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disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road.
1. It is worth inquiring here, how in the Epistle to the Galatians he says, that "I went not up
to Jerusalem, but into Arabia and Damascus; and that, After three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and that, I saw none of the apostles;" but here, the contrary, that Barnabas brought him to the apostles. Either then he says this, that I went not up to confer (for he says there, that I conferred not with flesh and blood; neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me); or if not this, that the plot in Damascus, happened after he had come from Arabia, he says, then again the going up after he came from thence. At any rate, he did not go to the apostles, but tried to join the disciples, as not being a teacher, but a disciple. So he did not go up for this purpose, that he might go to those before him; for he learned nothing from them. Or he does not speak of this going up, but omits it, so that it would be thus: He went away into Arabia, then came to Damascus, then to Jerusalem, then to Syria. Or if not this, again thus, that He went up to Jerusalem, then was sent out to Damascus, then to Syria, then to Damascus again, then to Caesarea, and then after fourteen years, perhaps when he brought up the brethren with Barnabas. Or if not this, he speaks of a different time. For the historian abridges much, and brings together many times. See, how he is not ambitious, nor does he relate that vision, but passes it over. Again he thus begins and says: And when he was come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples: but they were afraid of him. And from this again is shown the zeal of Paul; not from 60.164 Ananias, nor from those who admired him there, but also from those in Jerusalem. For that was not really of human expectation. And see him not going to the apostles out of moderation, but to the disciples, as being a disciple; for he was not yet considered to be trustworthy. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road. This Barnabas was a certain forbearing and gentle man. The name is interpreted son of consolation; hence also he became a friend to Paul. That he was very good and approachable, this is clear both from what is at hand, and from the things concerning John. Wherefore this man is not afraid, but relates how on the road he saw the Lord, and that he spoke to him, and how in Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. For it is likely that he had also heard in Damascus the things concerning him. Therefore also making these things preparatory for them, by his deeds he confirmed what was said. And he was with them coming in and going out in Jerusalem, and preaching boldly in the name of Jesus. And he spoke and disputed with the Hellenists. Since the disciples were afraid of him, and the apostles did not believe him, for this reason he from there relieves their fear. And he spoke and disputed, he says, with the Hellenists. He calls Hellenists those who speak Greek; and this very wisely. For those others, the deep Hebrews, did not even wish to see him. But they went about to slay him; this is a proof of his vehemence and of his overpowering victory, and of their being greatly distressed by what had happened. And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea. They do this because of fear; for fearing lest the same thing might happen as in the case of Stephen, they bring him down to Caesarea. And sent him forth to Tarsus. Although because of fear, nevertheless they send him away, both to preach, and that he would be in safety, as being in his own native country. But observe for me, 60.165 how not all things happen by grace, but God permits them both by their own wisdom to manage many things and in a human way. For if this happened in his case, much more
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θητής. Βαρνάβας δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ, ἤγαγε πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς, πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδε τὸν Κύριον.
αʹ. Ἄξιον ἐνταῦθα διαπορῆσαι, πῶς ἐν μὲν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας φησὶν, ὅτι Οὐκ
ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἀλλ' εἰς Ἀραβίαν καὶ ∆αμασκόν· καὶ ὅτι Μετὰ τρία ἔτη ἀνέβην εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἱστορῆσαι Πέτρον, καὶ ὅτι Οὐδένα τῶν ἀποστόλων εἶδον· ἐνταῦθα δὲ τοὐναντίον, ὅτι Βαρνάβας ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους. Ἢ τοίνυν τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Οὐκ ἀπῆλθον ὥστε ἀναθέσθαι (λέγει γὰρ ἐκεῖ, ὅτι Οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι· οὐδὲ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους)· ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ ἡ ἐν ∆αμασκῷ, μετὰ τὸ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ Ἀραβίας γέγονε, φησὶν, εἶτα πάλιν ἡ ἄνοδος μετὰ τὸ ἐκεῖθεν ἐλθεῖν. Αὐτὸς γοῦν οὐκ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπειρᾶτο κολλᾶσθαι, ἅτε οὐ διδάσκαλος ὢν, ἀλλὰ μαθητής. Ἄρα οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ἀνῆλθεν, ἵνα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἀπέλθῃ· οὐδὲ γὰρ παρ' αὐτῶν τι ἔμαθεν. Ἢ ταύτην τὴν ἄνοδον οὐ λέγει, ἀλλ' ἀφίησιν, ὥστε εἶναι οὕτως· Ἀπῆλθεν εἰς Ἀραβίαν, εἶτα ἦλθεν εἰς ∆αμασκὸν, εἶτα εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, εἶτα εἰς Συρίαν. Ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, πάλιν οὕτως, ὅτι Ἀνῆλθεν εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, εἶτα εἰς ∆αμασκὸν ἐξεπέμφθη, εἶτα εἰς Συρίαν, εἶτα εἰς ∆αμασκὸν πάλιν, εἶτα εἰς Καισάρειαν, καὶ τότε διὰ δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν, ἴσως ὅτε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀνήγαγε μετὰ Βαρνάβα. Ἢ εἰ μὴ τοῦτο, ἕτερον λέγει καιρόν. Ὁ γὰρ ἱστοριογράφος πολλὰ ἐπιτέμνει, καὶ πολλοὺς συνάγει καιρούς. Ὅρα, πῶς οὐκ ἔστι φιλότιμος, οὐδὲ διηγεῖται τὴν ὄψιν ἐκείνην, ἀλλὰ παρατρέχει. Πάλιν δὲ οὕτως ἄρχεται καί φησι· Παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἐπειρᾶτο κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς· οἱ δὲ ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου πάλιν τὸ θερμὸν τοῦ Παύλου δείκνυται· οὐκ ἀπὸ 60.164 Ἀνανίου, οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τῶν θαυμαζόντων αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὄντως προσδοκίας ἀνθρωπίνης ἐκεῖνο. Καὶ ὅρα αὐτὸν οὐ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀπιόντα διὰ τὸ μετριάζειν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς, ἅτε μαθητὴν ὄντα· οὔπω γὰρ ἐνομίζετο ἀξιόπιστος εἶναι. Βαρνάβας δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ἤγαγε πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς, πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδε τὸν Κύριον. Ὁ Βαρνάβας οὗτος ἐπιεικής τις καὶ ἥμερος ἄνθρωπος ἦν. Υἱὸς δὲ παρακλήσεως τὸ ὄνομα ἑρμηνεύεται· ὅθεν καὶ φίλος τῷ Παύλῳ γέγονεν. Ὅτι δὲ χρηστὸς ἦν σφόδρα καὶ εὐπρόσιτος, τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ τῶν μετὰ χεῖρας, καὶ ἐκ τῶν κατὰ Ἰωάννην δῆλόν ἐστιν. Ὅθεν οὗτος οὐ φοβεῖται, ἀλλὰ διηγεῖται, πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ὅτι ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ, καὶ πῶς ἐν ∆αμασκῷ ἐπαῤῥησιάσατο ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Εἰκὸς αὐτὸν γὰρ καὶ ἐν ∆αμασκῷ ἀκηκοέναι τὰ κατ' αὐτόν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ταῦτα ἐκείνων κατασκευαστικὰ ποιῶν, διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐβεβαίωσε τὰ λεχθέντα. Καὶ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ παῤῥησιαζόμενος ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς. Ἐπειδὴ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτὸν, οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι οὐκ ἐπίστευον αὐτῷ, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῶν ἐκεῖθεν λύει τὸ δέος. Ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει, φησὶ, πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς. Ἑλληνιστὰς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὶ φθεγγομένους λέγει· καὶ τοῦτο σφόδρα σοφῶς. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ οἱ ἄλλοι οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ἠθέλησαν οἱ βαθεῖς Ἑβραῖοι. Οἱ δὲ ἐπεχείρουν ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν· τῆς σφοδρότητος καὶ τῆς κατὰ κράτος νίκης τοῦτο τεκμήριον, καὶ τοῦ σφόδρα λυπεῖσθαι τῷ γεγονότι. Ἐπιγνόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, κατήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν. ∆ιὰ φόβον τοῦτο ποιοῦσι· φοβηθέντες γὰρ λοιπὸν μὴ ταυτὸν γένηται οἷον ἐπὶ Στεφάνου, κατάγουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν. Καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν αὐτὸν εἰς Ταρσόν. Εἰ καὶ διὰ φόβον, ὅμως ἀποστέλλουσιν, ἅμα καὶ κηρύξοντα, καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἐσόμενον αὐτὸν, ἅτε ἐν οἰκείᾳ πατρίδι. Ὅρα δέ μοι, 60.165 πῶς οὐ πάντα χάριτι γίνεται, ἀλλὰ συγχωρεῖ αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ οἰκείᾳ σοφίᾳ οἰκονομεῖν πολλὰ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦτο γέγονε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον