Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 37

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was the synagogue of the Jews.

And according to Paul's custom, he went in unto them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, opening and setting forth that the Christ must suffer and rise again from the dead, and that 'This is the Christ, Jesus, whom I proclaim to you.'

Again they pass by the small cities, but press on to the greater ones, since from there, as from a kind of fountain, the word was to flow out into the neighboring places.

And according to Paul's custom, he entered into the synagogue of the Jews.

And yet, though he had said, 'We turn to the Gentiles,' he did not abandon these.

For he had a great longing toward them.

For hear him speaking:

'Brethren, the good pleasure of my heart, and my supplication to God, is for Israel, unto salvation.'

And, 'I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren.'

He did this on account of the promise of God and His glory, and so that this might not be a stumbling-block to the Greeks.

'And for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, opening and setting forth that the Christ must suffer and rise again from the dead, and that This is Jesus the Christ, whom I proclaim to you.'

You see that above all he proclaims the Passion.

Thus they were not ashamed, but knew this to be salvific.

And some of them were persuaded, and were added to Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

He stated the main substance of the discourse.

So free is he from superfluity, not everywhere recounting his public addresses.

But the Jews who did not believe, being moved with jealousy and taking to themselves certain wicked men of the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar;

and assailing the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the populace;

but not finding them, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the city rulers, crying out that 'These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, whom Jason has received;

and all these act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.'

Again they slandered them with a charge of treason, saying, he means, that there is another king, Jesus.

And they stirred up the crowd, and the city rulers, who heard these things;

and having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Admirable was the man, who gave himself over to danger and sent them away.

And the brethren immediately, by night, sent away both Paul and Silas to Berea;

who, on arriving, went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

And observe: not carelessly, but with exactness they searched the Scriptures (for this is the meaning of 'they examined'), wishing rather to gain from them full assurance concerning the Passion.

Many of them therefore believed, and of the Greek women of honorable estate and of men not a few.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, agitating the crowds.

And immediately then the brethren sent Paul away to go as it were toward the sea;

but Silas and Timothy remained there.

Observe him both withdrawing and standing firm, and doing many things in a human manner.

And those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and having received a command for Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

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

'For three Sabbaths,' it says, 'he reasoned with them, opening from the Scriptures.'

For this too Christ did, reasoning up and down from the Scriptures, and not everywhere from the signs.

For since they were hostilely disposed toward Him, and slandered Him as a deceiver and a sorcerer, therefore He too reasoned from the Scriptures.

For he who undertakes to persuade from signs alone is reasonably held in suspicion;

but he who persuades from the Scriptures does not incur this suspicion.

And in many places we find Him persuading by teaching;

and in Antioch too, as He taught, the whole city was gathered together;

so great a thing is this too, and no small sign, but this indeed is exceedingly great.

And so that they might not think that they themselves had prevailed in everything, God permits them to be driven out.

For two things resulted from this:

they neither thought highly of themselves as if they had accomplished it, nor again were afraid as if they were liable to blame;

thus their very being summoned was part of the divine dispensation.

'And of the devout Greeks,' it says, 'a great multitude, and of the Greek women of honorable estate believed, and of men not a few.'

But how, though he said, 'That we should go to the Gentiles, but they to the circumcision,' did he reason with the Jews? He did this out of abundance.

For if it were needful to reason with the Jews, how did he say again:

'For He who worked in that one for the circumcision worked also in me for the Gentiles'? Just as those others also associated with the Gentiles, although they had been set apart for the circumcision;

Their greater portion, then, was among these.

Yet neither did he neglect those others, lest they should seem to be torn apart.

And how is it, one asks, that he went first of all into the synagogues? Because it was through the Jews that he won over the Greeks; from those with whom he reasoned as Jews.

And he knew that this above all was what drew the Gentiles to the faith.

For this reason he said, 'Inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles.'

And indeed all his epistles are directed in contention against the Jews.

For it was necessary, he says, that the Christ should suffer.

If He had to suffer, then assuredly He also had to rise again;

for this is far more marvelous than that.

For if He delivered to death Him who had done no wrong, much more did He raise Him up.

But the unbelieving Jews, having taken to themselves certain worthless fellows of the marketplace, set the city in an uproar, he says.

So that the Greeks were the more numerous.

And they take certain men to themselves, since the Jews did not think themselves sufficient for the sedition, and since they had no reasonable pretext.

By tumult they always accomplish such things, and by the enlisting of wicked men.

But not finding them, he says, they dragged Jason.

From the houses they simply hauled them out.

'These all,' they say, 'act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.'

Since they said nothing contrary to the established laws, nor stirred up the city, they bring them under another charge and slander them with the accusation of high treason.

And why are you afraid, if indeed He is dead? See how the persecutions everywhere extend the preaching.

'Now these,' he says, 'were more noble than those in Thessalonica;'

that is, doing nothing wicked;

but while the former were persuaded, these on the contrary even do the opposite, throwing them into confusion.

'Many of them therefore believed, and of the Greek women also,' he says.

Again here the Greeks believe.

But observe, I pray you, that they fled by way of prudent management, not out of cowardice;

for otherwise they would have ceased preaching, and not rather have provoked their adversaries the more.

But out of this two things came to pass;

both the wrath of those men was quenched, and the preaching went forward.

that they came there too, stirring up the crowds—hinting at their ungovernable madness.

'And immediately the brethren sent Paul away,' he says, 'to go as it were unto the sea.'

Here at length they send Paul alone;

for they were afraid concerning him, lest he should suffer some harm, seeing that he was their very head;

thus grace did not work everywhere, but suffered them also to do things after the manner of men, rousing them and awakening them, and casting them into anxious care.

See at all events, that only as far as Philippi did grace preserve him, but from that point no longer.

'And having received a charge,' he says, 'unto Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.'

For even though he was Paul, yet he had need of those men.

So then, it was well that they were hastening into Macedonia under God's direction;

for Greece too was now illustrious;

since indeed he also did other things beyond what was required.

Christ ordained that men should live by the gospel, but this man did not do so;

Christ did not send him to baptize, yet this man baptized.

See how Peter was a counterpoise to all for the circumcision, this man for the Gentiles, for the greater part.

'And having taken security,' he says, 'from Jason, they let them go.'

See how Jason, having given security, sent Paul away, so that he gave his own life for him.

'These,' he says, 'were more noble than those in Thessalonica;'

that is, being such in respect of virtue and of faith toward God.

'Who received the word with all readiness of mind,' he says, 'daily examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so.'

And yet the city was greater, and there were men of the marketplace in it;

but it is no marvel even if in a greater city they are worse.

Indeed it is likely that in the greater city they are worse, where there are many occasions of tumults.

For just as in the body, when the disease is more grievous, it has more matter and nourishment;

so indeed here too, what happened in Iconium now happens also here.

And Paul goes forth, that they too may pay the penalty for the destruction of others.

For this reason also Paul said:

'Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles.'

And why did they not remain here, one asks? Why did they not work signs? For if there, where he was being stoned, he remained a considerable time, much more here.

Why? God did not always will that these men should work signs;

for it was no less a sign to prevail while being persecuted, without signs, than to work signs.

So that, just as now He prevails without signs, so also then in many places He willed to prevail.

The apostles therefore did not rely on signs, as indeed he himself says:

'But we preach Christ crucified.'

To those who seek signs, to those who seek wisdom, we give these things which cannot persuade even with signs, and yet we persuade.

So that this was a great sign.

See at all events, when the preaching was intensified, how quickly they have recourse to signs.

For it was needful henceforth, for the sake of those who had believed, that the signs should be greater than the rest;

but by withdrawing and advancing they wrought these things.

'They sent him away,' he says, 'as it were unto the sea.'

Why so? That it might not be easy for them to be seized.

For thus by themselves they would have done some great thing, and with him they accomplished and set right many things.

For the time being they wished to snatch him away.

See with how great zeal the rest of the disciples also treated the chief ones;

But it is not as now, when we are severed and divided into great and small;

some of us are puffed up, while others are consumed with envy.

For this reason those men too are envious, because we are inflated with conceit and cannot endure to be on an equal footing with them.

This is why in the body there is harmony, because there is no self-conceit;

and there is no self-conceit, because the members are set in a necessity of having need of one another;

and the head has need of the feet, and the feet of the head.

And God has done this same thing for us as well, and yet not even so do we endure it;

for even apart from this there ought to have been love.

Or do you not hear even those outside slandering us, when they say:

'Their friendships are matters of self-interest'? The laity have need of us,

and we in turn exist for their sake.

So too a teacher and a ruler could not exist, were there none to be taught and none to be ruled, nor could he display his own gifts;

and the farmer has need of the land.

For what reward has a teacher, if he has no learners to point to? And what have the learners, if they have not enjoyed the best instruction? So that once again we alike have need of one another, both rulers of the ruled, and the leader of those who obey;

for rulers exist for the sake of the many.

For no one is by himself sufficient to accomplish anything, whether he needs to ordain by vote, or to deliberate on counsels and opinions; but men become more honoured by reason of the assembly and the multitude.

For instance, the poor have need of those who give, and the givers in turn of those who receive.

'Considering one another,' he says, 'to provoke unto love and to good works.'

For this reason the common life of the Church has greater power, and the things which one cannot do by himself, he prevails to do when acting together with the others.

For this reason especially are the prayers made here on behalf of the whole world, on behalf of the Church that is spread to the ends of the earth, on behalf of peace, on behalf of those in calamities.

And this too Paul makes plain when he says:

'That for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.'

that is, that He may bestow grace upon many.

And often he seeks after their prayers.

See too what God says concerning the Ninevites:

'And shall I not spare the city, in which dwell more than a hundred and twenty thousand?' 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name,' He says, 'there am I in the midst of them.'

But if two have great power, how much more the many? And even if, being one, you will have some power, yet it is not the same.

But why are you also alone? Why do you not win over many? Why do you not become a craftsman of love? Why do you not build up friendship? You lack the greatest praise of virtue.

For just as being wicked by agreement more greatly provokes God,

so also being good in concord more greatly gladdens Him.

'You shall not,' He says, 'be with the many for evil.'

'They are all gone aside, they are together become unprofitable, and they became as those who sing in their wickednesses.'

Make friends for yourself before your kinsfolk, before all others.

If the peacemaker is a son of God,

how much more is he who also makes friends? If he who merely reconciles is called a son of God,

of what will not he be worthy who makes the reconciled into friends? Let us engage in this traffic; let us make friends of one another out of enemies, and those who are not enemies indeed, yet not friends—let us gather these also together, and above all, let us gather our own selves.

For just as one who has enmity in his own house, and is at variance with his own wife, is not worthy of credit in reconciling others, but will hear:

'Physician, heal yourself';

so also here he will hear the same.

What then is the enmity within us? It is that of the soul against the body, that of vice against virtue.

Let us do away with this, let us make an end of this war, and then in peace we shall also converse with others with much boldness, our conscience not accusing us.

Wrath wars against gentleness; the love of money wars against contempt for riches; envy wars against kindness.

Let us break up this war, let us bring down these enemies, let us set up these trophies, let us establish peace in our own city.

For we have a city and a commonwealth, and citizens, and many strangers;

but let us make an expulsion of strangers, that the members of the household be not corrupted.

Let no alien nor spurious doctrine come in, no carnal mindset.

Do we not see that if one of the enemy be caught in the cities, he is judged as a spy? Let us therefore make an expulsion of strangers;

or rather, not only an expulsion of strangers, but let us also drive out the enemies.

If we see any one, let us hand over to the ruler, that is, to the mind, that reasoning which is indeed barbarian, yet decked out in civic attire.

Many such reasonings there are among us, by nature enemies, yet clothed in a sheep's skin.

Just as the Persians, having taken off the tiara and the trousers and the barbarian footwear, and having put on the rest of the garb native to us, and having cropped their hair close, and conversing in the customary tongue, hide their hostility by their appearance;

but if you straightway apply the tortures, you have exposed what was concealed;

so also here: put such a reasoning to the test a thousand times, and quickly you will see the barbarian in it.

But that I may show you such spies by an example—those whom the devil sends forward to see what is within us—come, let us strip one of them, and examine him at the tribunal with exactness;

and if you please, let us bring forward some of those detected by Paul.

'Which things,' he says, 'have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.'

For instance, the devil wished to bring in Judaism;

if then he had brought it in openly of itself, he would not have persuaded any one.

See then how he decked it out.

'One must be sparing of the body,' he says.

'This is philosophy: not to admit food, but to keep watch over oneself;

this is humility.'

And now again, in the case of the heretics, he wished to bring us down to the level of the creation.

See then how he contrived the deceit;

if he had said, 'Worship the creation,' he would have been caught;

but what does he say? 'God,' he says, 'is created.'

But let us strip bare, before the vote of the judges, the mind of the apostolic Scriptures;

they themselves will recognize both the proclamation and the speech.

Many gain gains, that they may have wherewith to give to the poor—unjust gains;

and this too is a grievous reasoning.

But let us rid ourselves of him and refute him, that we be not taken captive, but rather, having escaped all the devices of the devil, may be able—holding fast the sound doctrines with exactness—to pass through the present life in safety, and to attain the good things that have been promised, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.