Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles — Homily 39

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

Acts XVII. 32-34, XVIII. 1

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear you again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.

What can be the reason that, having persuaded (some so far as to say) that they would hear him again, and there being no dangers, Paul is so in haste to leave Athens? Probably he knew that he should do them no great good; moreover he was led by the Spirit to Corinth. ( b ) For the Athenians, although fond of hearing strange things, nevertheless did not attend (to him); for this was not their study, but only to be always having something to say; which was the cause that made them hold off from him. But if this was their custom, how is it that they accuse him, he seems to be a setter forth of strange gods? [[Acts 17.18]] Yes, but these were matters they did not at all know what to make of. Howbeit, he did convert both Dionysius the Areopagite, and some others. For those who were careful of (right) living, quickly received the word; but the others not so. It seemed to Paul sufficient to have cast the seeds of the doctrines. ( a ) To Corinth then, as I said, he was led by the Spirit, in which city he was to abide. ( c ) And having found a certain Jew named Aquila, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy — for the greater part of his life had been passed there — and Priscilla his wife, because that Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. [[Acts 18.2]] For though it was in the reign of Nero that the war against the Jews was consummated, yet from the time of Claudius and thenceforward it was fanning up, at a distance indeed, so that, were it but so, they might come to their senses, and from Rome they were now driven as common pests. This is why it is so ordered by Providence that Paul was led there as a prisoner, that he might not as a Jew be driven away, but as acting under military custody might even be guarded there. (Having found these,) he came to them, and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought: for by occupation they were tent-makers. [[Acts 18.3]] Lo, what a justification he found for dwelling in the same house with them! For because here, of all places, it was necessary that he should not receive, as he himself says, That wherein they glory, they may be found, even as we [[2 Corinthians 11.12]], it is providentially ordered that he there abides. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus had come from Macedonia, Paul was straitened in the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. (v. 4, 5.) And when the Jews opposed and blasphemed, i.e. they tried to bear him down ( ἐ πηρέαζον ), they set upon him — What then does Paul? He sep