Homilies on Acts, Homily 28

“So they, sent out by the Holy Spirit, left for Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their assistant.” As soon as they were ordained, they set out and hurried to Cyprus, a place where no one was plotting against them and where, moreover, the Word had already been sown. Antioch had enough (teachers), and Phoenicia too was near Palestine; but Cyprus was not. However, you should not question the reasons when it is the Spirit who directs their movements: for they were not only ordained by the Spirit but also sent out by Him. “And when they came to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.” Do you notice how they make a point of preaching the word to them first, so as not to make them more hostile? The people mentioned earlier “spoke only to Jews” (ch. xi. 19), and so here they went to the synagogues. “And when they had traveled through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew named Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul of the country, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” (v. 6–8.) Here again was a Jewish sorcerer, as Simon was. And notice how this man did not take much offense while they preached to the others, but only when they approached the proconsul. And what is remarkable about the proconsul is that, although he was already under the influence of the man’s sorcery, he was nevertheless willing to hear the Apostles. It was the same with the Samaritans: the contest (συγκρίσεως) makes the victory clear, as the sorcery is defeated. Everywhere, the craving for empty glory and the love of power are a (fruitful) source of evils! “But Saul, who is also Paul,”—(v. 9) here his name changes at the same time that he is ordained, as happened with Peter,—“filled with the Holy Spirit, looked at him and said, You who are full of every kind of deceit and wickedness, you child of the devil:” (v. 10) and notice, this is an accusation, not verbal abuse: for this is how brazen, shameless people ought to be rebuked. “You enemy of all righteousness;” here he exposes what the man was thinking, as he ruined the proconsul under the pretense of saving him. “Will you not stop,” he says, “twisting the ways of the Lord?” (He says it) both with assurance (αξιοπίστως)—You are not waging war against us, nor are you fighting (with us), but you are twisting “the ways of the Lord”—and with praise (of these, he adds) “the straight” ways. “And now, look, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind.” (v. 11.) This was the sign by which he himself was converted, and through it he wanted to convert this man. Likewise, the expression “for a time” presents it as intended for his conversion, rather than as an act of punishment: had it been for punishment, he would have made him permanently blind. But as it is, that is not the case; it is “for a time” (and this), so that he may win over the proconsul. For since the proconsul was already under the influence of the sorcery, it was good to teach him a lesson through this affliction (and the sorcerer also), just as the magicians (in Egypt) were taught by the boils. (Ex. ix. 11.) “And immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around looking for someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, when he saw what had happened, believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” (v. 12.) But notice how they do not linger there, as (they might have been tempted to do) now that the proconsul was a believer, nor do they let the attention and honor they receive weaken their resolve. Instead, they immediately continue their work and set out for the country on the opposite coast. “Now when Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John left them and returned to Jerusalem. But when they left Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.” (v. 13, 14.) Here again they entered the synagogues as Jews, so that they would not be treated as enemies and driven away; and in this way they carried the whole undertaking through successfully. “And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, Men and brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.” (v. 15.) From this point on, we learn the history of Paul’s activities, just as we have learned quite a bit about Peter from what was said above. But let us review what has been said. (Recapitulation.) “And when they came to Salamis,” the principal city of Cyprus, “they preached the word of God.” (v. 5.) They had spent a year in Antioch: they needed to go here too (to Cyprus), and not stay permanently where they were; (the converts in Cyprus) needed greater teachers. See too how they spend no time in Seleucia, knowing that (the people there) could have benefited greatly from the neighboring city (of Antioch). Instead, they hurry on to the more urgent duties. When they came to the island’s principal city, they were eager to correct the proconsul’s mistaken beliefs (διορθωσαι). But you can tell from the facts that (the writer) is not flattering him when he says, “he was with the proconsul, an intelligent man” (v. 7): he did not need many speeches and wanted to hear them himself. And he also mentions the names. * * * Notice how he said nothing to the sorcerer until the man gave him a reason to do so: they simply “preached the word of the Lord.” For (though Elymas) saw the rest listening to them, he focused on just this one goal: keeping the proconsul from being won over. Why did (Paul) not perform some other miracle? Because none could equal this one: taking the enemy captive. And notice, he first accuses him and then punishes him. He shows how justly the man deserved to suffer by saying, “You who are full of all deceit” (v. 10): (“full of all,”) he says, with nothing missing from the full measure. And he rightly says, all “deceit,” for the man was playing the hypocrite.—“Child of the devil,” because he was doing the devil’s work; “enemy of all righteousness,” since this (which they preached) was the whole of righteousness; (though at the same time) I suppose he is rebuking the man’s way of life in these words. His words did not come from anger, and to show this, the writer first says, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” that is, with His working. “And now, look, the hand of the Lord is upon you.” (v. 11.) So it was healing, not revenge: for it is as though he said, “It is not I who do it, but the hand of God.” Notice how unassuming he is! No “light,” as in Paul’s case, “shone around him.” (ch. ix. 3.) “You will be blind,” he says, “unable to see the sun for a time,” so that he may give him an opportunity to repent. For we never find them wanting to draw attention to themselves through a harsher (exercise of their authority), even when they exercised it against enemies. Toward members of their own body (they used severity), and with good reason, but not in dealing with outsiders, so that (the obedience of faith) might not seem to come from coercion and fear. His “looking for someone to lead him by the hand” proves his blindness. (ch. v. 1. ff.) And the proconsul sees the blindness inflicted, “and when he saw what had happened, he believed.” And he alone believed, and not merely that, but he was “astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (v. 12): he saw that these things were not mere words or trickery. Notice how he loved to learn from his teachers, even though he held such a high position of authority. And (Paul) did not say to the sorcerer, “Will you not stop leading” the proconsul “astray”? Why might John have gone back and left them? For it says, “John left them and returned to Jerusalem” (v. 13): (he does it) because they are undertaking an even longer journey. And yet he was their assistant, and as for the danger, they were the ones facing it (not he).—Again, when they came to Perga, they quickly passed by the other cities, because they were hurrying to the principal city, Antioch. And notice how concise the historian is. “They sat down in the synagogue,” he says, and “on the Sabbath day” (v. 14, 15), so that they could prepare the way for the Word. And they do not speak first, but wait until they are invited; since they were strangers, the others called on them to speak. Had they not waited, there would have been no sermon. Here for the first time we have Paul preaching. And notice his good judgment: where the word had already been sown, he moves on; but where there was no one (to preach), he stays, as he himself writes: “Yes, I have made it my aim to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named.” (Rom. xv. 20.) This too took great courage. Truly, he was an extraordinary man from the very beginning! Crucified, ready for every encounter (παρατεταγμένος), he knew how great a grace he had received, and he matched it with his zeal. He was not angry with John, for this work was beyond John’s capacity. Instead, he kept at the work; he did not shrink back or lose heart when trapped in the midst of an army. Notice how wisely it is arranged that Paul should not preach in Jerusalem: simply hearing that he had become a believer was enough for them. They would never have tolerated his preaching, so great was their hatred of him. So he goes far away, where he was unknown. But it was a good decision to “enter the synagogue on the Sabbath day,” when everyone was gathered together. “And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, Men and brothers, if you have any word or encouragement for the people, speak.” (v. 15.) See how they do this without resentment—but no longer after this. If you really wanted this, there was even more need to urge the people on. He first exposed the sorcerer’s guilt (and showed) what he was; and the sign showed that this was indeed what he was: “you will be blind, unable to see the sun”—this was a sign of the blindness of his soul. “For a time” (v. 11), he says, to bring him to repentance. But oh, that love of power! Oh, that craving for empty glory! How it overturns and ruins everything, making people oppose their own salvation and one another’s, making them truly blind and darkened, so that they even have to look for someone to lead them by the hand! If only they would do even this! If only they would at least look for someone to lead them by the hand! But no, they can no longer tolerate even this; they take the whole matter into their own hands. (This vice) will let no one see: like a mist and thick darkness, it spreads over them, keeping anyone from seeing through it. What excuses will we have to offer, when we overcome one evil passion for the sake of another evil passion (supra p. 176), but not out of the fear of God! For example, many who are both lustful and greedy have put a bridle on their lust out of stinginess, while others of the same kind, on the contrary, have scorned riches for the sake of pleasure. Again, people who have both these faults have overcome both through their craving for empty glory, spending their money without restraint and practicing self-control to no (good) purpose. Others, again, who crave glory intensely, have scorned that evil passion and submitted to many degrading humiliations for the sake of their love affairs or their money. Still others, to satisfy their anger, have chosen to suffer endless losses and cared about none of them, as long as they could have their way. And yet the fear of God is powerless to accomplish in us what passion can accomplish! Why speak of passion? The fear of God lacks the strength to accomplish in us what shame before other people can accomplish! We do many things, both right and wrong, out of shame before other people; but we do not fear God. How many have been shamed into throwing away money by their concern for what others think! How many have mistakenly made it a point of honor to devote themselves (only) to serving their friends, to their own harm! How many, out of regard for their friendships, have been shamed into countless wrong acts! Since both passion and concern for other people’s opinions can move us to do both wrong and right, it is pointless to say, “We cannot.” We can, if we are willing, and we ought to be willing. Why can’t you overcome the love of glory, when others overcome it with the same soul and the same body as you, having the same form and living the same life? Think of God, think of the glory from above; weigh present things against it, and you will quickly recoil from this worldly glory. If you insist on craving glory, crave what truly is glory. What kind of glory is it when it produces disgrace? What kind of glory is it when it forces someone to desire honor from those beneath him, and depends on that honor? Real honor means gaining the esteem of those greater than oneself. If you insist on loving glory, love instead the glory that comes from God. If your love for that glory leads you to scorn this world’s glory, you will see how base this worldly glory is. But as long as you do not see that glory, you will not be able to see how foul and ridiculous this one is. For people under the spell of some wicked, hideously ugly woman cannot see her ugliness as long as they are in love with her, because their passion casts darkness over their judgment. So it is here too: as long as we are possessed by the passion, we cannot recognize what it is. How, then, can we get rid of it? Think of those who (for the sake of glory) have spent countless sums and now gain nothing from it. Think of the dead, of the glory they gained, and how (now) this glory is nowhere to be found, but has all perished and come to nothing. Think how it is only a name, with nothing real in it. Tell me, what is glory? Give me a definition. “Being admired by everyone,” you will say. Deservedly, or undeservedly too? For if it is undeserved, this is accusation (κατηγορία), flattery, and misrepresentation (διαβολή), rather than admiration. But if you say, Deservedly, that is impossible: for the masses do not judge rightly; the people they admire are those who cater to their desires. And if you want to (see the proof of this), notice those who give their wealth away to prostitutes, charioteers, and dancers. But you will say, We do not mean these people, but those who are just and upright and capable of great and noble good deeds. If only they wanted to do good, they would soon do it; but as things stand, they do nothing of the kind. Who, I ask you, now praises the just and upright man? Quite the opposite happens. Could anything be more absurd than for a just man, when doing such a good deed, to seek glory from the masses—as if an artist of the highest skill, working on an Emperor’s portrait, should want praise from people who know nothing about art! Moreover, a man who looks for honor from other people will soon stop doing what virtue requires. If he insists on waiting openmouthed for their praise, he will do just what they want, rather than what he himself wants. What, then, would I advise you? You must look only to God and to the praise that comes from Him, do everything that pleases Him, and pursue the good things (that are with Him), without waiting openmouthed for anything from other people. For this ruins fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, and makes all our good deeds worthless. To keep this from happening to us, let us flee this passion. Let us look to one thing alone: the praise that comes from God, acceptance by Him, and approval from our common Master, so that, after living our present life virtuously, we may receive the promised blessings together with those who love Him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and always, forever and ever. Amen.