Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 11

'And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.'

It is not for the sake of vainglory that they relate these things;

for how could it be? but they are displaying these things as proofs of the grace of Christ.

Therefore, whatever those men had said, this they relate;

but their own matters, even if they pass over them, yet by this very thing they become the more bold.

And observe how once again they took refuge in the true help, in the invincible alliance, and again with one accord, and with earnestness;

for neither is it a prayer made carelessly.

And when they had heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said:

See how carefully framed their prayers are.

When they asked that one worthy of the apostleship might be shown forth to them, they spoke thus:

Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, show forth (for there was need of foreknowledge there);

but here, since it was necessary to silence the adversaries, they discourse concerning sovereignty;

Sovereign Lord, thou art God, who madest the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;

who by the mouth of David thy servant didst say: Why did the nations rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

As though demanding of God the fulfilment of a covenant, they bring the prophecy into the midst, at the same time also comforting themselves that all their enemies devise things in vain.

What then they say is this:

Bring those things to their fulfilment, and show that they imagined vain things.

For of a truth they were gathered together in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the nations and the peoples of Israel, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass.

And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings.

You see their high wisdom, and how these are not the words of men who curse? They did not set down the threats specifically, but say only that they had threatened;

for the writer cuts the account short.

They did not say, Dash them in pieces, cast them down;

but what? Also grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness.

Thus let us also learn to pray.

And yet with how much wrath would not a man be filled, falling upon men who were attempting to slay him and who were threatening such things? With how much hatred would he not be filled? But not so these holy men.

While thou stretchest forth thy hand to heal, and while signs and wonders are wrought through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.

If the mighty works come to pass in that name, great, he says, will be the boldness.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together.

This became a proof of their being heard, and of God's visitation.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

What is the meaning of, They were filled? Instead of, They were kindled with the Spirit.

For indeed the gift was rekindled within them.

And they spoke the word of God with boldness.

And of the multitude of those who believed, the heart and the soul were one.

You see that together with the grace of God they also contributed what came from themselves? For everywhere this must be observed, that together with the grace of God they also display what is from themselves;

just as Peter said, Silver and gold have I none.

What then he said above, that they were all with one accord, again here declaring the same thing he says, that Of the multitude of those who believed the heart and the soul were one.

And having said that they were heard, he next tells also of their virtue.

For indeed he is about to enter upon the narrative of Sapphira and Ananias.

Therefore, wishing to show the foulness of those two, he first discourses concerning the virtue of the others.

Tell me now, did love beget dispossession of goods, or did dispossession of goods beget love? To me it seems that love begot dispossession, which in turn bound love the more closely.

Of all the heart and the soul were one.

Behold, heart and soul, the same thing.

And not one of them said that anything of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

And with great power the apostles gave the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He shows that they, as it were, had been entrusted with this task;

or even as concerning a debt owed.

that is, they rendered to all with boldness the testimony of the kingdom.

And great grace was upon them all;

for neither was there any among them that lacked.

Just as in a father's house all the sons are of equal honour, so were they disposed.

For it cannot be said that they fed the others indeed;

yet so were they disposed, as feeding them out of their own means.

But this is the marvellous thing, that having separated their goods from themselves, they so fed them, that they seemed to feed them no longer as out of their own, but as out of what was common.

And as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the feet of the apostles.

And distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Great is the honour, seeing that they laid them not into the hands, but at the feet of the apostles.

And Joses, who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, Son of consolation.

This man does not seem to me to be that other who was with Matthias;

for that man was called both Joses and Barsabbas, and was afterwards surnamed also Justus;

but this man was surnamed Barnabas, Son of consolation, by the apostles.

And it seems to me that he received the name from his virtue, as being sufficient and well-fitted for this.

A Levite, a Cypriot by race, having a field, sold it and brought the money, and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Here observe with me how he shows the Law being dissolved, and how he says, Being a Levite, he was a Cypriot.

For by this time even those who dwelt abroad were still reckoned as Levites.

But let us look at what has been said from the beginning.

Being let go, he says, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.

See the freedom from arrogance in the apostles, and their high wisdom.

They did not go about boasting and telling how they had dealt with the priests, nor did they make a display in the reporting, but simply coming, they report just what they had heard from the elders.

From this we learn that they did not cast themselves into trials, but rather bore nobly even those that were brought upon them.

Any other man, had there been one, would perhaps, emboldened by the boldness of the multitude, have even reviled them, and uttered countless bitter things.

But not so these lovers of wisdom;

but they did all things gently and with equity.

'And when they heard it,' he says, 'they lifted up their voice to God with one accord.'

The outcry arose from delight and from great earnestness of soul.

For prayers of this kind avail much—those that are full of true wisdom, that are offered concerning such matters, by such persons, at such seasons, and after this manner;

since prayers of another sort are abominable and unclean.

Observe how there is nothing superfluous, but they discourse solely concerning His power.

Or rather, just as Christ said to the Jews, 'But if I by the Spirit of God speak,'

so too they themselves say, 'Through the Holy Spirit.'

Behold, the Saviour also utters His words in the Spirit.

But what it is that they also say, listen.

'Sovereign Lord, God, who by the mouth of Thy servant David hast said, Why did the nations rage?' For it is the custom of Scripture to speak of one as of many.

What then they say is this:

'It was not they who prevailed, but Thou didst work the whole—Thou who didst permit it and bring it to its end—Thou the resourceful and wise, who didst use the enemies for Thine own purpose.'

For here they discourse of His resourcefulness and wisdom, showing that these men came together as enemies with murderous intent and as adversaries;

yet they did the very things which Thou nonetheless didst will to be done, 'Whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined beforehand to come to pass.'

What is meant by 'Thy hand'? Here it seems to me that by 'hand' he means the power and the counsel.

'It suffices,' he says, 'for Thee only to will;'

for no one determines anything beforehand by mere power.

So then, 'Whatsoever Thy hand'—this means, 'Whatsoever Thou didst ordain.'

Either, then, he means this, or that He accomplished it by His hand.

As, therefore, they then meditated vain things, so now also, he says, make them to meditate vain things.

'And grant unto Thy servants'—

that is, 'Let not their threats come to effect.'

And this they said, not that they themselves were begging off from suffering anything grievous, but for the sake of the preaching.

For they did not say, 'And deliver us from the dangers;'

but what? 'And grant unto Thy servants to speak Thy word with all boldness.'

'Thou, therefore, who didst bring those things to their end, bring these also to pass.'

By their prayer they distribute the burden, and they refer the whole to Him, and they declare Him to be the author of their boldness.

Do you see how they ask all things for God's sake, and nothing for their own glory or ambition? For their own part, indeed, they pledge that they will not be dismayed;

but they ask that signs may be wrought.

'In that Thou stretchest forth Thy hand,' he says, 'unto healing, and that signs and wonders may come to pass.'

For apart from these, even had they shown ten thousandfold zeal, they would have been doing all in vain.

He assented to their supplication, and He made this manifest by shaking the place, that He was present with their prayers.

'For when they had prayed,' he says, 'the place was shaken.'

And that it came to pass for this reason, hear the prophet saying:

'Who looketh upon the earth and maketh it tremble;'

and again, 'The earth was shaken at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.'

And God does this both to inspire greater fear, and to lead them into courage after those threats, and to anoint them for yet greater boldness.

For since it was the beginning, and they needed a perceptible sign in order to be believed, but afterward this nowhere takes place;

so great was the consolation they obtained from the prayer.

And with good reason do they ask for the grace of signs;

for from no other quarter had they the means of proving that He was risen, save from the signs.

So that it was not their own safety alone that they sought, but also that they might not be put to shame, and that they might speak with boldness.

The place was shaken, and this rather strengthened them.

Now this is at one time a token of anger, at another of visitation and providence; but here it is of anger.

But at the saving Passion it came to pass in a strange manner and contrary to nature.

For then too the whole earth was shaken.

And the Saviour Himself also said:

'Then shall there be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.'

But in another sense it was also of anger against those men;

for these He filled with the Spirit.

Observe, the apostles too, after the prayer, are filled with the Spirit.

'And great grace,' he says, 'was upon them all;'

'for neither was there any among them that lacked.' Do you see that great is the power of the thing, seeing that there too it was needed?

For this is the foundation of good things, which he mentions a second time also, exhorting all to a contempt of riches;

above, indeed, saying that 'Not one of them said that aught of the things he possessed was his own;'

and here, that 'There was not any among them that lacked.'

For that what took place was not of the signs only, but also of their own free choice, Sapphira and Ananias make plain.

And not in word only, but also in power, did they exhibit the testimony of the resurrection;

just as Paul also says:

'And my preaching was not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.'

And not simply 'in power,' but 'in great power.'

And well did he say, 'Grace was upon them all.'

For on this account was there grace, because there was none that lacked;

that is, from the great readiness of those who gave, there was none that lacked.

For they did not give a part while keeping a part in store;

nor yet all, while regarding it as their own.

They banished inequality from their midst, and lived in great abundance;

and this they did with great honour.

For they did not even dare to give into their hands, nor did they offer it with pride, but they laid it at their feet, and left the apostles to become the stewards, and made them lords of it, so that thenceforth it might be expended as from common funds, and not as from private property.

This also contributed to their not being vainglorious.

If this were to happen even now, we would live our lives with far greater delight, both rich and poor alike.

And it would bring this delight not more to the poor than to the rich.

And if you will, let us for the moment sketch it out in words, and by this means reap the delight of it, since in deeds you are unwilling.

For above all it is plain even from what happened back then, that those who sold their possessions were not left in want, but even made the poor rich.

Nevertheless, let us even now sketch this out in words: let all sell all that they have and bring it into the common store—I mean, in words.

Let no one be troubled, neither rich nor poor.

How much gold do you suppose would be gathered? I make a guess—for it is not possible to speak with precision—that if all the men and all the women here poured out their wealth,

and disposed of their fields and estates and houses—for I will not speak of slaves,

for neither was that so back then, but perhaps they even suffered them to become free—

perhaps a million pounds of gold might be gathered;

nay rather, even twice and thrice as much.

For tell me, to what number of mixed inhabitants does our city now amount? How many do you wish to be Christians? Do you wish there to be a hundred thousand, and the rest Greeks and Jews? How many myriads of gold would be collected? And what is the number of the poor? I do not think it more than fifty thousand.

To feed these day by day—what abundance there would be! Or rather, since the food would be held in common and they would eat at the same tables, there would not even be need of much expense.

'What then,' someone says, 'were we to do after it had all been spent?' Do you suppose it could ever be spent? Would not the grace of God have become ten-thousandfold? Would not the grace of God have been poured out richly? What then? Would we not have made the earth a heaven? If, where there were three thousand and five thousand, this practice, when carried out, so shone forth, and none of them complained of poverty, how much more amid so great a multitude? And who even of those outside would not have given? And to show that this being divided up is what is costly and productive of poverty, suppose there is a house where there are ten children and a wife and a husband, and let the wife spin wool while the husband brings in income from outside;

tell me then, would these, eating in common and having one household, spend more, or when divided apart? Plainly, when divided apart. For if the ten children were to be divided, there would be need of ten dwellings, ten tables, ten servants, and the like proportion of other income.

And what of a place where there is a multitude of slaves? Is it not for this reason that they all have one table, so that the expense may not become great? For division always brings diminution, but concord and harmony bring increase.

So do those in the monasteries now live, just as once the faithful lived.

Who then would have died of famine? Who would not have been nourished with much abundance? But as it is now, men dread this more than to fall into a boundless and limitless sea.

But if we had made trial of this, then we would have taken courage for the undertaking.

How great do you suppose the grace would also be? For if back then, when there was no one faithful but only three thousand and five thousand;

when all in the world were enemies;

when from no quarter did they look for comfort, they nonetheless took courage for the undertaking;

how much more would this come to pass now, when by the grace of God there are faithful throughout the whole world? And who then would remain a Greek? I for my part think no one;

thus should we have drawn them all in, and won them over to ourselves.

Nevertheless, if we advance along this road, I trust in God that this too shall come to pass.

Only be persuaded by me, and we shall set our affairs right in due order;

and if God grants life, I believe that we shall quickly bring ourselves to this manner of life.

For the present, set right and confirm the law concerning the oath;

and let him who has kept it make known him who has not kept it, and henceforth accuse him and rebuke him severely.

For the appointed time is near, and I will make an examination of the matter, and will separate and shut out the one caught.

But may none such be found among us, but may all with exactness keep this spiritual watchword.

Just as, therefore, in war both friend and foe are recognized by the watchword;

for indeed even now we are in a war, that we may also recognize our own brethren.

For how great a good it is that this should be our token, both here and in a foreign land! What a weapon this is against the devil's contrivance! For a mouth that knows not how to swear will quickly draw God near in prayers, and will strike the devil a mortal blow;

a mouth that knows not how to swear will not know how to revile either.

As from some house, so cast this fire out of your tongue, and drag it forth outside.

Give it a little breathing space;

make the sore weaker.

Yes, I beseech you, that I may impart to you yet another lesson also;

for since this has not yet been set right, I dare not proceed to anything else.

Let this be set right by you with exactness;

gain first a perception of this achievement, and then

I will introduce to you other laws also—or rather not I, but Christ.

Plant this good thing in your soul, and little by little you will become a paradise of God, far better than that paradise.

For with us there is neither serpent, nor death-bearing tree, nor any other such thing.

Fix this habit deep within.

If this comes to pass, not only you who are present will be benefited, but also all who are in the world;

and not those only, but also those who come after them.

For a good custom, once it has come in and is kept by all, will be handed down for long ages, and no season will be able to cut it off.

If one who gathered sticks on the Sabbath was stoned;

he who works things far more grievous than that gathering, and gathers a burden of sins (for this is what the multitude of oaths amounts to), what will he not undergo? What will he not endure? You will receive much help from God, if this has been set right by you.

If I say, Do not revile, you at once bring your temper forward against me;

if I say, Do not envy, you will allege some other cause.

Here you have nothing of the sort to say.

For this reason I have begun with the easy things, since in all the crafts too they do the same.

So too does one come to greater things, first learning by much the easier ones.

You will know how easy this is, when, having by the grace of God set it right, you also receive another law.

Give me boldness both before Greeks and before Jews, and before all before God.

Yes, I beseech you, by that love, by those birth-pangs with which I travailed for you, My little children.

But the words that follow I will not add, namely, For whom I travail again;

nor will I say, Until Christ be formed in you.

For I believe that Christ has been formed in you.

But other things I will say to you:

My beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown.

For believe me, that I do not say this idly.

If someone were now to set upon my head ten thousand jewel-studded royal crowns, I would not rejoice as I rejoice over your progress;

nay rather, I do not think even the emperor rejoices so as I do over you.

What do I say? If, having conquered all the nations warring against him, he returned, and beyond the customary crown received other crowns besides, and other diadems as tokens of victory, I do not think he would rejoice over his trophies as I rejoice over your progress.

For as though I had ten thousand crowns upon my head, so do I exult;

For if by the grace of God this custom is set right in you, you have conquered ten thousand wars, and ones far more grievous than that;

having wrestled and done battle against wicked demons, against avenging spirits, not by the sword but by the tongue and by resolve of will.

For consider how much is accomplished, if indeed you also accomplish it.

First, that you cut off a grievous habit;

second, a wicked reasoning, and the source of all evils, namely the supposing that the matter is indifferent and does no harm;

fourth, the love of money;

for the oath begets all these things.

But from this you will also gain great occasion for the other good deeds.

For just as children who learn their letters do not learn those alone, but through them are gradually trained to read;

no longer henceforth will the wicked reasoning deceive you, nor will you say, 'This is a matter of indifference'; no longer will you speak out of habit, but you will stand nobly against all things, so that having accomplished virtue according to God through all things, you may enjoy the eternal good things, by the grace and lovingkindness of His only-begotten Son, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.