Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles — Homily 31

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

Acts XIV. 14, 15

Which when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.

Mark the vehemence with which all this is done by the Apostles: rent their clothes, ran in, cried out, all from strong affection of the soul, revolted by the things that were done. For it was a grief, indeed a grief inconsolable, that they should needs be thought gods, and introduce idolatry, the very thing which they came to destroy! This also was a contrivance of the devil — but he did not prevail. But what say they? We also are men of like passions with you. At the very outset they overthrew the evil. They said not simply, Men, but As ye. Then, that they may not seem to honor the gods, hear what they add: Preaching unto you, that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, Who made heaven, the sea, and all things that are therein. Observe how they nowhere mention things invisible. ( b ) For they had learned that one should study not so much to say somewhat worthy of God, as to say what is profitable for the hearers. ( a ) What then? If He be Maker of all things, why does He not also attend to these things by His Providence? — Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways [[Acts 14.16]] — but wherefore He suffered them, this he does not say, for at present he keeps to the matter of immediate importance, nowhere bringing in the name of Christ. Observe, he does not wish to swell the accusation against them, but rather that they themselves should refer all to God. Nevertheless, He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, giving you rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. [[Acts 14.17]] ( c ) See how covertly he puts the accusation in that He did good, etc. And yet if God did this, He could not have let them alone; on the contrary, they ought to be punished, for that, enjoying so great benefits, they had not acknowledged Him, not even as their feeder. From heaven, he says, giving you rain. Thus also David said, From the fruit of their grain and wine and oil were they made to abound Psalm 4:7, and in many places speaking of Creation, he brings forward these benefits: and Jeremiah mentions first Creation, then Providence (shown) by the rains, so that the Apostle here discourses as taught from those Scriptures. Filling, he says, with food and gladness. [[Jeremiah 5.24]] With large liberality ( φιλοτιμίας ) the food is given, not merely for a frugal sufficiency, nor stinted by the need. And saying these things, they scarcely stopped the multitudes [[Acts 14.18]] — indeed by this very thing they gained most admiration — from sacrificing to them. Do you observe that this was the point with th