Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 23

'And on the morrow,' he says, 'Peter arose and went with them;'

and certain of the brethren from Joppa went with them to Caesarea.

But Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.

After entertaining the men, he goes forth with them.

First he shows them kindness, seeing they were weary from their journey, and makes them his own; then afterward he also sets out with them.

'And on the morrow,' he says, 'Peter arose and went with them, and certain of the brethren.'

Not alone, but others also come with him;

and this by a wise dispensation, so that they might afterward be witnesses when Peter should have to make his defense.

But Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.

This is the mark of a friend, this of a God-fearing man: in such good things above all to make partakers his near friends.

With good reason he calls together these, in whom he was ever wont to confide when deliberating on such matters especially, matters which meanwhile it were needless to bring out before others.

To me indeed both his friends and his kinsmen seem to have been well-ordered by him.

And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

But Peter raised him up, saying:

'for I myself also am a man.'

This he does, showing his own humility, and instructing the others, and giving thanks to God, and making it plain that, even though he had been commanded, yet of himself he had great reverence.

What then does Peter say? 'Stand up;

for I myself also am a man.'

You see how, before all else, they instruct them in this, to imagine nothing great concerning themselves. And conversing with him, he went in;

and finding many come together, he said to them:

'You know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another nation.'

Observe: straightway he discourses about the loving-kindness of God, and shows that He bestowed great good things upon them.

Now not only is this to be admired here, that he discourses of such things;

but that he at once both speaks great things and yet keeps within measure.

'We, men who count it worthy to keep company with no one, have come to you;'

but what? 'You know' (God commanded this, he means), 'that it is unlawful to keep company with or to come unto one of another nation.'

Then, that he might not lay the favor to his own account, he adds:

'And to me God has shown that I should call no man common or unclean.'

This he adds, lest he should seem to be flattering him.

'Therefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for.'

That they might not suppose that, even though the thing were unlawful, yet because he was a ruler he therefore hearkened, but might reckon the whole to God: it is not permitted, he says, not only to keep company, but not even to come unto him.

'I ask therefore for what reason you sent for me.'

For Peter knew the whole matter from the vision;

and he had heard it also from the soldiers;

but he wishes them first to confess it, and to make them accountable to the faith.

What then does Cornelius do? He did not say:

'Did not the soldiers tell you?' but observe how meekly and humbly:

'From the fourth day until this hour I was fasting, and at the ninth hour praying in my house;'

'and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and says:'

'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are gone up for a memorial before God.'

'And at the ninth hour,' he says, 'praying.'

What is this? To me he seems to have set apart for himself both seasons for a more exact way of life, and this on certain days.

When he had made progress in reverence, then the angel appears to him.

And the day on which those who were sent departed was one;

and on the fourth he appeared, so that it was the second after that on which he had prayed.

'And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.'

He does not say 'an angel'—so free is he from pride.

'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are remembered before God.'

'Send therefore to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter;'

'he is lodging in the house of Simon a tanner by the sea;'

'who, when he comes, shall speak to you.'

'Immediately therefore I sent to you;'

'and you have done well that you have come. Now therefore we are all here present before God, to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.'

'For what reason did you send for me?'—that he might thus utter these words in this manner.

Then Peter opened his mouth and said:

'I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.'

That is to say, whether he be uncircumcised or circumcised.

Paul also, making this plain, says, 'For there is no respect of persons with God.'

'Now therefore,' he says, 'are we all here present before God.'

See how great the faith, how great the reverence.

He knew that Peter had spoken nothing merely human, for he had said, 'God has shown me.'

Wherefore also he says the words, 'We are present, to hear all things that are commanded you by God.'

What then? Is the man in Persia acceptable to Him? If he be worthy, in this way he will be acceptable, by being deemed worthy of the faith.

Hence too He did not overlook the eunuch out of Ethiopia.

'And what,' one may say, 'wouldst thou say concerning the God-fearing who have been overlooked?' Away with the thought!

No God-fearing person is overlooked.

For it is not possible, it is not possible, that any of such persons should ever be overlooked.

'In every nation,' he says, 'he that feareth God and worketh righteousness.'

By 'righteousness' he calls all virtue.

Seest thou how he humbles his mind by saying:

'In every nation he that feareth God is acceptable to Him'? As if he said:

He rejects no one; He receives all who believe.

Then, that they might not seem to be in the rank of the cast-off, he adds:

'The Word which He sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ.'

He says these things for the sake of those present, that he might persuade them also.

For this reason he prepares Cornelius also to speak.

'The Word,' he says, 'which He sent unto the children of Israel.'

See, to these he for the present gives the preeminence.

Then he brings them also as witnesses, saying:

'Ye know the word which was made known throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.'

That it is so, this too he confirms from what follows:

'Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power.'

But he recounts the things wrought by Him:

'Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil.'

Hereby he shows that many maimings due to the devil, and distortions of the body, had come about from him.

Again he utters lowly things, not, I think, without cause, but on account of the human element.

'And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.'

'Both ye,' he says, 'and we.'

'Whom also they slew, hanging Him on a tree.'

Here he proclaims the Passion.

'Him God raised up on the third day, and gave that He should be made manifest, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.'

This is the greatest proof of the resurrection.

'And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify solemnly that it is He who was ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.'

This too is a great thing toward showing them worthy of credit.

And he brings in a testimony besides, saying:

'To Him all the prophets bear witness, that through His name every one that believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.'

This is a forannouncement of that which was to come to pass thereafter;

and indeed, confirming it, he opportunely brings forward the prophets as witnesses.

But let us view from the beginning the matters concerning Cornelius.

'He sent,' it says, 'to Joppa to call Peter unto him.'

He believed that he would surely come;

'And conversing with him,' it says, 'he went in.'

What then was he conversing about? These things, I think, he was uttering, the very things that have been said before.

'And falling at his feet, he worshipped him.'

See how the speech everywhere is free from flattery, and full of humility.

Hence that eunuch too is shown to be worthy.

For he bade Philip to come up and sit in the chariot;

and that too, not knowing who he was, but only from the announcing of the prophet.

But this man also fell at his feet.

Sawest thou a disposition void of pride? But consider with me how Peter shows his coming to be divine, by saying:

'Ye know how it is an unlawful thing.'

And why did he not at once mention the sheet? Because he was exceedingly free from vainglory.

But when there was need, when he also said:

'Ye know how it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to join himself or to come near to one of another nation;'

so far was he from vainglory.

In saying this he also secures their good disposition.

But what of Cornelius? 'We are present,' he says, 'before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee by God.'

He did not say, 'Before man,' but, 'Before God,' showing that one must thus give heed to the servants of God.

Saw ye a mind awakened? Saw ye how he was worthy of all these things? 'And Peter,' it says, 'opening his mouth, said:'

'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.'

This he said also by way of apology to the Jews who were present.

For being about to handle the discourse toward them, he first sets it down as it were an apology.

What then? Before this, was He a respecter of persons? God forbid!

for even before this it was thus.

'Every one,' he says, 'that feareth and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him.'

This also Paul says in writing:

For when the Gentiles, who do not have the Law, by nature do the things of the Law—

He is introducing both a doctrine and a way of life.

For if He did not overlook the Magi, nor the Ethiopian, nor the robber, nor the harlot,

how much more will He surely not overlook those who work righteousness and are altogether willing.

What then, if there are men who are decent and gentle, yet are unwilling to believe? Behold, you yourself have stated the cause—that they are unwilling.

But here he calls 'decent' in another sense—not the meek man, but the one who works righteousness;

that is, the one who is well-pleasing in all things, who is such precisely when he has the fear of God as he ought.

And such a one God alone knows.

'If an angel had come,' he says, 'everyone would have been persuaded, whoever he might be.'

But the signs of the present time are far greater than those, and yet many disbelieve.

Then he begins his teaching, and he preserves for the Jews their privilege of high birth.

'The Word,' he says, 'which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace.'

First he discourses concerning His lordship, and that very loftily, as far as was possible, since he was addressing a soul that had already become lofty and was receiving with fervor all that was enjoined upon it by him;

then, establishing how He is Lord of all, he adds and says:

'Whom He sent to preach the gospel;'

that is, calling men unto good things, not bringing judgment upon them.

From this he shows that this One was sent from God to the Jews first.

Then from the things which He accomplished throughout all Judea he proves this together, and says:

'You know the word which came to pass throughout all Judea;'

and the marvelous thing—that it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.

First he told of His accomplishment, and then he takes courage to speak concerning His native place;

for so well did he know that one's native place is a stumbling-block.

'How God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power.'

For lest anyone should say, 'And whence is this clear?' he adds, saying:

'Who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.'

Then, along with the good things which He did, he shows also His power, that it was great;

for when one prevails over the devil, that is indeed a great and mighty thing.

And the cause: 'Because God was with Him,' he says.

For this reason also the Jews spoke thus:

'We know that You have come from God as a teacher;'

'for no one can do these signs unless God be with him.'

Then, when he had shown that He was sent from God, then he says that He was slain, lest you should imagine anything absurd.

Do you see that nowhere do they conceal the cross, but along with the rest they set forth also the manner of it? 'Whom also they slew,' he says, 'hanging Him on a tree.'

'And God gave Him to be made manifest, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God, even to us.'

And yet He Himself chose them; but this too he ascribes to God.

'To those chosen beforehand,' he says.

See from what source he confirms the resurrection:

But why, after rising, did He work no sign, but ate and drank? Because the resurrection itself was in itself a great sign;

and for the proof of this nothing was so

great as the eating and drinking.

Here too he spoke in a fearful manner, that they might not have any refuge in ignorance.

And he did not say that He is the Son of God, but that which most of all struck fear into them—that He is the One ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

Then comes the principal confirmation, that which is from the prophets;

for those men had great esteem.

'To Him all the prophets bear witness.'

When he had shaken them with fear, then he adds the message of pardon—not spoken by himself, but by the prophets.

And the fearful part was from himself;

but the gentle part was from the prophets.

As many of you as have obtained this remission, as many as have been counted worthy of the faith—having learned the greatness of the gift—I beseech you, be diligent not to insult your Benefactor.

For we obtained remission, not that we might become worse, but that we might become much better and more excellent.

Let no one, therefore, say that God is to us the cause of evils, because He neither punished nor took vengeance.

For tell me, if a ruler takes a murderer and lets him go, is he judged to be himself the cause of the murders committed thereafter? By no means.

And how is it that we, who by our daring give occasion for God to be insulted by godless tongues, neither fear nor tremble? For what will they not say? What will they not utter? 'He Himself permitted them,' they say;

'for He ought, since they were worthy of punishment, not to have honored them, nor crowned them, nor given them a share of the chief places, but to have punished and taken vengeance;'

'but He, doing none of these things to them, but instead of these even honoring them, makes them to be such as they are.'

Let no one, I entreat and implore, ever let fall such a saying concerning us.

It were better to be buried ten thousand times than that God should hear such things on our account.

'You who destroy the temple and in three days raise it up, save Yourself;'

and again, 'If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.'

But these things are more grievous than those.

In order, then, that it may not be permitted, on our account, that He be called a teacher of wickedness, nor that by this very blaspheming we become liable to punishment (for 'Because of you,' He says, 'My name is blasphemed among the Gentiles'),

let us cause the opposite to be said, living worthily of Him who calls us, and drawing near to the baptism of adoption.

For truly great is the power of baptism;

it makes those who partake of the gift to be other than they were;

it does not suffer men to remain mere men.

Make the Greek believe that great is the power of the Spirit, that it has refashioned, that it has remolded.

Why do you await your last breath, like a runaway, like a malefactor, as though you did not owe it to God to live? Why are you so disposed, as toward some harsh and cruel Master? What is colder, what is more wretched, than those who then receive the illumination? God has made you His friend, and has counted you worthy of all good things, that you too might display the marks of a friend.

Tell me now: if you had greatly wronged and insulted someone, and, after heaping upon him countless reproaches, you fell into the hands of the one you had insulted, and he, in return for these things, honored you, and gave you a share of all that was his, and in the presence of the friends before whom he had been insulted crowned you, and declared that he held you as a true-born son, and then straightway died—

would you not have considered the matter a loss? would you not have said:

'I could wish that he were living, so that I might be able to render him recompense, that I might requite him, that I might not appear evil toward my benefactor'? Then, if it be thus in the case of a man—

But when it comes to God, are you eager to depart, so as not to repay the Benefactor of so many gifts? Nay, draw near to Him only then, when you are able to requite Him with equal gifts.

Why do you flee? 'Yes,' he says, 'but I am not able to keep myself.'

Has God then enjoined what is impossible? It is from this that all things have been turned upside down; from this that the affairs of the world have been corrupted—because no one has any aim of living according to God.

Now the catechumens, being intent upon this delay, take no care for an upright life;

while those already enlightened—some, because they received it as children, and others, because they received it in sickness and then recovered—since they had no zeal to live for God, neither do these apply themselves;

and those who received it in health display but little zeal themselves, and being warm toward the present moment, afterwards these too have quenched the fire.

For is it not possible to make use of affairs? Do I bar you from your wife?

Do I bar you from the enjoyment of your possessions? It is greed and rapine that I forbid.

For do I compel you to empty out all? To give a little from what you have to those in need ('Let your abundance,' he says, 'supply their want').

For do we force you to fast? It is drunkenness and gluttony that we forbid.

We take away those things that bring you disgrace—things which, even apart from hell, you yourself already confess to be worthy of flight and hateful.

For do we forbid you to take pleasure and rejoice? Only not shamefully, nor unworthily.

Why are you afraid? Why do you fear? Why do you tremble? Where there is marriage, where there is enjoyment of possessions, where there is moderate nourishment, what occasion is there for sin? And indeed those outside enjoin the very opposite, and are still obeyed.

For they do not require from what you have, but they say, 'You must give so much.'

And even if you plead poverty, not even so do they desist,

but say, 'Give from what you have, and I will enroll you in the foremost rank.'

Again those men say, 'If you wish to win renown, forsake father, mother, kinsfolk, household, and dance attendance at the palace, wearied, distressed, in servitude, dragged about, suffering countless evils;'

but Christ says not so; rather, 'Abide in your home with your wife, with your children, and mould and order these very things, to live a life free from trouble and from danger.'

'Yes,' he says, 'but that one promises money.'

But this One promises a kingdom—nay rather, money as well along with it;

for, He says, 'Seek the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you.'

And that one gives it not even as an addition, but this One even in the foremost place.

'And I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.'

Let us then begin; let us lay a beginning of virtue;

let us but lay hold of it, and you shall see what good things there are.

For do you accomplish those other things without toil, that you grow soft toward these? 'Yes,' he says, 'those without toil, but these with toil.'

It is not so, it is not so;

but, if one must speak the truth, those things are rather yoked with toils and are accomplished with greater toil, whereas these, if we but will, are accomplished easily.

Let us not, I beseech you, leap away from the divine mysteries;

do not look at this, that he who was enlightened before you has become base and has fallen from his hope, and thereby become more sluggish than yourself;

since among soldiers also we see some who do not use their military service as they ought, and others who win distinction;

and we do not give heed to the slothful, but we emulate these who acquit themselves well.

Besides this, consider how many after their enlightenment have become angels instead of men.

Fear the uncertainty of the future.

'As a thief in the night,' so comes death;

and not simply as a thief, but it sets upon us while we sleep, and taking us in our slothfulness, it departs.

For this reason God has made the future uncertain, that through the uncertainty of our expectation we may ever pass our lives in virtue.

'But He is loving toward mankind,' he says.

How long shall we keep uttering this cold and ridiculous saying? I do not merely say that God is loving toward mankind and then stop;

but that there is nothing more loving toward mankind than He, and that He orders all our affairs profitably.

How many do you see at every age passing their lives in elephantiasis? How many blind from earliest age until old age; others afterwards becoming maimed; others in poverty; others in bonds; others in the mines; others buried together at once; others consumed in wars? Are these not tokens of His love toward mankind? Tell me;

could He not have prevented these things, if He had willed? Yet He permits them.

But tell me, why are some blind from earliest age? I will not say, until you promise me that you will be enlightened, that being enlightened you will live uprightly.

It is not lawful for you to unravel such things;

for indeed the discourse is not merely for delight.

For even if I solve this one, another question comes in upon it;

for the Scripture is an abyss of questions.

Wherefore accustom yourselves not only to seek the solution, but also not to seek it.

Since otherwise we shall never stop inquiring.

For behold, if I solve this, I set before you countless snowdrifts of questions.

So let us learn rather to seek this—not to inquire—than to solve what has been inquired.

But according to human reasoning, the proper solution of such matters is faith—to know that God does all things justly and lovingly and profitably,

and that it is not possible to comprehend the reason of them.

This is the one solution, and there is no other better than this.

For what, tell me, is the work of a solution? Surely, no longer to inquire into what has been solved.

And if you persuade yourself of this, that all things are governed by the providence of God—some things He permits for a reason He knows, and others He actively works—you are set free from inquiry, and you have gained the profit of the solution.

But let us return to the matter before us.

Since, then, you see so many in punishments, and God permits all these things, use the health of your body for the health of your soul.

'What need have I of toils and hardship, when it is possible to be absolved of everything without labor?' In the first place, this is not even certain.

For it happens not only that one is not absolved without labor, but even that one departs still having all his sins.

But even if this were certain, not even so is this argument tolerable.

When you ought to receive these gifts and put them to use, you wish rather to be saved ingloriously and to work no good thing.

Tell me, if a war were being waged, and the king were present, and you saw some flinging themselves into the very midst of the enemy's phalanxes, cutting them down and making countless wounded, others fighting in single combat, others leaping, others careering upon horses and being praised by the king, marveled at, applauded, crowned;

but others, on the contrary, counting it a good thing if only they should suffer no harm, keeping to the rearmost rank and sitting still;

then, after the war was ended, the former summoned, welcomed with great gifts, publicly proclaimed;

but of the latter not even the name became known, and their whole recompense of good things reached only as far as their bare safety;

which of these would you have wished to be? For were you of stone, were you more dull than things senseless and lifeless, would you not have desired ten thousand times over to become one of those? Yea, I beg and implore you.

For if one had to fall while fighting, ought one not to choose this eagerly? Do you not see those who fall in these wars, how splendid they are, how glorious? And yet they die a death after which they cannot be honored by the king.

But in that war it is not so; rather, you shall by all means present yourself bearing your scars;

which scars may it be granted to us all to display, even apart from persecutions, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.