John Chrysostom, On the Beginning of Acts

Christ was with them upon the earth, and after the forty days then he was taken up into the heavens; but let us see if on Pentecost the Holy Spirit was sent. And when the day of Pentecost, it says, was fully come, suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them. Do you see the accurate proof having been given, that for forty days Christ was on earth, and the apostles were not working miracles? For how were they to work miracles, not yet having the grace of the Holy and life-giving Spirit? Do you see that after the forty days Jesus was taken up into heaven? Do you see again, that after the ten days the apostles were working miracles? For when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy Spirit was sent down. This, then, is the remaining question, for what reason the Acts of the Apostles are read at Pentecost. For if the apostles began to perform signs then, that is, after the Lord's resurrection, then this book ought also to be read. For just as we read the things concerning the cross on the day of the cross, and likewise the things at the resurrection, and the things that happened on each feast we read again on the same day, so also the apostolic miracles ought to be read on the days of the apostolic signs.

ʹ. For what reason, then, do we not read them then, but immediately after the cross and the resurrection, hear the entire reason with precision. Immediately after the cross we proclaim the resurrection of Christ, and the proof of the resurrection is the apostolic signs, and the school for the apostolic signs is this book. That, therefore, which most of all confirms the Lord's resurrection, this the Fathers legislated to be read immediately after the cross and the life-giving resurrection. For this reason, then, beloved, immediately after the cross and the resurrection we read the signs of the apostles, that we may have a clear and indisputable proof of the resurrection. You did not see him risen with the eyes of the body, but you see 51.106 him risen with the eyes of faith; you did not see him risen through these eyes, but you will see him risen through those miracles. For the display of the signs leads you by the hand to the contemplation of faith. Whence a much greater and clearer proof than his appearing risen was that signs were done in his name. Do you wish to learn how this gives more credence to the resurrection than if he had appeared to all men before their eyes? Listen intelligently; for many ask this and say: For what reason, having risen, did he not immediately appear to the Jews? but this argument is superfluous and vain. For if he had intended to draw them to the faith, he would not have refused to appear to all after the resurrection; but that he was not going to draw them by appearing to them after the resurrection, he shows through Lazarus. For having raised this man, a corpse of four days, stinking, corrupted, and having made him, bound with grave-clothes, come forth under the eyes of all, not only did he not draw them to the faith, but he also provoked them; for having come, they wished to kill him also for this reason. If, then, he raised another and they did not believe, if having raised himself he had shown himself, would they not have raged against him again? Even if they were going to accomplish nothing, yet they were going to be impious through the attempt. So wishing to deliver them from superfluous madness, he hid himself; for he would have made them more liable to punishment, if he had appeared after the cross. For this reason, sparing them, he hid himself from their sight; but he showed himself through the proof of the signs. For to hear Peter saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk," was no less than to see him risen. And that this is the greatest proof of the resurrection, and easier for

αὐτοῖς συνεγένετο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ μετὰ τὰς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας τότε ἀνελήφθη ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν εἰ ἐν τῇ Πεντηκοστῇ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐπέμφθη τὸ ἅγιον. Καὶ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι, φησὶ, τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἐγένετο ἄφνω ἦχος ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡσεὶ φερομένης πνοῆς βιαίας, καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρὸς, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐφ' ἕνα ἕκαστον αὐτῶν. Εἴδετε ἀκριβῆ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν γεγενημένην, οἷον ὅτι τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἦν ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐθαυματούργουν οἱ ἀπόστολοι; Πῶς γὰρ ἔμελλον θαυματουργεῖν τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν οὐδέπω ἔχοντες; Εἴδετε, ὅτι μετὰ τὰς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς; εἴδετε πάλιν, ὅτι μετὰ τὰς δέκα ἡμέρας ἐθαυματούργουν οἱ ἀπόστολοι; Ἐν γὰρ τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς κατεπέμφθη τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Τοῦτο οὖν ἐστι λοιπὸν τὸ ζητούμενον, τίνος ἕνεκεν αἱ Πράξεις τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν τῇ Πεντηκοστῇ ἀναγινώσκονται. Εἰ γὰρ τότε ἤρξαντο ποιεῖν τὰ σημεῖα οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἤγουν μετὰ τὴν Κυρίου ἀνάστασιν, τότε ἔδει καὶ τὸ βιβλίον ἀναγινώσκεσθαι τοῦτο. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰ περὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ σταυροῦ ἀναγινώσκομεν, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ὁμοίως, καὶ τὰ ἐν ἑκάστῃ ἑορτῇ γεγονότα τῇ αὐτῇ πάλιν ἀναγινώσκομεν, οὕτως ἔδει καὶ τὰ θαύματα τὰ ἀποστολικὰ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν ἀποστολικῶν σημείων ἀναγινώσκεσθαι.

ʹ. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οὐ τότε αὐτὰ ἀναγινώσκομεν, ἀλλ' εὐθέως μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἀκούσατε μετὰ ἀκριβείας τὴν αἰτίαν ἅπασαν. Μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν εὐθέως ἀνάστασιν καταγγέλλομεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῆς δὲ ἀναστάσεως ἀπόδειξίς ἐστι τὰ σημεῖα τὰ ἀποστολικὰ, τῶν δὲ σημείων ἀποστολικῶν διδασκαλεῖόν ἐστι τοῦτο τὸ βιβλίον. Ὃ τοίνυν μάλιστα πιστοῦται τὴν ἀνάστασιν τὴν ∆εσποτικὴν, τοῦτο μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὴν ζωηφόρον ἀνάστασιν εὐθέως οἱ Πατέρες ἐνομοθέτησαν ἀναγινώσκεσθαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν εὐθέως ἀναγινώσκομεν τὰ σημεῖα τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἵνα ἔχωμεν σαφῆ καὶ ἀναμφισβήτητον τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Οὐκ εἶδες αὐτὸν ἀναστάντα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλὰ βλέπεις 51.106 αὐτὸν ἀναστάντα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τῆς πίστεως· οὐκ εἶδες αὐτὸν διὰ τῶν ὀμμάτων τούτων ἀναστάντα, ἀλλ' ὄψει αὐτὸν ἀναστάντα διὰ τῶν θαυμάτων ἐκείνων. Ἡ γὰρ τῶν σημείων ἐπίδειξις χειραγωγεῖ σε πρὸς τὴν τῆς πίστεως θεωρίαν. Ὅθεν τοῦ φανῆναι αὐτὸν ἀναστάντα πολλῷ μείζων ἦν ἀπόδειξις καὶ σαφεστέρα τὸ σημεῖα γίνεσθαι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ. Βούλει μαθεῖν, πῶς τοῦτο μᾶλλον πιστοῦται τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἢ εἰ ἐφάνη πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κατ' ὀφθαλμούς; Ἀκούσατε νουνεχῶς· καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ τοῦτο ἐρωτῶσι, καὶ λέγουσι· Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀναστὰς οὐκ εὐθέως ἐφάνη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις; ἀλλὰ περιττὸς ὁ λόγος οὗτος καὶ μάταιος. Εἰ γὰρ ἔμελλε πρὸς τὴν πίστιν αὐτοὺς ἐπισπάσασθαι, οὐκ ἂν παρῃτήσατο μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν φανῆναι πᾶσιν· ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἔμελλεν αὐτοὺς ἐπισπάσασθαι φανεὶς αὐτοῖς μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, δείκνυσι διὰ τοῦ Λαζάρου. Τοῦτον γὰρ τετραήμερον νεκρὸν ἀναστήσας, ὀδωδότα, διεφθορότα, καὶ μετὰ τῶν κειριῶν δεδεμένον ποιήσας αὐτὸν ἐξελθεῖν ὑπὸ τὰς ἁπάντων ὄψεις, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐπεσπάσατο πρὸς τὴν πίστιν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρώξυνεν· ἐλθόντες γὰρ ἠβουλήθησαν καὶ αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν διὰ τοῦτο. Εἰ οὖν ἕτερον ἀνέστησε καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν, ἑαυτὸν ἀναστήσας εἰ ἔδειξεν ἑαυτὸν, οὐκ ἂν πάλιν ἐμάνησαν κατ' αὐτοῦ; Εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἔμελλον ἀνύειν, ἀλλ' ὅμως διὰ τῆς ἐπιχειρήσεως ἔμελλον ἀσεβεῖν. Ὥστε βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάξαι μανίας περιττῆς, ἔκρυψεν ἑαυτόν· μᾶλλον γὰρ ἂν ἐποίησεν ὑπευθύνους κολάσει, εἰ μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐφάνη. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο φειδόμενος αὐτῶν ἔκρυψε μὲν ἑαυτὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐκείνων ὄψεως· ἔδειξε δὲ διὰ τῆς τῶν σημείων ἀποδείξεως. Τοῦ γὰρ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ἀναστάντα οὐκ ἔλαττον ἦν ἀκοῦσαι Πέτρου λέγοντος· Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀναστάσεως μεγίστη ἀπόδειξις, καὶ εὐκολώτερον πρὸς