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to bring upon it, what harm? Let our soul be well-ordered, and there will be no harm from without. But you are not in glory? And what of that? For what is true of money is also true of glory. For if I am magnificent, I shall need nothing; but if vainglorious, the more I obtain, the more I shall need. Then shall I be most illustrious, and shall enjoy greater glory, if I despise glory. Knowing these things, therefore, let us both give thanks to Christ our God Who has granted us such a life, and let us pursue it to His glory, because to Him belongs glory with the unoriginate Father and His Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
60.119 HOMILY XV. But Stephen, full of faith and power, did
great wonders and signs among the people. a'. See how even among the seven there was one who was chief and held the first place. For though
the ordination was common, yet this man drew to himself greater grace. But before this he did not work signs, but when he became known, that it might be shown that grace alone is not sufficient, but there is need also of ordination; so that there was an addition of the Spirit. And if even before this they were full of the Spirit, it was that from the font. But there arose certain of the synagogue. Again, by 'arose' he means their exasperation and their anger. See here also a great multitude; or rather, how different is the form of the accusation. For since Gamaliel had forbidden them to bring any charge concerning Him, they introduce another accusation. Then there arose certain, he says, of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen; and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God, That they might establish the accusation, 'Against God,' he says, 'and against Moses he speaks.' For this reason they also disputed, that they might compel him to say something. But he for his part discoursed more openly, and perhaps spoke only of the cessation of the law; or he did not say it, but hinted at it; since if he spoke openly, there would be no need of suborned men nor of false witnesses. But the syn 60.120.30 agogues were distinct, of the Libertines and Cyrenians. But the Cyrenians are those beyond Alexandria, who also had synagogues there according to their nations; and perhaps they stayed there, so as not to be forced to travel continually. But the Libertines are the freedmen of the Romans, so called. And just as many foreigners lived there, so they also had synagogues, where the law had to be read and prayers made. But mark you, how he also, being compelled, undertakes to teach, and they again, on account of the signs, are moved not only to envy, but since he also prevailed in argument, and was unbearable to them, they set up false witnesses. For they did not wish to kill him outright, but with a sentence, that they might also injure their reputation; and leaving those, they come against these, as if by this they would terrify those also; who also did not say, 'He speaks,' but, 'He ceases not to speak,' magnifying the accusation. And they stirred up the elders and the scribes, and coming upon him, they seized him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, saying; This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law. 'He ceases not,' they say, signifying by this that he makes it his business. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 'Jesus,' they say, 'of Nazareth,' and reproachfully, 'shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs.' This they also said 60.121 when accusing Christ: 'You who would destroy the temple of God.' For great
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ἐπαγαγεῖν, τί βλάβος; Ἔστω ἡμῖν ἡ ψυχὴ ῥυθμιζομένη καλῶς, καὶ βλάβος οὐδὲν ἔσται ἔξωθεν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ εἶ ἐν δόξῃ; Καὶ τί τοῦτο; Ὅπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων ἐστὶ, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δόξης. Ἂν γὰρ ὦ μεγαλοπρεπὴς, οὐ δεήσομαι οὐδενός· ἂν δὲ κενόδοξος, ὅσῳ ἂν ἐπιτύχω, τοσούτῳ μείζονος δεήσομαι. Τότε δὲ μάλιστα λαμπρὸς ἔσομαι, καὶ μείζονος ἀπολαύσομαι δόξης, εἰ καταφρονήσω δόξης. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, καὶ χάριν ἔχωμεν τῷ τοιαύτην ἡμῖν χαρισαμένῳ ζωὴν Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ μετίωμεν αὐτὴν εἰς δόξαν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτῷ πρέπει ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
60.119 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΕʹ. Στέφανος δὲ πλήρης πίστεως καὶ δυνάμεως ἐποίει
τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα μεγάλα ἐν τῷ λαῷ. αʹ. Ὅρα, πῶς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑπτὰ ἦν τις πρόκριτος καὶ τὰ πρωτεῖα εἶχεν. Εἰ γὰρ
καὶ ἡ χειροτονία κοινὴ, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὗτος ἐπεσπάσατο χάριν πλείονα. Πρὸ τούτου δὲ οὐκ ἐποίει σημεῖα, ἀλλ' ὅτε δῆλος γέγονεν, ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μόνη ἡ χάρις, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ τῆς χειροτονίας· ὥστε προσθήκη Πνεύματος ἐγένετο. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸ τούτου πλήρεις Πνεύματος ἦσαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ λουτροῦ. Ἀνέστησαν δέ τινες τῶν ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς. Πάλιν ἀνάστασιν τὸν παροξυσμὸν αὐτῶν λέγει καὶ τὴν ὀργήν. Ὅρα καὶ ἐνταῦθα πολὺ τὸ πλῆθος· μᾶλλον δὲ πῶς ἕτερον τῆς κατηγορίας τὸ σχῆμα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκώλυσεν αὐτοὺς Γαμαλιῆλος μηδὲν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου ἐγκαλεῖν, ἑτέραν κατηγορίαν εἰσάγουσιν. Ἀνέστησαν δέ τινες, φησὶ, τῶν ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λιβερτίνων καὶ Κυρηναίων καὶ Ἀλεξανδρέων, καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Κιλικίας καὶ Ἀσίας, συζητοῦντες τῷ Στεφάνῳ· καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀντιστῆναι τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι, ᾧ ἐλάλει. Τότε ὑπέβαλον ἄνδρας λέγοντας, ὅτι Ἀκηκόαμεν αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ῥήματα βλάσφημα εἰς Μωσῆν καὶ τὸν Θεόν, Ἵνα τὴν κατηγορίαν συστήσωσι, Κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησὶ, καὶ κατὰ Μωσέως λαλεῖ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ συνεζήτουν, ἵνα ἀναγκάσωσιν αὐτόν τι εἰπεῖν. Ὁ δὲ γυμνότερον λοιπὸν διελέγετο, καὶ τὴν παῦλαν ἴσως ἔλεγε τοῦ νόμου μόνον· ἢ οὐκ ἔλεγε μὲν, ᾐνίττετο δέ· ἐπεὶ εἰ ἔλεγε φανερῶς, οὐκ ἔδει τῶν ὑποβλητῶν ἀνδρῶν οὐδὲ τῶν ψευδομαρτύρων. ∆ιάφοροι δὲ αἱ συν 60.120.30 αγωγαὶ ἦσαν Λιβερτίνων καὶ Κυρηναίων. Ἀλλὰ Κυρηναῖοι μὲν οἱ ἐπέκεινα Ἀλεξανδρείας εἰσὶν, οἳ καὶ ἐκεῖ κατὰ τὰ ἔθνη εἶχον συναγωγάς· ἴσως δὲ καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔμενον, ἵνα μὴ ἀναγκάζωνται συνεχῶς ἀποδημεῖν. Λιβερτῖνοι δὲ οἱ Ῥωμαίων ἀπελεύθεροι οὕτω καλοῦνται. Ὥσπερ δὲ ᾤκουν ἐκεῖ πολλοὶ ξένοι, οὕτω καὶ συναγωγὰς εἶχον, ἔνθα ἔδει τὸν νόμον ἀναγινώσκεσθαι καὶ εὐχὰς γίνεσθαι. Σὺ δέ μοι σκόπει, πῶς καὶ οὗτος ἀναγκαζόμενος διδάσκειν ἐπιχειρεῖ, κἀκεῖνοι πάλιν διὰ τὰ σημεῖα εἰς φθόνον οὐ μόνον κινοῦνται, ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ καὶ λόγῳ ἐκράτει, καὶ ἀφόρητος ἦν αὐτοῖς, ψευδομάρτυρας συνιστῶσιν. Οὐκ ἐβούλοντο γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἀναιρεῖν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ψήφου, ἵνα καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν βλάψωσι· καὶ ἐκείνους ἀφέντες ἐπὶ τούτους ἔρχονται, ὡς ταύτῃ καταπληξόμενοι κἀκείνους· οἳ καὶ οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι Λαλεῖ, ἀλλ', Οὐ παύεται λαλῶν, αὔξοντες τὴν κατηγορίαν. Συνεκίνησάν τε τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τοὺς γραμματεῖς, καὶ ἐπιστάντες συνήρπασαν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἤγαγον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον, ἔστησάν τε μάρτυρας ψευδεῖς λέγοντας· Ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος οὐ παύεται ῥήματα λαλῶν κατὰ τοῦ τόπου τοῦ ἁγίου τούτου καὶ τοῦ νόμου. Οὐ παύεται, φασὶν, ὡς ἔργον αὐτοῦ ποιουμένου διὰ τούτου δηλοῦντες. Ἀκηκόαμεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος οὗτος καταλύσει τὸν τόπον τοῦτον, καὶ ἀλλάξει τὰ ἔθη, ἃ παρέδωκεν ἡμῖν Μωϋσῆς. Ἰησοῦς, φασὶν, ὁ Ναζωραῖος, καὶ ὀνειδιστικῶς, καταλύσει τὸν τόπον τοῦτον, καὶ ἀλλάξει τὰ ἔθη. Τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ 60.121 κατηγοροῦντες ἔλεγον· Ὁ καταλύων τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πολλὴ γὰρ