Homily 9

Acts 3:12 - 26

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

"The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

"But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

"and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

"And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

"Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

"But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

"and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,

"whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

"For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.

" 'And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

"Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.

"You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham,

" 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'

"To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."


Me

Compared with Peter's sermon on Pentecost, this one is audacious. He flat-out accuses the Jews-- in the Temple of all places!-- of killing the Christ. There's still some caution, some softness: he doesn't say right out that Jesus is God (just that he's "Prince of life") and he does acknowledge that they did this thing in ignorance. But his sermon is very bold.

And, I suppose, he has the right to be bold because the people have just witnessed a miracle and now they want to know why it happened. The lame man walking has established Peter's authority, and he immediately defers this authority from himself over to Christ.

This sermon, like the former, ends by urging the listeners to repent. In the first sermon Peter said "be baptized." In this sermon, he says outright, "believe."




Chrysostom

Chrysostom begins by acknowledging that this sermon is more direct than the previous. This, he says, is because it is directed not to the scoffers at Pentecost but to people who are "full of fear and amazement" (54), ready to pay attention. Peter began by "rejecting the glory which was to be had from them... And, in truth, much more did they increase their glory by despising glory." (54-5)

Peter right away "thrusts himself upon the fathers of old, lest he should appear to be introducing a new doctrine" (55)-- Christ is the fulfillment of the Fathers, not a contradiction. He "establishes the doctrine of the Resurrection" by calling Christ the Prince of Life (Chrysostom equates the title "Prince" with "Author"), and brings the Apostles into the same cloud as the Fathers by reminding the crowd that he and John are witnesses to Christ.

And now Peter no longer says "Jesus of Nazareth," but rather the Servant of the God of our fathers, and reminds the crowd that they had him, the Author of Life, put to death while setting a murderer free.

Peter is so straightforward now, says Chrysostom, because his hearers are ready-- you don't chide a drunk man while he's still inebriated, but instead you wait until he is sober and in a condition to listen to you (57).

Chrysostom notes the faith of the Apostles in speaking so boldly:

had they not been truly persuaded themselves that Christ had risen again, they would not have sought to establish the honor of a dead man instead of their own, especially while the eyes of the multitude were upon them. (58)

And Peter calls the onlookers his brethren, reminding them that Christ has come first for them, as a fulfillment of their Prophets: "For if He is your Brother, and blesses you, the affair is a promise." (59)

If Christ came first to save and bless those who killed him, says Chrysostom, then we must also "do all as we would for bosom-friends, as we would for ourselves so for those who have injured us." (60) Christ in fact made the leaders of the Jews objects of reverence-- he told the people to listen to the scribes and Pharisees, and told the cleansed lepers to show themselves to the priests.

Besides, when he might have destroyed [the Jews], He saves them. Let us then imitate Him, and let no one be an enemy, no one a foe, except to the devil. (60)

The remainder of the sermon is a follow-up from the last sermon, expounding on Chrysostom's attack against swearing and oath-taking. His thesis, essentially, is that it is impious to bring God into petty matters, and profane to make God accountable as a witness for our marketplace dealings. If I will not cheat my customer, then let me say that I will not cheat my customer without dragging God into it. Oaths do not stop men from cheating or swindling:

A man having once learnt to steal, and to wrong his neighbor, will presume full oft to trample upon his oath; if on the contrary he shrinks from swearing, he will much more shrink from injustice. "But he is influenced against his will." Well then, he deserves pardon. (61)

You stand holding God in your bonds: to get a few vegetables, a pair of shoes, for a little matter of money, calling Him to witness. What is the meaning of this? Do not let us imagine, that because we are not punished, therefore we do not sin; this comes of God's mercy; not of our merit. Let your oath be an imprecation upon your own child, upon your own self: say, "Else let the hangman lash my ribs." But you dare not. Is God less valuable than thy ribs?... Is this the end of your bills, and your bonds, that you should sacrifice your own soul? What gain do you get so great as the loss?... Do not imagine that the success of your worldly plans is to be ensured by transgressions of the Divine laws. (62)

And Chrysostom argues against the notion that nobody will trust a man who does not swear:

On the contrary, were it clear to all men that you do not swear, take my word for it, you would be more readily believed upon your mere nod, than those are who swallow oaths by thousands. (63)

And he says that it is not because of his office of bishop that he is respected without having to take oaths-- were he in the habit of perpetually swearing, even his bishopric would not uphold his honor.

Homily 8

Acts 3:1-11

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;

who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."

So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."

And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-- walking, leaping, and praising God.

And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to them.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.



Me

I'm really struck by the statement, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you." Peter didn't say, "I'm not going to give you money," or "I have something for you better than money." He didn't have money. And it was his poverty that pushed him beyond the mere and common gift of money. His poverty forced him to reach more deeply to find something that he did have to give. And all he had to give was the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Just a name, nothing more.

Again, it isn't that Peter chose to give the name of Christ instead of money. He didn't have money. His poverty compelled him into evangelism.

If we have money, why should we withhold it from those who ask? And when we have no money, why should we withhold that which we do have?


Chrysostom

Chrysostom notes that Peter and John were again together, and throughout the sermon emphasizes that Peter is the one who does the talking.

After Peter told the lame man to look at him and John, Chrysostom notes that his thoughts were not elevated, "but he persisted in his importunity. For such is poverty; upon a refusal, it compels people still to persist. Let this put us to shame who fall back in our prayers." (50)

The healing of the lame man "made manifest the Resurrection, for it was an image of the Resurrection." (50)

Upon being healed, the lame man follows the apostles into the temple-- not because they urge him to do so, but of his own accord. "The man was grateful." (51)

When Peter declares his poverty, "He does not say, I have none here, as we are wont to speak, but absolutely, I have none... but of what I have, receive thou." (51)

Chrysostom notes that the lame man does not ask for healing; he asks only for money:

Such sort of persons were the Jews; lame, and the right thing being to ask for health, these same ask for money, grovelling on the ground. (51)

Peter and John went to the temple to pray, and accomplished another object entirely-- when we embark upon prayer, we do not know where we will be taken.

The rest of the sermon is an appeal to the congregation for reformation:

He who has effected some little reformation thereby receives encouragement to approach greater things. (52)

Chrysostom asks his congregation to start small, by laying off swearing by God. He admonishes them that their blasphemy falls on his own head, whereas "my glory is your good report." (53) He knows that those who cease swearing by God will be mocked and laughed at in the city, but "it is better to be laughed at now, than wept for hereafter." (53) And he warns the congregation, that if any man refuses

to conform to this order, that man I... do prohibit to set foot over the Church's threshold, be he prince, be he even the crowned head. Either depose me from this station, or if I am to remain, expose me not to danger [of taking the blame for the congregation's obstinacy]. (53)

Chrysostom criticizes the love of quantity over quality, saying that he prefers a few real Christians to a multitude of halfhearted people:

After the fashion of the Theatre we desire numbers, not a select number... it is the saints, not the numbers, which make the multitude... Do you not see, that it is better to possess one precious stone, than ten thousand farthing pieces?... For no one will urge it as a point in our favor that we are many; we shall be blamed for being unprofitable. (54)

And again Chrysostom warns his congregation that he "will exclude and punish the disobedient; and as long as I sit on this throne, I will give up not one of its rights. If any one depose me from it, then I am no longer responsible; as long as I am responsible, I cannot disregard them; on account not of my own punishment, but your salvation." (54)

Homily 3

Acts 1:12-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,

"Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;

for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry."

(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.

And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

'Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it';

and,

'Let another take his office.'

Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection."

And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen

to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."

And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Me

What strikes me in this is the described purpose of the episcopacy: to "become a witness with us of His resurrection."

It's interesting reading about episcopal election now, so shortly after having witnessed the OCA elect its new primate.

Chrysostom

This sermon is all about qualifications for the episcopacy. It's unusual for a Chrysostom sermon; most of his homilies have at least two parts-- the first part a verse-by-verse commentary and the second part a long meditation on some theme brought up by the passage. This homily, however, is a straight-up sermon on the episcopacy.

He starts off by describing Peter's use of authority among the apostles and disciples:

But observe how Peter does everything with common consent; nothing imperiously...

... "Men and brethren," says Peter... see the dignity of the Church, the angelic condition! No distinction there, "neither male nor female." I would that the Churches were such now! (18)

Chrysostom speaks of how Peter emulates the newly-departed Christ in comforting and guiding the Church. And then Peter brings up the matter of appointing a replacement for Judas:

He defers the decision to the whole body, thereby both making the elected objects of reverence and himself keeping clear of all invidiousness with regard to the rest. For such occasions always give rise to great evils. (19)

Chrysostom notes favorably the moderation of all the apostles present,

because prelacy then was not an affair of dignity, but of provident care for the governed. This neither made the elected to become elated, for it was to dangerous that they were called, nor those not elected to make a grievance of it, as if they were disgraced. (20)

Chrysostom notes how important it is that the new apostle be an eyewitness of the Resurrection-- this seems to be the primary task that the apostle is called to:

that they should be men having a right to be believed, because they had seen. (21)

He then mentions the apostles' prayer:

They said not, Choose, but, "show the chosen one;" knowing that all things are foreordained of God. (21)

Chrysostom exhorts "those who aim at preferment" to imitate the apostles in their attitude towards the episcopacy:

If thou believest that the election is with God, then be not displeased. (22)

He then asks why the episcopacy has become such a subject of competition and pride:

it is because we come to the Episcopate not as unto a work of governing and superintending the brethren, but as to a post of dignity and repose. Did you but know that a Bishop is bound to belong to all, to bear the burden of all; that others, if they are angry, are pardoned, but he never; that others, if they sin, have excuses made for them, he has none; you would not be eager for the dignity, would not run after it. So it is, the Bishop is exposed to the tongues of all, to the criticism of all, whether they be wise or fools. He is harassed with cares every day, nay, every night... we speak of those who watch for your souls, who consider the safety and welfare of those under them before their own. (22)

The remainder of the homily similarly discusses the enormous responsibility of being a bishop.