Homily 15 on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts VI. 8

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

See how even among the seven one was preëminent, and won the first prize. For though the ordination was common to him and them, yet he drew upon himself greater grace. And observe, how he wrought no (signs and wonders) before this time, but only when he became publicly known; to show that grace alone is not sufficient, but there must be ordination also; so that there was a further access of the Spirit. For if they were full of the Spirit, it was of that which is from the Laver of Baptism. Then there arose certain of them of the synagogue. Acts 6:9 Again he uses the phrase of rising up (ἀ νάστασιν, Hom. xiii. p. 81), to denote their exasperation and wrath. Here we have a great multitude. And observe the difference in the form of accusation: for since Gamaliel had stopped them from finding fault on the former plea, they bring in another charge. And there rose up, it says, certain of them of the synagogue of those who are called (τὥν λεγομένων . Edd. τἥς λεγομένης) Libertines, and of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. Acts 6:9-12 That they may establish the charge, the phrase is, he speaks against God, and against Moses. And with this object too they disputed, that they might force him to say somewhat. But he now discoursed more openly, and perhaps spoke of the cessation of the Divine Law: or, spoke it not, but hinted as much: since had he spoken plainly, there had been no need of suborned men, nor yet of false witnesses. The synagogues were diverse: [to wit, Of the Libertines]: of the Cyrenians, i.e. those in the parts beyond Alexandria [of the Alexandrians, etc.]. There also they seem to have had synagogues according to their different nations; for many stayed behind there, that they might not be obliged to be continually travelling. The Libertines perhaps were freedmen of the Romans. As there were many foreigners dwelling there, so they had their synagogues, where the Law was to be read. Disputing with Stephen. Observe him, not taking upon him to teach, but forced to do so. The miracles once more brought him into ill-will; but when he overcame in argument, it was false-witness! For they did not wish to kill intolerable to them. They could not resist, etc.: then they suborned men. Everywhere out of hand, but by means of a sentence, that they might hurt their reputation also: and leaving those (the Apostles), they attack these (the disciples), thinking in this way to terrify those also. They say not, he speaks, but, he ceases not to speak. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law. (Ceases not, say they, as if he made this his business. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. Acts 6:14 Jesus, they say, the Nazarene, as a term of reproach, shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs. This is also what they said about Christ. Thou that destroyest this Temple. Matthew 27:40 For great was their veneration for the Temple (as indeed they had chosen to leave their own country (μετοικεἴν) in order to be near it) and for the name of Moses. The charge is twofold. If He shall change the customs, He will also introduce others instead: observe how the charge is a bitter one, and fraught with perils. And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Acts 6:15 So possible is it even for one in a lower degree to shine. For what, I ask, had this man less than the Apostles? He lacked not miracles, and great was the boldness he exhibited. — They saw His face, it is said, as it had been the face of an angel. Exodus 34:30 For this was his grace, this was the glory of Moses. God made him thus gracious (ἐ πίχαριν) of visage, now that he was about to say somewhat, thus at once by his very look to awe them. For there are, yes, there are faces full-fraught with spiritual grace, lovely to them that love, awful to haters and enemies. It mentions also the reason, why they suffered his oration.— Then, it proceeds, said the high-priest, Are these things so? Acts 7:1 Observe, the question is put with mildness, that he may effect some great mischief. For this reason Stephen too begins his speech in a tone of gentleness, and says, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. Acts 7:2 Immediately at the outset he overthrows their conceit, and makes it appear by what he says, that the temple is nothing, that the customs are nothing either, without their suspecting his drift: also that they shall not overcome the preaching; and that from powerless (ἀ μηχάνων) things God evermore contrives Him powerful (εὐμήχανα) instruments. Mark then how these threads make the texture of the whole speech: and moreover that having evermore enjoyed exceeding goodness, they still requited their Benefactor with the opposite conduct, and that they are now attempting impossibilities. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he came into Charran. Both the temple was not, and sacrifice was not, and yet a vision of God was vouchsafed to Abraham, and yet had he Persians for his ancestors, and was in a strange land. And he does well at the beginning of his speech to call Him, the God of glory: seeing that He has made them that are without honor to be glorious. Because (says he) it was He that made them glorious, He will make us also. Observe how he leads them away from things of the body, from the place, in the first instance, as the place was in question. The God of glory, says he: implying again, that He needs not the glory which comes from us, which comes by the Temple: for Himself is the Fountain thereof. Think not, he would say, in this way to glorify Him. And from your kindred. How then says the Scripture, that Abraham’s father was willing to go out? Hence we learn, that it was in consequence of Abraham’s vision, that his father was moved to join in the migration. Genesis 11:31 And said unto him, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and come into a land which I shall show you. Acts 7:3 It shows how far these men are from being children of Abraham, how obedient he was. And from your kindred. Uncomfortable (φορτικὰ) reflections, both, that he endured the labors, while you reap the fruits, and that all your ancestors were in evil case. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, He removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. (And He promised to give it to him. Do you perceive, that he does not merely resume the thread of his discourse? He gave him not, says he; and He promised; and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. Again, what God can do: that out of impossibilities, He does all. For here is a man in Persia, so far away, and this man God says He will make lord of Palestine. But let us look back to what was said before.

Whence, I pray you, did that grace bloom upon the countenance of Stephen? (Recapitulation.) The writer gives him this report above, that he was full of faith. Acts 6:8. For it is possible to have a grace that does not consist in works of healing: For to one is given the grace of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:8-9 in such and such wise (τοιὣσδε). But here, it seems to me, it says that he was also gracious to look at: They saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Full of faith and of power: Acts 6:15 which is also the character given of Barnabas he was a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. Acts 11:24 Whence we learn that the sincere and innocent are, above all others, the men to be saved, and that these same are also more gracious. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words. Acts 6:11 In the case of the Apostles they were annoyed that they preached the Resurrection, and that much people flowed unto them: but in this case, that they were getting their diseases healed. Acts 4:2 The things for which they ought to give thanks, they made matter of blame: O the madness! The men who overcame them by works, they expected to overcome by words! It is just what they did in the case of Christ, and always they forced them to words. For they were ashamed to seize them without more ado, having nothing to charge them with. And observe, not the persons themselves who bring them to judgment bear witness against them; for they would have been refuted: but they simply hire others, that it may not seem to be an act of mere violence. It is all of a piece with their proceeding in the case of Christ. And observe the power of the preaching, that, though they are not only scourged but stoned, it still prevails: not only, private individuals as they are, dragged to the bar, but assailed from all quarters: and, their enemies themselves being witnesses, not only were these worsted, but they were not able even to resist Acts 6:10, though they were exceeding shameless: so mightily did it overthrow them, for all that they could do with their preposterous figments (as the saying that He had a devil— He that cast out devils!). For the battle was not man’s, but God’s against men. And there were many combined together; not only they in Jerusalem, but others as well. Acts 6:9 For we have heard him, say they, speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Acts 6:11 O you shameless ones! You work blasphemous deeds, and think nothing of it. This is why Moses is added— because the things of God were no great concern to them: and it is ever and always Moses that they make mention of: This Moses, which brought us out. Acts 7:40 And they stirred up the people. Acts 6:12 Fickleness of the multitude! And yet how could a man who was a blasphemer have so succeeded? How could a blasphemer work such miracles among the people? But the undisciplined multitude made them strong who had the worst of it (in argument).— This was what most annoyed them. We have heard him, they say, speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God Acts 6:13: and again, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law, and with an addition, the customs which Moses delivered to us Acts 6:14; Moses, not God. Upon the supposition of a design to overturn their manner of life (πολιτείας), they accused him of impiety also. But to show that it was not in the nature of such a man to speak such things, and harshly [Then all, it says, which were in the council, looking steadfastly upon him, saw his face, as it had been the face of an angel] Acts 6:15: so mild was he even in countenance. For, in cases where persons were not falsely accused, Scripture mentions nothing of this kind: but as in this case it was all false accusation, with reason does God rectify it by the very look of the man. For the Apostles indeed were not falsely accused, but were forbidden: but this man is falsely accused: and therefore before all else his countenance pleads for him. This abashed even the priest. And he said, etc. Acts 7:1 He shows here, that the promise was made before the Place, before Circumcision, before Sacrifice, before the Temple, and that it was not of their merit that these received either Circumcision or Law, but that the land was the reward of obedience alone. Moreover, that neither on the giving of circumcision does the promise receive its fulfillment. Also, that these were figures, and (so was) both the leaving his country at God’s command— not against the law (for home and country is where God shall lead): Then came he out, it says, of the land of the Chaldeans Acts 7:4:— and that if one look closely into the matter, the Jews are of Persian origin: and that, without miracles, one must do as God bids, whatever hardships be the consequence; since the Patriarch left both the grave of his father and all that he had, in obedience to God’s command. But if Abraham’s father was not allowed to take part with him in the privilege of migrating to Palestine, because he was unworthy: much more shall the children (be excluded at last), for all that they may have gone a good distance on the way. And He promised, it says, to give it to him, and to his seed after him. Acts 7:5 Herein is shown the greatness both of God’s goodness and of Abraham’s faith. For the expression, when as yet he had no child, does show his obedience and faith. Promised to give it to him and to his seed. And yet the events showed the contrary: namely, after he came, he had not so much as to set his foot on, had not a child; which very things were contrary to his faith.

These things having seen, let us likewise, whatever God shall promise, receive the same, however contrary may be the events. And yet in our case, they are not contrary, but very suitable. For where the promises are, there, when the contraries turn out, they are really contrary; but in our case it is just the reverse: for He has told us that we should have tribulation here, but our rest there. Why do we confound the times? Why do we turn things upside down? Say, are you afflicted, and livest in poverty, and in dejection? Be not troubled: for it were worth being troubled at, were thou destined to be afflicted in that world: as for this present affliction, it is the cause of rest. This sickness, says He, is not unto death. John 11:4 That affliction is punishment: this, schooling and correction. It is a contest, this life present: if so, to fight is our business now: it is war and battle. In war one does not seek to have rest, in war one does not seek to have dainty living, one is not anxious about riches, one’s care is not about a wife then: one thing only he looks at, how he may overcome his foes. Be this our care likewise: if we overcome, and return with the victory, God will give us all things. Be this alone our study, how we may overcome the devil: though after all it is not our own study that does it, but God’s grace does the whole business. Be it our one study, how we may attract His grace, how we may draw to ourselves that assistance. If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 Let us make one thing our study; that He be not our enemy, that He turn not away from us.

Not the being afflicted is an evil; the evil is, to sin. This is the sore affliction, however we may pass our days in luxury:— not to speak of the life to come, it is so even in this life present. Think how our conscience is stung with remorse, and whether this is not worse than any kind of torture! I should like to put the question searchingly to those who live in evil ways (ἐ ν κακοἵς), whether they never come to reflect upon their own sins, whether they do not tremble, and are in fear and anguish, whether they do not think those blessed who live in abstinence, them of the mountains, them of the strict rule? (τοὺς ἐν πολλῇ φιλοσοφί& 139