Homily Five

Acts 2:14-21

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.

"For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

"But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh:
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.

"And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.

"I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

"The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the reat and awesome day of the Lord.

"And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved."

Me

Peter responsd to the accusations of drunkenness by explaining how this fulfilled a prophecy.

Chrysostom

Chrysostom notes how gently Peter replies to his detractors, saying "We are not drunk as you suppose" rather than "as you accuse."

He also notes that Peter does not first speak directly of Christ, but rather of the prophecy which can "fight its own battle."

The remainder of the sermon is speaking to Marcionism and to those who believe there is no hell-- it's popular to dislike those who lay down the law, but in the end this law is more necessary than parties are.

And Chrysostom reminds us that all are without excuse, that as far as India and Spain is Christ known.