Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 32

'And they abode there,' it says, 'a long time with the disciples.'

'And certain men who came down from Judea taught the brethren, saying, Except you be circumcised after the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'

Observe how everywhere the beginning of the transition to the Gentiles is necessarily introduced as coming from the Jews themselves.

Before this he had made his defense when accused, and in the manner of a defense he said the whole matter;

which made his discourse readily acceptable;

then, when the Jews had turned away, he thus came to the Gentiles.

Here again, seeing another excess being carried on, he thus establishes the law.

For since, being taught by God, they conversed indiscriminately with all, this stirred up to jealousy those from among the Jews.

And they did not simply teach circumcision, but that 'you cannot even be saved.'

Whereas the opportune thing was to say the contrary: that 'being circumcised you cannot be saved.'

Do you see the trials continual, from within and from without? And this is well arranged, Paul being present, so that he might speak in reply.

For what? Am I not worthy of belief from so many signs? But they were persuaded on account of those men.

And observe: henceforth all learn the things that had come to pass among the Gentiles, both the Samaritans, and they rejoiced.

'When therefore there arose no small dissension and disputation with Paul and Barnabas against them, they appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem concerning this question.'

'They therefore, being sent forth by the Church, passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles;'

'and they caused great joy to all the brethren.'

'And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the Church and by the apostles and the elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.'

See how great a dispensation there is.

'But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.'

'And the apostles and the elders came together to consider of this matter.'

'And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them:'

'Men and brethren, you know how that from the early days God made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.'

Observe Peter, who from the outset had been set apart from the matter, and up to now was still Judaizing.

Perhaps those also were present who had accused him long ago in the affair of Cornelius, and who had gone in with him;

for this reason he brings them forward as witnesses.

'From the early days God made choice among you.'

What does 'among you' mean? Either 'in Palestine,' he says, or 'in your presence.'

See how he shows that God spoke through him, and nothing human.

'And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them.'

He leads them up to the spiritual witness.

'Giving them the Holy Spirit, even as also 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.'

'By faith alone,' he says, 'they obtained the same things.'

And these things are rebuking to them also;

or rather, it is able to teach even those men that faith alone is needed, and not works nor circumcision.

For it is not only in making a defense on behalf of the Gentiles that they say these things, but also in instructing those men to depart from the law.

But as yet they do not say this openly.

'Now therefore why do you tempt God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But through the grace of the Lord Jesus we believe that we shall be saved, in the same manner as they also.'

'Do you disbelieve God?' he says. 'Why do you tempt Him as though He were not able to save by faith?' Therefore it is a mark of unbelief to bring in the law.

Then he shows that they themselves are in no way benefited, and turns the whole matter upon the law, not upon them, and cuts short the accusation.

'Which neither we nor our fathers were able,' he says, 'to bear;'

'but through the grace of the Lord Jesus we believe that we shall be saved, in the same manner as they also.'

How full of power are these words!

The very things which Paul said at length in the Epistle to the Romans, these this man also says.

'For if Abraham,' he says, 'was justified by works, he has whereof to glory, but not before God.'

Do you see that this is more instructive to those men than a defense on behalf of the Gentiles? Yet if he had said these things without occasion, perhaps he would in no way have been suspected;

but having taken his starting-point from this, he thenceforth speaks without fear.

And observe everywhere how the things that come from the enemies work together with them.

For if those men had not stirred things up, these things would not have been said, nor the things after them.

Hence they learn that even if they did not wish the Gentiles to be brought in, they ought not to overlook them.

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

'Among you,' he says, 'He made choice, and from the early days.'

This he said, showing that it was of old, not now.

And it was no small thing that even while the Jews too were believing, this was turned away.

By these two things he confirms what he says: by the time and by the place.

And the word 'chose' is well put;

for, as concerning them, he did not say 'He willed,' but 'He chose.'

Whence is this made plain? 'From the Spirit,' he says.

Then he shows that this became for them a testimony not simply of grace, but of virtue, and afforded them nothing less than the rest.

For 'He made no distinction,' he says, 'between us and them.'

Therefore one must everywhere seek after hearts.

God who knows the heart bore witness to them;

as also in that place: 'Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, show forth.'

For that this is what he means, see what he adds:

that 'He made no distinction between us and them.'

When he had spoken of their testimony, then he uttered this great saying, the very thing which Paul declares:

'Neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision;'

and, 'That He might create the two in Himself.'

The seeds of all these things lie in Peter's discourse.

And he did not say, 'Those of the circumcision,' but, 'Between us,' that is, the apostles.

Then, lest the word 'nothing' should seem to be an insult, he adds:

'Having by faith purified their hearts.'

And by this he removes the suspicion.

He first cleared his argument, and then he shows that the Law was not evil, but that they themselves were weak.

See how he ended in something fearful.

he does not discourse to them from the prophets, but from the present events, of which they themselves were witnesses.

Fittingly, then, these too bear further witness, and make the argument stronger by what had already come to pass.

And observe: in the Church he first permits an inquiry to take place, and then he speaks.

Since, then, he did not say 'Those of the circumcision,' but 'Those of the Gentiles' (for this, brought in little by little, became stronger; but that would have been the mark of one tempting whether it could save even after the Law), see what he does:

he shows them to be in danger, seeing that what the Law could not accomplish, faith did accomplish;

and if this faith fails, they must of necessity be in perdition.

And he did not say, 'Ye disbelieve,' which would have been more burdensome, and that too when the matter had been proved.

In Jerusalem, then, there were none of the Gentiles, but in Antioch it is likely that there were.

For this reason they also depart, and spend no little time there.

But there rose up certain of the Pharisees, still sick with the love of rule, and wishing to have those of the Gentiles subject to themselves.

And yet Paul too was learned in the Law, but he did not suffer from this;

but since he had come from thence, and the doctrine had become more exact.

For if those who are in Jerusalem enjoin no such thing, much more these.

You see how those who are not lovers of rule rejoice in the faith? The narratives, then, were not of vainglory nor of display, but of a defense of the preaching to the Gentiles;

wherefore they say nothing of what befell among the Jews.

Great was the perverseness of the Pharisees, who even after the faith still laid down laws, and would not obey the apostles.

they discourse with mildness and not with authority;

for such things are objects of desire, and are the more firmly fixed.

You see, nowhere a display of words, but that which is through deeds, that which is through the Spirit? Yet, though they had such proofs, they still discourse with mildness.

they do not depart slandering those in Antioch, but from thence again they take an occasion.

So diligently did they practise the love of rule, they who even blamed the apostles without their knowledge.

Yet these brought forward none of these things;

but when they had demonstrated it, then they write more vehemently.

For great, and everywhere a good thing, is mildness;

mildness, I say, not coldness;

for these two things stand far apart from one another.

Nothing exasperated Paul, nothing Peter.

When you have proofs, why are you angry? Or is it that you may render even these void? It is impossible ever to persuade the man who is angry.

Yesterday too we discoursed concerning anger;

and nothing hinders us from doing so today also;

for the constancy will perhaps accomplish something.

For indeed a medicine that has the power to make a wound disappear, if it be not continually applied, loses the whole benefit.

Do not, then, suppose it to be a condemnation of you, that we continually discourse concerning the same things;

for if we had condemned you, we would not have discoursed at all;

but now, hoping to gain great things by you, we utter these words.

For would that we might continually speak concerning the same things!

would that there were no other subject or care of discourse than how we may master our own passions!

For how is it not absurd, that kings living in luxury and in such great honor should make no account, neither at table nor at any other time, of anything but how they may prevail over their enemies, and for this reason hold assemblies every day, and enroll generals and soldiers, and demand tributes, and count these two necessities the chief causes of public affairs, namely that they may both prevail over those who war against them, and establish their own subjects in peace;

while we do not even in a dream wish to discourse of such things, but every day we discourse, without ever having our fill, of how we may buy a field, and how we may buy slaves, and how we may increase our substance;

but concerning the things within us and those which are truly ours, we neither wish to speak ourselves, nor do we endure to hear others speaking? About what, then, tell me, do you wish to discourse? About dinner? But these are the words of cooks.

But about money? But these are the words of hucksters and merchants.

But about buildings? But these are the words of carpenters and builders.

But about land? But these are the words of farmers.

But for us there is no other work than this, namely how we may procure wealth for the soul.

Let not the discourse, then, become wearisome.

For why does no one blame the physician for always discoursing about medicine, nor the other craftsmen for speaking about their own arts? For if the matter of our passions were so set right by us as to need no reminder, then someone might fairly charge us with vainglory and display;

for even if it had been set right, one ought still to discourse in this way, so as not to relapse;

since even physicians discourse not only to the sick, but also to the healthy, and they have books of such a treatise, some that the sick may be delivered from their disease, and some that the healthy may preserve their health.

So that even if we are in health, not even so ought we to desist, but to do all things so that health may be preserved for us.

But when we are also sick, the need for words is twofold:

one, to be delivered from the disease;

and the second, that once delivered we may not fall back into it again.

Therefore we are now speaking by way of a curative method, not of a hygienic treatise.

How then might one cut out this evil passion? How might one subdue the raging fever? Let us see whence it was born, and let us remove the cause.

Whence is it wont to be born? Out of arrogance and great senselessness.

Let us then remove this cause, and the malady too is done away with together with it.

But what is arrogance? whence is it born? for perhaps we are again in danger of ascending to yet another origin.

Therefore, whatever path the argument may point out, let us walk in that, so that from below and by the roots the evil may be plucked up.

Whence then is arrogance? From not examining our own affairs, but concerning the nature of the earth—although

we are not farmers—we busy ourselves, and about the nature of plants, and about the nature of gold, although we are not merchants, and about garments, and about all things;

but concerning ourselves and our own nature we never endure to do this.

And who, one says, is ignorant of his own nature? Many;

and perhaps all, except a few;

and if you will, from this very point I will make the proof.

For tell me, what indeed is man? If someone were asked, In what does he differ from the irrational creatures, how is he akin to the beings in heaven, what can come to be out of man?—would he not be unable to answer straightforwardly? I for my part think not.

For just as in the case of some matter, so also in the case of man the underlying substrate is man;

yet he can become both an angel and a beast.

Does not this saying seem strange? And yet you have often heard it in the Scriptures.

For concerning certain men it was said that he is an angel of the Lord;

and, it says, from his lips they shall seek judgment;

I send my angel before your face;

but concerning others, Serpents, brood of vipers.

It remains then that, according to those who make use of it, everything can become both an angel and a man.

Why do I say an 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 still, that the authority to become both a god and an angel and a child of God has been entrusted to man himself.

And man is a maker of an angel.

Perhaps the word has disturbed you? But hear Christ saying:

In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels;

and again, He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

And in general, virtue makes angels;

so then we are able to make angels—not indeed by nature, but by choice.

For when this is absent, it is of no profit to be an angel in nature;

and the devil, who was such before this, makes this plain;

but when this is present, it is no harm to be a man in nature;

and John, who was a man, makes this plain, and Elijah who ascended into heaven, and all who are destined to depart thither.

For these men, though with a body, were not hindered from dwelling in heaven;

but those, though bodiless, were not able to remain in heaven.

Let no one, then, grieve or be vexed against his nature as though it hindered him, but against his own choice.

That famous one became a lion out of a bodiless being;

For behold, it says, our enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour;

we, on the other hand, are angels from out of bodies.

For just as if someone, having found precious material—not being a craftsman—should despise it, he would be greatly injured, such as pearls, or a shellfish, or some other thing of the sort;

so indeed we too, if we are ignorant of our own nature, shall utterly despise it;

but if we come to know it, we shall display much zeal, and shall reap the greatest fruits.

For from this nature comes a royal robe, from this comes a royal house, from this come royal members;

Let us not, then, abuse our own nature to our hurt.

He made us a little lower than the angels—I mean, by death;

but even this little we have received back.

There is therefore nothing to hinder us from becoming near to angels, if we will.

Let us then will it, let us will it, and having disciplined ourselves, let us send up glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.