John Chrysostom, On the Beginning of Acts

he brings forward as a judge, and then he delivers the 51.95 sentence. For the sentence is not before the question; for the sin was indeed clear; but in order to persuade us who are standing by, that he justly renders his verdict, for this reason he makes the inquiry, speaking thus: Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? You have not lied to men but to God. What then, hearing these words? Falling down, he breathed his last. Have you seen how the apostles also have a sword? When you hear Paul saying, “In all things, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” remember this sentence, that nowhere was there a sword, and struck by the word, the temple-robber fell. Have you seen a sword sharpened and drawn? Nowhere iron, nowhere a hilt, nowhere hands; but instead of the hand, the tongue, bringing forth words instead of the sword, immediately slew him. After him his wife came in, and he wished to give her a reason for a defense, an occasion for pardon; for this reason he asks again: Tell me, did you sell the land for so much? And yet he knew that it was not for so much; but in order that through the question he might lead her to repentance, and she might condemn her sins, and he might grant her forgiveness, for this reason he questions her; but nevertheless, after this she remained shameless; for this reason she shared in her husband's punishment. Have you seen the power of the prison? Have you seen how they are lords to send to death? Let us see also the better thing, how they are called back from death. Tabitha, the disciple, abounding in many alms, died; and immediately there was a running to the apostles. For they knew that they had authority over both death and life; they knew the authority from above had been brought down below. What then did Peter do when he came? “Tabitha, arise,” he says. He needed no great effort, no attendants, no deacons; but the words were sufficient for the resurrection; indeed death heard the voice, and could not hold the dead woman. Have you seen what kind of voices these judges have? For the voices of the judges from without are weak. For if one of them gives a command, and the servant does not obey, what was ordered is cut off; but here there is no need of servants; but he spoke, and immediately it was done. Have you seen their prison, which is a symbol of authority; have you seen how they remit sins, how they loose death, how they bring back to life. Do you wish to learn also of their belt? For Christ sent them girded, not in leather, but in truth; this belt is holy and spiritual; and for this reason he says: Having girded your loins with truth. For the authority is spiritual, so seek nothing sensible; For all the glory of the king’s daughter is within. But what? Do you wish to see the executioners as well? Executioners are those who scourge the guilty, bind them to the wood, tear their sides, chastise, punish. Do you wish then to see these? They do not have men, but the devil himself, and the demons; they who are clothed in body and 51.96 flesh had the incorporeal powers serving them. Hear, at least, how with authority Paul commanded them; for writing about the one who had fornicated, he said: Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. Again, concerning others who were blaspheming, he did this very thing; For I have delivered them, he says, to Satan, that they may be taught not to blaspheme. What then remains to be shown? That they also have chariots? But we shall not be at a loss for this proof either; for Philip, after he had baptized the eunuch and led him by the hand to the sacred mystery, and it was necessary for him to return, the Spirit caught him away, and he was found at Azotus, from the desert. Have you seen a winged chariot? Have you seen a team swifter than the wind? Again it was necessary for the apostle to journey to paradise, so great a length, and an infinite distance; and he again was suddenly snatched away and transported there without toil, and in a brief moment of time. Such, then, are the chariots; and the voice of the herald, this also is again worthy of the

προσάγει καθάπερ δικαστὴς, καὶ τότε τὴν ἀπόφασιν ἐπ 51.95 άγει. Οὐ γὰρ πρὸ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως ἡ ἀπόφασις· δήλη μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἡ ἁμαρτία· ἀλλ' ἵνα ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἔξωθεν περιεστῶτας πείσῃ, ὅτι δικαίως ἐπάγει τὴν ψῆφον, διὰ τοῦτο ποιεῖται τὴν ἐρώτησιν, οὕτω λέγων· ∆ιὰ τί ἐπλήρωσεν ὁ Σατανᾶς τὴν καρδίαν σου, ψεύσασθαί σε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ νοσφίσασθαι ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς τοῦ χωρίου; Οὐχὶ μένον σοι ἔμενε, καὶ πραθὲν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὑπῆρχεν; Οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Τί οὖν ἀκούων ἐκεῖνος τοὺς λόγους τούτους; Πεσὼν ἐξέψυξεν. Εἶδες πῶς καὶ ξίφος ἔχουσιν οἱ ἀπόστολοι; Ὅταν ἀκούσῃς Παύλου λέγοντος, ὅτι Ἐπὶ πᾶσι τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ Πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστι ῥῆμα Θεοῦ, ἀναμνήσθητι τῆς ἀποφάσεως ταύτης, ὅτι οὐδαμοῦ ξίφος, καὶ τῷ ῥήματι πληγεὶς ὁ ἱερόσυλος ἔπεσεν. Εἶδες μάχαιραν ἠκονημένην καὶ γεγυμνωμένην; Οὐδαμοῦ σίδηρος, οὐδαμοῦ λαβὴ, οὐδαμοῦ χεῖρες· ἀλλὰ ἀντὶ τῆς χειρὸς ἡ γλῶττα, τὰ ῥήματα ἀντὶ τῆς μαχαίρας ἐξενεγκοῦσα, εὐθέως ἐκεῖνον ἀπέσφαξε. Μετὰ τοῦτον εἰσῆλθεν ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ἐβούλετο αὐτῇ δοῦναι πρόφασιν ἀπολογίας, ἀφορμὴν συγγνώμης· διὰ τοῦτο πάλιν ἐρωτᾷ· Εἰπέ μοι, εἰ τοσούτου τὸ χωρίον ἀπέδοσθε. Καίτοι γε ᾔδει, ὅτι οὐ τοσούτου· ἀλλ' ἵνα αὐτὴν διὰ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως εἰς μετάνοιαν ἀγάγῃ, καὶ καταγνῷ τῶν ἡμαρτημένων, καὶ μεταδῷ συγγνώμης αὐτῇ, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν ἐρωτᾷ· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκείνη μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναισχύντως διέκειτο· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκοινώνησε τῆς τιμωρίας τοῦ ἀνδρός. Εἶδες δεσμωτηρίου δύναμιν; εἶδες πῶς εἰσι κύριοι εἰς θάνατον πέμπειν; Ἴδωμεν καὶ τὸ βέλτιον, πῶς ἀπὸ θανάτου ἀποκαλοῦνται πάλιν. Ἡ Ταβιθὰ, ἡ μαθήτρια, ἐλεημοσύναις πολλαῖς κομῶσα ἀπέθανε· καὶ δρόμος εὐθέως ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους. Ἤδεισαν γὰρ ὅτι καὶ θανάτου καὶ ζωῆς ἐξουσίαν εἶχον· ᾔδεισαν τὴν ἄνω ἀρχὴν κάτω κατενεχθεῖσαν. Τί οὖν ἐλθὼν ὁ Πέτρος; Ταβιθὰ, ἀνάστηθι, φησίν. Οὐδεμιᾶς πραγματείας ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ, οὐχ ὑπηρετῶν, οὐ διακόνων· ἀλλ' ἤρκεσε τὰ ῥήματα πρὸς τὴν ἀνάστασιν· ἤκουσε γοῦν τῆς φωνῆς ὁ θάνατος, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσε κατασχεῖν τὴν νεκράν. Εἶδες οἷαι τῶν δικαστῶν τούτων αἱ φωναί; Αἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἔξωθεν δικαστῶν ἀσθενεῖς. Κἂν γὰρ ἐπιτάξῃ τις ἐκείνων, ὁ δὲ διακονῶν μὴ ὑπηρετήσῃ, διεκόπη τὸ προσταχθέν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐ δεῖται διακόνων· ἀλλ' εἶπε, καὶ εὐθέως ἐγένετο. Εἶδες αὐτῶν τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ὅπερ ἀρχῆς ἐστι σύμβολον· εἶδες πῶς ἀφιᾶσιν ἁμαρτήματα, πῶς λύουσι θάνατον, πῶς εἰς ζωὴν ἐπανάγουσι. Βούλει μαθεῖν καὶ τὴν ζώνην αὐτῶν; Καὶ γὰρ ἐζωσμένους αὐτοὺς ὁ Χριστὸς ἔπεμψεν, οὐχὶ ἐν δέρματι, ἀλλ' ἐν ἀληθείᾳ· αὕτη ἡ ζώνη ἁγία καὶ πνευματική· καὶ διὰ τοῦτό φησι· Περιεζωσμένοι τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑμῶν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἀρχὴ πνευματικὴ, διὸ μηδὲν αἰσθητὸν ζήτει· Πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν. Ἀλλὰ τί; βούλει καὶ τοὺς δημίους ἰδεῖν; ∆ήμιοί εἰσιν οἱ τοὺς ὑπευθύνους μαστίζοντες, προσαρτῶντες τῷ ξύλῳ, διαξαίνοντες τὰς πλευρὰς, παιδεύοντες, κολάζοντες. Βούλει οὖν τούτους ἰδεῖν; Οὐκ ἀνθρώπους ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν τὸν διάβολον, καὶ τοὺς δαίμονας· οἱ σῶμα καὶ σάρκα περικείμενοι, τὰς ἀσω 51.96 μάτους εἶχον ὑπηρετούσας δυνάμεις. Ἄκουσον γοῦν πῶς μετὰ αὐθεντίας ἐκείνοις ἐπέταττεν ὁ Παῦλος· περὶ γὰρ τοῦ πεπορνευκότος γράφων ἔλεγε· Παράδοτε τὸν τοιοῦτον τῷ Σατανᾷ εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκός. Πάλιν ἐφ' ἑτέρων βλασφημούντων τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πεποίηκε· Παρέδωκα γὰρ αὐτοὺς, φησὶ, τῷ Σατανᾷ, ἵνα παιδευθῶσι μὴ βλασφημεῖν. Τί λοιπὸν ὑπολέλειπται δεῖξαι; ὅτι καὶ ὀχήματα ἔχουσιν; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ταύτης ἀπορήσομεν τῆς ἀποδείξεως· τὸν γὰρ Φίλιππον, ἐπειδὴ τὸν εὐνοῦχον ἐβάπτισε, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἱερὰν μυσταγωγίαν ἐχειραγώγησεν, ἔδει δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπανελθεῖν, ἥρπασεν αὐτὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα, καὶ εὑρέθη εἰς Ἄζωτον ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου. Εἶδες ὄχημα ὑπόπτερον; εἶδες ζεῦγος ἀνέμου σφοδρότερον; Πάλιν ἔδει τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ὁδεῦσαι, μῆκος οὕτω πολὺ, καὶ διάστημα ἄπειρον· κἀκεῖνος πάλιν ἀθρόον ἁρπαγεὶς ἐκεῖ μετεφέρετο ἀπονητὶ, καὶ ἐν βραχείᾳ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ὀχήματα τοιαῦτα· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κήρυκος φωνὴ, καὶ αὕτη πάλιν ἀξία τῆς