(Recapitulation.) (d) “Who having examined me,” says he, “found nothing in me”. When those ought to have rescued, they “delivered (him) into the hands of the Romans.” And such the superabundance, * * because those had not power to condemn but delivered him prisoner. “Not as having anything to accuse my nation of,” am I come. See what friendliness of expression “my nation:” he does not hold them as aliens. He does not say, I do not accuse, but, “I have not (whereof) to accuse:” although he had suffered so many evils at their hands.
But nothing of all this does he say, nor make his speech offensive: neither does he seem to be sparing them as matter of favor. For this was the main point, to show that they delivered him prisoner to the Romans, when those ought to have condemned him. (a) “For this cause,” he says, “I wished to see you”: that it might not be in any man's power to accuse me, and to say what (naturally) might suggest itself (τὰ παριστάμενα), that having escaped their hands I have come for this: not to bring evils upon others, but myself fleeing from evils.
“I was compelled to appeal unto Cæsar.” Observe them also speaking more mildly to him. “We beg,” say they: and wish to speak in exculpation of those (at Jerusalem). (e) Whereas they ought to accuse them, they plead for them: by the very fact of their exonerating them, they do in fact accuse them. (b) For this very thing was a proof that they knew themselves exceedingly in the wrong. Had they been confident, they would at any rate have done this, so that he should not have it in his power to make out his story in his own way, and besides they shrank from coming.
And by their many times attempting they showed * * (f) “As for this sect, it is known to us,” say they, “that it is everywhere spoken against.” (v. 21, 21.) True, but (people) are also everywhere persuaded (as, in fact, here), “some were persuaded, and some believed not. And when they had appointed him a day,” etc. See again how not by miracles but by Law and Prophets he puts them to silence, and how we always find him doing this. And yet he might also have wrought signs; but then it would no longer have been matter of faith.
In fact, this (itself) was a great sign, his discoursing from the Law and the Prophets. Then that you may not deem it strange (that they believed not), he introduces the prophecy which says, “Hearing you shall hear and not understand,” more now than then: “and you shall see and not perceive” more now than then. This is not spoken for the former sort, but for the unbelievers. How then? Was it contrary to the prophecy, that those believed? (“Go,”) it says, “unto this people” (that is), to the unbelieving people.
He did not say this to insult them, but to remove the offense. “Be it known then,” he says, “unto you, that unto the Gentiles is sent the salvation of God. They,” says he, “will hear it too.” Then why do you discourse to us? Did you not know this? Yes, but that you might be persuaded, and that I might exculpate myself, and give none a handle (against me). (c) The unbelieving were they that withdrew. But see how they do not now form plots against him. For in Judea they had a sort of tyranny.
Then wherefore did the Providence of God order that he should go there, and yet the Lord had said, “Get you out quickly from Jerusalem?” That both their wickedness might be shown and Christ's prophecy made good, that they would not endure to hear him: and so that all might learn that he was ready to suffer all things, and that the event might be for the consolation of those in Judea: for there also (the brethren) were suffering many grievous evils. But if while preaching the Jewish doctrines, he suffered thus, had he preached the doctrines of the glory of Christ, how would they have endured him?
While “purifying himself” he was intolerable, and how should he have been tolerable while preaching? What lay ye to his charge? What have ye heard? He spoke nothing of the kind. He was simply seen, and he exasperated all against him. Well might he then be set apart for the Gentiles: well might he be sent afar off: there also destined to discourse to the Gentiles. First he calls the Jews, then having shown them the facts he comes to the Gentiles. “Well spoke the Holy Ghost,” etc.
But this saying, “The Spirit said,” is nothing wonderful: for an angel also is said to say what the Lord says: but He (the Spirit) not so. When one is speaking of the things said by the angel, one does not say, Well said the angel, but, Well said the Lord. “Well said the Spirit:” as much as to say, It is not me that you disbelieve. But God foreknew this from the first. “He discoursed,” it says, “with boldness, unhindered”: for it is possible to speak with boldness, yet hindered.
His boldness nothing checked: but in fact he also spoke unhindered. (c) “Discoursed,” it says, “the things concerning the kingdom of God:” mark, nothing of the things of sense, nothing of the things present. (f) But of his affairs after the two years, what say we? (b) (The writer) leaves the hearer thirsty for more: the heathen authors do the same (in their writings), for to know everything makes the reader dull and jaded. Or else he does this, (e) not having it in his power to exhibit it from his own personal knowledge.
(a) Mark the order of God's Providence, “I have been much hindered from coming unto you...having a great desire these many years to come unto you.” (d) But he fed them with hopes. (g) I am in haste to go to Spain, and “I hope,” says he, “to see you in my journey, and to be brought thitherward on my journey by you, if first I be filled with your company in some measure.” (i) Of this he says, I will come and rest together with you “in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel”: and again “I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints”: this is the same that he has said here, “To do alms to my nation I came.” (h) Do you mark how he did not foresee everything— that sacred and divine head, the man higher than the heavens, that had a soul able to grasp all at once, the holder of the first place— Paul?
The man whose very name, to them that know him, suffices for rousing of the soul, for vigilance, for shaking off all sleep! Rome received him bound, coming up from the sea, saved from a ship-wreck— and was saved from the shipwreck of error. Like an emperor that has fought a naval battle and overcome, he entered into that most imperial city. (k) He was nearer now to his crown. Rome received him bound, and saw him crowned and proclaimed conqueror. There he had said, I will rest together with you: but this was the beginning of a course once more, and he added trophies to trophies, a man not to be overcome.
Corinth kept him two years, and Asia three, and this city two for this time; a second time he again entered it, when also he was consummated. Thus he escaped then, and having filled the whole world, he so brought his life to a close. Why did you wish to learn what happened after these two years? Those too are such as these: bonds, tortures, fightings, imprisonments, lyings in wait, false accusations, deaths, day by day. You have seen but a small part of it? How much soever you have seen, such is he for all the rest.
As in the case of the sky, if you see one part of it, go where you will you shall see it such as this: as it is with the sun, though thou see its rays but in part, you may conjecture the rest: so is it with Paul. His Acts you have seen in part; such are they all throughout, teeming with dangers. He was a heaven having in it the Sun of Righteousness, not such a sun (as we see): so that that man was better than the very heaven. Think you that this is a small thing— when you say “The Apostle,” immediately every one thinks of him (as), when you say “The Baptist,” immediately they think of John? To what shall one compare his words? To the sea, or even to the ocean? But nothing is equal to them.
Source: Homilies on Acts (New Advent)