christian; I must not accept a single doctrine, for they war against one another; I am a disciple, and I do not wish to be a judge, nor will I condemn any one doctrine,” then this excuse no longer has any place for you. For just as you were able to cast out the counterfeit, so you will be able here too, if you come, to test what is profitable. For one who has condemned no doctrine at all will easily say these things; but one who has condemned one, even if he has chosen nothing yet, will be able, going forward on the road, to see what is needful. Let us not, then, make pretexts or excuses …

… for all things are easy. Do you want me to show you that these things are an excuse? Do you know what ought to be done and what ought not? Why then do you not do what ought to be done, but what ought not? Do those things, and seek from God with right reasoning, and he will certainly reveal it to you. “God shows no partiality,” it says, “but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” It is impossible that one who listens without prejudice should not be persuaded. For just as, if there were some rule by which all things had to be made straight, there would be no need of much inquiry, but it would be easy to catch the one who measures falsely, so too now. How is it, then, that they do not see it? Many things cause it, both prejudice and human motives. “This,” someone says, “is what those others say about us too.” How? Have we broken away from the church? Do we have heresiarchs? Are we named after men? Have we some leader, as one has Marcion, another Manichaeus, another Arius, another some other founder of a heresy? And if we too bear someone’s name, it is not that of men who began a heresy, but of those who presided over us and governed the church. We do not have teachers on earth; God forbid! We have one, in heaven. “And they,” someone says, “put forward the same claims.” But the name stands over them, accusing them and stopping their mouths. There were many pagans, and no one asked these questions; and these divisions existed among the philosophers, and no one who had the right school was hindered by them. Why did men not say, when these questions were being stirred up, “Both these and those are Jews: which of them must we believe?” But they were persuaded, as they ought to have been. Let us too, then, obey the laws of God, and do all things according to his pleasure, and live according to his will, while we are still in the present life, so that, having passed the rest of the time of our life in virtue, we may be able to obtain the good things promised to those who love him, and be counted worthy of honor together with those who have pleased him, by the grace and love for humankind of his only-begotten Son and of the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, the one and true Godhead, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.