Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 46

And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

What he does in writing, this he does also in counseling;

he ends from exhortation into prayer.

For since he had greatly frightened them, saying that 'grievous wolves' would come in,

so that he might not strike down their mind and destroy it, behold the consolation.

Thus he spoke, showing thereby that, just as always,

'I commend you, brethren, to God and to the word of His grace;'

that is, to His grace.

for he knows that grace saves.

Continually he reminds them of grace, making them more earnest as debtors, and persuading them to take courage.

'To Him who is able to build you up.'

He did not say, 'Build,' but 'Build up,' showing that they had already been built. Then he called to mind the hope that is to come, saying:

'And to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.'

'Of silver,' he says, 'or gold or apparel, I coveted no man's.'

He takes away the root of evils, the love of money.

'Of silver,' he says, 'or gold.'

This is not yet the great thing; but what follows is great.

'You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.'

'In all things I have shown you that so laboring you ought to help the weak.'

See him engaged in the work, and not simply so, but laboring.

'These hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.'

For he did not say, 'Become superior to money,' but what? 'Help the weak.'

Not simply all, but the weak.

'And to remember the word of the Lord, which He said, that It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

Lest anyone suppose it was spoken to those men and that he was giving a pattern—which elsewhere he does say, 'Giving you a pattern'—he adduced the pronouncement of Christ, who said:

'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

He prayed over them as he exhorted;

'And when he had said these things, he knelt down with them all and prayed;'

not simply, but with much compunction.

and by saying, 'I commend you to the Lord,' he comforts them.

'And there was much weeping of all, and falling on Paul's neck, they kissed him, being grieved most of all at the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more.'

'And they accompanied him to the ship.'

He had said that 'grievous wolves' would enter in;

he had said, 'I am clean from the blood of all;'

both of these things were fearful and able to cause grief;

but most of all, more than everything, this pained them: that they should hear and see him no more;

and this made the conflict hard.

'And they accompanied him,' he says, 'to the ship.'

So did they love him, so were they disposed toward him.

'And when it came to pass that we had set sail, having torn ourselves from them, we ran a straight course and came to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and thence to Patara.'

'And having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.'

'And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, and left it on the left hand, we sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre.'

Observe: he came to Lycia, and crossing over to Phoenicia, leaving Cyprus behind, sailed down to Tyre.

For it was there that the ship was to unload its cargo.

This was the reason for their going away to Tyre.

'And finding disciples, we tarried with them seven days.'

'These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.'

See how these too prophesy of the afflictions.

It is so ordered that these things should be spoken by them also, that no one might suppose that Paul was simply saying these things and boasting. And again there, having prayed, they part from one another.

'And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our way; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.'

'And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship.'

'And they returned home again.'

'And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came down to Ptolemais.'

'And having saluted the brethren, we abode with them one day.'

'And on the morrow we departed and came to Caesarea.'

'And entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him.'

Having come, we abode with Philip, who was one of the seven.

'Now this man had four daughters who prophesied.'

Yet it was not these who foretold to Paul, though they prophesied, but Agabus.

'And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet named Agabus.'

'And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, and binding his own hands and feet, he said:'

'Thus saith the Holy Spirit:'

'The man that owneth this girdle, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind him, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'

He who of old had signified the famine, this same man says, 'This man,' he says, 'whose is this girdle, so shall they bind.'

That which the prophets used to do, portraying the things to come before the eyes, when they spoke concerning captivity, as Ezekiel did, this same thing this man also did.

And what was indeed grievous, was that 'They shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'

'And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.'

And many besought him not to depart, and not even so did he yield.

'What mean ye, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'

'And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying:'

'The will of the Lord be done.'

Dost thou see? That, having heard the words 'Bound in the Spirit I go,' thou mightest not suppose it to be of necessity, nor that he fell into it in ignorance, for this reason these things are foretold.

But they indeed wept, while he himself exhorted them, grieved at their tears.

'For what mean ye,' he says, 'weeping and breaking my heart?' Nothing was more tender in affection than Paul.

Because he saw them weeping, he who suffered no grief at his own trials was pained.

'Ye wrong me,' he says, 'in doing this;'

'for do I grieve?' Then they ceased, when he said:

'What mean ye, breaking my heart?' 'It is over you that I weep,' he says, 'not over my sufferings;'

'for on their behalf I am willing even to die.'

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

'I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel,' he says;

'ye yourselves know, that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.'

It was not therefore at Corinth only that those who corrupted the disciples did this, but in Asia also.

Nowhere in writing to the Ephesians does he reproach them with this.

Why so? Because he did not fall into necessity.

But to the Corinthians also he says:

'My boasting was not stopped in the regions of Achaia.'

And he did not say, 'Ye gave me nothing;'

but, 'I coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel,' that it might not seem to be theirs, the not giving.

And he did not say, 'I coveted none of the necessary things,' that it might not again seem to be an accusation of them;

but he hints at this, that with good reason he took nothing, seeing that he even supported others.

See how earnestly the man labored, discoursing night and day with tears, admonishing each one.

'I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak.'

Having said this, again he put them in fear.

'Ye have no refuge of ignorance to flee to;'

'I have showed by my deeds, that so labouring ye ought to work.'

And he did not say that it is evil to receive;

but, it is better not to receive.

'And to remember,' he says, 'the word of the Lord, which he spoke:'

'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

And where did He say it? Perhaps the apostles handed it down unwritten;

or else it is plain from things whence one might infer it.

For indeed he showed his boldness in the face of dangers, his sympathy toward those under his charge, his teaching with boldness, his humility, his freedom from possessions;

and this indeed is greater than freedom from possessions.

For if there it is said, 'Sell thy possessions, if thou wilt be perfect;'

when, in addition to receiving nothing, a man also feeds others, what can equal this? One degree, then, is to cast away one's own goods; a second, to provide for oneself; a third, to provide also for others; a fourth, that one who preaches and has authority to receive should not receive;

so that this man was far better than those who possess nothing.

And well did he say, 'So ye ought to support the weak.'

For this indeed is a mark of sympathy toward the weak, that it be out of one's own resources;

but to do it out of what belongs to others is not only not good, but even perilous.

'And falling on his neck,' it says, 'they wept.'

This shows their affection toward him.

And they fell upon his neck, embracing him as with a final embrace, having taken from his address great love and tender affection.

For if we, when merely parting from one another, groan—even though we know that we shall receive one another back—how could they at that time have been torn from Paul without feeling? For my part, I think that Paul too wept.

He shows also the violence of it by saying, 'When we had torn ourselves from them.'

For it was no longer possible for them to embark upon the sea.

What is the meaning of 'Running a straight course, we came to Cos'? It means: We did not wander about, nor did we tarry in other places.

'And on the following day,' he says, 'to Rhodes.'

'And having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia.'

Perhaps that ship happened to be tarrying there;

and therefore they went aboard it, since they found no other going to Caesarea.

'And having come in sight of Cyprus, and leaving it on the left.'

This is not said without purpose, but to show that they did not even think it worth while to come near it, sailing straight for Syria;

'Then also we landed at Tyre,' he says, 'and having found disciples, we remained with them.'

When they were near Jerusalem, they no longer hasten, but even abide with the brethren seven days.

Look now, I pray you, at the days too.

After the days of Unleavened Bread they came to Troas in five days;

then to Assos, to Mitylene, over against Chios, to Trogyllium, to Samos, and to Miletus;

then to Cos, to Rhodes, to Patara—twenty-one days;

then from there in five days to Tyre—twenty-six;

then seven days there—thirty-three;

then to Ptolemais, one day—thirty-four;

then at Caesarea he remains more days than at the other places;

and then at last the prophet leads them up from there.

Thus Pentecost is fulfilled, and there he keeps it.

See how, when the Spirit did not forbid, he yielded.

'Do not give yourself into the theatre'—and he did not give himself;

many times they led him out, and he was persuaded;

and now, though (so to speak) countless multitudes were entreating him—both those at Tyre and those at Caesarea—and weeping, and foretelling countless dreadful things, he does not give way.

And indeed they did not foretell the dreadful things merely of themselves, but foretold them through the Spirit.

If then the Spirit bade him, why did they oppose it? Because they did not know the things that seemed good to the Spirit.

And in another way too: they did not make their exhortation through the Spirit.

For they did not simply foretell the dreadful things to him, but that he ought not to go up, sparing him.

'And after we had completed the days,' he says;

and by 'days' he means the appointed ones;

'they all, with wives and children, escorting us.'

See how great the affectionate entreaty was;

and again, having prayed, they part.

And at Ptolemais they remain one day, but at Caesarea more.

And when he heard that he was to suffer countless dreadful things, then he presses onward—not casting himself upon dangers, but deeming the command to be of the Spirit.

'And after these days, having made ready,' he says, 'we went up to Jerusalem;'

that is, having taken the things needful for the journey.

'And there went with us also some of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing us to one with whom we should lodge, a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple;'

'and when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.'

And observe, Agabus did not say that they would bind Paul, lest he should seem to speak from collusion;

but, 'The man whose girdle this is.'

And since they could not prevail upon him, therefore they wept, and then were quiet.

Do you see their spiritual wisdom? Do you see their tender love? 'We were quiet,' he says, 'saying:'

'The will of the Lord be done.'

'Bringing us,' he says, 'to one with whom we should lodge.'

So then, not to the church.

For at that former time, when they went up concerning matters of doctrine, they were lodged in the church;

but now with a certain early disciple.

He shows that the time of the preaching was now long;

whence it seems to me that in the Acts he abridges many years, mentioning only the pressing matters.

'be done'—'The Lord Himself,' he says, 'will do what is well-pleasing in His sight.'

And those men are quiet, and do not constrain him.

Perhaps they perceived that it was the will of God, conjecturing this from Paul's eagerness;

for Paul would not have been so eager, nor would God, who was ever snatching him out of dangers, have permitted it.

Thus they did not wish to burden the church, since there was another who lodged them, nor did they demand any dignity.

'The brethren,' he says, 'received us gladly.'

For the rest, affairs among the Jews were full of peace, and there was no war as before.

'Bringing us,' he says, 'to one with whom we should lodge.'

If anyone had given me too the privilege of lodging Paul, I would readily and with great eagerness have done it.

Behold, it is in your power to lodge Paul's Master, and you will not.

'For he that receives,' He says, 'one of the least, receives Me.'

By how much the brother is least, by so much the more does Christ come through him.

For he that receives the great man often does it even out of vainglory;

but he that receives the small man does it purely for Christ's sake.

It is in your power to lodge even the Father of Christ, and you will not;

'For I was a stranger,' He says, 'and you took Me in.'

And again: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto Me.'

Even though he be not a Paul, yet if he be faithful and a brother, though he be the very least, Christ comes through him.

Open thy house, receive him in.

'He that receiveth a prophet,' He says, 'shall receive a prophet's reward.'

Therefore he also who receives Christ shall receive the reward of one who lodges Christ as a guest.

Do not disbelieve His words, but become one who has faith.

He Himself has said that 'through them I come.'

And that thou mayest not disbelieve, He appoints both punishments for those who do not receive them, and honours for those who do; which He would never have done, unless both the one honoured and the one insulted were Himself.

'Thou hast received Me,' He says, 'into thy lodging; I will receive thee into the kingdom of My Father.'

'Thou hast loosed My hunger; I will loose for thee thy sins.'

'Thou hast seen Me bound; I will cause thee to be seen set free.'

'Thou hast seen Me a stranger; I will make thee a citizen of the heavens.'

'Thou hast given Me bread; I give thee a whole kingdom, that thou mayest inherit and possess it.'

For 'Come,' He says, 'inherit the kingdom prepared for you.'

He did not say, 'Take,' but 'Inherit,' which is spoken of things possessed by right of ownership, as when we say:

'Thou hast done it unto Me in secret; I will proclaim it openly.'

And I call thy deeds a matter of grace, but Mine a matter of debt.

'For since thou,' He says, 'didst begin, I follow after and come behind.'

'I am not ashamed to confess the benefits done unto Me, nor from what things thou didst deliver Me—from hunger and nakedness and wandering.'

'Thou hast seen Me bound; thou shalt not see the fire of Gehenna.'

'Thou hast seen Me sick; thou shalt not see the torments nor the punishments.'

O hands truly blessed, which minister in such stewardships, which are counted worthy to serve Christ!

Feet that walk into prisons for Christ's sake readily dare even the fire;

hands that have seen Him bound take no experience of bonds.

Thou hast clothed Him with a garment, and thou shalt be clothed with the garment of salvation;

thou hast been in prison with Him, and thou shalt be in the kingdom with Him.

These things He confesses without shame, but knowing that thou didst visit Him.

The patriarch knew not that he was entertaining angels, and yet he entertained them.

At midday he sat, being in a foreign land, where he had not so much as a foot's breadth; he was a stranger, and the stranger entertained strangers;

for he was a citizen of the heavens.

For this reason, even while on earth, he was a stranger.

We are more strangers than that stranger, in that we do not receive strangers.

He had no house, and his lodging was the tent.

He slew a calf, and kneaded the meal.

This he does through himself and his wife.

For all these things must he who entertains strangers possess:

readiness, cheerfulness, ungrudging generosity.

For the soul of the stranger blushes and is put to shame;

and unless one show joy in overflowing measure, he departs as though slighted, and to be received in such a manner becomes even worse than not to be received at all.

For this reason he does obeisance, for this reason he receives them with words, for this reason with a seat offered.

Was he at a loss, knowing that this was his proper work? But are we not in a foreign land? Yet if we are willing, we shall be able to imitate him.

How many of the brethren are strangers? There is a common dwelling, the Church, which we call the guest-house;

do you also busy yourselves about it, sit beside the doors, receive those who come;

and even if you are not willing to take them into your own houses, yet in another way supply what pertains to their needs.

'What then? Has not the Church means?' says one.

But what is that to you? Can their being fed from the common funds of the Church benefit you? For if another prays, do you not owe it to pray? Why do you not say:

'What then? Do not the priests pray? What am I to pray?' But 'I,' says he, 'give to him who cannot be brought down thither.'

For this is what is earnestly sought by us: to give at all.

Hear what Paul says:

'That it may relieve those who are widows indeed, and that the Church be not burdened.'

In whatever way thou wilt, do it—only do it.

But I do not say, 'That the Church be not burdened,' but 'That thou be not burdened';

for by this reasoning thou wilt accomplish nothing, committing everything to her.

For this reason a common dwelling has been set apart by the Church, that thou mightest not say these things.

'But the Church has its expenditures,' says he; 'it has funds and revenues.'

Tell me, does it not also have outlays? Has it not daily expense? 'Yes,' says he.

Why then dost thou not help her in her moderate means? I am ashamed indeed to say these things;

if anyone thinks that what is said is a money-making scheme, let him make for himself a guest-house upon his own dwelling;

set there a bed, set there a table and a lampstand.

For how is it not absurd, that if soldiers come, you have quarters set apart for them, and take much care, and provide them with everything, because they ward off from you this war which is perceived by the senses;

but that strangers should have nowhere to lodge? Overcome the Church in generosity!

Dost thou wish to put us to shame? Do this:

have a dwelling where Christ comes.

This is Christ's chamber;

this house is set apart for Him.

Even if it be a lodging and a mean one, He does not disdain it. Naked and a stranger, Christ goes about, needing only shelter;

be not cruel nor inhuman, nor so vehement in the things of this life yet cold in the things of the Spirit.

Let even the most trusted of thy household servants be entrusted with this, and let him bring in the maimed, the poor, the homeless.

It were indeed fitting to receive them above, in the house itself;

but if thou art not willing, then at least below—even where the mules are, even where the household servants are—receive Christ.

What then, when you do not even do these things? Behold, I exhort you; behold, I speak.

Let this be a matter of earnest concern to you.

But you do not wish it thus? Very well then, do it in another way.

There are many poor men and poor women.

Set apart one of them to abide there continually.

Let the poor man be at least the guardian of your house.

Let him be to you a wall and an enclosure, a shield and a spear.

Where there is almsgiving, the devil does not dare to draw near, nor any other of the dreadful things.

Let us not, then, overlook so great a gain.

But as things now stand, there is a place set apart for the carriage, and another for the litters;

yet for Christ wandering about there is not even one.

Abraham received the strangers in the very place where he himself dwelt;

and his wife stood in the rank of a serving-maid, while they were in the rank of masters.

He did not know that he was receiving Christ;

for had he known, he would have poured out everything.

But we, although we know that we are receiving Christ, do not show even so much zeal as that man who thought he was receiving mere human beings.

But there are many impostors, one says, and ungrateful people.

And for this your reward is the greater, when you receive them for the name of Christ.

For if you know them to be impostors, do not receive them into your house;

but if you do not know, why do you accuse them without cause? For this reason I bid you go off to the hostel.

But what excuse can there be, when we receive not even those whom we do know, but shut our doors against all? Let our house be the inn of Christ;

let us demand of them their payment—not silver, but that they should make our house a receptacle of Christ.

We are more benefited than we benefit.

I do not bid you slay a calf;

give bread to the hungry, a garment to the naked, shelter to the stranger.

But that you may not make excuses about these things—there is the common dwelling, that of the Church;

deposit it there, and you too have received him.

since even of the things done through the servants, that man had the reward.

Thus were his servants also trained;

they ran and did not murmur, as ours do;

for he had made them reverent.

He drew them into war, and they did not murmur;

for he cared for all alike, as for himself;

for he all but said, according to Job, that 'We were formed alike in the same womb.'

Therefore let us too take thought for our own salvation, and let us bestow much care upon our servants, that they may be good and diligent;

and let our servant also be instructed in the things of God.

Virtue will no longer be difficult for us, if we order their conduct aright.

Just as in war, when the soldiers are well-ordered, the general fights with ease, but the opposite happens when this is not so;

and when the sailors are of one mind, the helmsman manages the rudders easily;

so too here: if the servants are thus trained, you will not easily be provoked, you will not find fault, you will not be angry, you will not revile.

There are times when you will even feel reverence toward your servants, if they are admirable; and they will help you, and counsel you in good things.

And from all these things everything will come to pass that is pleasing to God, and thus the whole house will be filled with blessing; and as we accomplish the things that are well-pleasing to God, we shall enjoy much help from above, which may it be granted us all to attain, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.