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to disregard it. What did the tribes suffer because of an oath in the case of the tribe of Benjamin? What did Saul suffer because of an oath? For the one forswore himself, but Herod did even worse than perjury: murder. Again, you know what Joshua suffered because of the oath in the case of the Gibeonites. For to swear is truly a satanic snare. Let us therefore break the cords, and we shall set ourselves at ease from all guarding. Let us be delivered from the satanic snare; let us fear the Lord’s commandment; let us cast ourselves into an excellent habit; so that, advancing on the way, and having fulfilled this and the other commandments, we may obtain the good things promised to those who love Him, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

60.111 HOMILY 14. But a certain Pharisee in the council rose up, named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put them outside for a short while

the men to be put. 1. This Gamaliel was Paul’s teacher. And it is worthy of wonder, how one who had judgments according to reason and was learned in the law, had not yet believed. But it is not possible that he remained an unbeliever throughout. And this is clear from his words, by which he gives counsel. For he commanded, it says, to put the men outside for a short while. See the wisdom of his public speaking, and how he immediately cast them into fear. But so that he might not be suspected as thinking their thoughts, he speaks as to men of like mind, and does not use much vehemence, but as to men drunk with anger, he speaks thus: Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, what you intend to do concerning these men. Do not be carried away, he says, simply or at random. 60.112 For before these days Theudas rose up, saying he was somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; he was slain, and all who obeyed him were dispersed and came to nothing. He brings them to their senses by examples, and he puts the one who drew away more people last, consoling them. So then, before giving the examples, he says, Take heed to yourselves; but after he has shown them, he declares, saying: And now I say to you, Refrain from these men. After this man Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the registration, and drew away a considerable number of people after him; he also perished, and all who obeyed him were scattered. And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. 60.113 As if he said: Bear with them, and if these men also have stood up on their own, nothing will prevent them from being overthrown. Lest you even be found to fight against God. And he turns them away both through what is impossible and what is inexpedient. But he did not say by whom they were slain, but simply that they were dispersed, perhaps as being superfluous. But by what he suggests, he teaches that, If the work is human, you will have no need of actions; but if it is divine, not even with actions will you be able to prevail. Thus indeed his speech seemed so wise, that they were also persuaded not to kill them, but only to scourge them. For they were persuaded by him, it says; and when they had called the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. See, after how many miracles they are scourged. And yet again the teaching was intensified; for they were teaching both in the house and in the temple. They therefore departed rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ, and every day in the temple

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αὐτὴν ἀθετῆσαι. Τί δι' ὅρκον πεπόνθασιν αἱ φυλαὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Βενιαμὶν φυλῆς; τί δι' ὅρκον πέπονθεν ὁ Σαούλ; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιώρκησεν, ὁ δὲ Ἡρώδης καὶ τῆς ἐπιορκίας χεῖρον εἰργάσατο, τὸν φόνον. Πάλιν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διὰ τὸν ὅρκον ἐπὶ τῶν Γαβαωνιτῶν οἷα πέπονθεν ἔγνως. Σατανικὴ γὰρ ὄντως ἐστὶ παγὶς τὸ ὀμνύναι. ∆ιαῤῥήξωμεν τοίνυν τὰ σχοινία, καὶ ἐν εὐκολίᾳ καταστήσομεν ἑαυτοὺς πάσης φυλακῆς. Ἀπαλλαγῶμεν τῆς σατανικῆς παγίδος· φοβηθῶμεν τὴν ἐντολὴν τὴν ∆εσποτικήν· εἰς συνήθειαν ἀρίστην ἑαυτοὺς ἐμβάλωμεν· ἵνα ὁδῷ προβαίνοντες, καὶ ταύτην καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐντολὰς κατορθώσαντες, τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

60.111 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Ι∆ʹ. Ἀναστὰς δέ τις ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ Φαρισαῖος, ὀνόματι Γαμαλιὴλ, νομοδιδάσκαλος, τίμιος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἐκέλευσεν ἔξω βραχὺ

τοὺς ἀν θρώπους γενέσθαι. αʹ. Οὗτος ὁ Γαμαλιὴλ, Παύλου διδάσκαλος ἦν. Καὶ θαυμάσαι ἄξιον, πῶς καὶ

τὰς κατὰ νοῦν κρίσεις ἔχων καὶ νομομαθὴς ὢν, οὐδέπω ἐπίστευσεν. Οὐκ ἔστι δὲ αὐτὸν μεῖναι μὴ πιστεύσαντα δι' ὅλου. Καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, δι' ὧν συμβουλεύει. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔξω βραχὺ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ποιῆσαι. Ὅρα τὴν σύνεσιν τῆς δημηγορίας, καὶ πῶς αὐτοὺς εὐθέως εἰς φόβον ἐσέβαλεν. Ὥστε δὲ μὴ ὑποπτευθῆναι αὐτὸν ὡς τὰ ἐκείνων φρονοῦντα, ὡς πρὸς ὁμογνώμονας διαλέγεται, καὶ οὐ πολλῇ τῇ σφοδρότητι κέχρηται, ἀλλ' ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ μεθύουσιν, οὕτω φησίν· Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς, ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις τί μέλλετε πράσσειν. Μὴ ἁπλῶς, φησὶ, μηδὲ ὡς ἔτυχε 60.112 φέρεσθε. Πρὸ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη Θευδᾶς, λέγων, εἶναί τινα ἑαυτὸν, ᾧ προσεκολλήθη ἀριθμὸς ἀνδρῶν ὡς τετρακοσίων· ὃς ἀνηρέθη· καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ, διελύθησαν καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς οὐδέν. Ἀπὸ παραδειγμάτων αὐτοὺς σωφρονίζει, καὶ τὸν πλείονας ἀποστήσαντα ὕστερον τίθησι παραμυθούμενος αὐτούς. Πρὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦ τὰ παραδείγματα εἰπεῖν, λέγει, Προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδειξεν, ἀποφαίνεται λέγων· Καὶ τὰ νῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, Ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων. Μετὰ τοῦτον ἀνέστη Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἀπογραφῆς, καὶ ἀπέστησεν ἱκανὸν λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ· κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ, διεσκορπίσθησαν. Καὶ τανῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, Ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων, καὶ ἐάσατε αὐτούς· ὅτι, ἐὰν ᾖ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη ἢ τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο, καταλυθήσεται· εἰ δὲ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ δυνήσεσθε καταλῦσαι αὐτό. 60.113 Ὡσεὶ ἔλεγεν· Ἀνάσχεσθε, καὶ ἐὰν ἐξ ἑαυτῶν καὶ οὗτοι συνέστησαν, οὐδὲν κωλύσει καὶ αὐτοὺς καταλυθῆναι. Μήποτε καὶ Θεομάχοι εὑρεθῆτε. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἀδυνάτου, καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἀσυμφόρου ἀποτρέπει αὐτούς. Οὐκ εἶπε δὲ ὑπὸ τίνος ἀνῃρέθησαν, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς, ὅτι διελύθησαν, τάχα ὡς παρέλκον. ∆ι' ὧν δὲ ὑποτίθησι, διδάσκει, ὅτι Εἰ μὲν ἀνθρώπινον τὸ ἔργον, οὐδὲν δεήσει πραγμάτων ὑμῖν· εἰ δὲ θεῖόν ἐστιν, οὐδὲ μετὰ πραγμάτων δυνήσεσθε περιγενέσθαι. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ὁ λόγος συνετὸς ἔδοξεν, ὅτι καὶ ἐπείσθησαν ὥστε μὴ ἀνελεῖν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ μαστίξαι μόνον. Ἐπείσθησαν γὰρ αὐτῷ, φησί· καὶ προσκαλεσάμενοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους, δείραντες παρήγγειλαν μὴ λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς. Ὅρα, μετὰ πόσα μαστίζονται θαύματα. Καὶ ὅμως πάλιν ἡ διδασκαλία ἐπετείνετο· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐδίδασκον. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατηξιώθησαν ἀτιμασθῆναι, πᾶσάν τε ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ