shews gross ignorance of the Scriptures. 283 VIII. Apo stles. 31. Lord shall give the word to them that preach the Gospel: ACTS and, A new heaven and a new earth. Why are not those 26-40. also called Gospels? But if, while you do not so much as Ps. 68, know what 'Gospels' mean, you so despise the reading of 11. Is. 65, the Scriptures, what shall I say to you?-Let me speak 17. of something else. Why four Gospels? why not ten? why not twenty? If many have taken in hand to set forth a Luke 1, narrative, why not one person? Why they that were 'dis-1; i. e. ciples? why they that were not disciples? But why any Scriptures at all? And yet, on the contrary, the Old Testament says, I will give you a New Testament. Where are they that say, "Always the same things"? If ye knew Jer. 31, these, that, though a man should live thousands of years, they are not "the same things," ye would not say this. Believe me, I will not tell you the answers to any of these questions; not in private, not in public: only, if any find them out, I will nod assent. For this is the way we have made you good-for-nothing, by always telling you the thing, ready to your hands, and not refusing when we ought. Look, you have questions enough: consider them, tell me the reasons. Why Gospels? Why not Prophecies? Why duties to be done, in the Gospels? If one is at a loss, let another seek the answer, and contribute each to the others from what he has but now we will hold our peace. For if what has been spoken has done you no good, much less would it, should we add more. We only pour water into a vessel full of holes. And the punishment too is all the greater for you. Therefore, we will hold our peace. Which that we may not have to do, it rests with yourselves. For if we shall see your diligence, perhaps we will again speak, that both ye may be more approved, and we may rejoice over you, in all things giving glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to Him be glory and dominion now and ever, and world without end. Amen. HOMILY XX. θείς. ACTS ix. 10—12. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. WHAT may be the reason that He neither drew any one of high authority and importance, nor caused such to be forthcoming for the purpose of instructing Paul"? It was, because it was not meet that he should be induced by men, but only by Christ Himself: as in fact this man taught him I pario- nothing, but merely baptized him: for, as soon as 'baptized, he was to draw upon himself the grace of the Spirit, by his zeal and exceeding earnestness. And that Ananias was no very distinguished person, is plain. For, the Lord, it says, spake unto him in a vision, and Ananias answered and said, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints at Jerusalem. For if he spoke in objection to Him, much more would he have done so, had He sent an Angel. And this is why, in the v. 13. • Ecumen. adds from some other source, "but Ananias who was one of the Seventy:" and afterwards, "And this Ananias was a deacon, as Paul himself testifies in the Canons:" the latter from Ammonius the Presbyter, in the Catena. Below, Kal öri (Čat., Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τῶν σφόδρα ἐπισήμων ἦν, dλov, C. comp. p. 279. But Edd.," But that Ananias also was one of the very distinguished persons, is plain both from what (the Lord) reveals and says to him, and from what he himself says in answer: Lord, I have heard, &c." Ananias hesitates, not from unbelief but from fear. 285 IX. 10, 26. former instance, neither is Philip told what the matter is; ACTS but he sees the Angel, and then the Spirit bids him go 10-16. near to the chariot. But observe here how the Lord relieves him of his fear: He is blind,' saith He, and prayeth, and art thou afraid?' In the same way Moses also is afraid: so that the words betokened that he was afraid, and shrunk from the task, not that he did not believe. He said, I have heard from many concerning this man. What sayest thou? God speaketh, and thou hesitatest? They did not yet well know the power of Christ. And v. 14. here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on Thy name. How was that known? It is likely that they, being in fear, made minute enquiries. He does not say this, as thinking that Christ does not know the fact, but,' such being the case, how,' says he, can these things be? As in fact those (in the Gospel) say, Who can Mark be saved?-This is done, in order that Paul may believe him that shall come to him: he hath seen in a vision: it hath shewed him beforehand: he prayeth, saith (the Lord): fear not. And observe, He speaks not to him of the success achieved: teaching us not to speak of our achievements. And, though He saw him afraid, for all this He said it not. Thou shalt not be disbelieved:' he hath seen, saith He, in a vision a man (named) Ananias: for this is why it was in a vision, namely, because he was blind. And not even the exceeding wonderfulness of the thing took possession of the disciple's mind, so greatly was he afraid. But observe: Paul being blind, in this way He restored to sight. But the Lord said v.15.16. unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake. 'Not only,' saith He, shall he be a believer, but even a teacher, and great boldness shall he * Καὶ φοβούμενον ἰδὼν, οὐδὲ οὕτως Elæev. OVK ȧTIOтnohon. The mod. t. prefixes Μᾶλλον δὲ, and adds, ἀλλά τι; Αναστάς πορεύθητι· "Nay, even seeing him afraid, even then He said not, Thou shalt not be disbelieved: (Erasm. negligently, Be not unbelieving :) but what? Arise, &c." So Morel. Sav. but Ben. puts a full stop at idúv: as if the meaning were, "because He would teach us, &c. ; or rather, because He XX. v. 17. v. 18. 286 Saul's blindness an emblem of his spiritual darkness. HOMIL. Shew before Gentiles and kings—such shall be the spread of the doctrine!—that just as He astonished (him) by the former, so He may (startle him even more) by the latter. And Ananias went, and entered into the house, and laid his hands upon him, and said, Brother Saul-he straightway addresses him as a friend by that name-Jesus, Who appeared unto thee in the way in which thou camest—and yet Christ had not told him this, but he learnt it from the Spirit-hath sent me unto thee, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. As he said this, he laid his hands upon him. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales. Some say this was a sign of his blindness. Why did he not blind his eyes (entirely)? This was more wonderful, that, with his eyes open, he did not see: which was just his case in respect of the Law, until the Name of Jesus was put on him. And he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And having taken food, he recovered strength. He was faint, therefore, both from his journey and from his fear; both from hunger, and from dejection of mind. Wishing therefore to deepen his dejection, He made the man blind until the coming of Ananias: and, that he might not imagine the blindness to be (only) fancy, this is the reason of the scales. He needed no other teaching: that which had befallen was made teaching (to him). And he was with the disciples which were at Damascus certain v. 8. v. 19. • ἵνα ὥσπερ ἐξέπληττεν τούτῳ οὕτω, Kakelv. (Sav. marg. Toûтo, KаKETVо.) "That as He (Christ) astonished (Ananias) by the one, so He may by the other." TOUT, by the announcement of Saul as a believer; èkelvą, by that of his becoming a preacher, and before Gentiles and kings. (Chrys. is negligent in his use of the pronouns OUTOS and Keivos.) Or it may be," that as he (Saul) astonished (men) by his conversion, so by his wonderful boldness as a preacher.-E. Edd. omit this, and substitute, (6 as to prevail over all nations and kings." "But when was the name of Jesus put upon Paul, that he should recover his sight? Here is either something wrong in the text, or we must say that Ananias put the Name of Jesus on Paul, when, having laid his hands on him, he told him that it was Jesus from whom he should receive his sight." Ben.,-who surely must have overlooked the clause ὅπερ ἔπαθεν è̟nì Toû vóuov, to which these words belong.-Above, Tivés paσi Tŷs angúσews elva ToÛTO σnμcov, the meaning is, that this falling off of the scales, &c. is an emblem of his mental blindness, and of his recovery therefrom. The innovator, not understanding this, alters it to, ταύτας τινές φασι τῆς π. αὐτοῦ εἶναι airías. "Some say that these were the cause of his blindness:" which is accepted by Edd.-And below, "lest any should imagine, &c." where Tis, E. bracketted by Sav., adopted by the other Edd., is due to the same hand. Stephen is silenced, and a greater succeeds. 287 IX. days. And straightway in the synagogues he preached Acrз Jesus, that He is the Son of God. See, straightway he 17–22. was a teacher in the synagogues. He was not ashamed of v. 20. the change, was not afraid while the very things in which he was glorious aforetime, the same he destroyed. Even 'from his first appearance on the stage here was a man, death-dealing, ready for deeds of blood: seest thou what a manifest sign (was here)? And with this very thing, he put all in fear: for, said they, Hither also is he come for this very thing. But all that heard him were amazed, and v.21.22. said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. As one learned in the Law, he stopped their mouths, and suffered them not to speak. They thought they were rid of disputation in such matters, in getting rid of Stephen, and they found another, more vehement than Stephen. tulation. But let us look at what relates to Ananias. The Lord Recapisaid not to him, Converse with him, and catechize him. For if, when He said, He prayeth, and hath seen a man laying v.11,12. his hands upon him, He did not persuade him, much less had He said this. So that he shall not disbelieve thee, he hath seen in a vision. Observe how in the former instance neither is Philip told all immediately. Fear not, He saith for this man is a chosen vessel for Me. He v. 15. • For 'Inooûv (the reading accredited by the leading authorities in v. 20.) here and in the second exposition, E. alone has XpTov (with text recept.) adopted by Edd. Γ ́ Καὶ εὐθέως ἐκ προοιμίων, θανατῶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἦν viz. ch. 7, 58. C. has Oavárov, for which A. conjecturally substitutes θαύμαστος. Β. Σκεῦος δὲ καλεῖται δικαίως δεικνύντος τοῦ λόγου ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι φυσική ἡ κακία· σκεῦος, φησὶν, ἐκλογῆς τὸ BÓKIμоν yaр ÈKλeyóμedα. A. B. C. N. i. e. "Justly is he called a σKEDOS, for he is well-fitted for the work of Christ by his energy and earnestness. These need but to be turned to the right objects. It is contrary to right reason |