Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 27

Now when it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, as to what then had become of Peter.

And Herod, when he had sought for him and found him not, examined the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution;

and he went down from Judaea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Many are perplexed how God then, on his account, overlooked the children being slain, and now again the soldiers on Peter's account, when yet it was possible for him to have delivered those men also along with Peter.

But if the angel had brought out the soldiers too along with Peter, the thing would have been thought to be an escape.

Why then, one asks, did he not order it otherwise? For what harm has now come? If we see that those who suffered something unjustly and evilly were in no way harmed, we shall not go on inquiring into these things.

For why do you not also speak concerning James, why he did not deliver him? And in any case, the time of judgment was not yet come, so as to render to each according to his desert.

Nor yet did Peter cast them into his hands.

Rather, then, it grieved Herod to have been mocked, just as it made his grandfather, deceived by the Magi, gnash the more and become a laughingstock.

It is good also to hear the very words of the writer.

Now when it was day, he says, there was no small stir among the soldiers, as to what then had become of Peter.

And Herod, when he had sought for him and found him not, examined the guards and commanded that they be led away.

And yet he had heard from them (for he had examined them) both that the chains had been loosed, and that Peter had taken his sandals, and that until that very night he had been with them.

But why did they conceal these things? And why then did they not flee themselves as well? And indeed he ought to have marveled at him, he ought to have been astounded at this.

Moreover, through the death of these men it becomes plain to all, both the wonder of God and that man's manifest wickedness.

See how he does not conceal these things, but even makes mention of the history, so as to instruct us.

'And going down from Judea to Caesarea, he remained there.'

Now Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians;

and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king's territory.

And on an appointed day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel and seated on the tribunal, made a public oration to them;

'The voice of a god, and not of a man!'

And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give the glory to God;

and having become eaten by worms, he expired.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Neither is this a small thing.

Straightway justice overtook him, if not for Peter's sake, yet on account of his own arrogant boasting.

'And yet,' one may say, 'if those men cried out, what has that to do with him?' Because he accepted the acclamation, because he deemed himself worthy of the flattery.

By this especially are those instructed who flatter without cause.

Observe again that both parties were deserving of punishment, yet it is this man who is chastised.

For it is not now the time of judgment; but Him whom He punishes He chastens the one most culpable, letting the others go free, that they may gain profit from this.

'And the word of God,' he says, 'grew and multiplied';

that is, when this had come to pass.

Did you see God's providential ordering? 'And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them also John who was surnamed Mark.'

'Now there were in Antioch, in the church that was there, certain prophets and teachers: both Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.'

Still he mentions Barnabas first;

for Paul was not yet illustrious, he had as yet wrought no sign.

'And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said:'

'Separate to Me now Barnabas and Saul for'

'the work to which I have called them.'

'Then, having fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.'

What is 'ministering'? Preaching.

'Separate to Me,' He says, 'Barnabas and Saul.'

What is 'Separate to Me'? For the work, for the apostleship.

Observe again by whom he is ordained;

by Lucius the Cyrenian and

rather, by the Spirit.

For the meaner the persons are, so much the more nakedly does the grace of God appear.

Henceforth he is ordained to the apostleship, so as to preach with authority.

'Not from men, neither through men?' The 'Not from men' he said, to show that no man called him nor brought him near;

and the 'Through men,' that he was not sent by such a one, but by the Spirit.

'So these, being sent forth by the Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.'

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

'And when it was day,' he says, 'there was no small stir among the soldiers on account of Peter; and having examined the guards, he commanded that they be led away to execution.'

So little did he perceive that he was even undertaking to punish unjustly.

Behold, I take up their defense on their behalf.

The chains were there, the guards were within, the prison was locked, nowhere was the wall broken through; all said the same thing:

the man has been snatched away; why do you condemn them? If they had wished to release him, they would have released him before this, or would have gone out together with him.

But did they take money? From where would one who had not even enough to give a poor man give to these? For neither were the chains shattered, nor had they been unfastened.

One ought to have seen that the deed was divine and not human.

Then, since he was henceforth about to make mention of the history, on this account he also sets down the names, that he might be shown to be verifying all things.

'And having won over Blastus,' he says, 'the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace.'

This they do because there was a famine.

'And on an appointed day Herod, seated on the tribunal, made a public oration,' he says.

'And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him;'

'and having become eaten by worms, he expired.'

This also Josephus relates, that he fell into a lengthy sickness.

Now the many did not know this, but the Apostle sets it down.

Nevertheless, even their ignorance was profitable, since they reckoned that what befell Herod had come about because of the death of James and the slaying of the soldiers.

For when he slew the Apostle, he wrought no such thing; but when he slew these, thereupon he was at a loss for words.

So then, being perplexed and ashamed, he went down from Judea to Caesarea.

It seems to me that, wishing also to lead those men away, he came to make his defense to them;

for he was angry with those, while he thus courted these.

See how vainglorious the man is.

Being about to grant them the favor, he made a public oration.

And Josephus says that he was also clad in a shining robe made of silver.

See how those men too were flatterers, and mark the high spirit of the Apostles.

For him whom a whole nation courted, these men spat upon.

And again there comes to them a great respite, and countless blessings out of that man's punishment.

But if this man, upon hearing 'The voice of a god and not of a man,' though he had said nothing of the sort, yet suffered such things;

how much more would Christ have suffered, had He not been Himself God, who continually said, 'The words that I speak are not Mine,' and 'My servants would fight,' and all such things.

But that man ended his life shamefully and pitiably, and thereafter is seen no more.

And observe him too, being persuaded by Blastus, and, wretched creature that he was, easily provoked to anger and again reconciled, and everywhere the slave of the mobs, having nothing free about him.

But consider the sovereign authority of the Holy Spirit.

'And as they ministered to the Lord,' he says, 'and fasted, the Holy Spirit said:'

'Separate for me now Barnabas and Saul.'

Who would have dared to say such things, unless he possessed that same authority? And this is done so that they might not be counted merely as common with themselves.

He saw that they possessed a greater power, and that they were able to be sufficient for many.

But how did He speak to them? Through the prophets, most likely.

For this reason he anticipated by saying that there were both prophets, and that they were fasting and ministering, so that you might learn that there was need of much watchfulness.

In Antioch he is ordained, in the place where he preaches.

Why did He not say, 'Separate them unto the Lord,' but 'unto Me'? He shows that the authority and the power are one and the same.

Do you see how great a thing fasting is? He shows that the Spirit did all things.

When it was needful to ordain, then they fasted.

And it was to them as they fasted that the Spirit spoke.

Now fasting is not this alone; but to abstain from luxury is also a form of fasting.

This much only do I enjoin:

do not fast, but abstain from luxury.

Let us seek nourishment, not corruption;

let us seek nourishment, not occasions for diseases, diseases both of soul and of body;

let us seek food that has pleasure in it, not luxury that is full of disgust;

this is delight, that is ruin;

this is pleasure, that is toil;

this is according to nature, that is contrary to nature.

For tell me, if someone gave you hemlock to drink, would it not be contrary to nature? If someone gave you wood and stones, would you not turn away from them? And rightly so.

For just as in a city, when a siege takes place, there arises much uproar and confusion as the enemy come rushing in;

so it happens in the soul when wine and luxury come rushing in.

To whom is there woe, to whom uproar, to whom disgust and idle chatter, to whom strife? Is it not to those who linger long over their wine? Whose eyes are livid? But indeed, whatever we may say, we shall not draw away those who are absorbed in luxury, unless we set the passion against something else.

And first, let our discourse be directed to the women.

Nothing is more shameful than a woman given to luxury, nothing more shameful than a woman who is drunk;

the bloom of her countenance is dimmed, the calm and gentle look of her eyes is clouded, as though some cloud had run beneath the rays of the sun.

The thing is ignoble and slavish, and full of every baseness.

How disgusting is a woman breathing out the fumes of stale, putrefied wine;

belching up the juice of decayed meats, weighed down and unable even to rise, flushed redder than is fitting, full of yawning and much dimness of sight? But she who abstains from luxury is not such;

rather she is dignified and chaste and comely.

For indeed the condition of the soul confers much beauty upon the body as well.

For do not suppose that this comes about from the bodily features alone.

Set before me a comely maiden, but agitated, talkative, abusive, drunken, extravagant, and is she not rendered more unsightly than any deformed woman? But if she be modest, if she keep silence, if she learn to blush, if she speak with measure, if she devote herself to fasting;

double is her beauty, greater her bloom, more desirable her appearance, filled with self-control and orderliness.

Would you have us now speak concerning men as well? What is more shameful than a drunken man? A laughingstock to his servants, a laughingstock to his enemies, pitiable among his friends, worthy of a thousand condemnations, he is a beast rather than a man;

for to gorge oneself with much food belongs to the leopard, the lion, and the bear.

For those creatures do not possess a rational soul.

And indeed even those beasts, when they are fed more than is needful and beyond the measure appointed to them by nature, ruin their whole body;

how much more, then, do we? For this reason God has contracted our belly into a small compass;

for this reason He appointed a small measure of food, that He might train us to take care for the soul.

Let us consider carefully our very constitution, and we shall see that one single part in us has this function.

For our mouth and our tongue have been set apart for hymns, and the throat for the voice.

For this reason also the necessity of nature has bound us fast, so that not even against our will might we fall into much occupation.

For if luxury involved no toils, nor diseases and infirmities, it would be bearable;

but as it is, He has set for you the boundaries of nature, so that not even if you wished might you transgress them.

Do you not seek pleasure, beloved? This you will find from contentment.

Do you not seek freedom from care? This also.

Do you not seek liberty? Do you not seek vigor of body, good health, sobriety of soul, alertness? So all good things are here;

but in that other are the opposites: disgust, ill-health, disease, illiberality, expense.

Whence then, one asks, do we all run after this? From disease.

For tell me, why does the sick man crave what harms him? Is not this very thing a sign of being sick? Why does the lame man not walk straight? Is not this very thing owing to slothfulness and to unwillingness to go to the physician? For of things, some have a temporary pleasure but a perpetual punishment;

others, on the contrary, have a temporary endurance but a perpetual enjoyment.

He, therefore, who is so soft and slothful as not to despise present delights for the sake of things to come, is quickly caught.

Tell me, from what was Esau caught? From what did he prefer present pleasure to the honor that was to come? From softness and effeminacy.

But this very thing, whence does it come? one asks. From our own selves;

for whenever we will, we rouse ourselves and become enduring. At any rate, if ever some necessity comes upon us, and often even from merely contending, we perceive what is profitable.

Whenever, therefore, you are about to indulge in luxury, consider the transitoriness of the pleasure, the loss (for it is truly a loss, along with your own ruin, to squander so much money), the diseases, the infirmities, and despise luxury.

How many would you have me reckon up for you who suffered evils because of luxury? Noah became drunk and was uncovered, and see how many evils came from this;

Esau through gluttony sold his birthright, and rushed on to fratricide.

The people of Israel sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

For this reason it says, 'When you have eaten and drunk, remember the Lord your God.'

For into a precipice have they fallen who have fallen into luxury.

'The widow,' it says, 'who lives in self-indulgence is dead even while she lives;'

and again, 'He grew fat, he grew thick, and the beloved kicked;'

and again the Apostle, 'Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.'

I am not laying down a law of fasting (for neither is the hearer capable of it), but I am doing away with self-indulgence, I am cutting off luxury, for your own profit;

for just like a torrent, so does luxury overturn all things;

there is nothing to hinder it.

What is the advantage? Do you wish to live delicately? Give to the poor, invite Christ, that even after the table has been cleared away you may still have cause to live delicately.

for the things here do not stand fast.

Do you wish to live delicately? Then nourish your soul; give to it the food it is accustomed to receive.

It is a time of war, a time of contest.

And do you sit indulging in luxury? Do you not see that even those who have been entrusted with the scepter live frugally when on campaign abroad? Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh.

And do you anoint yourself with oil when you are about to wrestle? Your adversary stands there gnashing his teeth, while you are found dissolved in ease and giving your attention to the table.

I know that I say these things in vain, yet not to all.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Christ is wasting away with hunger, while you are tearing yourself apart with gluttony.

For what evil does luxury not work? It is at war with its very self.

Whence I do not even know how it comes to bear this name.

But just as glory, though it is really dishonor, and wealth, though it is really poverty, have received such names,

so too luxury, though it is really unpleasantness, has been so called.

Are we destined to be sacrificed, that we fatten ourselves? Why do you furnish the worm with a splendid table? Why do you make the corrupt humors more abundant? Why do you store up within yourself springs of sweat and foul odors? Why do you render yourself useless for everything? Do you wish to have a strong eye? Then make the body vigorous.

For indeed among the strings of an instrument, the thick and uncleansed one is useless for melodies;

but the one that has been scraped smooth on every side is well-tuned and perfectly harmonious.

Why do you bury your soul? Why do you make the wall thicker? Why do you cause much smoke and cloud, when vapors like a mist are given off from every side? If no one else, let the athletes teach you that the leaner body is the stronger.

Therefore the soul that pursues philosophy is likewise more vigorous;

for it is like a charioteer and a horse.

And it is possible to observe that, just as with people who give themselves to luxury and grow fleshy, so too horses that are well-fed become hard to move and cause the charioteer much trouble.

One is content, having a well-reined and nimble-limbed horse, to be able to take the prize.

But whenever the charioteer is forced to drag the horse along, and, though he prods it ten thousand times when it has fallen, cannot get it to rise, then even if he himself be exceedingly skilled, he will be robbed of the victory.

Let us not, then, overlook our soul being wronged on account of the body, but let us make it also more clear-sighted;

let us make its wing light and its bonds looser;

let us nourish it with words, with contentment, so much only as suffices for the body to be in health,

so much as suffices for it to be robust, so much as suffices for it to rejoice and not to be in pain;

so that, having thus ordered our own affairs well, we may be able to lay hold of the highest virtue and to attain the eternal good things, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.