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For if unjustly, this would not be a wonder, but an accusation, and flattery, and slander; if justly, this is not possible; for the people do not have right judgments, but they admire those who serve their desires. And if you wish, consider those who give their possessions to prostitutes, to charioteers, to dancers. But not these, he says, we mean, but the just, and the upright, and those who are able to do great good. If only they were willing, they would quickly do good things; but now they do none of these things. Who, tell me, now praises the just man and the upright? Quite the contrary. But what is more worthless than a just man, if in accomplishing such a thing he aims for the glory that comes from the many? For he does the sort of thing as if 60.214 an excellent painter, while painting a royal portrait, should accept the praises of the inexperienced. Besides, a man who looks to human glory will quickly turn away from matters of virtue. For if he is to gape for praises, he works at what they wish, not what he himself wishes. What, then, should I advise you to do henceforth? To pay attention to God, to be content with the praises from Him, to work at all things that seem good to Him, and to do good things, gaping at nothing human; for this corrupts fasting and prayer and almsgiving, and empties all our good deeds. So that we may not suffer this, let us flee this passion. Let us look to one thing only, the praise from God, the approval from there, the good report from the common Master; so that having completed the present life with virtue, we may attain to the promised good things with 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.

60.213 HOMILY 29. But Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, said: Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people in their sojourning in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm

He brought them out of it. a. See Barnabas giving way to Paul, just as John did to Peter

everywhere. He himself brought him from Damascus; and yet he was more venerable than him; but they looked to the common good. And standing up, it says, and motioning with his hand. This was a custom of the Jews; which is why he also speaks to them in this manner. See how he prepares the way for his speech; first having praised them, and having shown great concern for them by saying, You who fear God, thus he begins his speech. And he did not say, the proselytes, which was a name of misfortune. The God of this people chose our fathers and the people. See how he too calls the common God of men their own, and shows from the beginning His benefactions to be great, just as Stephen also did. But they do these things, in order to teach them that now also, according to the same custom, He sent His Son. Just as Christ also said in the parable of the vineyard, so also he says. He exalted them in their sojourning in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm He brought them out of it. And yet the opposite happened; but they increased in multitude; but the wonders happened on their account. Of these things, the prophets also always make mention, the things concerning Egypt. And see how he runs past the times of misfortunes, and nowhere brings their crimes into the open, but the loving-kindness of God, leaving those things for them to consider. And for about a period of forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. Then he speaks of the settlement: And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave them their land as an inheritance

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Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀδίκως, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τοῦτο θαῦμα, ἀλλὰ κατηγορία, καὶ κολακεία, καὶ διαβολή· εἰ δικαίως, τοῦτο οὐ δυνατόν· οὐ γὰρ ἔχει κρίσεις ὀρθὰς ὁ δῆμος, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν ὑπηρετοῦντας τούτους θαυμάζουσι. Καὶ εἰ βούλεσθε, καταμάθετε τοὺς ταῖς πόρναις τὰ αὐτῶν δωρουμένους, τοὺς τοῖς ἡνιόχοις, τοὺς τοῖς ὀρχησταῖς. Ἀλλ' οὐ τούτους, φησὶ, φαμὲν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς δικαίους, καὶ τοὺς ὀρθοὺς, καὶ μεγάλα δυναμένους ποιεῖν καλά. Εἴθε ἠβούλοντο, καὶ ταχέως ἐποίουν ἂν τὰ ἀγαθά· νῦν δὲ οὐδὲν τούτων ποιοῦσι Τίς, εἰπέ μοι, τὸν δίκαιον ἐπαινεῖ νῦν καὶ τὸν ὀρθόν; Τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν. Τί δὲ ψυχρότερον δικαίου, εἰ πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον κατορθῶν τῆς παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δόξης ἐφίεται; Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ποιεῖ, οἷον ἂν εἴ 60.214 τις ζωγράφος ἄριστος ὢν καὶ εἰκόνα γράφων βασιλικὴν, τῶν οὐκ ἐμπείρων ἀποδέχοιτο τοὺς ἐπαίνους. Ἄλλως δὲ ταχέως ἀποστήσεται ἄνθρωπος ὁ πρὸς δόξαν ὁρῶν ἀνθρωπίνην τῶν κατ' ἀρετὴν πραγμάτων. Εἰ γὰρ μέλλοι πρὸς ἐπαίνους κεχηνέναι, ἅπερ ἂν ἐκεῖνοι θέλωσι, ταῦτα ἐργάζεται, οὐχ ἅπερ ἂν αὐτός. Τί οὖν ἂν ὑμῖν συμβουλεύσαιμι λοιπὸν ποιεῖν; Τῷ Θεῷ προσέχειν, τοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἀρκεῖσθαι τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῦ, πάντα τὰ ἐκείνῳ δοκοῦντα ἐργάζεσθαι, καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ πράττειν, πρὸς μηδὲν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων κεχηνέναι· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νηστείαν καὶ εὐχὴν καὶ ἐλεημοσύνην λυμαίνεται, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἡμέτερα ἀγαθὰ κενοῖ. Ὅπερ ἵνα μὴ πάθωμεν, φύγωμεν τουτὶ τὸ πάθος. Πρὸς ἓν μόνον ὁρῶμεν, τὸν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔπαινον, τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀποδοχὴν, τὴν παρὰ τοῦ κοινοῦ ∆εσπότου εὐφημίαν· ἵνα μετὰ ἀρετῆς τὸν παρόντα βίον διανύσαντες, τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν σὺν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν ἐπιτύχωμεν, 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.

60.213 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΘʹ. Ἀναστὰς δὲ Παῦλος, καὶ κατασείσας τῇ χειρὶ, εἶπεν· Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, καὶ οἱ ἐν ὑμῖν φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀκούσατε. Ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τού του ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος

ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς. αʹ. Ὅρα τὸν Βαρνάβαν παραχωροῦντα τῷ Παύλῳ, ὥσπερ καὶ Πέτρῳ Ἰωάννης

πανταχοῦ. Αὐτὸς ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ ∆αμασκοῦ· καίτοι αὐτοῦ αἰδεσιμώτερος ἦν· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον ἑώρων. Καὶ ἀναστὰς, φησὶ, καὶ κατασείσας τῇ χειρί. Ἔθος τοῦτο Ἰουδαίοις ἦν· διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς διαλέγεται. Ὅρα πῶς προοδοποιεῖ τῷ λόγῳ· πρότερον ἐγκωμιάσας αὐτοὺς, καὶ δείξας πολλὴν περὶ αὐτοὺς τὴν κηδεμονίαν διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, οὕτως ἄρχεται τοῦ λόγου. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, οἱ προσήλυτοι, ὅπερ ἦν συμφορᾶς ὄνομα. Ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν λαόν. Ὅρα πῶς καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν κοινὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων Θεὸν αὐτῶν ἰδίως καλεῖ, καὶ δείκνυσιν ἄνωθεν τὰς εὐεργεσίας αὐτοῦ μεγάλας οὔσας, καθάπερ καὶ Στέφανος. Ταῦτα δὲ ποιοῦσιν, ἵνα παιδεύσωσιν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι καὶ νῦν κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἔθος τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπέστειλε. Καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπεν ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι, οὕτω καὶ αὐτός φησιν. Ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ μετὰ βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς. Καὶ μὴν τοὐναντίον γέγονεν· ἀλλ' εἰς πλῆθος ἐπέδοσαν· ἀλλὰ τὰ θαύματα δι' αὐτοὺς γέγονε. Τούτων καὶ οἱ προφῆται μνημονεύουσιν ἀεὶ τῶν κατ' Αἴγυπτον. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς τοὺς καιροὺς τῶν συμφορῶν παρατρέχει, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τὰ ἐγκλήματα παράγει εἰς μέσον, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, ἐκεῖνα αὐτοῖς ἀφεὶς λογίζεσθαι. Καὶ ὡς τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη χρόνον ἐτροποφόρησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Εἶτα τὴν κατοικίαν λέγει· Καὶ καθελὼν ἔθνη ἑπτὰ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν, κατεκληρονόμησεν αὐτοῖς τὴν γῆν